That aspect of the word-order [that looks to the positioning] of these verses and those that preceded it:

The Qur'an repeats the parables thus extending its descriptions and indicating the need to describe [at length] the dissemblers in their alarm and confusion, which are of two sorts, [as is shown in the following summaries]:

A Summary of the First Parable: The dissembler sees himself in the desert of existence apart from his fellows, ostracized from the assembly of beings and outside the jurisdiction of the true sun. In his view everything is non-existent, all creatures are alien; silent and motionless they are forlorn and [doomed to] extinction. Can this compare with the believer, who through the light of belief looks on beings as friendly and is familiar with all the universe?

A Summary of the Second Parable: The dissembler supposes that in its entirety the world is announcing his death with its calamities, and menacing him with its disasters, and screaming at him with its events, and raining down blows on him from all sides, as though all its beings have united in enmity to him and everything beneficial has become harmful. The only reason for this however, is his having no support and no source of help, as has been discussed. Can this compare with the believer, who by virtue of his belief hears the glorifications of all beings and their joyous utterances?

Moreover, the fact there is a second parable indicates that the dissemblers are divided into a common low class, conformable with the first parable, and an arrogant, overweening class, corresponding to the second.

The relationship of this latter parable with the context (maqâm), in respect of the listener: The first people the Qur'an was addressing were the desert-dwellers whose bed was the floor of the desert and roof the tent of the heavens. They had all experienced these things or heard about them from their fellows, and were therefore familiar with them and found them as effective as proverbs. The relationship of this second parable with the first one is abundantly clear, for it completes and perfects it and in many instances even makes the same points. The relationship between the parable and those depicted by it [the dissemblers] has six aspects:

The First: They are both totally overcome by bewilderment when all ways of escape are blocked up and all means of deliverance [are suspended].

The Second: They are both overwhelmed by terrible fear and they all imagine that beings are united in hostility to them and that they cannot live in safety even for a minute.