وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِٱلْعَذَابِ ۚ وَلَوْلَآ أَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى لَّجَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ وَلَيَأْتِيَنَّهُم بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ Qur’an Al-Ankabut (29:53)WayastaAAjiloonaka bi a lAAa tha bi walawl a ajalun musamman laj a ahumu alAAa tha bu walayatiyannahum baghtatan wahum l a yashAAuroon a
See note [32] on 8:32 .
Cf. xxii. 47 and n. 2826. The rejecters of Faith throw out a challenge out of bravado: "Let us see if you can hasten the punishment on us!" This is a vail taunt. Allah's Plan will take its course, and can neither be delayed nor hastened. It is out of His Mercy that He gives respite to sinners, in order that they may have a chance of repentance. If they do not repent, the Punishment must certainly come to them-and on a sudden, before they perceive that it is coming! And then it will be too late for repentance.