سُوْرَةُ هُوْدٍ
Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 8
وَلَئِنْ أَخَّرْنَا عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍ مَّعْدُودَةٍ لَّيَقُولُنَّ مَا يَحْبِسُهُۥٓ ۗ أَلَا يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمْ لَيْسَ مَصْرُوفًا عَنْهُمْ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ ﴿8﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if We delay the torment for them till a determined term, they are sure to say, "What keeps it back?" Verily, on the day it reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be surrounded by (or fall in) that at which they used to mock!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَئِنْ
wala-in
And if
أَخَّرْنَا
akharnā
We delay
عَنْهُمُ
ʿanhumu
from them
ٱلْعَذَابَ
l-ʿadhāba
the punishment
إِلَىٰٓ
ilā
for
أُمَّةٍۢ
ummatin
a time
مَّعْدُودَةٍۢ
maʿdūdatin
determined
لَّيَقُولُنَّ
layaqūlunna
they will surely say
مَا
mā
What
يَحْبِسُهُۥٓ ۗ
yaḥbisuhu
detains it
أَلَا
alā
No doubt
يَوْمَ
yawma
(On) the Day
يَأْتِيهِمْ
yatīhim
it comes to them
لَيْسَ
laysa
not
مَصْرُوفًا
maṣrūfan
(will be) averted
عَنْهُمْ
ʿanhum
from them
وَحَاقَ
waḥāqa
and will surround
بِهِم
bihim
them
مَّا
mā
what
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they used (to)
بِهِۦ
bihi
mock at [it]
يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ
yastahziūna
mock at [it]
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
There are many meanings of {وَ لَىِٕنْ اَخَّرْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ اِلٰۤى اُمَّةٍ مَّعْدُوْدَةٍ …:’’ اُمَّةٍ ‘‘}, such as group, leader, way, period, and path, etc. Here, period is meant, and the meaning of {’’ مَعْدُوْدَةٍ ‘‘} is a little, because things that are many are not counted, and whatever can be counted eventually comes to an end. The worldly punishments of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, the conquest of Makkah, killing, imprisonment, slavery, and then after death the punishment of Hell, are only a matter of counted days, but once they come, then that punishment cannot be removed, and that very punishment which they used to mock will surround them from all sides.
