سورة هود

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): Although We have granted them (the sinners) enjoyment in this world, [one day] We will bring them back and punish them.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): What is meant by الْعَذَابُ [the punishment] is the rising of the Qa'im (may Allah hasten his noble relief), [for the disbelievers].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): By Allah! This small group are the companions of the Qa'im (may Allah hasten his noble relief); they will gather around him in a single hour, and when the Qa'im (may Allah hasten his noble relief) comes to the desert of "Bayda", the army of the Sufyani will march toward him, and Allah will command the earth to swallow them up.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): ... إِلی أُمَّةٍ مَعْدُودَةٍ [To a stated period of time] [meaning] until the time of the rising of al-Qa'im (may Allah hasten his noble relief), [We delay their punishment].

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): وَ لَئِنْ أَخَّرْنا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذابَ إِلی أُمَّةٍ مَعْدُودَةٍ [And if We hold back from them the punishment until a stated period of time]; [meaning] until a known time. And أُمَّة means a group. Allah the Exalted said: "He found a group of people watering their flocks." (Qasas/23) And a single one of the believers is, [by himself], an ummah.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): In the Qur'an the word أُمَّةٍ comes with several meanings: in the verse إِلَی أُمَّةٍ مَّعْدُودَةٍ [Until a stated period of time], ummah [means] time; another meaning of أُمَّةٍ is all of creation, as in the verse: "You will see every ummah kneeling, and every ummah will be summoned to [receive] the record of its deeds." (Jathiyah/28)

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): إِلَی أُمَّةٍ مَّعْدُودَةٍ [Until a stated period of time] [meaning] a number equal to the number of those present at the Battle of Badr [three hundred and thirteen persons]. And they (the companions of Imam Zaman (may Allah hasten his noble relief)) will gather before the Imam (may Allah hasten his noble relief) in a single moment like scattered clouds of autumn.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): أُمَّةٍ مَّعْدُودَةٍ [A stated number] is the number of those present at the Battle of Badr; and this number are the companions of the Imam (may Allah hasten his noble relief).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The meaning is al-Qa'im (may Allah hasten his noble relief) and his companions.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): أُمَّةٍ مَّعْدُودَةٍ [a stated period / a small group] — the meaning of that small group is the companions of Imam of the Age (may Allah hasten his noble relief), who are three hundred and some tens of people.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): لَیَقُولُنَّ ما یَحْبِسُهُ [They will certainly say: What holds it back?] — that is, they say this sentence by way of mockery: "Will al-Qa'im (may Allah hasten his noble relief) not rise and not come forth?" For this reason Allah has said: أَلاَ یَوْمَ یَأْتِیهِمْ لَیْسَ مَصْرُوفًا عَنْهُمْ وَ حَاقَ بِهِم مَّا کَانُواْ بِهِ یَسْتَهْزِؤُونَ [Now surely on the day when it will come to them, it shall not be averted from them and that which they scoffed at shall beset them].