Ayah 44:
إلا رحمة منا ومتاعا إلى حين
Except as a mercy from Us and provision for a time.
All of this – the facilitation of transport without people dying – would not be possible except by the mercy of Allaah.
Allaah has said raHmatan, it is in its common form. A mercy, not the mercy. This is one display of Allaah's mercy. If all the transportation we have and our survival in this travel is only attributed to a mercy, then how abundant is that mercy and how much do we have to be grateful for? How vastly is transportation used and it is just from a drop of the mercy of Allaah. Things we don't even know or realize are from His mercy.
This is a facilitation to be used and it is to be used for a Hinin. This is again the common form, meaning that time is fixed when we must leave this world, but nobody knows that time or how it will come. It is facilitated for us to benefit, but there is the reminder that it is for a short time.
Primarily, this discourse has been a reprehension for these people who don't believe. A reference to these great travels is to tell these people to not be so engaged or lost in these temporary benefits. To realize that they are only for a limited time. Use these facilities to gain some benefit for what awaits from the greatest mercy of Allaah.
Linguistic Beauty
Here, Allaah has said raHmatan minnaa. In other places, Allaah says raHmatan min 'indinaa.
For example, in referring to Khidr 'alayhi as-salaam (18, 65)
فوجدا عبدا من عبادنا آتيناه رحمة من عندنا وعلمناه من لدنا علما
And they both found a servant among Our servants to whom we had given mercy from Us and had taught him from Us a [certain] knowledge.
The latter means a mercy especially from Us, as in a mercy as a gift from Us, as a favour from Us.
Also in discussing Ayub 'alayhi as-salaam and what was bestowed upon him (21, 84)
فاستجبنا له فكشفنا ما به من ضرّ وآتيناه أهله ومثلهم معهم رحمة من عندنا وذكرى للعابدين
So We responded to him and removed what afflicted him of adversity. And We gave him [back] his family and the like thereof with them as mercy from Us and a reminder for the worshippers [of Allaah].
What is the difference?
The latter is a larger construction so its meaning is greater as well – as mercy that is a special gift from Us. Whenever Allaah discusses believers, prophets, messengers, pious individuals, then He uses this more powerful construction. When, however, Allaah is discussing the mercy He has bestowed upon general people (including disbelievers), then He uses the simple construction.
This also happens with ni'matan minnaa and ni'matan min 'indinaa.
The simple construct is used for ordinary or unexceptional people (39, 49)
إذا مس الإنسان ضر دعانا ثم إذا خولناه نعمة منا قال إنما أوتيته على علم بل هي فتنة ولكن أكثرهم لا يعلمون
And when adversity touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We bestow on him a favour from Us, he says, "I have only been given it because of [my] knowledge." Rather, it is a trial, but most of them do not know.
This person has arrogance within him. For this person the blessing is not special.
The elaborate construct is used for praiseworthy people, the family of Lut 'alayhi as-salaam (54, 35)
