By the forenoon. By the night when it darkens. Your Lord has neither forsaken you nor hates you.
Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn Abbas,
"When the Qur'an was revealed to the Messenger of Allah, Jibril was delayed from coming to him for a number of days (on one occasion). Therefore, the Messenger of Allah was affected by this. Then the idolators began to say, `His Lord has abandoned him and hates him.' So Allah revealed,
مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَى
Your Lord has neither forsaken you nor hates you."
In this, Allah is swearing by the forenoon and the light that He has placed in it.
وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَى
By the night when it darkens (Saja).
meaning, it settles, darkens and overcomes them.
This was said by Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ibn Zayd and others. This is a clear proof of the power of the Creator of this (light) and that (darkness).
This is as Allah says,
وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى
وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّى
By the night as it envelops. By the Day as it appears. (92;1-2)
Allah also says,
فَالِقُ الاِصْبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ الَّيْلَ سَكَناً وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ حُسْبَاناً ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ
(He is the) Cleaver of the daybreak. He has appointed the night for resting, and the sun and the moon for reckoning. Such is the measuring of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. (6;96)
Allah then says,
مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ
Your Lord has neither forsaken you,
meaning, `He has not abandoned you.'
وَمَا قَلَى
nor hates (Qala) you. meaning, `He does not hate you.'
The Hereafter is Better Than This First Life
وَلَلْخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لَّكَ مِنَ الاُْولَى