Respite for wrong doers – to accumulate -- not good for them
10. Surah Yunus
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَوْ
يُعَجِّلُ
اللّهُ لِلنَّاسِ
الشَّرَّ
اسْتِعْجَالَهُم
بِالْخَيْرِ
لَقُضِيَ إِلَيْهِمْ
أَجَلُهُمْ...
10:11. If Allah were to hasten for men the ill (they have earned) as they would fain hasten on the good -- then would their respite be settled at once.
C1398. Those who have no hope for the Future grasp at any temporary advantage, and in their blindness even mockingly ask for immediate punishment for their sins (8:32), thus vainly challenging Allah, in Whom they do not believe.
If the beneficent Allah were to take them at their word, they would have no chance at all. Their doom would be sealed. But even the respite they get they use badly. They merely wander about distractedly like blind men, to and fro. Cf. 2:15.
...فَنَذَرُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءنَا فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ﴿١١﴾
But We leave those who rest not their hope of their meeting with Us, in their trespasses, wandering in distraction to and fro.
Asad’s Version:
10: 11 Now if god were to hasten for human beings the ill in the same manner as they would hasten [the coming to them of what they consider to be] good, their end would indeed come forthwith! But We leave them alone [for a while] – all those who do not believe that they are destined to meet us: in their overweening arrogance, blindly stumbling to and fro.[asad]
[asad note 17; ……….the implication being, firstly that man is weak (4:28) and therefore prone to sinning; secondly, that God “has willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy” (see 6:12….) and, consequently, does not punish sinners without taking their circumstances into consideration and giving them time to repent and to mend their ways. ]
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3. Surah Al Imran
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلاَ
يَحْسَبَنَّ
الَّذِينَ
كَفَرُواْ
أَنَّمَا
نُمْلِي
لَهُمْ
خَيْرٌ
لِّأَنفُسِهِمْ...
3: 178. Let not the Unbelievers think that our respite to them is good for themselves:
...إِنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُواْ إِثْمًا ...
We grant them respite that they may grow in their iniquity:
C480. That the cup of their iniquity may be full. The appetite for sin grows with what it feeds on. The natural result is that the sinner sinks deeper into sin.
If there is any freedom of will, this naturally follows, though Allah's Grace is always ready for the repentant. If the Grace is rejected, the increase of iniquity makes the nature of iniquity plainer to those who might otherwise be attracted by its glitter. The working of Allah's Law is therefore both just and merciful.
See also the next verse.
... وَلَهْمُ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ ﴿١٧٨﴾
but they will have a shameful punishment.
Other Versions:
3: 178
Asad And they should not think – they who are bent on denying the truth – that Our giving them rein is good for them: We give them rein only to let them grow in sinfulness; and shameful suffering awaits them [note 135].
Pickthall And let not those who disbelieve imagine that the rein We give them bodeth good unto their souls. We only give them rein that they may grow in sinfulness. And theirs will be a shameful doom.
Transliteration Wa la_ yahsabannal lazina kafaru_ annama_ numli lahum khairul li anfusihim, innama_ numli lahum liyazda_du_ isma_(n), wa lahum'aza_bum muhin(un).
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13. Surah Ar Ra'd
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدِ
اسْتُهْزِىءَ
بِرُسُلٍ مِّن
قَبْلِكَ...
13: 32. Mocked were (many) Messengers before thee:
C1849. Cf. 6:10.
...فَأَمْلَيْتُ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهُمْ...
but I granted respite to the Unbelievers, and finally I punished them;
...فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ ﴿٣٢﴾
then how (terrible) was My requital!
C1850. The punishment was in many cases deferred. But when it did come, how terrible and exemplary it was!
Pickthall’s Version:
13: 32
Pickthall And verily messengers (of Allah) were mocked before thee, but long I bore with those who disbelieved. At length I seized them, and how (awful) was My punishment!
Transliteration Wa laqad-istuhzi'a bi rusulim min qablika fa amlaitu lillazina kafaru_ summa akhaztuhum fa kaifa ka_na 'iqa_b(i).
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16. Surah an-Nahl
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللّهُ النَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ...
... وَلَكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى...
... فَإِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ ﴿٦١﴾
Other Versions:
16: 61
Pickthall If Allah were to take mankind to task for their wrong doing, he would not leave hereon a living creature, but He reprieveth them to an appointed term, and when their term cometh they cannot put (it) off an hour nor (yet) advance (it).
Yuksel If God were to immediately call the people to account for their transgression, then He would not leave a single creature standing. But He delays them to a determined time; so when that time comes to any of them, they cannot delay it by one moment or advance it.
Transliteration Wa lau yu'a_khizulla_hun na_sa bi zulmihim ma_ taraka 'alaiha_ min da_bbatiw wa la_kiy yu'akhkhiruhum ila_ ajalim musamma_(n), fa iza_ ja_'a ajaluhum la_ yasta'khiru_na sa_'ataw wa la_ yastaqdimu_n(a).
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19. Surah Maryam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَلَا
تَعْجَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ
إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ
لَهُمْ عَدًّا ﴿٨٤﴾
19: 84. So make no haste against them, for We but count out to them a (limited) number (of days).
يَوْمَ
نَحْشُرُ
الْمُتَّقِينَ
إِلَى الرَّحْمَنِ
وَفْدًا ﴿٨٥﴾
19: 85. The day We shall gather the righteous to (Allah) Most Gracious, like a band presented before a king for honors.
وَنَسُوقُ
الْمُجْرِمِينَ
إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ
وِرْدًا ﴿٨٦﴾
19: 86. And We shall drive the sinners to Hell, like thirsty cattle driven down to water --
C2528. Note the contrast between the saved and the doomed.
- The one march with dignity like honoured ones before a king,
- and the other rush in anguish to their punishment like a herd of cattle driven down by thirst to their watering place.
Note the metaphor of the water. They rush madly for water but are plunged into the Fire!
لَا
يَمْلِكُونَ
الشَّفَاعَةَ
إِلَّا مَنِ
اتَّخَذَ عِندَ
الرَّحْمَنِ
عَهْدًا ﴿٨٧﴾
19: 87. None shall have the power of intercession, but such a one as has received permission (or promise) from (Allah) Most Gracious.
Asad’s Version:
(19:84) Hence, be not in haste [to call down God's punishment] upon them: for We but number the number of their days. 73
(19:85) On the Day when We shall gather the God-conscious unto [Us,] the Most Gracious, as honored guests,
(19:86) and drive those who were lost in sin unto
hell as a thirsty herd is driven to a well –
(19:87) [on that Day] none will have [the benefit of]
intercession unless he has [in his lifetime] entered into a bond with the Most Gracious. 74
[[ Asad’s notes
73 Lit., "We number for them but a number". Cf. also the first sentence of verse 75 above.
74 Lit., "except him who has...", etc. According to the classical commentators - including some of
the most outstanding Companions of the Prophet - the "bond with God" denotes, in this context, the realization of His oneness and niqueness; for the wider implications of this term, see surah 2, note 19. Consequently, as pointed out by Razi, even great sinners may hope for God's forgiveness - symbolically expressed by the right of intercession" which will be granted to the prophets on Judgment Day (see note 7 on 10:3)- provided that, during their life on earth, they were aware of
God's existence and oneness. ]]
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35. Al-Fatir (The Originator)
Mecca Period 43
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَوْ
يُؤَاخِذُ
اللَّهُ النَّاسَ
بِمَا كَسَبُوا
...
35: 45 If Allah were to punish men according to what they deserve,
C3940. Cf. 16:61.
There would be no salvation for any of us if we went merely on our deserts. It is Allah's mercy that saves us and helps us to a better and better life until we attain the goal of our existence.
... مَا تَرَكَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَابَّةٍ...
He would not leave on the back of the (earth) a single living creature:
C3941. A single living creature. This may refer to man, the living crawling creature, with so many possibilities and yet so many weaknesses.
But it may mean all creatures literally, as the life of this planet more or less centres round the life of man. He has been given dominion on this earth, and in his state of purity he is Allah's vicegerent.
... وَلَكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى...
but He gives them respite for a stated Term:
... فَإِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ بَصِيرًا ﴿٤٥﴾
when their Term expires, verily Allah has in His sight all His servants.
C3942. Has in His sight all creatures: i.e., to deal with, according to His laws of Forbearance, Mercy and Justice:
see n. 3937 above.
The respite does not mean that any one escapes Hiis vigilant eye. All will be dealt with according to their deeds, with justice tempered with Mercy.
Asad’s Version:
35:45 Now if God were to take men [at once] to task for whatever [wrong] they commit [on earth], He would not leave a single living creature upon its surface. However, He grants them respite for a term set [by Him]: 55 but when their term comes to an end-then, verily, [they come to know that] God sees all that is in [the hearts of] His servants.