Yunus: 97

Ayah

Word by Word

وَلَوۡ

Even if

جَآءَتۡهُمۡ

comes to them

كُلُّ

every

ءَايَةٍ

Sign

حَتَّىٰ

until

يَرَوُاْ

they see

ٱلۡعَذَابَ

the punishment

ٱلۡأَلِيمَ

the painful

Translation

Even if every Sign was brought unto them,- until they see (for themselves) the penalty grievous.

Tafsir

Previous books Attest to the Truth of the Qur'an

Allah said:

فَإِن كُنتَ فِي شَكٍّ مِّمَّا أَنزَلۡنَا إِلَيۡكَ فَاسۡأَلِ الَّذِينَ يَقۡرَوُونَ الۡكِتَابَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ لَقَدۡ جَاءكَ الۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الۡمُمۡتَرِينَ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواۡ بِأيَاتِ اللّهِ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الۡخَاسِرِينَ

So if you are in doubt concerning that which We have revealed unto you, then ask those who are reading the Book before you. Verily, the truth has come to you from your Lord. So be not of those who doubt (it).And be not one of those who belie the Ayat of Allah, for then you shall be one of the losers.

Allah said:

الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِىَّ الاُمِّىَّ الَّذِى يَجِدُونَهُ مَكۡتُوبًا عِندَهُمۡ فِى التَّوۡرَاةِ وَالاِنجِيلِ

Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write whom they find written of with them in the Tawrah and the Injil. (7:157)

They are as certain of this as they are about who their children are, yet they hide it and distort it. They did not believe in it despite its clear evidence.

Therefore Allah said:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ لَا يُوۡمِنُونَ وَلَوۡ جَاءتۡهُمۡ كُلُّ ايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاۡ الۡعَذَابَ الَالِيمَ

Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.

meaning they would not believe in a way that they might benefit from that belief. This is when they believe at a time one may not be able to benefit from his belief.

An example is when Musa prayed against Fir`awn and his chiefs, saying:

رَبَّنَا اطۡمِسۡ عَلَى أَمۡوَلِهِمۡ وَاشۡدُدۡ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَلَ يُوۡمِنُواۡ حَتَّى يَرَوُاۡ الۡعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ

Our Lord! Destroy their wealth, and harden their hearts, so that they will not believe until they see the painful torment. (10:88)

And Allah said:

وَلَوۡ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلۡنَأ إِلَيۡهِمُ الۡمَلَـيِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الۡمَوۡتَى وَحَشَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ قُبُلً مَّا كَانُواۡ لِيُوۡمِنُواۡ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَأءَ اللَّهُ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ يَجۡهَلُونَ

And even if We had sent down unto them angels, and the dead had spoken unto them, and We had gathered together all things before their very eyes, they would not have believed, unless Allah willed, but most of them behave ignorantly. (6:111)