The Quran

يَغفِر لَكُم مِن ذُنوبِكُم وَيُؤَخِّركُم إِلىٰ أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ إِذا جاءَ لا يُؤَخَّرُ ۖ لَو كُنتُم تَعلَمونَ

Ali Unal

“So that He may forgive you your sins (which you have committed so far) and grant you respite until a term appointed by Him (instead of destroying you because of your sins). The term appointed by God, when it comes, is never deferred. If you but knew!”¹

For God’s sparing and reprieving people over a term be appointed by God, see sūrah 10: 98, note 20. The term mentioned here is the final term, which normally is never altered – neither delayed nor brought forward. However, if a person (or people) insists on doing things that incur God’s punishment, then God may punish and destroy that person or group, as He has destroyed many peoples throughout history. This is also included in God’s Destiny, which relates to both cause and effect. If they had paid heed to God’s Message conveyed to them by His Messengers, they would not have been destroyed.