Surah Ar-Ra'd: Verse 6 - ويستعجلونك بالسيئة قبل الحسنة وقد... - English

يَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ قَبْلَ الْحَسَنَةِ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِمُ الْمَثُلَاتُ ۗ وَإِنَّ رَ‌بَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَ‌ةٍ لِّلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ ظُلْمِهِمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ رَ‌بَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

'And they ask for evil to come sooner than good (by saying: If you are a prophet, let us have your promised punishment now - which shows that they take the coming of the Divine punishment as something very far-removed or virtually impossible) al-though punishments have really come to pass against people earlier to them, (which have been witnessed by others.)

Now, if the punishment is to come to them, why should it be taken as something far out, or impossible? Here, the word: الْمَثُلَاتُ (al-mathulat) is the plural form of مَثُلَۃ (mathula) and it means a punishment which puts a person in disgrace before everyone and proves to be a lesson for all others.

After that it was said that there is no doubt that your Lord is, de-spite the sinning and disobeying of people, the Lord of forgiveness and mercy as well. And for people who do not take advantage of this forgiveness and mercy and elect to stick to their disobedience and contumacy, then, for them He is 'severe in punishing' as well. Therefore, they should not misunderstand the attributes of Allah's forgiveness and mercy and reach the conclusion that punishment simply cannot come to them.

3. The third doubt of the disbelievers was: As for the miracles of the Holy Prophet ', they had seen many of them. But, why would he not show the specific miracles demanded by them? This has been answered in the third verse (7) by saying: وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا لَوْلَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِّن رَّ‌بِّهِ ۗ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُنذِرٌ‌ ۖ وَلِكُلِّ قَوْمٍ هَادٍ

The Disbelievers ask for the Punishment to be delivered now!

Allah said,

(They ask you to hasten), in reference to the disbelievers,

(the evil before the good,) meaning, the punishment. Allah said in other Ayat that they said,

(And they say: "O you to whom the Dhikr (the Qur'an) has been sent down! Verily, you are a mad man! Why do you not bring angels to us if you are of the truthful" We send not the angels down except with the truth (i.e. for torment), and in that case, they (the disbelieves) would have no respite!)15:6-8, and two Ayat;

(And they ask you to hasten on the torment!)29:53-54 Allah also said,

(A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall.) 70:1,

(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, and,

(They say: "Our Lord! Hasten to us Qittana.)38:16, meaning, our due torment and reckoning. Allah said that they also supplicated,

(And (remember) when they said: "O Allah! If this (the Qur'an) is indeed the truth from You.)8:32 They were such rebellious, stubborn disbelievers that they asked the Messenger to bring them Allah's torment. Allah replied,

(while exemplary punishments have indeed occurred before them.) Meaning, `We have exerted Our punishment on the previous disbelieving nations, and made them a lesson and example for those who might take heed from their destruction.' If it was not for His forbearance and forgiveness, Allah would have indeed punished them sooner. Allah said in another Ayah,

(And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving creature on the surface of the earth.)35:45 Allah said in this honorable Ayah,

(But verily, your Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind in spite of their wrongdoing.) He is full of forgiveness, pardoning and covering the mistakes of people, in spite of their wrongdoing and the errors committed night and day. Allah next reminds that His punishment is severe, so that fear and hope are both addressed and mentioned. Allah said in other Ayat,

(If they belie you, say: "Your Lord is the Owner of vast mercy, and never will His wrath be turned back from the people who are criminals.")6:147

(Verily, your Lord is quick in retribution and certainly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)7:167, and,

(Declare unto My servants that truly I am the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. And that My torment is indeed the most painful torment.)15:49-50 There are many other Ayat that mention both fear and hope.