سُوْرَةُ يُوْنُسَ
Surah Yunus (10) — Ayah 48
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَـٰذَا ٱلْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ ﴿48﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And they say: "When will be this promise (the torment or the Day of Resurrection), if you speak the truth?"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَيَقُولُونَ
wayaqūlūna
And they say
مَتَىٰ
matā
When
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
(will) this
ٱلْوَعْدُ
l-waʿdu
the promise (be fulfilled)
إِن
in
if
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you are
صَـٰدِقِينَ
ṣādiqīna
truthful
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
48. And they say, "When will this threat [65] be fulfilled, if you are truthful?"
[65]
The Mockery of the Disbelievers Regarding the Promise of Punishment and Its Response:
The disbelievers were warned that if they denied the signs of Allah, they would be met with humiliation and disgrace, and ultimately Islam would prevail. However, the disbelievers could not comprehend how this handful of oppressed and destitute Muslims could ever gain dominance over them. Therefore, they mockingly asked the Muslims, "Well, if you are truthful in your claim, when will this promise be fulfilled?" Allah has answered their mockery in two ways. First, Allah commanded His Messenger ﷺ to say to them that he does not possess any power over his own benefit or harm except as Allah wills; so how could he inflict punishment upon them? Inflicting punishment is Allah's prerogative, not his, nor has he ever claimed that he could subject them to punishment or that punishment would come at a specific time. However, when Allah wills, such punishment will certainly befall them. The second answer is that even regarding punishment, Allah has a law: He does not immediately seize someone for their sins and destroy them with punishment, but rather grants them respite to reform. Then, when after repeated warnings they still do not follow the right path, punishment befalls them at that time. When that time is, only Allah knows. And when the time for punishment arrives, there can be absolutely no advancement or delay in it. To specify the exact time of punishment is against Allah's practice, just as specifying the time of someone's death or the Day of Judgment is also against His practice, because in that case, this world would no longer remain a place of trial. Whereas Allah's will is that this world remains a place of trial and a place of action for mankind.
[65]
The Mockery of the Disbelievers Regarding the Promise of Punishment and Its Response:
The disbelievers were warned that if they denied the signs of Allah, they would be met with humiliation and disgrace, and ultimately Islam would prevail. However, the disbelievers could not comprehend how this handful of oppressed and destitute Muslims could ever gain dominance over them. Therefore, they mockingly asked the Muslims, "Well, if you are truthful in your claim, when will this promise be fulfilled?" Allah has answered their mockery in two ways. First, Allah commanded His Messenger ﷺ to say to them that he does not possess any power over his own benefit or harm except as Allah wills; so how could he inflict punishment upon them? Inflicting punishment is Allah's prerogative, not his, nor has he ever claimed that he could subject them to punishment or that punishment would come at a specific time. However, when Allah wills, such punishment will certainly befall them. The second answer is that even regarding punishment, Allah has a law: He does not immediately seize someone for their sins and destroy them with punishment, but rather grants them respite to reform. Then, when after repeated warnings they still do not follow the right path, punishment befalls them at that time. When that time is, only Allah knows. And when the time for punishment arrives, there can be absolutely no advancement or delay in it. To specify the exact time of punishment is against Allah's practice, just as specifying the time of someone's death or the Day of Judgment is also against His practice, because in that case, this world would no longer remain a place of trial. Whereas Allah's will is that this world remains a place of trial and a place of action for mankind.
