قُلْ مَن كَانَ فِى ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةِ فَلْيَمْدُدْ لَهُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ مَدًّا ۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَأَوْا۟ مَا يُوعَدُونَ إِمَّا ٱلْعَذَابَ وَإِمَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ فَسَيَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا وَأَضْعَفُ جُندًا 75
Translations
Say, "Whoever is in error - let the Most Merciful extend for him an extension [in wealth and time] until, when they see that which they were promised - either punishment [in this world] or the Hour [of resurrection] - they will come to know who is worst in position and weaker in soldiers."
Transliteration
Qul man kana fil-dalalati falyamdud lahu ar-rahmanu madda, hatta iza raaw ma yuwaadun immaa al-adhaba wa immaa as-saah fasa-yaalamun man huwa sharrun makanan wa adwafu junda
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet to declare that whoever persists in misguidance, let the Most Merciful extend to them a rope of provision and respite—a test and trial—until they witness either the punishment (in this life) or the Hour (Day of Judgment), at which point they will know whose position is worse and whose forces are weaker. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah conveys that Allah grants the disbelievers extended respite as a trial; their prolonged worldly comfort is not a sign of honor but a deceptive extension that leads to their ruin, and the Day of Judgment will expose the true weakness of the disbelievers before Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Maryam, a Meccan chapter that emphasizes monotheism and the certainty of the afterlife. It is part of a broader discourse addressing the disbelievers of Mecca who rejected the message and boasted of their worldly strength and numbers, providing them with a stark reminder that their apparent success is temporary and will be judged absolutely on the Day of Resurrection.
Related Hadiths
The concept of being 'given respite' (imla') is discussed in authentic hadith literature. Related to this is the hadith in Sahih Muslim wherein the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that sometimes Allah grants the wrongdoer respite, then seizes them with a terrible grip, referring to Surah 69:44-46 on the theme of divine patience preceding punishment.
Themes
Key Lesson
Worldly prosperity and extended life are not indicators of Allah's favor or one's correctness; rather, they may constitute a trial and rope of deception. Believers should not be deceived by the apparent strength or affluence of those who reject truth, for the ultimate judgment of success and failure belongs only to Allah on the Day of Resurrection.