Al-Hajj 22:48

<p>Here Allah consoles His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for the disbelief of those among his people who opposed him.</p><p>وَإِن يُكَذِّبُوكَ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ</p><p>(And if they deny you, so did deny before them the people of Nuh) until His saying,</p><p>وَكُذِّبَ مُوسَى</p><p>(and denied was Musa.) means, despite all the clear signs and evidence that they brought.</p><p>فَأمْلَيْتُ لِلْكَـفِرِينَ</p><p>(But I granted respite to the disbelievers for a while,) means, `I delayed and postponed.'</p><p>ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهُمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ</p><p>(then I seized them, and how (terrible) was My punishment!) means, `how great was My vengeance against them and My punishment of them!' In the Two Sahihs it is reported from Abu Musa that the Prophet said:</p><p>«إِنَّ اللهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْه»</p><p>(Allah lets the wrongdoer carry on until, when He seizes him, He will never let him go.) Then he recited:</p><p>وَكَذلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ</p><p>(Such is the punishment of your Lord when He seizes the towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His punishment is painful (and) severe.) 11:102 Then Allah says:</p><p>فَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـهَا</p><p>(And many a township did We destroy)</p><p>وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ</p><p>(while they were given wrongdoing,) meaning, they were rejecting their Messengers.</p><p>فَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَى عُرُوشِهَا</p><p>(so that it …

And how many a township did I suffer long though it was sinful! Then I grasped it. Unto Me is the return.

And to how many populations did I give respite, which were given to wrong-doing? in the end I punished them. To me is the destination (of all).

And many a township did I give respite while it was given to wrong-doing. Then (in the end) I seized it (with punishment). And to Me is the (final) return (of all).

How many a town have I reprieved, although it was unjust? Then I seized it. To Me is the destination.