Red Flag #1: عَزِيزٌ (ʿazīzun)
Linguistic Concerns
Starting from the top of the verse, the first strange phenomenon is the use of the word عَزِيزٌ (ʿazīzun). This root occurs 119 times in the Quran. In the entire Quran, out of all 119 occurrences of this root, not once is this word, let alone this root, used in the context of a “grievance,” as is depicted in 128.
In the Quran, this word is consistently used in the context of power, honor, pride, dignity, and mostly in reference to might. This specific word is used predominantly as a name of God, which would be translated as Almighty, and it constitutes 88 of the 119 occurrences.
The closest use to any context even close to “grievous” is in the following two verses, 35:17 & 14:20, but even in these verses, the context of the word بِعَزِيزٍ (biʿazīzin) is still in regards to power and might, that such tasks are not “difficult” to do for God.
35:17 This is not too difficult for GOD. وَمَا ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ بِعَزِيزٍ