Verily, Allah gives respite to the oppressor, but when He seizes him, He does not release him
The Statement of Allah: "Such is the Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the (population of) towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His Seizure is painful and severe." (V.11:102)
Authentic
hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari
Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim)Sahih al-Bukhari 4686
حَدَّثَنَا صَدَقَةُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا بُرَيْدُ بْنُ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم "
Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"Verily, Allah gives respite to the oppressor, but when He seizes him, He does not release him." Then, he recited: {Such is the seizing of your Lord when He seizes the towns that are given to wrongdoing; His seizing is surely painful and severe.} [Surat Hūd: 102]"
Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 4686), Muslim (No. 2583), At-Tirmidhi (No. 3110) and Ibn Majah (No. 4018).
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warns against persistent wrongdoing by committing sins, polytheism, and injustice to people about their rights, for indeed Allah Almighty gives respite to the oppressor and endows him with a long lifetime and abundant wealth and does not hasten to punish him. But, if he does not repent, He seizes him and does not release him due to his persistent wrongdoing.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited: {Such is the seizing of your Lord when He seizes the towns that are given to wrongdoing; His seizing is surely painful and severe.} [Surat Hūd: 102]
Lessons
A wise person should hasten to repent and not feel safe from the plan of Allah, if he is persistent in wrongdoing.
By giving respite to the oppressors and not hastening to punish them, Allah Almighty drags them to sin, making them worthy of a greater punishment unless they repent.
Oppression is one of the causes for which Allah inflicts punishment on any nation.
If Allah destroys a town, there might be some righteous people. Those will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment in the state of piety that they died on, and their inclusion in the punishment will cause them no harm.
Explanation in Arabic
يُحَذِّرُ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم من التَّمادِي في الظلم بالمعاصي والشرك وظلم الناس في حقوقهم، فإن الله تعالى يُمْهِلُ الظالمَ ويؤخِّرُه ويُطيل له في عُمُرِه ومالِه فلا يُعاجِلُه العقوبةَ؛ فإنْ لم يتب أَخَذَه ولم يُطْلِقْه ولم يَتْرُكْه لكثرة ظلمه.
ثم قرأ صلى الله عليه وسلم: {وكذلك أخذ ربك إذا أخذ القرى وهي ظالمة إن أخذه أليم شديد} [هود: 102].
على العاقل المبادرة إلى التوبة، وأن لا يَأمَنْ من مَكْرِ الله إذا كان مُقيمًا على الظلم.
إمهال الله عز وجل للظالمين وعدم مُعاجَلتِهم بالعقوبة استدراجًا لهم ومضاعفة للعذاب إن لم يتوبوا.
الظلم من أسباب عقوبة الله للأمم.
إذا أهلك الله قرية فقد يكون فيها صالحون، فهؤلاء يُبعثون يوم القيامة على ما ماتوا عليه من الصلاح، ولا يضرهم أنْ شَمِلَتْهم العقوبةُ.
وعن أبي موسى رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : “إن الله ليملي للظالم فإذا أخذه لم يفلته ثم قرأ: {وكذلك أخذ ربك إذا أخذ القرى وهي ظالمة إن أخذه أليم شديد} ((هود : 102)) ((متفق…