Yunus 10:49
Jonah · Juz 11 · Page 214
قُل لَّآ أَمۡلِكُ لِنَفۡسِي ضَرّٗا وَلَا نَفۡعًا إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُۗ لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌۚ إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمۡ فَلَا يَسۡتَـٔۡخِرُونَ سَاعَةٗ وَلَا يَسۡتَقۡدِمُونَ ٤٩
Say, "I possess not for myself any harm or benefit except what Allāh should will. For every nation is a [specified] term. When their time has come, then they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it]."
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Commentary on 10:48–52
The Deniers of the Day of Resurrection wish to hasten its Coming and their Response
Allah told us about the idolators who reject faith through their demand that the punishment be hastened, inquiring about the time of punishment. The response to such question is not inherently beneficial, yet they inquired anyway. Allah said:
يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مُشْفِقُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقُّ
(Those who believe not therein seek to hasten it, while those who believe are fearful of it, and know that it is the very truth.) 42:18 They know that it is the truth for it is definitely going to happen. It is going to take place even if they have no idea when it will occur. This is why Allah instructed His Messenger to answer them saying:
قُل لاَّ أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِى ضَرًّا وَلاَ نَفْعًا
(Say: "I have no power over any harm or profit to myself.") 10:49, 7:188 I will not say except what He has taught me. I also have no authority over anything that Allah has not shown to me. I am Allah's servant and His Messenger to you. I was told that the Hour is going to come, but He has not told me when it will occur. But,
لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ
(For every Ummah, there is a term appointed;) meaning that for every generation or community there is a set term appointed for them. When the end of that term approaches,
فَلاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
(neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment). ) This is similar to what Allah said in another Ayah:
وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ اللَّهُ نَفْساً إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهَآ
(And Allah grants respite to none when his appointed time (death) comes.) 63:11 Allah instructed His Messenger to tell the people that His punishment would come suddenly. He said:
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَتَاكُمْ عَذَابُهُ بَيَاتًا أَوْ نَهَارًا مَّاذَا يَسْتَعْجِلُ مِنْهُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ - أَثُمَّ إِذَا مَا وَقَعَ ءَامَنْتُمْ بِهِ ءَآلْنَ وَقَدْ كُنتُم بِهِ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ
(Say: "Tell me, if His torment should come to you by night or by day, which portion thereof would the criminals hasten on Is it then that when it has actually befallen, you will believe in it What! Now (you believe) And you used (aforetime) to hasten it on!") When the punishment befalls them, they will say:
رَبَّنَآ أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا
("Our Lord! We have now seen and heard.") (32:12) Allah also said:
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْاْ بَأْسَنَا قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ وَكَفَرْنَا بِمَا كُنَّا بِهِ مُشْرِكِينَ - فَلَمْ يَكُ يَنفَعُهُمْ إِيمَنُهُمْ لَمَّا رَأَوْاْ بَأْسَنَا سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِى قَدْ خَلَتْ فِى عِبَادِهِ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ الْكَفِرُونَ
(So when they saw Our punishment, they said: "We believe in Allah alone and reject (all) that we used to associate with Him as (His) partners. Then their faith could not avail them when they saw Our punishment. (Like) this has been the way of Allah in dealing with His servants. And there the disbelievers lost utterly (when Our torment covered them).")40:84-85
ثُمَّ قِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ ذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ الْخُلْدِ
(Then it will be said to them who wronged themselves: "Taste you the everlasting torment!") This will be said to them on the Day of Resurrection, blaming and rebuking them. As Allah said in another Ayah:
يَوْمَ يُدَعُّونَ إِلَى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ دَعًّا - هَذِهِ النَّارُ الَّتِى كُنتُم بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ - أَفَسِحْرٌ هَذَا أَمْ أَنتُمْ لاَ تُبْصِرُونَ - اصْلَوْهَا فَاصْبِرُواْ أَوْ لاَ تَصْبِرُواْ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
(The Day when they will be pushed down by force to the fire of Hell, with a horrible, forceful pushing. This is the Fire that you used to belie. Is this magic or do you not see Taste you therein its heat and whether you are patient of it or impatient of it, it is all the same. You are only being requited for what you used to do.) 52:13-16
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10:43
وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَنظُرُ إِلَيۡكَۚ أَفَأَنتَ تَهۡدِي ٱلۡعُمۡيَ وَلَوۡ كَانُواْ لَا يُبۡصِرُونَ ٤٣
And among them are those who look at you. But can you guide the blind although they will not [attempt to] see?
10:44
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَظۡلِمُ ٱلنَّاسَ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلنَّاسَ أَنفُسَهُمۡ يَظۡلِمُونَ ٤٤
Indeed, Allāh does not wrong the people at all, but it is the people who are wronging themselves.
10:45
وَيَوۡمَ يَحۡشُرُهُمۡ كَأَن لَّمۡ يَلۡبَثُوٓاْ إِلَّا سَاعَةٗ مِّنَ ٱلنَّهَارِ يَتَعَارَفُونَ بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ قَدۡ خَسِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِلِقَآءِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُهۡتَدِينَ ٤٥
And on the Day when He will gather them, [it will be] as if they had not remained [in the world] but an hour of the day, [and] they will know each other. Those will have lost who denied the meeting with Allāh and were not guided.
10:46
وَإِمَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِي نَعِدُهُمۡ أَوۡ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِلَيۡنَا مَرۡجِعُهُمۡ ثُمَّ ٱللَّهُ شَهِيدٌ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفۡعَلُونَ ٤٦
And whether We show you some of what We promise them, [O Muḥammad], or We take you in death, to Us is their return; then, [either way], Allāh is a witness concerning what they are doing.
10:47
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٖ رَّسُولٞۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ رَسُولُهُمۡ قُضِيَ بَيۡنَهُم بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ وَهُمۡ لَا يُظۡلَمُونَ ٤٧
And for every nation is a messenger. So when their messenger comes,1 it will be judged between them in justice, and they will not be wronged.
1 translator’s note
- To witness on the Day of Judgement. Another meaning is "Once a messenger has come [to them in this world]..." ↩
10:48
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا ٱلۡوَعۡدُ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٤٨
And they say, "When is [the fulfillment of] this promise, if you should be truthful?"
10:49
قُل لَّآ أَمۡلِكُ لِنَفۡسِي ضَرّٗا وَلَا نَفۡعًا إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُۗ لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌۚ إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمۡ فَلَا يَسۡتَـٔۡخِرُونَ سَاعَةٗ وَلَا يَسۡتَقۡدِمُونَ ٤٩
Say, "I possess not for myself any harm or benefit except what Allāh should will. For every nation is a [specified] term. When their time has come, then they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it]."
10:50
قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِنۡ أَتَىٰكُمۡ عَذَابُهُۥ بَيَٰتًا أَوۡ نَهَارٗا مَّاذَا يَسۡتَعۡجِلُ مِنۡهُ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٥٠
Say, "Have you considered: if His punishment should come to you by night or by day - for which [aspect] of it would the criminals be impatient?"1
1 translator’s note
- "Impatience" refers to the disbelievers' ridicule of the Prophet (ﷺ) by telling him to produce Allāh's punishment as proof of his truthfulness. ↩
10:51
أَثُمَّ إِذَا مَا وَقَعَ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦٓۚ ءَآلۡـَٰٔنَ وَقَدۡ كُنتُم بِهِۦ تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ ٥١
Then is it that when it has [actually] occurred you will believe in it? Now?1 And you were [once] for it impatient.2
10:52
ثُمَّ قِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ ذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ ٱلۡخُلۡدِ هَلۡ تُجۡزَوۡنَ إِلَّا بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡسِبُونَ ٥٢
Then it will be said to those who had wronged, "Taste the punishment of eternity; are you being recompensed except for what you used to earn?"
10:53
۞ وَيَسۡتَنۢبِـُٔونَكَ أَحَقٌّ هُوَۖ قُلۡ إِي وَرَبِّيٓ إِنَّهُۥ لَحَقّٞۖ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعۡجِزِينَ ٥٣
And they ask information of you, [O Muḥammad], "Is it true?" Say, "Yes, by my Lord. Indeed, it is truth; and you will not cause failure [to Allāh]."
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy