سُوْرَةُ الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ
Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 53
وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِٱلْعَذَابِ ۚ وَلَوْلَآ أَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى لَّجَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ وَلَيَأْتِيَنَّهُم بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴿53﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And they ask you to hasten on the torment (for them): and had it not been for a term appointed, the torment would certainly have come to them. And surely, it will come upon them suddenly while they perceive not!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ
wayastaʿjilūnaka
And they ask you to hasten
بِٱلْعَذَابِ ۚ
bil-ʿadhābi
[with] the punishment
وَلَوْلَآ
walawlā
And if not
أَجَلٌۭ
ajalun
(for) a term
مُّسَمًّۭى
musamman
appointed
لَّجَآءَهُمُ
lajāahumu
surely (would) have come to them
ٱلْعَذَابُ
l-ʿadhābu
the punishment
وَلَيَأْتِيَنَّهُم
walayatiyannahum
But it will surely come to them
بَغْتَةًۭ
baghtatan
suddenly
وَهُمْ
wahum
while they
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَشْعُرُونَ
yashʿurūna
perceive
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 53) ➊ {وَ يَسْتَعْجِلُوْنَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ:} This is another form of denying the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and mocking him, which the disbelievers adopted: that if we are upon falsehood, then bring the punishment upon us immediately. When will that punishment, with which you threaten us, come? By this punishment, they meant punishment in this world.
➋ { وَ لَوْ لَاۤ اَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى لَّجَآءَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ:} It is said, if Allah had not fixed a specific time for the punishment to come upon them in this world, which cannot be advanced or delayed, then the punishment would have come at the very moment of their demand.
➌ { وَ لَيَاْتِيَنَّهُمْ بَغْتَةً وَّ هُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُوْنَ:} In this Ummah, instead of heavenly punishment like the previous nations, it was decided that the disbelievers would be punished at the hands of the Muslims, as He said: «{ قَاتِلُوْهُمْ يُعَذِّبْهُمُ اللّٰهُ بِاَيْدِيْكُمْ }» [ التوبۃ : ۱۴ ] "Fight them; Allah will punish them at your hands." It is said, punishment will surely come upon them in this world, but not immediately at their demand; rather, it will come at the appointed time and suddenly, when it will not even occur to them. Thus, Allah's promise was fulfilled at Badr and in the subsequent battles, even at the conquest of Makkah. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "The punishment for this Ummah was this: to be killed or captured at the hands of the Muslims. So, at the conquest of Makkah, the people of Makkah were unaware when the Prophet's army suddenly appeared over them." (Mawaddih)
➍ { ’’ اَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى ‘‘} (Appointed time) can also mean death and then the Hereafter, the process of which will begin immediately after death, and no one knows when death will come. The commentator Ibn Juzayy said, this meaning is more apparent.
➋ { وَ لَوْ لَاۤ اَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى لَّجَآءَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ:} It is said, if Allah had not fixed a specific time for the punishment to come upon them in this world, which cannot be advanced or delayed, then the punishment would have come at the very moment of their demand.
➌ { وَ لَيَاْتِيَنَّهُمْ بَغْتَةً وَّ هُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُوْنَ:} In this Ummah, instead of heavenly punishment like the previous nations, it was decided that the disbelievers would be punished at the hands of the Muslims, as He said: «{ قَاتِلُوْهُمْ يُعَذِّبْهُمُ اللّٰهُ بِاَيْدِيْكُمْ }» [ التوبۃ : ۱۴ ] "Fight them; Allah will punish them at your hands." It is said, punishment will surely come upon them in this world, but not immediately at their demand; rather, it will come at the appointed time and suddenly, when it will not even occur to them. Thus, Allah's promise was fulfilled at Badr and in the subsequent battles, even at the conquest of Makkah. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "The punishment for this Ummah was this: to be killed or captured at the hands of the Muslims. So, at the conquest of Makkah, the people of Makkah were unaware when the Prophet's army suddenly appeared over them." (Mawaddih)
➍ { ’’ اَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى ‘‘} (Appointed time) can also mean death and then the Hereafter, the process of which will begin immediately after death, and no one knows when death will come. The commentator Ibn Juzayy said, this meaning is more apparent.
