Al-Anbya 21:38
The Prophets · Juz 17 · Page 325
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا ٱلۡوَعۡدُ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٣٨
And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?"
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Medium · The classic, abridged: ayahs explained by ayahs and hadith.
Change
Commentary on 21:38–40
The Idolators seek to hasten on the Punishment
Allah also tells us how the idolators seek to hasten punishment upon themselves, out of denial, rejection, disbelief, stubbornness and a belief that it will never happen. He says:
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَدِقِينَ
(And they say: "When will this promise (come to pass), if you are truthful".) And Allah says:
لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ حِينَ لاَ يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ
(If only those who disbelieved knew (the time) when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs,) meaning, if only they knew for certain that it will inevitably come to pass, they would not seek to hasten it. If only they knew how the torment will overwhelm them from above them and from beneath their feet.
لَهُمْ مِّن فَوْقِهِمْ ظُلَلٌ مِّنَ النَّارِ وَمِن تَحْتِهِمْ ظُلَلٌ
(They shall have coverings of Fire, above them and coverings (of Fire) beneath them) 39:16
لَهُم مِّن جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ وَمِن فَوْقِهِمْ غَوَاشٍ
(Theirs will be a bed of Hell (Fire), and over them coverings (of Hellfire)) 7:41. And in this Ayah Allah says:
حِينَ لاَ يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ
(when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs,) And Allah says:
سَرَابِيلُهُم مِّن قَطِرَانٍ وَتَغْشَى وُجُوهَهُمْ النَّارُ
(Their garments will be of tar, and fire will cover their faces) 14:50. The torment will surround them on all sides,
وَلاَ هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ
(and they will not be helped.) means, and they will have no helper. This is like the Ayah:
وَمَا لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍ
(And they have no guardian against Allah) 13:34.
بَلْ تَأْتِيهِم بَغْتَةً
(Nay, it will come upon them all of a sudden) means, the Fire will come upon them suddenly, i.e., it will take them by surprise.
فَتَبْهَتُهُمْ
(and will perplex them,) means, it will scare them, and they will succumb to it in confusion, not knowing what they are doing.
فَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ رَدَّهَا
(and they will have no power to avert it) means, they will have no means of doing so.
وَلاَ هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ
(nor will they get respite. ) means, it will not be delayed for them even for an instant.
Page 325
21:36
وَإِذَا رَءَاكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا أَهَٰذَا ٱلَّذِي يَذۡكُرُ ءَالِهَتَكُمۡ وَهُم بِذِكۡرِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ هُمۡ كَٰفِرُونَ ٣٦
And when those who disbelieve see you, [O Muḥammad], they take you not except in ridicule, [saying], "Is this the one who mentions [i.e., insults] your gods?" And they are, at the mention of the Most Merciful, disbelievers.
21:37
خُلِقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مِنۡ عَجَلٖۚ سَأُوْرِيكُمۡ ءَايَٰتِي فَلَا تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونِ ٣٧
Man was created of haste [i.e., impatience]. I will show you My signs [i.e., vengeance], so do not impatiently urge Me.
21:38
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا ٱلۡوَعۡدُ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٣٨
And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?"
21:39
لَوۡ يَعۡلَمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ حِينَ لَا يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ ٱلنَّارَ وَلَا عَن ظُهُورِهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يُنصَرُونَ ٣٩
If those who disbelieved but knew the time when they will not avert the Fire from their faces or from their backs and they will not be aided...1
1 translator’s note
- The completion of the sentence is understood to be "...they would not be asking in disbelief and ridicule to be shown the punishment." ↩
21:40
بَلۡ تَأۡتِيهِم بَغۡتَةٗ فَتَبۡهَتُهُمۡ فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ رَدَّهَا وَلَا هُمۡ يُنظَرُونَ ٤٠
Rather, it will come to them unexpectedly and bewilder them, and they will not be able to repel it, nor will they be reprieved.
21:41
وَلَقَدِ ٱسۡتُهۡزِئَ بِرُسُلٖ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِٱلَّذِينَ سَخِرُواْ مِنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ ٤١
And already were messengers ridiculed before you, but those who mocked them were enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
21:42
قُلۡ مَن يَكۡلَؤُكُم بِٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ مِنَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ عَن ذِكۡرِ رَبِّهِم مُّعۡرِضُونَ ٤٢
Say, "Who can protect you at night or by day from the Most Merciful?" But they are, from the remembrance of their Lord, turning away.
21:43
أَمۡ لَهُمۡ ءَالِهَةٞ تَمۡنَعُهُم مِّن دُونِنَاۚ لَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ نَصۡرَ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَلَا هُم مِّنَّا يُصۡحَبُونَ ٤٣
Or do they have gods to defend them other than Us? They are unable [even] to help themselves, nor can they be protected from Us.
21:44
بَلۡ مَتَّعۡنَا هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَءَابَآءَهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ طَالَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡعُمُرُۗ أَفَلَا يَرَوۡنَ أَنَّا نَأۡتِي ٱلۡأَرۡضَ نَنقُصُهَا مِنۡ أَطۡرَافِهَآۚ أَفَهُمُ ٱلۡغَٰلِبُونَ ٤٤
But, [on the contrary], We have provided good things for these [disbelievers] and their fathers until life was prolonged for them. Then do they not see that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders?1 Is it they who will overcome?
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 13:41. ↩
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy