قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ لِمَ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ قَبْلَ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ ۖ لَوْلَا تَسْتَغْفِرُونَ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
Qaala yaa qawmi lima tasta'jiloona bissaiyi'ati qablal hasanati law laa tas taghfiroonal laaha la'allakum turhamoon
He said, "O my people, why are you impatient for evil instead of good? Why do you not seek forgiveness of Allah that you may receive mercy?"
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27:46Ayah 193
6 ayahs in An-Naml are strongly about mercy and forgiveness. This is one of them.
← Previous on Mercy & forgiveness27:30Indeed, it is from Solomon, and indeed, it reads: 'In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,Next on Mercy & forgiveness →27:63Is He [not best] who guides you through the darknesses of the land and sea and who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy?
Tafsir
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He said to the deniers ‘O my people why do you seek to hasten on evil before seeking good? in other words why do you seek to hasten on chastisement instead of mercy when you say ‘If what you bring us is true then bring us the chastisement!’ Why do you not ask God to forgive you your idolatry so that you might be shown mercy?’ and not be chastised.
Related Hadiths
(Why do you undergo so much hardship despite the fact that) Allah has pardoned for you your earlier and later sins? Thereupon he said: May I not (prove myself) to be a grateful servant (of Allah)?
“O Bilal, calm the people down,” or
“make
them be quiet.” Then he said: “Allah has been very gracious to
you in this Jam’ of yours. He has forgiven the wrongdoers among you
because of the righteous among you, and He has given the righteous
among you whatever they ask. Move on in the Name of Allah.”
Did you supplicate for anything or beg of Him about that? He said: Yes. I used to utter (these words): Impose punishment upon me earlier in this world, what Thou art going to impose upon me in the Hereafter. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Hallowed be Allah, you have neither the power nor forbearance to take upon yourself (the burden of His Punishment). Why did you not say this: O Allah, grant us good in the world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the torment of Fire. He (the Holy Prophet) made this supplication (for him) and he was all right.
Verily Allah forgave my people the evil promptings which arise within their hearts as long as they did not speak about them or did not act upon them.
The Prophet (ﷺ) visited a man who was so emaciated that he had become like a baby bird. He (ﷺ) said to him: “And did you not used to supplicate? Did you not used to ask Your Lord for sound health?” He said: “I used to say: “O Allah, whatever You are going to punish me with in the Hereafter, then hasten it for me in this world.” So the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Glory is to Allah, you are not capable of that” – or – “you are not able to stand that. Would you not say: ‘O Allah, give us good in this world, and good in the Hereafter, and spare us the punishment of the Fire (Allāhumma ātinā fid-dunyā ḥasanatan wa fil ākhirati ḥasanatan wa qinā `adhāban-nār).’”
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