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qul lā ʾamliku li-nafsī ḍarran wa-lā nafʿan ʾillā mā shāʾa llāhu li-kulli ʾummatin ʾajalun ʾidhā jāʾa ʾajaluhum fa-lā yastaʾkhirūna sāʿatan wa-lā yastaqdimūna
Say, ‘I have no control over any benefit for myself nor [over] any harm except what Allah may wish. There is a time for every nation: when their time comes, they shall not defer it by a single hour nor shall they advance it.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Yunus – Verse 49
49. “Say: ‘I do not possess any harm or profit for myself except as Allah wills. To every people is a term appointed. When their term comes, then they shall neither put (it) off an hour, nor hasten (it).’”
Facing this question, Allah orders His Prophet to provide them with an answer in several ways. The first step is that he should tell them that the timing for such a thing is not at his disposal. He is not the author or proprietor of any profit or loss for himself (much less for them) except those ordained or predetermined by Him. The verse says:
“Say: ‘I do not possess any harm or profit for myself except as Allah wills...”
Muhammad (S) should announce that he is His sole and only Messenger and Prophet. It is He who fixes the timing of the punishment which is within His power. The above sentence alludes to the unity of actions which pre-supposes that all and every thing in this world eventually returns to Him, and when deviators are being punished with His justice, it is He Who sets the course of action. Obviously, this does not contradict the stipulation that Allah has bestowed upon us powers and abilities by which we are entitled to partly gain or lose and to be able to make decisions regarding our own destiny.
Then, the Qur’an, referring to another issue, declares that each community and every tribe has a predetermined time of death and a point of its termination, which, when it comes, there will be no delay or advancement in its occurrence. The verse continues saying:
“…To every people is a term appointed. When their term comes, then they shall neither put (it) off an hour, nor hasten (it).’”
In fact, the Qur’an warns the polytheists not to hasten and jump unduly to conclusions. When the timing of their death comes no delays or advances will happen.