مَا تَسْبِقُ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلَهَا وَمَا يَسْتَـْٔخِرُونَ 43
Translations
No nation will precede its time [of termination], nor will they remain [thereafter].
Transliteration
Mā tasbiqu min ummatin ajalahā wa mā yastakhirūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that no nation or community can advance or delay the appointed term (ajal) that Allah has decreed for them. As Ibn Kathir explains, each nation has a fixed lifespan and predetermined time of destruction, which neither hastens nor delays by a single moment. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes this as a manifestation of Allah's absolute sovereignty and wisdom in the management of creation, reassuring believers that Allah's plan is immutable and just.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Mu'minun's discussion of past nations and prophets. It follows the narratives of various messengers and their peoples to illustrate that despite their rejection of divine guidance, each community's lifespan was predetermined by Allah. This serves to console the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and reassure believers that the disbelievers' fate is already determined and will come to pass at its appointed time.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr: 'The lifespan of this ummah is between 1000 to 1200 years' relates to the concept of predetermined terms for nations. Additionally, the hadith 'A soul will not die until it completes its appointed term' (Tirmidhi) reflects the parallel principle of individual predetermined lifespans.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to place complete trust in Allah's divine plan and to understand that worldly events unfold according to His predetermined wisdom, which should inspire patience in times of difficulty and gratitude in times of ease. It also discourages anxiety about the future, as only Allah controls when nations rise, fall, and meet their appointed end.