سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 33
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِىَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ فَعَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ وَمَا ظَلَمَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ ﴿33﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Do they (the disbelievers and polytheists) await but that the angels should come to them [to take away their souls (at death)], or there should come the command (i.e. the torment or the Day of Resurrection) of your Lord? Thus did those before them. And Allâh wronged them not, but they used to wrong themselves.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
هَلْ
hal
Do
يَنظُرُونَ
yanẓurūna
they wait
إِلَّآ
illā
except
أَن
an
that
تَأْتِيَهُمُ
tatiyahumu
(should) come to them
ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ
l-malāikatu
the Angels
أَوْ
aw
or
يَأْتِىَ
yatiya
(should) come
أَمْرُ
amru
(the) Command
رَبِّكَ ۚ
rabbika
(of) your Lord
كَذَٰلِكَ
kadhālika
Thus
فَعَلَ
faʿala
did
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
مِن
min
(were) before them
قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ
qablihim
(were) before them
وَمَا
wamā
And not
ظَلَمَهُمُ
ẓalamahumu
wronged them
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
وَلَـٰكِن
walākin
but
كَانُوٓا۟
kānū
they were
أَنفُسَهُمْ
anfusahum
themselves
يَظْلِمُونَ
yaẓlimūna
wronging
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.
33. Are they waiting for anything except that the angels should come to them, or that the command (punishment) [32] of your Lord should come? Those before them did the same. Allah did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves.
[32]
The Demand for the Coming of Angels:
This is also a response to an objection of the deniers of the truth, who used to say: why do angels not come to us to confirm that you ﷺ are truly the Prophet of Allah? In reply to their objection, Allah Almighty said that angels do indeed come to them. But there are only two situations for this: one is to seize their souls, and the other is to bring down divine wrath upon them. And this objection was not raised only by these disbelievers of Makkah; before them too, deniers of the truth in their respective eras used to say similar things to the prophets. And they too used to mock in the same way. Eventually, as a consequence of their deeds, they had to face the angels who brought Allah’s punishment upon them. And now these people too will have to face a similar end, and that which they demand from Allah, Allah will surely fulfill it.
[32]
The Demand for the Coming of Angels:
This is also a response to an objection of the deniers of the truth, who used to say: why do angels not come to us to confirm that you ﷺ are truly the Prophet of Allah? In reply to their objection, Allah Almighty said that angels do indeed come to them. But there are only two situations for this: one is to seize their souls, and the other is to bring down divine wrath upon them. And this objection was not raised only by these disbelievers of Makkah; before them too, deniers of the truth in their respective eras used to say similar things to the prophets. And they too used to mock in the same way. Eventually, as a consequence of their deeds, they had to face the angels who brought Allah’s punishment upon them. And now these people too will have to face a similar end, and that which they demand from Allah, Allah will surely fulfill it.
