سُوْرَةُ طٰهٰ
Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 129
وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَكَانَ لِزَامًا وَأَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى ﴿129﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And had it not been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord, and a term determined, (their punishment) must necessarily have come (in this world).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَوْلَا
walawlā
And if not
كَلِمَةٌۭ
kalimatun
(for) a Word
سَبَقَتْ
sabaqat
(that) preceded
مِن
min
from
رَّبِّكَ
rabbika
your Lord
لَكَانَ
lakāna
surely (would) have been
لِزَامًۭا
lizāman
an obligation
وَأَجَلٌۭ
wa-ajalun
and a term
مُّسَمًّۭى
musamman
determined
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.
(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.
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.
