﴿سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ ﴾

(A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall) This Ayah contains an assumed meaning that is alluded to by the letter "Ba''. It is as though it is saying, a questioner requested to hasten on the torment that is about to fall. It is similar to Allah's statement,

﴿وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ وَلَن يُخْلِفَ اللَّهُ وَعْدَهُ﴾

(And they ask you to hasten on the torment! And Allah fails not His promise.) (22:47) meaning, that its torment will occur and there is no avoiding it. Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas concerning the Ayah,

﴿سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ ﴾

(A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall) "That is the questioning of the disbelievers about the torment of Allah and it will occur to them.'' Ibn Abi Najih reported from Mujahid that he said concerning Allah's statement

﴿سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌ﴾

(A questioner asked), "A person called out (requesting) for the torment that will occur in the Hereafter to happen.'' Then he said, "This is their saying,

﴿اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ﴾

(O Allah! If this is indeed the truth from you, then rain down stones on us from the sky or bring on us a painful torment.)'' (8:32) Allah's statement,

﴿وَاقِعٍلِلْكَـفِرِينَ﴾

(about to befall (Waqi`) upon the disbelievers,) means, it is waiting in preparation for the disbelievers. Ibn `Abbas said, "Waqi` means coming.''

﴿لَيْسَ لَهُ دَافِعٌ﴾

(which non can avert) meaning, there is no one who can repel it if Allah wants it to happen. Thus, Allah says,

﴿مِّنَ اللَّهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ ﴾

(From Allah, the Lord of the ways of ascent (Al-Ma`arij).)