Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 129

(Ayah 129) ➊ {وَ لَوْ لَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ …:} In reality, it is {’’ وَلَوْلاَ كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ وَأَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّي لَكَانَ ({الْعَذَابُ}) لِزَامًا‘‘}, but for the conformity of the endings (the last letters of the verses), {’’ وَ اَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى ‘‘} has been postponed.
➋ {’’ لِزَامًا ‘‘} is on the pattern of {’’قِتَالٌ‘‘}, it is a verbal noun of the form Mufa‘alah and is used in the meaning of an active participle for emphasis, meaning "the one that is inevitable."
➌ In {’’ لَكَانَ ‘‘}, the pronoun {’’هُوَ‘‘} is its subject, which refers back to the subject of the previous verses, {’’الْعَذَابُ‘‘} (that same punishment).
➍ When the destruction of the previous nations was mentioned, a question arose as to why these deniers are not being destroyed now. It was said that there are two reasons for this: one is the matter that has already been decided by the Lord Almighty, and the second is the appointed time that has been fixed. The previously decided matter refers to Allah’s mercy prevailing over His wrath, as narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لَمَّا خَلَقَ اللّٰهُ الْخَلْقَ كَتَبَ فِيْ كِتَابِهٖ وَ هُوَ يَكْتُبُ عَلٰی نَفْسِهٖ وَهُوَ وَضْعٌ عِنْدَهٗ عَلَی الْعَرْشِ اِنَّ رَحْمَتِيْ تَغْلِبُ غَضَبِيْ ] [ بخاري، التوحید، باب قول اللہ : «ویحذرکم اللہ نفسہ» : ۷۴۰۴ ] "When Allah created the creation, He wrote upon Himself, and He Himself writes upon Himself, and He placed it with Him above the Throne: Verily, My mercy prevails over My wrath." And He has also written with His mercy that He does not punish without conveying the message and establishing the proof. See Bani Isra'il (15) and Nisa' (165). And He has also written that countless Muslims will be born from the progeny of the disbelievers, so instead of sending down punishment immediately, He has given respite to the disbelievers. The second thing is that everyone has an appointed time, before which, no matter how much a nation or person disobeys, they are given respite, so that they cannot say that they were not given time, as He said: « {وَ لِكُلِّ اُمَّةٍ اَجَلٌ فَاِذَا جَآءَ اَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَاْخِرُوْنَ۠ سَاعَةً وَّ لَا يَسْتَقْدِمُوْنَ۠} » [ الأعراف : ۳۴ ] "And for every nation there is an appointed time; then when their time comes, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede it." If these two things were not there, then the same punishment as the previous nations would have become inevitable.

129. 1. That is, do these deniers and the polytheists of Makkah not see that many nations have passed before them, whose successors they are, and they pass by their dwellings? We destroyed them because of their denial, and in their dreadful end there are great signs for people of intellect and understanding, but the people of Makkah have closed their eyes to them and are following their ways. If Allah had not already decided that He does not destroy anyone without completing the argument and before the appointed time of respite which He grants to every nation, then immediately the punishment of Allah would have seized them and they would have been destroyed. The meaning is that despite their denial of the Messenger, if punishment has not yet come upon them, they should not think that it will never come; rather, they have been granted respite by Allah, just as He grants to every nation. After the end of the period of respite, there will be no one to save them from the punishment of Allah.

And had it not been for a word already decreed by your Lord and a specified term set, the punishment would certainly have come upon them immediately. [93 1]

[93۔ 1]
The Wisdoms of the Law of Respite and Gradualness:

Just as the law of gradualness and respite operates in every act of Allah the Exalted, the same law is at work in the descent of divine punishment upon them. And there are many wisdoms inherent in this principle. That is, just as every task requires a fixed period to be accomplished, similarly, there is also an appointed time for divine punishment, which has certain conditions. And if this law were not in effect, their deeds are indeed such that they would have been destroyed immediately. The wisdoms in this legal gradualness and respite, and the harms if this law is not observed, have already been mentioned in previous footnotes. Therefore, there is no need for repetition now.