۞ وَلَوْ يُعَجِّلُ ٱللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ ٱلشَّرَّ ٱسْتِعْجَالَهُم بِٱلْخَيْرِ لَقُضِىَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَجَلُهُمْ ۖ فَنَذَرُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا فِى طُغْيَـٰنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ 11
Translations
And if Allāh was to hasten for the people the evil [they invoke] as He hastens for them the good, their term would have been ended for them. But We leave the ones who do not expect the meeting with Us, in their transgression, wandering blindly.
Transliteration
Wa law yu'ajjilu-Allahu li-n-nasi ash-sharra istiʿjālahum bi-l-khayri la-qudiya ilayhim ajaluhum, fa-nadharu-Allādhīna lā yarjūna liqāʾanā fī ṭughyānihim yaʿmahūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah explains that if Allah hastened evil for mankind in the same manner they hasten to request good, He would have ended their appointed lifespans. Instead, Allah leaves those who reject the meeting with Him to continue in their transgression and blindness. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this demonstrates Allah's mercy in delaying punishment and His wisdom in managing human affairs according to the unseen knowledge of what serves the ultimate good.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Yunus, which addresses the Meccan polytheists' rejection of the Prophet Muhammad's message. The broader context (verses 1-20) deals with themes of divine signs, human heedlessness, and the consequences of rejecting faith. This specific verse responds to the mindset of those who demand immediate gratification and punishment while remaining heedless of spiritual reality.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever is given wealth by Allah but does not pay its Zakat, his wealth will be made into a bald-headed poisonous snake' (Sahih Bukhari 1405). This relates thematically to the ayah's discussion of how Allah manages granting and withholding according to wisdom. Also relevant is the hadith about patient endurance in trials (Sahih Muslim 2999).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah's apparent delays in responding to our requests or punishing wrongdoing are manifestations of His mercy and perfect wisdom, not indifference. Believers should cultivate trust in Allah's timing and recognize that those who persist in rejecting faith despite clear signs remain in spiritual blindness.
Related Ayahs
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّيْنَـٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ وَجَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ خَلَـٰٓئِفَ وَأَغْرَقْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُنذَرِينَ
And they denied him, so We saved him and those with him in the ship and made them successors, and We drowned those who denied Our signs. Then see how was the end of those who were warned.
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولٌ ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ رَسُولُهُمْ قُضِىَ بَيْنَهُم بِٱلْقِسْطِ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
And for every nation is a messenger. So when their messenger comes, it will be judged between them in justice, and they will not be wronged.
أَثُمَّ إِذَا مَا وَقَعَ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦٓ ۚ ءَآلْـَٔـٰنَ وَقَدْ كُنتُم بِهِۦ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ
Then is it that when it has [actually] occurred you will believe in it? Now? And you were [once] for it impatient.
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَاتُنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ ۙ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا ٱئْتِ بِقُرْءَانٍ غَيْرِ هَـٰذَآ أَوْ بَدِّلْهُ ۚ قُلْ مَا يَكُونُ لِىٓ أَنْ أُبَدِّلَهُۥ مِن تِلْقَآئِ نَفْسِىٓ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّى عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who do not expect the meeting with Us say, "Bring us a Qur’ān other than this or change it." Say, [O Muḥammad], "It is not for me to change it on my own accord. I only follow what is revealed to me. Indeed I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day."