وَلَئِنْ أَخَّرْنَا عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍ مَّعْدُودَةٍ لَّيَقُولُنَّ مَا يَحْبِسُهُۥٓ ۗ أَلَا يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمْ لَيْسَ مَصْرُوفًا عَنْهُمْ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ 8
Translations
And if We hold back from them the punishment for a limited time, they will surely say, "What detains it?" Unquestionably, on the Day it comes to them, it will not be averted from them, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
Transliteration
Wa la'in akhkharna 'anhumu al-'adhaba ilá ummatin ma'dudatin layaqulunna má yahbisuh. Alá yawma ya'tihim laysa masrúfan 'anhum wa háqa bihim má kánú bihi yastahzi'ún.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns that when Allah delays punishment from disbelievers for a limited, numbered period, they arrogantly ask what is holding back the torment, dismissing the threat. When the Day of Judgment comes, the punishment will be inescapable and irreversible, and they will be overtaken by the very punishment they mocked and ridiculed. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize this as a stern warning about the consequences of arrogance and mockery toward divine threats, showing that delay in punishment is not a sign of its absence but rather a test of faith.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Hud, a Meccan chapter addressing the Quraysh's rejection and mockery of the Prophet Muhammad's warnings about the Day of Judgment. The disbelievers' arrogant questioning—"What delays the punishment?"—reflects their contempt for the message and their false sense of security, which the ayah directly refutes.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The example of those who were given the Qur'an and did not act upon it is like an empty house with a beautiful door' (Al-Tirmidhi). Additionally, Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet warned of those who hear the message but turn away, similar to the mockery described in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should never confuse Allah's patience and delay in punishment with approval or forgiveness; rather, it is a test and opportunity for repentance. We must take seriously the warnings about the afterlife and avoid arrogance or mockery toward faith, as the consequences are inescapable when the appointed time arrives.