Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:6
سُورَةُ الرَّعۡدِ · Medinan · Verse 6 of 43
وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ قَبْلَ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِمُ ٱلْمَثُلَٰتُ ۗ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍۢ لِّلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ ظُلْمِهِمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ
Translation
They ask you to bring on the punishment rather than any promised rewards, though there have been many examples before them––your Lord is full of forgiveness for people, despite their wrongdoing, but He is truly severe in punishment.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
The deniers of truth often challenged the Prophet, peace be upon him, with arrogance and mockery, demanding that Allah's promised punishment descend upon them immediately. This verse is Allah's response, clarifying their delusion and His profound attributes of both mercy and justice.
Their Haste for Harm
The verse begins, `وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ قَبْلَ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ` (And they urge you to hasten the evil before the good). The word `يَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ` (yasta'jilunak) implies a demanding, challenging request to hasten something, not a sincere plea. As explained by scholars like al-Razi and Ibn Ashur, they were effectively asking for immediate divine punishment, the "evil" (`ٱلسَّيِّئَةِ`), rather than the "good" (`ٱلْحَسَنَةِ`) of guidance, well-being, or the grace of a delay. This highlights their audacity; they preferred to provoke divine wrath as a test, dismissing the Prophet's warnings, instead of seeking the blessings and patience Allah offered. The choice of `قبل` (qabla, before) emphasizes their deliberate preference for the negative consequence over any potential positive outcome or even the period of reprieve.
Lessons from the Past
Allah then reminds them, `وَقَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِمُ ٱلْمَثُلَٰتُ` (And indeed, before them were examples/punishments). The word `ٱلْمَثُلَٰتُ` (al-mathulāt) is significant. It is the plural of `مَثُلَة` (mathulah), which, as al-Zamakhshari and al-Razi explain, refers to a severe, exemplary punishment that serves as a deterrent or a lasting lesson. These were not just any punishments, but ones that left an indelible mark, making the punished an `مثال` (mithāl, example) for generations to come, like the destruction of the peoples of 'Ad and Thamud. The Quran uses this specific word to stress that these past destructions should have made them reflect, not mock. Their ancestors faced similar consequences for their arrogance, yet these deniers act as if immune.
Divine Balance: Mercy and Justice
The verse then concludes with a profound statement about Allah's attributes: `وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍۢ لِّلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ ظُلْمِهِمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ` (And indeed, your Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind despite their wrongdoing, and indeed, your Lord is severe in punishment).
The phrase `لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ` (ladhū maghfirah) uses the emphatic `لَ` (la) and `ذو` (dhū, owner of), highlighting Allah's abundant and inherent quality of forgiveness. Crucially, this forgiveness is `عَلَىٰ ظُلْمِهِمْ` (ʿalā ẓulmihim), which scholars like Ibn Ashur and al-Jalalayn interpret as "despite" or "along with" their wrongdoing. This means Allah extends His mercy even while people are actively engaged in sin, often by delaying immediate punishment and giving them an opportunity to repent. For the disbelievers addressed here, this refers to Allah's patience and deferral of their worldly punishment.
Immediately following, `وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ` (wa inna Rabbaka lashadīdul-ʿiqāb) serves as a potent balance. The emphatic `لَ` is used again, emphasizing the certainty of His severe punishment. This juxtaposition is powerful; it ensures that people do not mistake Allah's patience and delayed punishment for weakness or a permanent pardon. His mercy allows time, but His justice ensures accountability for those who persist in disbelief and rebellion. This dual expression of `مَغْفِرَةٍ` (forgiveness) and `عِقَاب` (punishment) reveals the comprehensive nature of Allah's power and wisdom.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:6 is discussed in 5 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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