سورة مريم

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): Allah has said: فَلَا تَعْجَلْ عَلَیْهِمْ إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدًّا [So do not be in haste against them; We only count out for them a number], meaning We gave them respite in their rebellion, trials and disbelief.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abd al-A'la said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): 'What does the Book of Allah mean when it says: إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدًّا [We only count out for them a number]?' The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'What is your view on it?' I said: 'It is the counting of the days of one's life, until it comes to an end and the term of living is over.' The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'Fathers and mothers also record the date of birth and remember the lives of their children by specifying the day, month and year; no! What the Book of Allah means is not the counting of the days of life, rather it is the counting of breaths — how many breaths of his life remain.'

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Imam Baqir (peace be upon him), from his forefathers, from Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), narrated that he was asked about the words of Allah the Blessed and Exalted: إِنَّما نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدًّا [We only number out to them a number]. He said: "[He counts] the breaths — how many breaths they take in the world." Ali (peace be upon him) also said: "The Angel of Death counts your breaths and follows your traces and signs; so if a specified term is set for you and your time in the world comes to an end, the Angel of Death descends upon you, and he accepts no substitute, takes no surety or guarantor, and leaves neither small nor great."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): فَلا تَعْجَلْ عَلَیْهِمْ إِنَّما نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدًّا [Therefore be not in haste against them, We only number out to them a number] — its meaning is: O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! Let your heart be at ease and do not be in haste for their punishment, for the term of their remaining [in this world] is short, and We are counting the "days and years" for [the arrival of the time of] their [death], and whatever is subject to counting is as good as ended.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): [Imam Ali (peace be upon him) addressing Ibn Abbas said:] O Ibn Abbas! My thought, worry, sorrow, grief and the swallowing of one anguish after another have been prolonged on account of a matter or a people engaged in disobedience to Allah, who are in need of me regarding the rulings of the lawful and the unlawful; then when the world comes to them, they display independence from me, as though they had not heard this word of Allah the Mighty and Majestic which says: "Whereas if they had referred it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them — who have sufficient power of discernment — those among them who can draw out the conclusion would have known it. And were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah upon you, all but a few of you would have followed Satan [and gone astray]" (Nisa/83). They knew that they were in need of me and that I was independent of them; "or are there locks upon their hearts?" (Muhammad/24). And a great number were killed, which turned their survivors into enemies against me and left rancour toward me as an inheritance in their hearts. And this act of mine was solely out of obedience to Allah — that I killed their relatives who were polytheists — and thereafter they became filled with rage and objection; and had they exercised patience for the sake of Allah, it would have been better for them. Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: "You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His Messenger" (Mujadala/22). Their lack of contentment with the command of Allah deposited hypocrisy in their hearts as a trust, and wretchedness bound them to discontent. Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: فَلا تَعْجَلْ عَلَیْهِمْ إِنَّما نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدًّا [Therefore be not in haste against them, We only number out to them a number].