سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 178
وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا نُمْلِى لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لِّأَنفُسِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا نُمْلِى لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوٓا۟ إِثْمًا ۚ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ ﴿178﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And let not the disbelievers think that Our postponing of their punishment is good for them. We postpone the punishment only so that they may increase in sinfulness. And for them is a disgracing torment.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَا
walā
And (let) not
يَحْسَبَنَّ
yaḥsabanna
think
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوٓا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
أَنَّمَا
annamā
that
نُمْلِى
num'lī
We give respite
لَهُمْ
lahum
to them
خَيْرٌۭ
khayrun
(is) good
لِّأَنفُسِهِمْ ۚ
li-anfusihim
for themselves
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
نُمْلِى
num'lī
We give respite
لَهُمْ
lahum
to them
لِيَزْدَادُوٓا۟
liyazdādū
so that they may increase
إِثْمًۭا ۚ
ith'man
(in) sins
وَلَهُمْ
walahum
and for them
عَذَابٌۭ
ʿadhābun
(is) a punishment
مُّهِينٌۭ
muhīnun
humiliating
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
178. 1. In this, there is a mention of Allah's law of granting respite (Imhal), meaning Allah, according to His wisdom and will, grants respite to the disbelievers. Temporarily, He bestows upon them ease and prosperity in the world, victories, wealth, and children. People think that Allah's favor is being bestowed upon them, but if those benefiting from Allah's blessings do not choose the path of righteousness and obedience to Allah, then these worldly blessings are not Allah's favor, but Allah's respite. Through this, their disbelief and transgression only increase. Eventually, they become deserving of the eternal punishment of Hell. Allah has mentioned this subject in several other places as well. For example, (اَيَحْسَبُوْنَ اَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُمْ بِهٖ مِنْ مَّالٍ وَّبَنِيْنَ 55ۙ نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِي الْخَــيْرٰتِ ۭ بَلْ لَّا يَشْعُرُوْنَ 56) 23:55, 56 "Do they think that by increasing them in wealth and children, We are hastening good things for them? No, but they do not perceive."
