وَذَرْنِى وَٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ أُو۟لِى ٱلنَّعْمَةِ وَمَهِّلْهُمْ قَلِيلًا 11
Translations
And leave Me with [the matter of] the deniers, those of ease [in life], and allow them respite a little.
Transliteration
Wa-dharni wa-al-mukadhdhibin uli al-ni'mah wa-mahil-hum qalilan
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet Muhammad to leave the deniers who are possessed of wealth and worldly blessings, assuring him that they will be dealt with in due time. Ibn Kathir explains that these prosperous rejecters were given respite to test their faith, and Al-Qurtubi notes that Allah's grant of respite (imhal) to the arrogant disbelievers demonstrates His justice and wisdom—they are given opportunity to repent before their inevitable reckoning. This ayah emphasizes that material abundance is not a sign of divine favor when coupled with rejection of faith.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Muzzammil, a Meccan surah addressing the Prophet during the challenging early period of his mission when the wealthy Meccan elite were among his most vocal opponents. The context reflects the Prophet's struggle against wealthy disbelievers who rejected the message, and Allah provides him solace by assuring him that their arrogance and material wealth will not save them from divine punishment.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari 4642 - The Prophet said, 'The most perfect believer in faith is the one who has the best character'; thematically related as it contrasts true worth (character and faith) with material wealth. Also relevant is the hadith in Tirmidhi about how wealth and children are adornments of this life (18:46), emphasizing that worldly possessions do not guarantee divine favor.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that material prosperity without faith is ultimately hollow and subject to divine accountability; believers should not be intimidated by the wealth or status of those who reject truth, knowing that Allah grants respite to the arrogant only to perfect His justice and wisdom in their eventual reckoning.