وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ذُو ٱلرَّحْمَةِ ۖ لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ ۚ بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌ لَّن يَجِدُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَوْئِلًا 58
Translations
And your Lord is the Forgiving, the possessor of mercy. If He were to impose blame upon them for what they earned, He would have hastened for them the punishment. Rather, for them is an appointment from which they will never find an escape.
Transliteration
Wa rabbukal ghafuru dhu ar-rahmah; law yu'akhidhuhum bima kasabu la'ajjala lahum al-adhab; bal lahum maw'idun lan yajidu min dunihee maw'ila
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes Allah's attributes of forgiveness and mercy, teaching that if He were to immediately punish people for their sins, punishment would come swiftly and inescapably. Instead, Allah has appointed a final Day of Judgment from which there is no escape or refuge, demonstrating His wisdom in delaying punishment to allow opportunity for repentance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir highlight how this verse balances divine justice with divine mercy, showing that Allah's forbearance does not mean impunity—the ultimate reckoning is certain.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Kahf's broader themes about divine wisdom, patience, and the certainty of the afterlife. It follows discussions about those who reject faith and serves as a warning that divine patience is temporary, reinforcing the surah's emphasis on accountability on the Day of Judgment.
Related Hadiths
Hadith from Sahih Muslim (2758): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'If Allah were to punish people for their wrongdoing, He would not leave upon it a creature, but He gives them respite to a specified term.' This directly illustrates the concept of divine forbearance mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that while Allah's mercy delays immediate punishment, encouraging repentance and reform, ultimate accountability before Allah is inescapable and certain. We should therefore use the respite we are given in this life to correct ourselves and draw closer to Allah, not become complacent in our disobedience.
Related Ayahs
وَرَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ إِذْ قَامُوا۟ فَقَالُوا۟ رَبُّنَا رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَن نَّدْعُوَا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ إِلَـٰهًا ۖ لَّقَدْ قُلْنَآ إِذًا شَطَطًا
And We bound [i.e., made firm] their hearts when they stood up and said, "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Never will we invoke besides Him any deity. We would have certainly spoken, then, an excessive transgression.
ٱلَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا
[They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work."
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰذَا ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا عَلَىٰٓ أَن تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا
They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?"
إِنَّهُمْ إِن يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَيْكُمْ يَرْجُمُوكُمْ أَوْ يُعِيدُوكُمْ فِى مِلَّتِهِمْ وَلَن تُفْلِحُوٓا۟ إِذًا أَبَدًا
Indeed, if they come to know of you, they will stone you or return you to their religion. And never would you succeed, then - ever."