The Quran

Preface

وَيَستَعجِلونَكَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ قَبلَ الحَسَنَةِ وَقَد خَلَت مِن قَبلِهِمُ المَثُلاتُ ۗ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذو مَغفِرَةٍ لِلنّاسِ عَلىٰ ظُلمِهِم ۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَديدُ العِقابِ

Yusuf Ali

They ask thee to hasten on the evil in preference to the good:¹ Yet have come to pass, before them, (many) exemplary punishments! But verily thy Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind for their wrong-doing, and verily thy Lord is (also) strict in punishment.

Cf. 18:55 and 27:46). The Unbelievers by way of a taunt say: “If there is a punishment, let us see it come down now.” The answer to it is threefold. (1) Why do you want to see the punishment rather than the mercy of God? Which is better? (2) Have you not heard in history of terrible punishments for evil? And have you not before your very eyes seen examples of wickedness brought to book? (3) God works not only injustice and punishment, but also in mercy and forgiveness, and mercy and forgiveness come first.