( أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَاءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ) (Then do you wonder that there has come to you a reminder from your Lord): It is a rhetorical question, meaning “Why do you deny and wonder that Allah (swt) sent someone to remind you?”. The Arabic text uses the word (zikr) which is (a reminder), and it means to remember. The same Arabic word is used in the following verse to mean (remember):

 

  وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ

(And remember your Lord when you forget) (Al-Kahf: 24)

Another use for the word (zikr) is as a reference to the Holy Quran, as in this verse:

 وَهَٰذَا ذِكْرٌ مُّبَارَكٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ ۚ أَفَأَنتُمْ لَهُ مُنكِرُونَ

(And this [Qur’an] is a blessed message which We have sent down. Then are you with it unacquainted?) (Al-Anbiyaa: 50)

( عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنكُمْ ) (through a man from among you): The Messenger is always sent to his own people so that they understand what he is saying clearly. Allah (swt) says:

 قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ

(Say, “I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed) (Al-Kahf: 110)

The Prophet Mohammad (saws) said the same thing to his people.

( لِيُنذِرَكُمْ ) (that he may warn you): First, there is a warning.

( وَلِتَتَّقُوا) (and that you may fear Allah): And then they are commanded to fear Allah (swt). The Arabic text of the verse uses the word (taqwa) (fear) which encompasses all forms of goodness, such as ‘to follow Allah’s (swt) commandments, to be content with a little of gains, and to prepare to leave this earth when the time comes’.

( وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ) (and that you may fear Allah so you might receive mercy): Because of the fear of Allah (swt), He (swt) will send down His Mercy (swt) upon them.