The Holy Quran 16:47 — Surah An-Nahl

Arabic text

أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ عَلَىٰ تَخَوُّفٍ فَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَرَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Translation

Or (do they feel assured) that He will not seize them with a gradual depletion (causing their condition to deteriorate gradually until there is nothing left of them) ? Without doubt your Rabb is Most Pardoning, Most Merciful (He does not punish people immediately, but allows them time to repent).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

that is, He would not seize them suddenly, but, after warning them and sending the preliminaries of punishment, He would seize them in a state when people, having been informed and seeing the signs of punishment, are naturally afraid, or are frightened at seeing those around them struck by calamities from the heavens; but this fear is merely natural, not…

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.