Tafsir of Surah Yunus - Verse 48

The Deniers of the Day of Resurrection wish to hasten its Coming and their Response

Allah told us about the idolators who reject faith through their demand that the punishment be hastened, inquiring about the time of punishment. The response to such question is not inherently beneficial, yet they inquired anyway. Allah said:

يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مُشْفِقُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقُّ

(Those who believe not therein seek to hasten it, while those who believe are fearful of it, and know that it is the very truth.) 42:18 They know that it is the truth for it is definitely going to happen. It is going to take place even if they have no idea when it will occur. This is why Allah instructed His Messenger to answer them saying:

قُل لاَّ أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِى ضَرًّا وَلاَ نَفْعًا

(Say: "I have no power over any harm or profit to myself.") 10:49, 7:188 I will not say except what He has taught me. I also have no authority over anything that Allah has not shown to me. I am Allah's servant and His Messenger to you. I was told that the Hour is going to come, but He has not told me when it will occur. But,

لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ

(For every Ummah, there is a term appointed;) meaning that for every generation or community there is a set term appointed for them. When the end of that term approaches,

فَلاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ

(neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment). ) This is similar to what Allah said in another Ayah:

وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ اللَّهُ نَفْساً إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهَآ

(And Allah grants respite to none when his appointed time (death) comes.) 63:11 Allah instructed His Messenger to tell the people that His punishment would come suddenly. He said:

قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَتَاكُمْ عَذَابُهُ بَيَاتًا أَوْ نَهَارًا مَّاذَا يَسْتَعْجِلُ مِنْهُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ - أَثُمَّ إِذَا مَا وَقَعَ ءَامَنْتُمْ بِهِ ءَآلْنَ وَقَدْ كُنتُم بِهِ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ

(Say: "Tell me, if His torment should come to you by night or by day, which portion thereof would the criminals hasten on Is it then that when it has actually befallen, you will believe in it What! Now (you believe) And you used (aforetime) to hasten it on!") When the punishment befalls them, they will say:

رَبَّنَآ أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا

("Our Lord! We have now seen and heard.") (32:12) Allah also said:

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْاْ بَأْسَنَا قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ وَكَـفَرْنَا بِمَا كُنَّا بِهِ مُشْرِكِينَ - فَلَمْ يَكُ يَنفَعُهُمْ إِيمَـنُهُمْ لَمَّا رَأَوْاْ بَأْسَنَا سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِى قَدْ خَلَتْ فِى عِبَادِهِ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ الْكَـفِرُونَ

(So when they saw Our punishment, they said: "We believe in Allah alone and reject (all) that we used to associate with Him as (His) partners. Then their faith could not avail them when they saw Our punishment. (Like) this has been the way of Allah in dealing with His servants. And there the disbelievers lost utterly (when Our torment covered them).")40:84-85

ثُمَّ قِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ ذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ الْخُلْدِ

(Then it will be said to them who wronged themselves: "Taste you the everlasting torment!") This will be said to them on the Day of Resurrection, blaming and rebuking them. As Allah said in another Ayah:

يَوْمَ يُدَعُّونَ إِلَى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ دَعًّا - هَـذِهِ النَّارُ الَّتِى كُنتُم بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ - أَفَسِحْرٌ هَـذَا أَمْ أَنتُمْ لاَ تُبْصِرُونَ - اصْلَوْهَا فَاصْبِرُواْ أَوْ لاَ تَصْبِرُواْ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

(The Day when they will be pushed down by force to the fire of Hell, with a horrible, forceful pushing. This is the Fire that you used to belie. Is this magic or do you not see Taste you therein its heat and whether you are patient of it or impatient of it, it is all the same. You are only being requited for what you used to do.) 52:13-16

Commentary

In verse 45, it was said: يَتَعَارَ‌فُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ (they will recognize each other), that is, when the dead will be raised from their graves, they will recognize each other as if not much time had passed when they met last.

Imam al-Baghawi said: This recognition will be possible during the

early stage. Later, when the horrendous happenings of the Qiyamah, the Day of Doom, will unfold, this ability to recognize each other will stand disabled. According to some other narrations, the ability to recognize each other will, though, still remain, but such will be the awe of the situation that they will be unable to say anything. (Mazhari)

Man finds himself free in this world. It seems to him that whatever he may do, there is nobody to catch hold of him and nobody to punish him. This state of affairs makes him unheeding, so much so that when the preacher warns him on behalf of God about the outcome of his deeds, he ridicules the missionary and asks, ‘When will the warning of retribution for my arrogance which you have been giving me materialise?’ The reason behind all such talk is nothing but foolishness; because this punishment is executed not on behalf of the preacher but on behalf of God; and at all times God is revealing in this world of His that His way is not that of inordinate haste. If a boat has a hole in it and if a sailor heedlessly sets sail in it, then in accordance with the law of God, it will sink. But such a boat does not sink immediately. It does so only at its appointed time and according to God’s law. Such instances abound in the world and they acquaint man with the methods of God. But, in spite of observing all this, man says, ‘If all such deeds entail God’s punishment, why does not this punishment come soon?’ The reason for asking such pointless questions is that man is not serious about God’s scourge.