1. This verse is the brief introduction to the Surah, and immediately after this begins its theme. “These are the verses of the Book and a clear Quran”: These are the verses of that Quran which makes its meaning lucid and understandable.

2. This is to refute the fallacious argument of the disbelievers that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not a true Prophet because they had received no prompt punishment for their disbelief. It is like this: We have never seized a community at the first committal of kufr.

We prescribe a limit for every community to hear and understand the message and reform its ways. Then We tolerate its mischief and evil deeds up to that limit and allow it full freedom to do as it likes, and give it respite till the term expires. That is why We are tolerating their attitude of ridicule and denial. (For the full meaning of respite, please refer to ( E.N. 18 of Surah Ibrahim).

3. The word zikr literally means “to cause to remember”, “to caution” and “to give advice”. But the Quran has used it as a technical term for “admonition”, which comes as a precept. Thus all the Books that had been sent down to the Messengers were zikr, and the Quran is also zikr.

4. This was a sarcastic remark that was made by the opponents, for they did not acknowledge that the admonition had been sent down to the Prophet (peace be upon him): otherwise they could not say that he was insane. What they really meant by this remark was: You, who claim that the admonition has been sent down to you, are insane. A similar remark was also made by Pharaoh concerning Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). Addressing his courtiers, he said: The Messenger who has been sent to you is insane. (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayat 27).

5. “We do not send down the angels.” We do not send down the angels for the mere fun of it in response to the request of the people, nor are they sent to unveil the reality before them in order to show to them all the unseen things to which the Messengers invite them to believe. As a matter of fact, angels are sent down on that occasion when it is decreed to pass judgment on sane wicked people. At that time the judgment comes into operation without extending any invitation to the condemned people to accept the message, for their period of respite ends as soon as the reality is unveiled before them. “Except with truth.”

They bring down truth with them. That is, they come down to eradicate falsehood and to establish truth in its stead. Or, in other words, it means, they come down to put into force the judgment of Allah.