فَهَلْ يَنتَظِرُونَ إِلَّا مِثْلَ أَيَّامِ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ قُلْ فَٱنتَظِرُوٓا۟ إِنِّى مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْمُنتَظِرِينَ 102
Translations
So do they wait except for like [what occurred in] the days of those who passed on before them? Say, "Then wait; indeed, I am with you among those who wait."
Transliteration
Fahal yantaziroon illa mithla ayyami alladheen khalaw min qablihim qul faintaziroo inni maAAakum mina almuntazirin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah challenges the disbelievers of Mecca who reject the message of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) by asking whether they expect anything other than the same kind of punishment that befell the nations before them. The Prophet is commanded to tell them to wait for Allah's punishment, assuring them that he too awaits the outcome with them. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this is a powerful rhetorical device emphasizing the inevitability of divine justice—just as previous peoples who rejected their prophets faced destruction, so too will these disbelievers face consequences if they persist in their rejection.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah Yunus, which extensively discusses the historical patterns of nations that rejected prophets and the divine punishment that followed. The broader context addresses the Meccan disbelievers' arrogance and their demand for immediate punishment, reflecting their mockery of the Prophet's message.
Related Hadiths
The theme of awaiting Allah's judgment is reflected in the hadith: 'The best deed is to believe in Allah and His Messenger' (Sahih Bukhari 1:1). Additionally, Surah Al-Araf (7:34) relates thematically: 'For every nation is a term appointed; when their term is reached, not an hour can they cause delay, nor can they advance it in anticipation.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that patience in conveying the message of truth and trust in Allah's justice are paramount, even when facing ridicule and rejection. It reminds us that divine justice is inevitable and that the same consequences that befell past nations will apply to those who reject the truth, providing solace to believers enduring persecution.
Related Ayahs
أَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن قَرْنٍ مَّكَّنَّـٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَا لَمْ نُمَكِّن لَّكُمْ وَأَرْسَلْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْهِم مِّدْرَارًا وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرَ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهِمْ فَأَهْلَكْنَـٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَأَنشَأْنَا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا ءَاخَرِينَ
Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them which We had established upon the earth as We have not established you? And We sent [rain from] the sky upon them in showers and made rivers flow beneath them; then We destroyed them for their sins and brought forth after them a generation of others.
وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِلَّهِ مَا يَكْرَهُونَ وَتَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُهُمُ ٱلْكَذِبَ أَنَّ لَهُمُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّ لَهُمُ ٱلنَّارَ وَأَنَّهُم مُّفْرَطُونَ
And they attribute to Allāh that which they dislike [i.e., daughters], and their tongues assert the lie that they will have the best [from Him]. Assuredly, they will have the Fire, and they will be [therein] neglected.
فَذَرْنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
So leave Me, [O Muḥammad], with [the matter of] whoever denies this statement [i.e., the Qur’ān]. We will progressively lead them [to punishment] from where they do not know.
قَالَ ٱخْرُجْ مِنْهَا مَذْءُومًا مَّدْحُورًا ۖ لَّمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
[Allāh] said, "Depart from it [i.e., Paradise], reproached and expelled. Whoever follows you among them - I will surely fill Hell with you, all together."