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wa-yastaʿjilūnaka bi-s-sayyiʾati qabla l-ḥasanati wa-qad khalat min qablihimu l-mathulātu wa-ʾinna rabbaka la-dhū maghfiratin li-n-nāsi ʿalā ẓulmihim wa-ʾinna rabbaka la-shadīdu l-ʿiqābi
They would press you for evil sooner than for good, though there have already gone by before them exemplary punishments. Indeed your Lord is forgiving to mankind despite their wrongdoing, and indeed your Lord is severe in retribution.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Ar-Ra‘d – Verse 6
6. “And they ask you to hasten on the evil (the chastisement) before the good while there have been exemplary punishments before them. And verily, your Lord is full of forgiveness for people despite their injustice; and verily your Lord is strict in retribution.”
The Arabic term /maul at/ is the plural form of /maulah/ which denotes punishment and penalty that man will be inflicted upon. Sometimes, enmity and obstinacy reaches the point where one is inclined to desire death and not to accept the truth. There are allusions made in the Glorious Qur’an to the examples of such moods and feelings. Among them one is that the pagans used to say:
“O’ Allah! It this (Qur’an) is indeed the Truth from You, then storm us with stone from the sky, or bring us a painful punishment…” 18
Elsewhere, the Qur’an says:
“If We had sent down it to any of non-Arabs, and had he recited it to them, they would not have believed in it.” 19
Or the people of the Book would tell the pagans and idol worshippers:
“…These are better guided on the way than those who have believed (in Islam).” 20
While, the people of the Book among the disbelievers are closer to Islam than the pagans. They were kept away from expressing the truth because of their obstinacy. In the meantime, the haste shown by some people in the descending of the Divine punishment then may be due to the following reasons: The ignorance and oblivion due to the history of the predecessors and the lack of belief in the Divine punishment and considering it as remote matter. Jealousy towards the possessions of others. As it is recorded in history, upon the accession of Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (as) to the Imamat, someone desired his own death for he could not tolerate the event. This event has been mentioned and alluded to on the occasion of the revelation of Surah Al-Ma‘ arij, verse No. 1.
The feelings of being cut off, depressed, and reaching complete deadlock. Ridiculing and lack of acceptance, even at the expense of losing one’s life. Therefore, the verse indicates that: instead of asking for Allah’s blessings, they requested hastening of His punishment. The verse says:
“And they ask you to hasten on the evil (the chastisement) before the good while there have been exemplary punishments before them…”
Do they think that Allah’s punishment is mere deception, despite the fact that there were divine penalties which were sent down upon the previous rogue and unruly nations the news of which have been recorded on the pages of history and in the heart of the earth? Then the verse adds implication that the Lord is forgiving towards the people though they are committing cruelty, and,at the same time, He is capable of inflicting severe punishment as well.
The verse says:
“…And Verily, your Lord is full of forgiveness for people despite their injustice; and verily your Lord is strict in retribution.”
Footnotes