قُلْ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ رَدِفَ لَكُم بَعْضُ ٱلَّذِى تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ 72
Translations
Say, "Perhaps it is close behind you [i.e., very near] - some of that for which you are impatient.
Transliteration
Qul 'asa an yakuna radifa lakum ba'du alladhee tasta'jilun
Tafsir (Explanation)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) is commanded to tell the disbelievers that perhaps some of what they are hastily demanding (the punishment) may soon follow them. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, 'radif' means to follow closely behind, suggesting that the punishment they mockingly rush toward may overtake them swiftly. This ayah conveys a warning that their impatience for divine retribution will be answered, but not in the manner they expect—the consequence of their rejection will catch up with them.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Naml, a Meccan surah addressing the Quraysh's mockery and their demand for immediate punishment if Muhammad's message were true. The broader context (27:70-72) deals with the Prophet's patience and his response to their arrogant demands for signs and swift retribution.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim narrates that the Prophet said, 'The Hour will not be established till time contracts, a year will be like a month, a month like a week, a week like a day, a day like an hour, and an hour like the kindling of fire'—reflecting the theme of inevitable, hastening consequences. Also relevant is the hadith in Sunan At-Tirmidhi about how patience with persecution brings reward.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that those who arrogantly demand immediate punishment for their disbelief will indeed face consequences, reminding us that divine justice operates on Allah's timeline, not human demand. For contemporary readers, it emphasizes patience in faith and the certainty that wrongdoing carries inherent consequences that cannot be escaped through mockery or denial.