18. AL-Kahf, Mecca
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَرَبُّكَ الْغَفُورُ
ذُو الرَّحْمَةِ...
18: 58. But your Lord is Most Forgiving, Full of Mercy.
... لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابَ...
If He were to call them (at once) to account for what they have earned, then surely He would have hastened their Punishment:
... بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌ لَّن يَجِدُوا مِن دُونِهِ مَوْئِلًا ﴿٥٨﴾
but they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no refuge.
C2402. Min duni hi: should we take the pronoun to refer to "the appointed time." or to "your Lord" mentioned at the beginning of the verse?
Most Commentators take the former view, and I have translated accordingly. But I agree with those who take the latter view, and the better translation would be:
"But they have their appointed time, and except with Allah, they will find no refuge."
That means that even during the period allowed them, when they are left to wander astray as they have rejected Allah's Grace, Allah's Mercy is open to them if they will repent and return; but nothing but Allah's Mercy can save them.
وَتِلْكَ
الْقُرَى
أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ
لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا...
18: 59. Such were the populations We destroyed when they committed iniquities;
... وَجَعَلْنَا لِمَهْلِكِهِم مَّوْعِدًا ﴿٥٩﴾
but We fixed an appointed time for their destruction.
18:58
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C2403. The instances of exemplary Punishment in former times were also subject to this rule, that Allah gives plenty of rope to the wicked, in case they might turn, repent, and obtain His Mercy.
Other Versions:
Warabbuka alghafooru
thoo
alrrahmati
law yu-akhithuhum bima kasaboo laAAajjala
lahumu alAAathaba bal lahum mawAAidun lan yajidoo min
doonihi maw-ilan
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Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning |
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Yet, [withal,] thy Sustainer is the Truly-Forgiving One, limitless in His grace. Were He to take them [at once] to task for whatever [wrong] they commit, He would indeed bring about their speedy punishment [then and there]: but nay, they have a time-limit beyond which they shall find no redemption |
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Thy Lord is the Forgiver, Full of Mercy. If He took them to task (now) for what they earn, He would hasten on the doom for them; but theirs is an appointed term from which they will find no escape. |
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And your Lord is Forgiving, the Lord of Mercy; were He to punish them for what they earn, He would certainly have hastened the chastisement for them; but for them there is an appointed time from which they shall not find a refuge. |
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But your Lord is Most forgiving, full of Mercy. If He were to call them (at once) to account for what they have earned, then surely He would have hastened their punishment: but they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no refuge. |
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If Allah, your Creator. the Source of true forgiveness and divine mercy ,were to censure them for their demerits which are far above all praises of man, He would have hastened them to their painful end. But We have determined for them a point of time when they shall be reduced to a useless form and besides Allah they shall find no one to afford them refuge. |
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And your Lord is forgiving, with mercy. If He were to judge the people for what they had already earned, He would hasten for them the retribution. No, they have an appointment, beyond which they will find no escape. |
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18:59 Watilka alqura ahlaknahum lamma thalamoo wajaAAalna limahlikihim mawAAidan |
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