وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّقُوا مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَمَا خَلْفَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
And when they are told, 'Be mindful of what lies before you and what lies behind you, so that you may receive mercy,' [they turn away]
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّقُوا مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَمَا خَلْفَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
And when they are told, 'Be mindful of what lies before you and what lies behind you, so that you may receive mercy,' [they turn away]
After drawing attention to many signs of God in the earth and the heavens, the Quran turns to the response of those who see these signs yet refuse to accept their message. The signs are not simply wonders to admire: they call people to recognise their Lord and change how they live. The appeal to be mindful of God follows the description of His power and governance because such recognition ought to shape human conduct.
The expression “what lies before you and what lies behind you” may refer to past and present sins, their consequences, or punishment in this life and the Hereafter. A reading that fits the context is that people should guard against associating others with God and acting wrongly in this world, and against the consequences of such actions in the next. Whatever interpretation is preferred, the central appeal is not to ignore the moral consequences of one's choices.
But the warning does not seek merely to frighten. The words “so that you may receive mercy” also open a way to hope. Turning away from wrongdoing and taking heed are ways of seeking God's mercy. The warning gives people the opportunity to change their course before they lose that chance.
Strikingly, the verse does not explicitly report the response to this invitation. Their refusal is left unspoken, as though their habitual disregard is already plain enough. The following verse states their response directly: they turn away from God's signs.