سُوْرَةُ النَّمْلِ
Surah An-Naml (27) — Ayah 46
قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ لِمَ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ قَبْلَ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ ۖ لَوْلَا تَسْتَغْفِرُونَ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ ﴿46﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He said: "O my people! Why do you seek to hasten the evil (torment) before the good (Allâh’s Mercy)? Why seek you not the Forgiveness of Allâh, that you may receive mercy?"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَ
qāla
He said
يَـٰقَوْمِ
yāqawmi
O my people
لِمَ
lima
Why
تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ
tastaʿjilūna
(do) you seek to hasten
بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ
bil-sayi-ati
the evil
قَبْلَ
qabla
before
ٱلْحَسَنَةِ ۖ
l-ḥasanati
the good
لَوْلَا
lawlā
Why not
تَسْتَغْفِرُونَ
tastaghfirūna
you ask forgiveness
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
(of) Allah
لَعَلَّكُمْ
laʿallakum
so that you may
تُرْحَمُونَ
tur'ḥamūna
receive mercy
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 46) ➊ By {قَالَ يٰقَوْمِ لِمَ تَسْتَعْجِلُوْنَ…: ’’ اَلسَّيِّئَةُ ‘‘} is meant punishment, and by {’’ الْحَسَنَةِ ‘‘} is meant mercy. When Salih (peace be upon him) warned his people of Allah’s punishment, instead of fearing it, they made a mockery of it and began to demand that it be brought upon them quickly. Salih (peace be upon him) very gently and lovingly addressed them as “O my people!” and advised them that instead of seeking goodness and mercy from Allah, why are you hastening to ask for punishment from Him? There was a lesson in this incident for the people of Makkah as well, because they too used to demand the coming of punishment quickly from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), as Allah the Exalted said: «{ وَ يَسْتَعْجِلُوْنَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ وَ لَوْ لَاۤ اَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى لَّجَآءَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَ لَيَاْتِيَنَّهُمْ بَغْتَةً وَّ هُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُوْنَ }» [ العنکبوت : ۵۳ ] “And they ask you to hasten the punishment, and if there had not been a fixed term, the punishment would certainly have come upon them, and surely it will come upon them suddenly while they are unaware.” To the extent that they even said: «{ اللّٰهُمَّ اِنْ كَانَ هٰذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ فَاَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ }» [ الأنفال : ۳۲ ] “O Allah! If this is indeed the truth from You, then rain down upon us stones from the sky.”
➋ { لَوْ لَا تَسْتَغْفِرُوْنَ۠ اللّٰهَ … :} That is, why do you not take advantage of the respite granted by the delay in punishment to seek forgiveness for your sins from Allah the Exalted, so that mercy may be shown to you, because once the punishment comes, repentance and seeking forgiveness will be of no benefit.
➋ { لَوْ لَا تَسْتَغْفِرُوْنَ۠ اللّٰهَ … :} That is, why do you not take advantage of the respite granted by the delay in punishment to seek forgiveness for your sins from Allah the Exalted, so that mercy may be shown to you, because once the punishment comes, repentance and seeking forgiveness will be of no benefit.
