وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا نُمْلِى لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لِّأَنفُسِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا نُمْلِى لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوٓا۟ إِثْمًا ۚ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ 178
Translations
And let not those who disbelieve ever think that [because] We extend their time [of enjoyment] it is better for them. We only extend it for them so that they may increase in sin, and for them is a humiliating punishment.
Transliteration
Wa lā yaḥsabanna alladhīna kafarū anna numlī lahum khayrun li-anfusihim. Innamā numlī lahum li-yazdādū ithmān wa-lahum ʿadhābun muhīn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns disbelievers not to interpret Allah's respite and provision as a sign of His approval or benefit for them. Rather, Allah's delay in punishment is actually a means by which they accumulate more sins and transgressions, leading ultimately to a humiliating punishment. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this divine forbearance (imla') is a test and a rope by which they bind themselves deeper into sin, not a sign of forgiveness or favor.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ali 'Imran (Chapter 3), a Medinan surah revealed after the Battle of Uhud. The broader context addresses the consequences of disbelief and the trials faced by believers. While no specific asbab al-nuzul is documented for this particular verse, it fits within the surah's themes of divine wisdom in testing communities and the ultimate accountability of those who reject faith.
Related Hadiths
Related to the concept of divine respite: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'When Allah intends good for His servant, He hastens his punishment in this world, and when He intends evil for His servant, He withholds his sins until He brings him to account on the Day of Judgment' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, Surah Al-A'raf 7:183 conveys the same theme of respite leading to increased sin.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should not mistake Allah's patience and provision in this world as approval of sinful deeds, nor should they assume that material comfort indicates divine favor—true favor lies in guidance and righteousness. This ayah serves as a humbling reminder that worldly success without faith is ultimately a means of one's own spiritual destruction.