Allah tells us about the idolators who deny the Resurrection, considering it extremely unlikely that bodies will be re-created after they have become bones and dust. Then He says:
﴿لَقَدْ وُعِدْنَا هَـذَا نَحْنُ وَءَابَآؤُنَا مِن قَبْلُ﴾
(Indeed we were promised this -- we and our forefathers before,) meaning, `we and our forefathers have been hearing this for a long time, but in reality, we have never seen it happen.'
﴿إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ﴾
(verily, these are nothing but tales of ancients.) the promises that bodies will be restored are
﴿إِلاَّ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ﴾
(nothing but tales of ancients.) meaning that they were taken by the people who came before us from books which were handed down from one to the other, but they have no basis in reality. Responding to their thoughts of disbelief and their belief that there would be no Resurrection, Allah said,
﴿قُلْ﴾
(Say) `O Muhammad, to these people,'
﴿سِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَاْنظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ﴾
(Travel in the land and see how has been the end of the criminals. ) meaning, those who denied the Messengers and their message of the Resurrection and other matters. See how the punishment and vengeance of Allah struck them and how Allah saved from among them the noble Messengers and the believers who followed them. This will be an indication of the truth of the Message brought by the Messengers. Then, to comfort the Prophet , Allah says:
﴿وَلاَ تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ﴾
(And grieve you not over them,) meaning, `but do not feel sorry for them or kill yourself with regret for them,'
﴿وَلاَ تَكُن فِى ضَيْقٍ مِّمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ﴾
(nor be straitened because of what they plot.) means, `because they plot against you and reject what you have brought, for Allah will help and support you, and cause your religion to prevail over those who oppose you and stubbornly resist you in the east and in the west.'
﴿وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَـذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ قُلْ عَسَى أَن يَكُونَ رَدِفَ لَكُم بَعْضُ الَّذِى تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَشْكُرُونَ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُكِنُّ صُدُورُهُمْ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ وَمَا مِنْ غَآئِبَةٍ فِى السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴾
(71. And they say: "When this promise, if you are truthful'') (72. Say: "Perhaps that which you wish to hasten on, may be close behind you.'') (73. Verily, your Lord is full of grace for mankind, yet most of them do not give thanks.) (74. And verily, your Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they reveal.) (75. And there is nothing hidden in the heaven and the earth but it is in a Clear Book.) Allah tells us about how the idolators asked about the Day of Resurrection, but thought it unlikely that it would ever come to pass.
﴿وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَـذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ ﴾
(And they say: "When (will) this promise (be fulfilled), if you are truthful'') Allah said, responding to them:
﴿قُلْ﴾
(Say) `O Muhammad,'
﴿عَسَى أَن يَكُونَ رَدِفَ لَكُم بَعْضُ الَّذِى تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ﴾
(Perhaps that which you wish to hasten on, may be close behind you.) Ibn `Abbas said, "That which you wish to hasten on has come close to you, or some of it has come close.'' This was also the view of Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, `Ata Al-Khurasani, Qatadah and As-Suddi. This is also what is meant in the Ayat:
﴿وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هُوَ قُلْ عَسَى أَن يَكُونَ قَرِيبًا﴾
(And they say: "When will that be'' Say: "Perhaps it is near!'') (17:51)
﴿يَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمُحِيطَةٌ بِالْكَـفِرِينَ ﴾
(They ask you to hasten on the torment. And verily, Hell, of a surety, will encompass the disbelievers) (29:54).
﴿عَسَى أَن يَكُونَ رَدِفَ لَكُم﴾
(may be close behind you.) means, it is being hastened for you. This was reported from Mujahid. Then Allah says:
﴿وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ﴾
(Verily, your Lord is full of grace for mankind,) meaning, He abundantly bestows His blessings on them even though they wrong themselves, yet despite that they do not give thanks for those blessings, except for a few of them.
﴿وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُكِنُّ صُدُورُهُمْ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ﴾
(And verily, your Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they reveal.) means, He knows what is hidden in their hearts just as He knows what is easily visible.
﴿سَوَآءٌ مِّنْكُمْ مَّنْ أَسَرَّ الْقَوْلَ وَمَنْ جَهَرَ بِهِ﴾
(It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceals his speech or declares it openly) (13:10),
﴿يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ وَأَخْفَى﴾
(He knows the secret and that which is yet more hidden) (20: 7),
﴿أَلا حِينَ يَسْتَغْشُونَ ثِيَابَهُمْ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ﴾
(Surely, even when they cover themselves with their garments, He knows what they conceal and what they reveal) (11:5). Then Allah tells us that He is the Knower of the unseen in the heavens and on earth, and that He is the Knower of the unseen and the seen, i.e., that which is unseen by His servants and that which they can see. And Allah says:
﴿وَمَا مِنْ غَآئِبَةٍ﴾
(and there is nothing hidden) Ibn `Abbas said, "This means, there is nothing
﴿فِى السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ﴾
(in the heaven and the earth but it is in a Clear Book.) This is like the Ayah,
﴿أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِنَّ ذلِكَ فِى كِتَـبٍ إِنَّ ذلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ ﴾
(Know you not that Allah knows all that is in the heaven and on the earth Verily, it is (all) in the Book. Verily, that is easy for Allah.) (22:70)
﴿إِنَّ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانَ يَقُصُّ عَلَى بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ أَكْثَرَ الَّذِى هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ - وَإِنَّهُ لَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤمِنِينَ - إِن رَبَّكَ يَقْضِى بَيْنَهُم بِحُكْمِهِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْعَلِيمُ - فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّكَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ الْمُبِينِ - إِنَّكَ لاَ تُسْمِعُ الْمَوْتَى وَلاَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ الدُّعَآءَ إِذَا وَلَّوْاْ مُدْبِرِينَ - وَمَآ أَنتَ بِهَادِى الْعُمْىِ عَن ضَلَـلَتِهِمْ إِن تُسْمِعُ إِلاَّ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِـَايَـتِنَا فَهُم مُّسْلِمُونَ ﴾
(76. Verily, this Qur'an narrates to the Children of Israel most of that in which they differ.) (77. And truly, it is a guide and a mercy for the believers.) (78. Verily, your Lord will decide between them by His judgement. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.) (79. So, put your trust in Allah; surely, you are on manifest truth.) (80. Verily, you cannot make the dead to hear nor can you make the deaf to hear the call, when they flee, turning their backs.) (81. Nor can you lead the blind out of their error. You can only make to hear those who believe in Our Ayat, so they submit (became Muslims).)