Al-Qur'an Surah Ar-Ra'd Verse 6

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They ask for evil to come sooner than good, while punishments have really come to pass (against people) earlier to them. And surely, your Lord is the lord of forgiveness for the people against their wrongdoing, and surely, your Lord is severe in punishing.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They ask you ˹O Prophet˺ to hasten the torment rather than grace, though there have ˹already˺ been ˹many˺ torments before them. Surely your Lord is full of forgiveness for people, despite their wrongdoing, and your Lord is truly severe in punishment.

Ruwwad Translation Center

They ask you [O Prophet] to hasten the punishment before the good, even though there have already been similar punishments before them. But your Lord is indeed forgiving to people despite their wrongdoing, and your Lord is indeed severe in punishment.

A. J. Arberry

They would have thee hasten the evil ere the good; yet there have passed away before them examples. Thy Lord is forgiving to men, for all their evil-doing, and thy Lord is terrible in retribution.

Abdul Haleem

They ask you to bring on the punishment rather than any promised rewards, though there have been many examples before them––your Lord is full of forgiveness for people, despite their wrongdoing, but He is truly severe in punishment.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And they ask thee to hasten the evil before the good, while examples have already gone forth afore them. And thy Lord is Owner of forgiveness unto mankind despite their wrong-doing; and verily thy Lord is severe in requital

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They ask thee to hasten on the evil in preference to the good; Yet have come to pass, before them, (many) exemplary punishments! But verily thy Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind for their wrong-doing, and verily thy Lord is (also) strict in punishment.

Abul Ala Maududi

They challenge you to hasten the coming of evil upon them before the coming of any good, although people who followed a like course before had met with exemplary punishment (from Allah). Verily your Lord is forgiving to mankind despite all their wrong-doing. Verily your Lord is also severe in retribution.

Ahmed Ali

They want you to hasten the evil before the good, even when there have been examples of retribution before them. Though certainly your Lord forgives human beings for their iniquities, your Lord is severe of retribution.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And they urge you to hasten the punishment before the mercy, whereas the punishments of those before them have concluded; and indeed your Lord gives the people a sort of pardon* despite their injustice; and indeed the punishment of your Lord is severe. (* By delaying their punishment despite their disbelief.)

Ali Quli Qarai

They would press you for evil sooner than for good, though there have already gone by before them exemplary punishments. Indeed your Lord is forgiving to mankind despite their wrongdoing, and indeed your Lord is severe in retribution.

Ali Ünal

They challenge you to hasten the coming upon them of the evil instead of the good, although there have indeed come to pass before them many exemplary punishments. Your Lord is indeed rich in forgiveness for humankind despite their wrongdoing, and your Lord is indeed severe in retribution.

Amatul Rahman Omar

They want you to hasten on (their) punishment in preference to (your doing them) good, whereas there has already been awarded (to the people) before them exemplary punishment. Verily, your Lord is full of forgiveness to mankind despite their unjust doings, yet your Lord is (likewise) Strict in inflicting punishment.

English Literal

And they hurry/hasten you with the sin/crime (harm) before the good/goodness, and the punishments and tortures had passed from before them, and that your Lord (is owner) of mercy to the people, on (for) their injustice/oppression, and that your Lord (is) strong (E) (severe in) the punishment.

Faridul Haque

And they urge you to hasten the punishment before the mercy, whereas the punishments of those before them have concluded; and indeed your Lord gives the people a sort of pardon * despite their injustice; and indeed the punishment of your Lord is severe. (* By delaying their punishment despite their disbelief.)

Hamid S. Aziz

And if you should wonder (at their lack of faith), wondrous are their words, "When we have become dust (or are actually dust), shall we then be created anew?" These are they who disbelieve in their Lord, and these are they with fetters (yokes of servitude to superstition) round their necks, and these are the fellows of the Fire; they shall dwell therein.

Hilali & Khan

They ask you to hasten the evil before the good, yet (many) exemplary punishments have indeed occurred before them. But verily, your Lord is full of Forgiveness for mankind inspite of their wrong-doing. And verily, your Lord is (also) Severe in punishment.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And if thou wonderest, then wondrous is their saying: When we are dust, shall we then be raised in a new creation? These are they who disbelieve in their Lord, and these have chains on their necks, and they are the companions of the Fire; in it they will abide.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And they ask you to hasten on the evil before the good, and indeed there have been exemplary punishments before them; and most surely your Lord is the Lord of forgiveness to people, notwithstanding their injustice; and most surely your Lord is severe in requiting (evil).

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And they bid thee hasten on the evil rather than the good, when exemplary punishments have indeed occurred before them. But lo! thy Lord is rich in pardon for mankind despite their wrong, and lo! thy Lord is strong in punishment.

Muhammad Sarwar

They ask you to bring upon them punishment before they ask you for mercy. Such punishments were already brought upon the people who lived before them. Your Lord, certainly, has forgiveness for the injustice of the people. He is also stern in His retribution.

Qaribullah & Darwish

They bid you to hasten the evil before the good, yet examples have passed away before them. Your Lord is Forgiving to people despite their evildoing; yet your Lord is Stern in retribution.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

They ask you to hasten the evil before the good, while exemplary punishments have indeed occurred before them. But verily, your Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind, in spite of their wrongdoing. And verily, your Lord is (also) severe in punishment.

Wahiduddin Khan

They demand that you hasten on the evil rather than the good, although there have been many examples of punishment before them -- your Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind, despite their wrongdoings, but He is truly severe in punishment.

Talal Itani

And they urge you to hasten evil before good, though examples have passed away before them. Your Lord is full of forgiveness towards the people for their wrongdoings, yet your Lord is severe in retribution.

Tafsir jalalayn

The following was revealed regarding their hastening on, out of mockery, of the chastisement; And they would have you hasten on the evil, the chastisement, rather than the good, [rather than] mercy, when there have indeed occurred before them exemplary punishments (mathult is the plural of mathula, similar [in pattern] to samura [pl. samurt], `acacia'), that is to say, the punishments of disbelievers like them; will they not take warning from these? Truly your Lord is forgiving to mankind despite their evil-doing, for otherwise He would not have left a single creature on the face of it [the earth]; and truly your Lord is severe in retribution, against those who disobey Him.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Disbelievers ask for the Punishment to be delivered now!

Allah said,

وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ

They ask you to hasten,

in reference to the disbelievers,

بِالسَّيِّيَةِ قَبْلَ الْحَسَنَةِ

the evil before the good,

meaning, the punishment.

Allah said in other Ayat that they said,

وَقَالُواْ يأَيُّهَا الَّذِى نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ إِنَّكَ لَمَجْنُونٌ

لَّوْ مَا تَأْتِينَا بِالْمَلَـيِكَةِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّـدِقِينَ

مَا نُنَزِّلُ الْمَلَـيِكَةَ إِلاَّ بِالحَقِّ وَمَا كَانُواْ إِذًا مُّنظَرِينَ

And they say;"O you to whom the Dhikr (the Qur'an) has been sent down! Verily, you are a mad man! Why do you not bring angels to us if you are of the truthful!"

We send not the angels down except with the truth (i.e. for torment), and in that case, they (the disbelieves) would have no respite! (15;6-8)

and two Ayat;

وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ

And they ask you to hasten on the torment! (29;53-54)

Allah also said,

سَأَلَ سَأيِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ

A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall. (70;1)

and,

يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لَا يُوْمِنُونَ 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)

and,

وَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَا عَجِّل لَّنَا قِطَّنَا

They say;"Our Lord! Hasten to us Qittana. (38;16),

meaning, our due torment and reckoning.

Allah said that they also supplicated,

وَإِذْ قَالُواْ اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ

And (remember) when they said;"O Allah! If this (the Qur'an) is indeed the truth from You. (8;32)

They were such rebellious, stubborn disbelievers that they asked the Messenger to bring them Allah's torment.

Allah replied,

وَقَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِمُ الْمَثُلَتُ

while exemplary punishments have indeed occurred before them.

Meaning, `We have exerted Our punishment on the previous disbelieving nations, and made them a lesson and example for those who might take heed from their destruction.'

If it was not for His forbearance and forgiveness, Allah would have indeed punished them sooner.

Allah said in another Ayah,

وَلَوْ يُوَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُواْ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَابَّةٍ

And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving creature on the surface of the earth. (35;45)

Allah said in this honorable Ayah,

وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ لِّلنَّاسِ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِمْ

But verily, your Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind in spite of their wrongdoing.

He is full of forgiveness, pardoning and covering the mistakes of people, in spite of their wrongdoing and the errors committed night and day.

Allah next reminds that His punishment is severe, so that fear and hope are both addressed and mentioned.

وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ



And verily, your Lord is (also) severe in punishment.

Allah said in other Ayat,

فَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقُل رَّبُّكُمْ ذُو رَحْمَةٍ وَسِعَةٍ وَلَا يُرَدُّ بَأْسُهُ عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ

If they belie you, say;"Your Lord is the Owner of vast mercy, and never will His wrath be turned back from the people who are criminals." (6;147)

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Verily, your Lord is quick in retribution and certainly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (7;167)

and,

نَبِّىءْ عِبَادِى أَنِّى أَنَا الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ وَأَنَّ عَذَابِى هُوَ الْعَذَابُ الاٌّلِيمُ

Declare unto My servants that truly I am the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. And that My torment is indeed the most painful torment. (15;49-50)

There are many other Ayat that mention both fear and hope