وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ قَبْلَ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِمُ ٱلْمَثُلَـٰتُ ۗ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ لِّلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ ظُلْمِهِمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ 6
Translations
They impatiently urge you to bring about evil before good, while there has already occurred before them similar punishments [to what they demand]. And indeed, your Lord is the possessor of forgiveness for the people despite their wrongdoing, and indeed, your Lord is severe in penalty.
Transliteration
Wa yasta'jiloonaka bis-sayyiati qabla al-hasanati wa qad khalat min qablihimu al-mathalatu wa inna rabbaka ladhu maghfiratun lin-nasi 'ala dhulmihim wa inna rabbaka lashadidu al-'iqabi
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers hastily call upon the Prophet to bring down punishment (the evil/calamity) before blessings, yet similar nations before them have already experienced such divine punishment as a lesson. Despite human injustice, Allah's mercy is vast, yet His punishment is equally severe for those who persist in transgression. Ibn Kathir explains this ayah reflects the arrogant Quraysh's mockery, demanding immediate punishment while rejecting the message of guidance, unaware that preceding nations ignored similar warnings and met destruction.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of a Medinan surah addressing the believers' patience during opposition. The context relates to the mockery and challenges the Prophet faced from the Meccan disbelievers who demanded immediate divine punishment, testing the Prophet's resolve and reassuring the believers of Allah's justice and established patterns in dealing with nations.
Related Hadiths
The concept of divine patterns (sunan Allah) is emphasized in Hadith Qudsi and various Quranic passages. Related thematically is the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet described how nations before tested divine patience until punishment came when they rejected guidance, illustrating the consequences of persistent denial.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should recognize that mocking divine messages or hastening punishment reflects spiritual blindness; history shows established patterns where nations rejecting guidance ultimately face consequences. The balance between Allah's mercy toward the repentant and His severe punishment for persistent wrongdoing should inspire both hope and reverential fear (khawf wa raja').
Related Ayahs
كَدَأْبِ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ ۙ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ
[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them. They disbelieved in the signs of Allāh, so Allāh seized them for their sins. Indeed, Allāh is Powerful and severe in penalty.
فَلَمَّا جَآءَ ءَالَ لُوطٍ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ
And when the messengers came to the family of Lot,
أَفَلَمْ يَهْدِ لَهُمْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ يَمْشُونَ فِى مَسَـٰكِنِهِمْ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلنُّهَىٰ
Then, has it not become clear to them how many generations We destroyed before them as they walk among their dwellings? Indeed in that are signs for those of intelligence.
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبْعَثَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مَن يَسُومُهُمْ سُوٓءَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ ٱلْعِقَابِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
And [mention] when your Lord declared that He would surely [continue to] send upon them until the Day of Resurrection those who would afflict them with the worst torment. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.