سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 61
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَـْٔخِرُونَ سَاعَةً ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ ﴿61﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if Allâh were to seize mankind for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving (living) creature, but He postpones them for an appointed term and when their term comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
يُؤَاخِذُ
yuākhidhu
Allah were to seize
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah were to seize
ٱلنَّاسَ
l-nāsa
the mankind
بِظُلْمِهِم
biẓul'mihim
for their wrongdoing
مَّا
mā
not
تَرَكَ
taraka
He (would) have left
عَلَيْهَا
ʿalayhā
upon it
مِن
min
any
دَآبَّةٍۢ
dābbatin
moving creature
وَلَـٰكِن
walākin
but
يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ
yu-akhiruhum
He defers them
إِلَىٰٓ
ilā
for
أَجَلٍۢ
ajalin
a term
مُّسَمًّۭى ۖ
musamman
appointed
فَإِذَا
fa-idhā
Then when
جَآءَ
jāa
comes
أَجَلُهُمْ
ajaluhum
their terms
لَا
lā
not
يَسْتَـْٔخِرُونَ
yastakhirūna
they (will) remain behind
سَاعَةًۭ ۖ
sāʿatan
an hour
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
yastaqdimūna
they can advance (it)
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.
61. If Allah were to seize people for their wrongdoing, not a single living creature would be left on the earth [58]. But He gives them respite for an appointed term; and when their term comes, they can neither delay it by a moment nor advance it.
[58]
The Annihilation of the Wrongdoers and Polytheists is Contrary to Allah’s Will:
Whatever form the punishment may take, it ultimately becomes the cause of the destruction of all creation. Take a simple example: if Allah Almighty were to stop sending down rain, neither humans nor animals would have water to drink, nor would vegetables and grass grow, nor fruit-bearing trees, and within a few days all creatures would die of hunger and the world would become desolate and deserted. The second scenario is that Allah’s wrath descends only upon those humans who are polytheists and wrongdoers, and only the righteous remain. Such a population on earth is also not in accordance with Allah’s will, and such a creation, who are only righteous, already exists in the form of angels. Allah intended to make this world a place of trial and to keep it inhabited, and the only way for this is that both good and evil people exist in this world. The battle between truth and falsehood continues, and the process of their testing goes on. Therefore, to immediately punish and destroy the criminals is against Allah’s system and wisdom.
[58]
The Annihilation of the Wrongdoers and Polytheists is Contrary to Allah’s Will:
Whatever form the punishment may take, it ultimately becomes the cause of the destruction of all creation. Take a simple example: if Allah Almighty were to stop sending down rain, neither humans nor animals would have water to drink, nor would vegetables and grass grow, nor fruit-bearing trees, and within a few days all creatures would die of hunger and the world would become desolate and deserted. The second scenario is that Allah’s wrath descends only upon those humans who are polytheists and wrongdoers, and only the righteous remain. Such a population on earth is also not in accordance with Allah’s will, and such a creation, who are only righteous, already exists in the form of angels. Allah intended to make this world a place of trial and to keep it inhabited, and the only way for this is that both good and evil people exist in this world. The battle between truth and falsehood continues, and the process of their testing goes on. Therefore, to immediately punish and destroy the criminals is against Allah’s system and wisdom.
