Tafseer of The Heights · Al-A'raaf · 7:34
And for every nation is a [specified] term. So when their time has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it].
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of His word: وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ (34)
(And for every community there is an appointed term; and when their term comes, they cannot delay it by an hour, nor bring it forward.) (7:34)
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose praise is exalted, speaks threateningly to the polytheists (mushrikīn), concerning whom He, exalted is His praise, reported that they, every time they committed a shameful deed, said: وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهَا آبَاءَنَا وَاللَّهُ أَمَرَنَا بِهَا (34) (We found our forefathers thus, and Allah has commanded it of us) — and it is a threat from Him to them on account of their lie against Him, on account of their persistence in associating partners with Him (shirk) and their continuation in their disbelief (kufr) — and it is a reminder to them of that which He has caused to descend upon those who were like them, the communities that were before them —: (and for every community there is an appointed term). He says: and for every group that has united in denying the messengers of Allah, in rejecting their counsels, and in associating partners with Allah, while their Lord has pursued them with His proofs against them — "an appointed term (ajal)," that is to say: a time for the descent of the punishments upon their territory, and for the descent of the exemplary chastisements upon them on account of their shirk — (and when their term comes). He says: and when the time comes that Allah has appointed for their destruction, and for the descent of the punishment upon them — (they cannot delay it by an hour, nor bring it forward). He says: they cannot delay the continuation in this world, nor are they permitted to enjoy life any further, beyond the time of their destruction and the moment of the descent of the term of their perishing, not by a single hour of the hours of time — (nor bring it forward). He says: and neither can they bring that forward before the time that Allah has set for them as the time for the destruction.
