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Ayah
Word by Word
وَلَئِنۡ
And if
أَخَّرۡنَا
We delay
عَنۡهُمُ
from them
ٱلۡعَذَابَ
the punishment
إِلَىٰٓ
for
أُمَّةٖ
a time
مَّعۡدُودَةٖ
determined
لَّيَقُولُنَّ
they will surely say
مَا
What
يَحۡبِسُهُۥٓۗ
detains it
أَلَا
No doubt
يَوۡمَ
(On) the Day
يَأۡتِيهِمۡ
it comes to them
لَيۡسَ
not
مَصۡرُوفًا
(will be) averted
عَنۡهُمۡ
from them
وَحَاقَ
and will surround
بِهِم
them
مَّا
what
كَانُواْ
they used (to)
بِهِۦ
mock at [it]
يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ
mock at [it]
وَلَئِنۡ
And if
أَخَّرۡنَا
We delay
عَنۡهُمُ
from them
ٱلۡعَذَابَ
the punishment
إِلَىٰٓ
for
أُمَّةٖ
a time
مَّعۡدُودَةٖ
determined
لَّيَقُولُنَّ
they will surely say
مَا
What
يَحۡبِسُهُۥٓۗ
detains it
أَلَا
No doubt
يَوۡمَ
(On) the Day
يَأۡتِيهِمۡ
it comes to them
لَيۡسَ
not
مَصۡرُوفًا
(will be) averted
عَنۡهُمۡ
from them
وَحَاقَ
and will surround
بِهِم
them
مَّا
what
كَانُواْ
they used (to)
بِهِۦ
mock at [it]
يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ
mock at [it]
Translation
If We delay the penalty for them for a definite term, they are sure to say, "What keeps it back?" Ah! On the day it (actually) reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be completely encircled by that which they used to mock at!
Tafsir
And if we postpone the chastisement for them until, the arrival of, a reckoned time, [reckoned] moments, they will surely say, in mockery: 'What is detaining it?', what is preventing it from being sent down? God, exalted be He, says: Verily on the day when it comes to them, it cannot be averted, warded off, from them, and that, chastisement, which they derided shall surround them, [it] shall come down upon them.
"Allah created the Heavens and the Earth in Six Days
Allah says;
وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَق السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَارۡضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرۡشُهُ عَلَى الۡمَاء
And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days and His Throne was over the water,
Allah, the Exalted, informs of His power over all things, and that He created the heavens and the earth in six days. He mentions that His Throne was over the water before that, just as Imam Ahmad recorded that Imran bin Husayn said,
""The Messenger of Allah said,
اقۡبَلُوا الۡبُشۡرَى يَا بَنِي تَمِيم
Accept the glad tidings, O tribe of Tamim!
They said, `Verily you have brought us glad tidings and you have given us.'
Then he said,
اقۡبَلُوا الۡبُشۡرَى يَا أَهۡلَ الۡيَمَن
Accept the glad tidings, O people of Yemen!
They said, `We accept. Therefore, inform us about the beginning of this matter and how it was.'
He said,
كَانَ اللهُ قَبۡلَ كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ وَكَانَ عَرۡشُهُ عَلَى الۡمَاءِ وَكَتَبَ فِي اللَّوۡحِ الۡمَحۡفُوظِ ذِكۡرَ كُلِّ شَيۡء
Allah was before everything and His Throne was over the water. He then wrote in the Preserved Tablet mentioning everything.
Then a man came to me and said, ""O `Imran, your she camel has escaped from her fetter.""
I then went out after her and I do not know what was said after I left.""
This Hadith has been recorded in the Two Sahihs of Al-Bukhari and Muslim with a variety of wordings.
In Sahih Muslim, it is recorded that Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As said that the Messenger of Allah said,
إِنَّ اللهَ قَدَّرَ مَقَادِيرَ الۡخَلَيِقِ قَبۡلَ أَنۡ يَخۡلُقَ السَّموَاتِ وَالاَۡرۡضَ بِخَمۡسِينَ أَلۡفَ سَنَةٍ وَكَانَ عَرۡشُهُ عَلَى الۡمَاء
Verily Allah measured the amount of sustenance of the creatures fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and His Throne was over the water.
Under the explanation of this verse, Al-Bukhari recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said,
قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنۡفِقۡ أُنۡفِقۡ عَلَيۡك
Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said, `Spend and I will spend on you.'
And he said,
يَدُ اللهِ مَلَۡى لَا يَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ سَحَّاءُ اللَّيۡلَ وَالنَّهَار
Allah's Hand is full, and it is not diminished by spending throughout the night and the day.
He also said,
أَفَرَأَيۡتُمۡ مَا أَنۡفَقَ مُنۡذُ خَلَقَ السَّموَاتِ وَالاَۡرۡضَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمۡ يَغِضۡ مَا فِي يَمِينِهِ وَكَانَ عَرۡشُهُ عَلَى الۡمَاءِ وَبِيَدِهِ الۡمِيزَانُ يَخۡفِضُ وَيَرۡفَع
Have you seen what has been spent since the creation of the heavens and the earth! Verily it does not diminish what is in His Right Hand (in the slightest) and His Throne was over the water. In His Hand is the Scale and he lowers and raises it.
Concerning Allah's statement,
لِيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ أَيُّكُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ عَمَلً
that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds.
This means that He created the heavens and the earth for the benefit of His servants, whom He created so that they may worship Him and not associate anything with Him as a partner.
Allah did not create this creation (of the heavens and the earth) out of mere frivolity.
This is similar to His statement,
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا السَّمَأءَ وَالاٌّرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا بَـطِلً ذَلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ فَوَيۡلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ مِنَ النَّارِ
And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them without purpose! That is the consideration of those who disbelieve! Then woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire! (38:27)
Allah the Exalted, said,
أَفَحَسِبۡتُمۡ أَنَّمَا خَلَقۡنَـكُمۡ عَبَثاً وَأَنَّكُمۡ إِلَيۡنَا لَا تُرۡجَعُونَ
فَتَعَـلَى اللَّهُ الۡمَلِكُ الۡحَقُّ لَا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ رَبُّ الۡعَرۡشِ الۡكَرِيمِ
Did you think that We created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us! So Exalted is Allah, the True King:there is no God but He, the Lord of the Supreme Throne! (23:115-116)
Allah, the Exalted, said,
وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ الۡجِنَّ وَالاِنسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعۡبُدُونِ
And I (Allah) created not the Jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone). (51:56)
Concerning the statement of Allah,
لِيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ
(that He might try you),
It means so that He (Allah) may test you.
Concerning the statement,
أَيُّكُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ عَمَلً
(which of you is the best in deeds),
It is important to note here that Allah did not say, ""Which of you has done the most deeds."" Rather, He said, ""Best in deeds.""
A deed cannot be considered a good deed until it is done sincerely for Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and it must be in accordance with the legislation of the Messenger of Allah. Whenever a deed lacks one of these conditions, then it is null and void.
The Polytheists hasten their Torment by arguing against Resurrection after Death
Concerning Allah's statement,
وَلَيِن قُلۡتَ إِنَّكُم مَّبۡعُوثُونَ مِن بَعۡدِ الۡمَوۡتِ
But if you were to say to them:""You shall indeed be raised up after death.""
Allah, the Exalted, is saying, ""O Muhammad, if you were to inform these polytheists that Allah is going to resurrect them after their death, just as He created them originally (they would still reject)."" Even though they know that Allah, the Exalted, is the One Who created the heavens and the earth, just as He said,
وَلَيِن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَهُمۡ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ
And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say:""Allah."" (43:87)
Allah says,
وَلَيِن سَأَلۡتَهُمۡ مَّنۡ خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرۡضَ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمۡسَ وَالۡقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ
And if you were to ask them:""Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon!"" They will surely reply:""Allah."" (29:61)
Even after their awareness of this (Allah's creating), they still reject the resurrection and the promised return on the Day of Judgement. Yet, in reference to ability, the resurrection is easier (for Allah to perform) than the original creation.
As Allah said,
وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبۡدَأُ الۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهۡوَنُ عَلَيۡهِ
And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it (after it has perished); and this is easier for Him. (30:27)
Allah also said,
مَّا خَلۡقُكُمۡ وَلَا بَعۡثُكُمۡ إِلاَّ كَنَفۡسٍ وَحِدَةٍ
The creation of you all and the resurrection of you all are only as (the creation and resurrection of) a single person. (31:28)
Concerning the statement,
لَيَقُولَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ
those who disbelieve would be sure to say,
إِنۡ هَـذَا إِلاَّ سِحۡرٌ مُّبِينٌ
""This is nothing but obvious magic.""
The polytheists say this due to their disbelief and obstinacy. They say, ""We do not believe your claim that resurrection will occur.""
They also say, ""He (Muhammad) only says this (resurrection of the dead) because he is bewitched, and he wants you to follow him in what his bewitchment tells him.""
Concerning Allah's statement
وَلَيِنۡ أَخَّرۡنَا عَنۡهُمُ الۡعَذَابَ إِلَى أُمَّةٍ مَّعۡدُودَةٍ
And if We delay the torment for them till a determined Ummah (term),
Allah, the Exalted, is saying ""If We delay the torment and the destruction of these polytheists until an appointed time and a period determined, and We promise them a specific time period (of life), they would still say, in rejection and haste;
لَّيَقُولُنَّ مَا يَحۡبِسُهُ
they are sure to say, ""What keeps it back!""
They mean by this, ""What delays this torment from overtaking us."" Both rejection and doubt are their very nature. Therefore, they have no escape or refuge from the torment.
أَلَا يَوۡمَ يَأۡتِيهِمۡ لَيۡسَ مَصۡرُوفًا عَنۡهُمۡ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُواۡ بِهِ يَسۡتَهۡزِوُونَ
Verily, on the day it reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be surrounded by (or fall in) that at which they used to mock!
The Meanings of the Word Ummah
The word Ummah is used in the Qur'an and Sunnah with a number of different meanings.
Sometimes when it is used it means a specified period of time.
An example is the statement of Allah, the Exalted, in this verse,
إِلَى أُمَّةٍ مَّعۡدُودَةٍ
(till a determined Ummah (term),
This is also the meaning in the statement of Allah in Surah Yusuf,
وَقَالَ الَّذِى نَجَا مِنۡهُمَا وَادَّكَرَ بَعۡدَ أُمَّةٍ
Then the man who was released, now after Ummah (some time) remembered. (12:45)
The word Ummah is also used to refer to the Imam (leader) who is followed. An example of this is in the statement of Allah,
إِنَّ إِبۡرَهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَـنِتًا لِلَّهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمۡ يَكُ مِنَ الۡمُشۡرِكِينَ
Verily, Ibrahim was an Ummah, obedient to Allah, Hanif, and he was not of those who were polytheists. (16:120)
The word Ummah is also used to mean religion and religious creed. This is as Allah mentions concerning the polytheists, that they said,
إِنَّا وَجَدۡنَأ ءَابَأءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى ءَاثَـرِهِم مُّقۡتَدُونَ
Verily, we found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we will indeed follow their footsteps. (43:23)
The word Ummah is also used to mean a group (of people). This is as Allah says,
وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَأءَ مَدۡيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيۡهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسۡقُونَ
And when he arrived at the water (well) of Madyan, he found there a group of men watering (their flocks). (28:23)
Allah also said,
وَلَقَدۡ بَعَثۡنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعۡبُدُواۡ اللَّهَ وَاجۡتَنِبُواۡ الۡطَّـغُوتَ
And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming):""Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid Taghut."" (16:36)
Allah also said,
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولٌ فَإِذَا جَأءَ رَسُولُهُمۡ قُضِىَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ بِالۡقِسۡطِ وَهُمۡ لَا يُظۡلَمُونَ
And for every Ummah there is a Messenger; when their Messenger comes, the matter will be judged between them with justice, and they will not be wronged. (10:47)
The meaning of Ummah here is those people who have had a Messenger sent among them.
The meaning of Ummah in this context includes the believers and the disbelievers among them. This is like what has been recorded in Sahih Muslim,
وَالَّذِي نَفۡسِي بِيَدِهِ لَاا يَسۡمَعُ بِي أَحَدٌ مِنۡ هَذِهِ الاۡاُمَّةِ يَهُودِيٌّ وَلَاا نَصۡرَانِيٌّ ثُمَّ لَاا يُوۡمِنُ بِي إِلاَّ دَخَلَ النَّار
By He in Whose Hand is my soul! there is no one of this Ummah, whether he be a Jew or Christian, who hears of me and does not believe in me, except that he will enter the Hell- fire.
In reference to the Ummah of followers, then they are those who believe in the Messengers, as Allah said,
كُنتُمۡ خَيۡرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخۡرِجَتۡ لِلنَّاسِ
You (the followers of Prophet Muhammad) are the best Ummah ever raised up for mankind. (3:110)
In the Sahih the Prophet said,
فَأَقُولُ أُمَّتِي أُمَّتِي
Then I will say, ""My Ummah (followers), my Ummah!""
The word Ummah is also used to mean a sect or party. An example of this usage is in the statement of Allah,
وَمِن قَوۡمِ مُوسَى أُمَّةٌ يَهۡدُونَ بِالۡحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعۡدِلُونَ
And of the people of Musa there is an Ummah who lead (the men) with truth and established justice therewith. (7:159)
Likewise is His statement,
مِّنۡ أَهۡلِ الۡكِتَـبِ أُمَّةٌ قَأيِمَةٌ
A party of the People of the Scripture stand for the right. (3:113)"
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