هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِىَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ فَعَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ وَمَا ظَلَمَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ 33
Translations
Do they [i.e., the disbelievers] await except that the angels should come to them or there comes the command of your Lord? Thus did those do before them. And Allāh wronged them not, but they had been wronging themselves.
Transliteration
Hal yanzuroon illa an ta'tiyhum al-mala'ikatu aw ya'ti amru rabbika. Kadhaalika fa'ala alladheen min qablihim. Wa ma zalamahumullahu wa lakin kanu anfusahum yazlimoon.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the disbelievers who reject the message, asking whether they await only the coming of the angels (as a sign of punishment) or the command of their Lord (death or divine retribution). The ayah reminds them that previous nations faced similar warnings and chose to reject them, bringing destruction upon themselves—not by Allah's injustice, but by their own wrongdoing. As Ibn Kathir explains, this serves as a stark warning that delay in punishment is not a sign of forgiveness, but rather an opportunity for repentance before the inevitable divine judgment arrives.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during the period of intense opposition to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from the Quraysh and other polytheists. The surah addresses the signs of Allah's oneness evident in creation (hence 'The Bee') while warning those who stubbornly reject faith despite clear evidence. This ayah fits within the broader theme of admonishing disbelievers and reminding them of the fate of previous nations.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim (2879) where the Prophet said: 'The best of you are those with the best character' relates to the theme of self-accountability, as this ayah emphasizes people wronging themselves. Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari (3262) about the respite given before punishment echoes the ayah's message about the opportunity for repentance before divine judgment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah's delay in punishment is an opportunity for repentance, not a sign of indifference—our destruction comes only through our own choices and rejection of truth. We must recognize that blaming Allah for our misfortunes is self-deception; true accountability lies within ourselves, and we alone determine our spiritual destiny through our actions and responses to divine guidance.