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wa-lā taḥsabanna llāha ghāfilan ʿammā yaʿmalu ẓ-ẓālimūna ʾinnamā yuʾakhkhiruhum li-yawmin tashkhaṣu fīhi l-ʾabṣāru
Do not suppose that Allah is oblivious of what the wrongdoers are doing. He is only granting them respite until the day when the eyes will be glazed.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah ‘Ibrahim – Verse 42
42. “And do not regard Allah to be heedless of what the unjust do. He only respite them (their punishment) to a day on which the eyes shall stare (of terror),”
The previous verses dealt with the issue of the day for settlement of accounts. For this reason, the Qur’an points out the case of the plight of the oppressors and the tyrants in this verse. Incidentally, by means of the Qur’anic statement of this part of the discussions of resurrection, the sections on the issue of monotheism of the previous discussions are complemented. At first, with a threatening tone of voice while addressing the oppressors and the tyrants, the Qur’an begins implying that the Prophet (S) should not rest assured that Allah is ignorant of whatever the oppressors do.
The verse says:
“And do not regard Allah to be heedless of what the unjust do…”
These are the words, in fact, uttered in answer to the query of those who say: If this world has got a Lord, a just Lord, so why the oppressors are left to themselves? The Qur’an answers this question by saying that Allah is never ignorant. If He does not punish them instantly, it is for the fact that this world is a trial ground only and it is meant for the development of human beings, and achieving this objective is impossible without freedom. Then the Qur’an implies that Allah postpones their punishment for one day when on that day all are stunned with their eyes amazed because of intensive fear and terror, and are fixed to one points remaining motionless.
The verse says:
“…He only respite them (their punishment) to a day on which the eyes shall stare (of terror),”
Moreover, He declares in other verses as such:
“And whoever turns away from My remembrance verily for him is a life straitened…” 1
It is besides that Allah in another verse adds that such people will be afflicted in this world, too, where he says:
“And whatever affliction befalls you, it is on account of what your hands have wrought…” 2
Footnotes