87. This prayer does not mean that, God forbid, there was any real danger of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) also being involved in the punishment, or that if he had not invoked this prayer, he might have been involed in it. This way of address has been adopted to warn that all people should fear Allah’s punishment. They should not demand it nor persist in their wickedness, if Allah gives them respite. As a matter of fact, Allah’s punishment is a thing which should be dreaded not only by the sinful people but also by the righteous people, and they should all seek His refuge from it, for when the scourge of God comes, it does not destroy only the wicked people but may also involve the righteous people in it. Therefore the right course for those, who have to live in a wicked society, is that they should always pray to Allah for His refuge, for one does not know when that scourge might come down.

88. For explanation, see (E.Ns 71, 72 of Surah Al-Anaam); (E.Ns 138, 150 to 153 of Surah Al-Aaraf); (E.N. 39 of Surah Younus); (E.N. 48 of Surah Al-Hijr); (E.Ns 122 to 124 of Surah An-Nahl); (E.Ns 58 to 63 of Surah Bani-Israil) and (E.Ns 35 to 41 of Surah HaMim-Sajdah).