Reading from the author's text with commentary and collation of manuscripts: "And this similarity of these people is in contrast to what Allah described the believers with in His saying:

The reader: "And this similarity of these people is in contrast to what Allah described the believers with in His saying:

obey Allah and His Messenger

ويطيعون الله ورسوله

[At-Tawbah 9:71]

For obedience to Allah and His Messenger is incompatible with the similarity of those before them. The Most High said:

like those before you; they were stronger than you in power and more abundant in wealth and children. They enjoyed their portion [of worldly enjoyment], and you have enjoyed your portion as those before you enjoyed their portion, and you have engaged [in vanities] like that in which they engaged

كالذين من قبلكم كانوا أشدّ منكم قوةً وأكثر أموالًا وأولادًا فاستمتعوا بخلاقهم فاستمتعتم بخلاقكم كما استمتع الذين من قبلكم بخلاقهم وخضتم كالذي خاضوا

[At-Tawbah 9:69]

".

The Shaykh : "They enjoyed their portion" means their share. That is, the *khalaq* is the share, as the Most High said: meaning from their share.
The reader: "So the address in His saying:

they were stronger than you in power

كانوا أشد منكم قوةً

[At-Tawbah 9:69]

and His saying:

And you have enjoyed

فاستمتعتم

—if it is directed at the hypocrites, it is of the type of rhetorical variation and turning aside. This is a transition from the absent to the present, as in His saying:

⁽³⁾ The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful, ⁽⁴⁾ Sovereign of the Day of Recompense. ⁽⁵⁾ It is You we worship

الرحمن الرحيم. مالك يوم الدين. إياك نعبد

[Al-Fatihah 1:3-5]

Then the transition occurred from the address to the absent in His saying:

Those are the ones whose deeds have become worthless

أولئك حبطت أعمالهم

And as in His saying " ..

The Shaykh : His saying: The context requires that it be said "Him we worship," but he transitioned from speaking about the absent to speaking to the addressee. The reason for this is that speaking about the absent with what was mentioned indicates greatness: "Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds." This is more eloquent than "Praise be to You." And when you bring to mind the greatness of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and describe Him with the attributes that necessitate that He be close to you by the attributes you praised Him with, you say: So it is as if you are addressing Him as one addresses a present person. Then the author transitioned from the verse; the transition occurred from the address to the absent in His saying: .