45 Preface أَفَأَمِنَ الَّذينَ مَكَرُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن يَخسِفَ اللَّهُ بِهِمُ الأَرضَ أَو يَأتِيَهُمُ العَذابُ مِن حَيثُ لا يَشعُرونَYusuf AliDo then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that God will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?-1Cf. 16:26. The wicked plot against Prophets of God in secret, forgetting that every hidden thought of theirs is known to God, and that for every thought and action of theirs they will have to account to God. And God’s punishment can seize them in various ways. Four are enumerated here. (1) They may be swallowed up in the earth like Qarun, whose story is told in 28:76-82. He was swallowed up in the earth while he was arrogantly exulting on the score of his wealth. (2) It may be that, like Haman, the prime minister of Pharaoh, they are plotting against God, when they are themselves overwhelmed by some dreadful calamity: 40:36- 38; 29:39-40. The case of Pharaoh is also in point. He was drowned while he was arrogantly hoping to frustrate God’s plans for Israel : 10:90-92- For (3) and (4) see the next two notes. (R).