سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ
Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 58
وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ذُو ٱلرَّحْمَةِ ۖ لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ ۚ بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌ لَّن يَجِدُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَوْئِلًا ﴿58﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And your Lord is Most Forgiving, Owner of Mercy. Were He to call them to account for what they have earned, then surely, He would have hastened their punishment. But they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no escape.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَرَبُّكَ
warabbuka
And your Lord
ٱلْغَفُورُ
l-ghafūru
(is) the Most Forgiving
ذُو
dhū
Owner
ٱلرَّحْمَةِ ۖ
l-raḥmati
(of) the Mercy
لَوْ
law
If
يُؤَاخِذُهُم
yuākhidhuhum
He were to seize them
بِمَا
bimā
for what
كَسَبُوا۟
kasabū
they have earned
لَعَجَّلَ
laʿajjala
surely, He (would) have hastened
لَهُمُ
lahumu
for them
ٱلْعَذَابَ ۚ
l-ʿadhāba
the punishment
بَل
bal
But
لَّهُم
lahum
for them
مَّوْعِدٌۭ
mawʿidun
(is) an appointment
لَّن
lan
never
يَجِدُوا۟
yajidū
they will find
مِن
min
other than it
دُونِهِۦ
dūnihi
other than it
مَوْئِلًۭا
mawilan
an escape
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.
58. And your Lord is Most Forgiving, Full of Mercy. If He were to seize them for what they have earned, He would have hastened the punishment for them. But for them is an appointed time [56] from which they will find no refuge.
[56]
Allah’s Law of Respite and Gradualness Operates in Everything, Even in Punishment:
Just as Allah’s law of respite and gradualness operates in every matter, when night comes, complete darkness does not fall all at once. When day comes, there is not suddenly intense sunlight and brightness. In the same way, the law of His punishment is not such that as soon as someone commits a crime, he is immediately punished. Rather, in this matter, Allah’s same law of respite and gradualness operates. If, during this period, the criminal refrains from his crime, then the punishment is averted, because Allah is also Forgiving and Merciful. And if he does not refrain, then the punishment will come at its appointed time according to Allah’s prescribed law, whether people hasten for it or not. And when that time comes, then it will neither be delayed, nor will the criminals be able to escape it anywhere. Furthermore, punishment does not come upon all criminals. It only comes upon those who exceed all bounds. It does not come upon everyone because this world is not the abode of recompense (Dar al-Jaza), but rather the abode of action (Dar al-'Amal). Also, if it came upon everyone, the world could never remain inhabited.
[56]
Allah’s Law of Respite and Gradualness Operates in Everything, Even in Punishment:
Just as Allah’s law of respite and gradualness operates in every matter, when night comes, complete darkness does not fall all at once. When day comes, there is not suddenly intense sunlight and brightness. In the same way, the law of His punishment is not such that as soon as someone commits a crime, he is immediately punished. Rather, in this matter, Allah’s same law of respite and gradualness operates. If, during this period, the criminal refrains from his crime, then the punishment is averted, because Allah is also Forgiving and Merciful. And if he does not refrain, then the punishment will come at its appointed time according to Allah’s prescribed law, whether people hasten for it or not. And when that time comes, then it will neither be delayed, nor will the criminals be able to escape it anywhere. Furthermore, punishment does not come upon all criminals. It only comes upon those who exceed all bounds. It does not come upon everyone because this world is not the abode of recompense (Dar al-Jaza), but rather the abode of action (Dar al-'Amal). Also, if it came upon everyone, the world could never remain inhabited.
