The Holy Quran 22:48 — Surah Al-Hajj

Arabic text

وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَمْلَيْتُ لَهَا وَهِىَ ظَالِمَةٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهَا وَإِلَىَّ ٱلْمَصِيرُ

Translation

Many were the towns to which I had granted respite although they were oppressive (despite their oppression and kufr, I did not punish them immediately but allowed them time to mend their ways). Thereafter, (when they failed to change their ways) I seized (punished) them. To Me shall be the return (they will return to Me on the Day of Qiyaamah when they will have to account for whatever they did in this world).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

Do Not Be Complacent About Allah’s Respite: that is, did they [those towns] escape and run off anywhere because they were given respite? In the end all of them had to return to Us, and We seized them and destroyed them.

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