وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ذُو ٱلرَّحْمَةِ ۖ لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ ۚ بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌ لَّن يَجِدُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَوْئِلًا 58
Translations
And your Lord is the Forgiving, the possessor of mercy. If He were to impose blame upon them for what they earned, He would have hastened for them the punishment. Rather, for them is an appointment from which they will never find an escape.
Transliteration
Wa rabbukal ghafuru dhu ar-rahmah; law yu'akhidhuhum bima kasabu la'ajjala lahum al-adhab; bal lahum maw'idun lan yajidu min dunihee maw'ila
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes Allah's attributes of forgiveness and mercy, teaching that if He were to immediately punish people for their sins, punishment would come swiftly and inescapably. Instead, Allah has appointed a final Day of Judgment from which there is no escape or refuge, demonstrating His wisdom in delaying punishment to allow opportunity for repentance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir highlight how this verse balances divine justice with divine mercy, showing that Allah's forbearance does not mean impunity—the ultimate reckoning is certain.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Kahf's broader themes about divine wisdom, patience, and the certainty of the afterlife. It follows discussions about those who reject faith and serves as a warning that divine patience is temporary, reinforcing the surah's emphasis on accountability on the Day of Judgment.
Related Hadiths
Hadith from Sahih Muslim (2758): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'If Allah were to punish people for their wrongdoing, He would not leave upon it a creature, but He gives them respite to a specified term.' This directly illustrates the concept of divine forbearance mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that while Allah's mercy delays immediate punishment, encouraging repentance and reform, ultimate accountability before Allah is inescapable and certain. We should therefore use the respite we are given in this life to correct ourselves and draw closer to Allah, not become complacent in our disobedience.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا
Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds.
وَكَانَ لَهُۥ ثَمَرٌ فَقَالَ لِصَـٰحِبِهِۦ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُۥٓ أَنَا۠ أَكْثَرُ مِنكَ مَالًا وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرًا
And he had fruit, so he said to his companion while he was conversing with him, "I am greater than you in wealth and mightier in [numbers of] men."
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ
[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, who has sent down upon His Servant [Muḥammad (ﷺ)] the Book and has not made therein any deviance.
۞ وَتَرَى ٱلشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَت تَّزَٰوَرُ عَن كَهْفِهِمْ ذَاتَ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَت تَّقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِ وَهُمْ فِى فَجْوَةٍ مِّنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ مَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا
And [had you been present], you would see the sun when it rose, inclining away from their cave on the right, and when it set, passing away from them on the left, while they were [lying] within an open space thereof. That was from the signs of Allāh. He whom Allāh guides is the [rightly] guided, but he whom He sends astray - never will you find for him a protecting guide.