He will say: "What number of years did you stay on earth? (112)They will say: "We stayed a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep account. (113)He will say: "You stayed not but a little, if you had only known! (114)"Did you think that We had created you in play, and that you would not be brought back to Us? (115)So Exalted be Allah, the True King: None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Lord of Al-'Arsh Al-Karim (116)
Allah tells them how much they wasted in their short lives in this world by failing to obey Allah and worship Him Alone.
If they had been patient during their short stay in this world, they would have attained victory just like His pious close friends.
قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ عَدَدَ سِنِينَ
(He will say: "What number of years did you stay on earth?") means, how long did you stay in this world?
قَالُوا لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ فَاسْأَلِ الْعَادِّينَ
(They will say: "We stayed a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep account.") meaning, those who keep the records.
قَالَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
(He will say: "You stayed not but a little...") meaning, it was only a short time, no matter how you look at it.
لَّوْ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
(if you had only known!) means, you would not have preferred the transient to the eternal, and treated yourself in this bad way, and earned the wrath of Allah in this short period. If you had patiently obeyed Allah and worshipped Him as the believers did, you would have attained victory just as they did.
Allah Did Not Create His Servants in Vain
أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا
(Did you think that We had created you in play,) means, 'did you think that you were created in vain, with no purpose, with nothing required of you and no wisdom on Our part?' Or it was said that "in play" meant to play and amuse yourselves, like the animals were created, who have no reward or punishment. But you were created to worship Allah and carry out His commands.
وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ
(and that you would not be brought back to Us?) means, that you would not be brought back to the Hereafter. This is like the Ayah:
أَيَحْسَبُ الْإِنْسَانُ أَنْ يُتْرَكَ سُدًى
(Does man think that he will be left neglected?)(75:36)
فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ
(So Exalted be Allah, the True King.) means, sanctified be He above the idea that he should create anything in vain, for He is the True King Who is far above doing such a thing.
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ
(None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Lord of Al-'Arsh Al-Karim!) The Throne is mentioned because it is the highest point of all creation, and it is described as Karim, meaning beautiful in appearance and splendid in form, as Allah says elsewhere:
أَنْبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ
(every good kind We cause to grow therein)(26:7).
