They will have canopies [i.e., layers] of fire above them and below them, canopies. By that Allāh threatens [i.e., warns] His servants. O My servants, then fear Me.
(Verily, if I disobey my Lord, I am afraid of the torment of a great Day.) meaning the Day of Resurrection. This is a conditional sentence, and if what is referred to here applies to the Prophet , it applies even more so to others,
(Say: "Allah Alone I worship by doing religious deeds sincerely for His sake only. So, worship what you like besides Him.") This is also a threat, and a disowning of them.
In verse 10, it was said: وَأَرْضُ اللَّـهِ وَاسِعَةٌ (and the earth of Allah is wide).In the sentence previous to this, Good deeds had been enjoined. This might prompt someone to come up with the excuse, 'The city or country in which I live, or the social milieu I am stuck with around me stops me from doing good deeds.' This sentence carries an answer to this excuse - 'if you find adherence to Islamic legal injunctions difficult while living in some particular country, city or social setup, then, leave it. The earth of Allah is wide enough. Go and live at a place and in a surrounding that is conducive to remaining obedient to Divine commandments.' This persuades one to migrate from a place living in which one cannot dutifully follow and observe what has been enjoined by his religion. Some rules relating to hijrah (emigration) have already appeared in the commentary on Surah An-Nisa' (Ma’ ariful-Qur’ an, Volume II, Index p. 659, see under Hijrah).
The real call of the prophet yearns to make man discover and worship the one and only God, leaving aside the worship of everything else. A prophet pursues the dawah mission as a matter of personal concern. Not only does he guide his fellow-men but establishes an example by adopting the right path himself. This nature of a prophet’s work, indicates the nature of a dayee’s work. The messenger of truth is one for whom the Truth becomes his personal problem. His call of Truth is the spontaneous expression of his inner experience and not merely a superficial call.
Uthmani text of the Madinah mushaf (King Fahd Complex). Translation: Saheeh International. Tafsir via Quran.com.
![Surah Az-Zumar 39:16 in Arabic with its translation: “They will have canopies [i.e., layers] of fire above them and below them, canopies. By that Allāh threatens…”](/surah/az-zumar/16/image.jpg)