As-Saffat 37:176
Those who set the Ranks · Juz 23 · Page 452
أَفَبِعَذَابِنَا يَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ ١٧٦
Then for Our punishment are they impatient?
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Medium · The classic, abridged: ayahs explained by ayahs and hadith.
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Commentary on 37:171–179
The Promise of Victory and the Command to turn away from Idolators
Allah says,
وَلَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا الْمُرْسَلِينَ
(And, verily, Our Word has gone forth of old for Our servants, the Messengers,) meaning, it has already been stated in the first decree that the Messengers and their followers will ultimately prevail in this world and the Hereafter. This is like the Ayah:
كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لاّغْلِبَنَّ أَنَاْ وَرُسُلِى إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ
(Allah has decreed: "Verily, it is I and My Messengers who shall be the victorious." Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty.) (58:21), and
إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الاٌّشْهَدُ
(Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth.) (40:51).
وَلَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا الْمُرْسَلِينَ - إِنَّهُمْ لَهُمُ الْمَنصُورُونَ
(And, verily, Our Word has gone forth of old for Our servants, the Messengers, that they verily would be made triumphant,) meaning, `in this world and in the Hereafter, as We have already stated that they would prevail over their people who disbelieved in them and went against them, and how Allah destroyed the disbelievers and saved His believing servants. '
وَإِنَّ جُندَنَا لَهُمُ الْغَلِبُونَ
(And that Our hosts they verily would be the victors.) means, that they would ultimately prevail.
فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّى حِينٍ
(So turn away from them for a while,) means, `bear their annoyance with patience and wait until an appointed time, when We shall cause you to prevail and will grant you victory.'
وَأَبْصِرْهُمْ فَسَوْفَ يُبْصِرُونَ
(And watch them and they shall see!) means, `watch them and see what will happen to them by way of punishment for their opposition towards you and their disbelief in you.' Allah said, as a threat and a warning,
فَسَوْفَ يُبْصِرُونَ
(and they shall see!). Then Allah says:
أَفَبِعَذَابِنَا يَسْتَعْجِلُونَ
(Do they seek to hasten on Our torment) meaning, `they seek to hasten on the punishment because they disbelieve in you, and Allah is angry with them because of that and will make them suffer the consequences, and because of their disbelief and stubbornness, He will hasten on the punishment.'
فَإِذَا نَزَلَ بِسَاحَتِهِمْ فَسَآءَ صَبَاحُ الْمُنْذَرِينَ
(Then, when it descends in their courtyard, evil will be the morning for those who had been warned!) means, when the punishment comes down to the place where they are, terrible will be the day of their punishment and destruction. As-Suddi said:
فَإِذَا نَزَلَ بِسَاحَتِهِمْ
(Then, when it descends in their courtyard,) means, in their homes;
فَسَآءَ صَبَاحُ الْمُنْذَرِينَ
(evil will be the morning for those who had been warned!) means, how terrible that morning will be for them. It was reported in the Two Sahihs that Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "On the morning of Khaybar, when the people came out with their tools (to go about their daily work) and saw the (Muslim) army, they went back and said, `Muhammad by Allah! Muhammad and the army!' The Prophet said:
«اللهُ أَكْبَرُ، خَرِبَتْ خَيْبَرُ، إِنَّا إِذَا نَزَلْنَا بِسَاحَةِ قَوْمٍ فَسَاءَ صَبَاحُ الْمُنْذَرِين»
(Allahu Akbar! Khaybar has been destroyed. Then, when it descends in the courtyard of any people, evil will be the morning for those who had been warned!)"
وَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّى حِينٍ وَأَبْصِرْ فَسَوْفَ يُبْصِرُونَ-
(So turn away from them for a while, and watch and they shall see!) This is a reiteration of the command stated above. And Allah knows best.
Page 452
37:154
مَا لَكُمۡ كَيۡفَ تَحۡكُمُونَ ١٥٤
What is [wrong] with you? How do you make judgement?
37:155
أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ١٥٥
Then will you not be reminded?
37:156
أَمۡ لَكُمۡ سُلۡطَٰنٞ مُّبِينٞ ١٥٦
Or do you have a clear authority?1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., evidence. ↩
37:157
فَأۡتُواْ بِكِتَٰبِكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ١٥٧
Then produce your scripture, if you should be truthful.
37:158
وَجَعَلُواْ بَيۡنَهُۥ وَبَيۡنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ نَسَبٗاۚ وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمَتِ ٱلۡجِنَّةُ إِنَّهُمۡ لَمُحۡضَرُونَ ١٥٨
And they have made [i.e., claimed] between Him and the jinn a lineage, but the jinn have already known that they [who made such claims] will be brought [to punishment].
37:159
سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ١٥٩
Exalted is Allāh above what they describe,
37:160
إِلَّا عِبَادَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ ١٦٠
Except the chosen servants of Allāh [who do not share in that sin].
37:161
فَإِنَّكُمۡ وَمَا تَعۡبُدُونَ ١٦١
So indeed, you [disbelievers] and whatever you worship,
37:162
مَآ أَنتُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ بِفَٰتِنِينَ ١٦٢
You cannot tempt [anyone] away from Him
37:163
إِلَّا مَنۡ هُوَ صَالِ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ ١٦٣
Except he who is to [enter and] burn in the Hellfire.1
1 translator’s note
- Due to his disbelief and evil deeds. ↩
37:164
وَمَا مِنَّآ إِلَّا لَهُۥ مَقَامٞ مَّعۡلُومٞ ١٦٤
[The angels say],1 "There is not among us any except that he has a known position.2
37:165
وَإِنَّا لَنَحۡنُ ٱلصَّآفُّونَ ١٦٥
And indeed, we are those who line up [for prayer].
37:166
وَإِنَّا لَنَحۡنُ ٱلۡمُسَبِّحُونَ ١٦٦
And indeed, we are those who exalt Allāh."
37:167
وَإِن كَانُواْ لَيَقُولُونَ ١٦٧
And indeed, they [i.e., the disbelievers] used to say,1
1 translator’s note
- Before the revelation of the Qur’ān. ↩
37:168
لَوۡ أَنَّ عِندَنَا ذِكۡرٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ١٦٨
"If we had a message from [those of] the former peoples,
37:169
لَكُنَّا عِبَادَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ ١٦٩
We would have been the chosen servants of Allāh."
37:170
فَكَفَرُواْ بِهِۦۖ فَسَوۡفَ يَعۡلَمُونَ ١٧٠
But they disbelieved in it,1 so they are going to know.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., in their own message, the Qur’ān. ↩
37:171
وَلَقَدۡ سَبَقَتۡ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ١٧١
And Our word [i.e., decree] has already preceded for Our servants, the messengers,
37:172
إِنَّهُمۡ لَهُمُ ٱلۡمَنصُورُونَ ١٧٢
[That] indeed, they would be those given victory
37:173
وَإِنَّ جُندَنَا لَهُمُ ٱلۡغَٰلِبُونَ ١٧٣
And [that] indeed, Our soldiers [i.e., the believers] will be those who overcome.1
1 translator’s note
- If not in this world, then definitely in the Hereafter. ↩
37:174
فَتَوَلَّ عَنۡهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ حِينٖ ١٧٤
So, [O Muḥammad], leave them for a time.
37:175
وَأَبۡصِرۡهُمۡ فَسَوۡفَ يُبۡصِرُونَ ١٧٥
And see [what will befall] them, for they are going to see.
37:176
أَفَبِعَذَابِنَا يَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ ١٧٦
Then for Our punishment are they impatient?
37:177
فَإِذَا نَزَلَ بِسَاحَتِهِمۡ فَسَآءَ صَبَاحُ ٱلۡمُنذَرِينَ ١٧٧
But when it descends in their territory, then evil is the morning of those who were warned.
37:178
وَتَوَلَّ عَنۡهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ حِينٖ ١٧٨
And leave them for a time.
37:179
وَأَبۡصِرۡ فَسَوۡفَ يُبۡصِرُونَ ١٧٩
And see, for they are going to see.
37:180
سُبۡحَٰنَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ ٱلۡعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ١٨٠
Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they describe.
37:181
وَسَلَٰمٌ عَلَى ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ١٨١
And peace upon the messengers.
37:182
وَٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ١٨٢
And praise to Allāh, Lord of the worlds.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy