وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُۥٓ إِلَّا لِأَجَلࣲ مَّعۡدُودࣲ
Nor shall We delay it but for a term appointed
And We defer it only to a term already reckoned
And We delay it only for a term (already) fixed
اختر تفسيراً لعرض النصّ الكامل. كل التفاسير مُخدَّمة من خوادمنا — لا يتّصل متصفّحك بأي طرف ثالث.
وما نؤخر يوم القيامة عنكم إلا لانتهاء مدة معدودة في علمنا، لا تزيد ولا تنقص عن تقديرنا لها بحكمتنا.
المصدر: King Fahd Complex via spa5k/tafsir_api · المرجع
{ وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُ ْ} أي: إتيان يوم القيامة { إِلَّا لِأَجَلٍ مَعْدُودٍ ْ} إذا انقضى أجل الدنيا وما قدر الله فيها من الخلق، فحينئد ينقلهم إلى الدار الأخرى، ويجري عليهم أحكامه الجزائية، كما أجرى عليهم في الدنيا, أحكامه الشرعية.
المصدر: Saadi via spa5k/tafsir_api · المرجع
وقوله "وما نؤخره إلا لأجل معدود" أي ما نؤخر إقامة القيامة إلا لأنه قد سبقت كلمة الله في وجود أناس معدودين من ذرية آدم وضرب مدة معينة إذا انقطعت وتكامل وجود أولئك المقدر خروجهم قامت الساعة ولهذا قال "وما نؤخره إلا لأجل معدود" أي لمدة مؤقتة لا يزاد عليها ولا ينتقص منها.
المصدر: Ibn Kathir via spa5k/tafsir_api · المرجع
The Destruction of the Towns is a Proof of the Establishment of the Hour (Judgement)
Allah, the Exalted, is saying that in the destruction of the disbelievers and the salvation of the believers by us is,
لآيَةً
(a sure lesson). This means an admonition and lesson concerning the truthfulness of that which We are promised in the Hereafter.
إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الاٌّشْهَـدُ
.(Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth.)40:51 Allah, the Exalted, also says,
فَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ لَنُهْلِكَنَّ الظَّـلِمِينَ
(So their Lord revealed to them: "Truly, We shall destroy the wrongdoers.) 14:13 Concerning Allah's statement,
ذلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّجْمُوعٌ لَّهُ النَّاسُ
(That is a Day whereon mankind will be gathered together,) This means the first of them and the last of them. This is similar to Allah's statement,
وَحَشَرْنَـهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَداً
(And We shall gather them all together so as to leave not one of them behind.) 18: 47
وَذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّشْهُودٌ
(and that is a Day when all will be present.) This means a day that is great. The angels will be present, the Messengers ﷺ will gather and all of the creation will be gathered with their families. The humans, Jinns, birds, wild beasts and domesticated riding animals will all be gathered. Then the Most Just, Who does not wrong anyone even an atom's weight, will judge between them and He will increase their good deeds in reward. Concerning the statement,
وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُ إِلاَّ لاًّجَلٍ مَّعْدُودٍ
(And We delay it only for a term (already) fixed.) This means for a fixed period of time than cannot be increased or decreased. Then He says,
يَوْمَ يَأْتِ لاَ تَكَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ
(On the Day when it comes, no person shall speak except by His (Allah's) leave.) This means that on the Day of Judgement no one will speak except with the permission of Allah. This is similar to another verse, which says,
لاَّ يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَـنُ وَقَالَ صَوَاباً
(they will not speak except him whom the Most Gracious (Allah) allows, and he will speak what is right.) 78:38 Allah also says,
وَخَشَعَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ
(And all the voices will be humbled for the Most Gracious (Allah). ) 20:108 In the Hadith about the intercession, which is recorded in the Two Sahihs, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«وَلَا يَتَكَلَّمُ يَوْمَئِذٍ إِلَّا الرُّسُلُ، وَدَعْوَى الرُّسُلِ يَوْمَئِذٍ اللَّهُمَّ سَلِّمْ سَلِّم»
(No one will speak on that day except the Messengers, and the call of the Messengers will be, "O Allah, save us, save us.") Concerning Allah's statement,
فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِىٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ
(Some among them will be wretched and (others) blessed.) This means that from the people of the gathering (on Judgement Day), some will be miserable and some will be happy. This is as Allah said,
فَرِيقٌ فِى الْجَنَّةِ وَفَرِيقٌ فِى السَّعِيرِ
(When a party will be in Paradise and a party in the blazing Fire) 42:7 Al-Hafiz Abu Ya`la recorded in his Musnad on the authority of Ibn `Umar that `Umar said, "When this verse was revealed,
فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِىٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ
(Some among them will be wretched and (others) blessed.) I asked the Prophet , `O Messenger of Allah, will there be a sign for us to know (which party we are from) Will it be because of something that a person did, or something that he did not do' He said,
«عَلَى شَيْءٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ يَا عُمَرُ وَجَرَتْ بِهِ الْأَقْلَامُ،وَلَكِنْ كُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَه»
(O `Umar, it will be due to something that he did and the pens wrote it down. But every easy deed was created for its purpose (to be carried out).) Then Allah explains the situation of the wretched people and the happy people. He, the Exalted, says,
The Destruction of the Towns is a Proof of the Establishment of the Hour (Judgement)
Allah, the Exalted, is saying that in the destruction of the disbelievers and the salvation of the believers by us is,
لآيَةً
(a sure lesson). This means an admonition and lesson concerning the truthfulness of that which We are promised in the Hereafter.
إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الاٌّشْهَـدُ
.(Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth.)40:51 Allah, the Exalted, also says,
فَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ لَنُهْلِكَنَّ الظَّـلِمِينَ
(So their Lord revealed to them: "Truly, We shall destroy the wrongdoers.) 14:13 Concerning Allah's statement,
ذلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّجْمُوعٌ لَّهُ النَّاسُ
(That is a Day whereon mankind will be gathered together,) This means the first of them and the last of them. This is similar to Allah's statement,
وَحَشَرْنَـهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَداً
(And We shall gather them all together so as to leave not one of them behind.) 18: 47
وَذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّشْهُودٌ
(and that is a Day when all will be present.) This means a day that is great. The angels will be present, the Messengers will gather and all of the creation will be gathered with their families. The humans, Jinns, birds, wild beasts and domesticated riding animals will all be gathered. Then the Most Just, Who does not wrong anyone even an atom's weight, will judge between them and He will increase their good deeds in reward. Concerning the statement,
وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُ إِلاَّ لاًّجَلٍ مَّعْدُودٍ
(And We delay it only for a term (already) fixed.) This means for a fixed period of time than cannot be increased or decreased. Then He says,
يَوْمَ يَأْتِ لاَ تَكَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ
(On the Day when it comes, no person shall speak except by His (Allah's) leave.) This means that on the Day of Judgement no one will speak except with the permission of Allah. This is similar to another verse, which says,
لاَّ يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَـنُ وَقَالَ صَوَاباً
(they will not speak except him whom the Most Gracious (Allah) allows, and he will speak what is right.) 78:38 Allah also says,
وَخَشَعَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ
(And all the voices will be humbled for the Most Gracious (Allah). ) 20:108 In the Hadith about the intercession, which is recorded in the Two Sahihs, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«وَلَا يَتَكَلَّمُ يَوْمَئِذٍ إِلَّا الرُّسُلُ، وَدَعْوَى الرُّسُلِ يَوْمَئِذٍ اللَّهُمَّ سَلِّمْ سَلِّم»
(No one will speak on that day except the Messengers, and the call of the Messengers will be, "O Allah, save us, save us.") Concerning Allah's statement,
فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِىٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ
(Some among them will be wretched and (others) blessed.) This means that from the people of the gathering (on Judgement Day), some will be miserable and some will be happy. This is as Allah said,
فَرِيقٌ فِى الْجَنَّةِ وَفَرِيقٌ فِى السَّعِيرِ
(When a party will be in Paradise and a party in the blazing Fire) 42:7 Al-Hafiz Abu Ya`la recorded in his Musnad on the authority of Ibn `Umar that `Umar said, "When this verse was revealed,
فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِىٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ
(Some among them will be wretched and (others) blessed.) I asked the Prophet , `O Messenger of Allah, will there be a sign for us to know (which party we are from) Will it be because of something that a person did, or something that he did not do' He said,
«عَلَى شَيْءٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ يَا عُمَرُ وَجَرَتْ بِهِ الْأَقْلَامُ،وَلَكِنْ كُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَه»
(O `Umar, it will be due to something that he did and the pens wrote it down. But every easy deed was created for its purpose (to be carried out).) Then Allah explains the situation of the wretched people and the happy people. He, the Exalted, says,
المصدر: Ibn Kathir abridged via spa5k/tafsir_api · المرجع
And We do not defer it but to a term already reckoned but to a time predetermined by God.
المصدر: Jalalayn (English) via spa5k/tafsir_api · المرجع
After having given this good counsel to them, he warned them of the punishment of Allah Ta` ala. He said:
وَيَا قَوْمِ لَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شِقَاقِي أَن يُصِيبَكُم مِّثْلُ مَا أَصَابَ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ هُودٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ صَالِحٍ ۚ وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِّنكُم بِبَعِيدٍ
And 0 my people, let not your hostility towards me cause you to suffer what was suffered by the people of Nuh, or the people of Hud, or the people of Salih. And the people of Lut are not far from you.
The sense of the last sentence is that the overturned habitations of the people of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) were close to Madyan where they were. Then, in terms of time, the punishment that came upon them was very close. From this they could learn their lesson and leave their obstinacy.
Hearing this, his people were enraged. They said that had it not been for the support he had from his clan, they would have stoned him to death. Despite this threat, Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) true to his mettle as a prophet, did not hesitate to tell them that they feared his clan all right, but would have no fear of Allah who holds everything in His power.
Finally, when his people did not listen to anything said to them, Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) told them that they could now wait for the punishment. After that, Allah Ta ala took out Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) and those who had believed in him, as is the Divine practice, from that habitation and the rest of them were destroyed instantly at the harsh Cry of Sayyidna Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) .
Injunctions and Rulings:
Rules about Lessening of Weights and Measures
One of the reasons why punishment fell on the people of Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) was their practice of weighing and measuring less than due - called tatfif. The Holy Qur'an has described the severe punishment for those who do that in Surah al-Mutaffifin which opens with the verse: وَيْلٌ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِينَ (Woe to those who give less - 83:1). There is a consensus of the entire Muslim Ummah that doing so is strictly Haram (unlawful). Quoting a saying of Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ ، Imam Malik has said in Mu'atta' that weighing and measuring less essentially means that someone does not fulfill the right of another person due on him, fully and duly. In fact, makes it less, whether it happens to be something given by weight, or measure, or something of another kind. If an employee falls short in performing his or her assigned duty, or an office worker, or a laborer cuts his working hours short, or fails to fulfill his job assignment as due, then, they all will be counted in this cat-egory. Anyone who does not perform his or her Salah with due consideration of everything obligatory and mash En in it has also committed the crime of this ` tatfif.' May Allah keep all of us protected from it!
Ruling
It appears in Tafsir al-Qurtubi that the people of Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) would save gold and silver by trimming the edges of gold and silver coins, like dinar and dirham, circulating in the country as official currency, and which they would channel back into circulation at par value. Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) prohibited them from doing so.
In Hadith as well, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has declared the chipping of the coins of an Islamic state to be Haram (unlawful). Tafsir authority, Zayd ibn Aslam has said exactly this while explaining the
verse of the Qur'an: تِسْعَةُ رَهْطٍ يُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا يُصْلِحُونَ ; (nine family heads spreading corruption in the land and not correcting [ their ways ] - 27:48). He says that these people of the city mentioned in the verse used to chip off gold and silver from dinar and dirham coins and ran a profitable business of their own through this source - something the Qur'an calls a great corruption.
During the Khilafah of Sayyidna ` Umar ibn ` Abd al-` Aziz (رح) ، someone was arrested while he was cutting a dirham coin. He was awarded a punishment of lashes and was paraded around head shaved. (Tafsir al Qurtubi)
المصدر: Maarif-ul-Quran via spa5k/tafsir_api · المرجع
النص العربي: مشروع تنزيل (tanzil.net) — صيغة عثماني حفص. الترجمات: Yusuf Ali وPickthall (ملك عام) وMubarakpuri (مجمع الملك فهد). للاطّلاع على تفاصيل مصادر التلاوة الصوتيّة ومنهجيّة معالجة البيانات، راجع سياسة الخصوصيّة .
