قُلْ أَرَءَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ أَتَىٰكُمْ عَذَابُ ٱللَّهِ بَغْتَةً أَوْ جَهْرَةً هَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ 47
Translations
Say, "Have you considered: if the punishment of Allāh should come to you unexpectedly or manifestly, will any be destroyed but the wrongdoing people?"
Transliteration
Qul ara'aytakum in atakum 'adhab-ul-lahi baghtatan aw jahrah hal yuhlak illa al-qawm az-zalimun
Tafsir (Explanation)
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is commanded to ask the disbelievers: whether Allah's punishment comes upon them suddenly or openly, is anyone destroyed except the wrongdoing people? This ayah emphasizes that divine punishment is a consequence of injustice and wrongdoing, not arbitrary destruction. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir interpret this as a rhetorical challenge to make clear that Allah's justice ensures punishment only befalls those who commit transgression and reject the truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah Al-An'am, which was revealed to address the polytheists of Mecca who rejected the message of monotheism. The context addresses their denial of the accountability and Day of Judgment, reminding them that Allah's punishment is just and targeted toward those who wrong themselves through disbelief and disobedience.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet said, 'Everyone will taste death, and only on the Day of Judgment will you receive your full recompense.' Additionally, Surah Al-Anfal 8:25 is thematically related: 'And fear fitnah which does not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that suffering and calamity are not random but are divine consequences linked to human actions and moral choices—a reminder for believers to guard against injustice and wrongdoing while providing comfort that Allah's justice is perfect and merciful toward those who submit to Him.
Related Ayahs
يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ ۚ وَنَحْشُرُ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ يَوْمَئِذٍ زُرْقًا
The Day the Horn will be blown. And We will gather the criminals, that Day, blue-eyed.
فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ
And you are going to know who will get a punishment that will disgrace him [on earth] and upon whom will descend an enduring punishment [in the Hereafter]."
وَلَوْ أَنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَمِثْلَهُۥ مَعَهُۥ لَٱفْتَدَوْا۟ بِهِۦ مِن سُوٓءِ ٱلْعَذَابِ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ وَبَدَا لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا۟ يَحْتَسِبُونَ
And if those who did wrong had all that is in the earth entirely and the like of it with it, they would [attempt to] ransom themselves thereby from the worst of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. And there will appear to them from Allāh that which they had not taken into account.
كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَٰتًا فَأَحْيَـٰكُمْ ۖ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
How can you disbelieve in Allāh when you were lifeless and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him you will be returned.