So be patient, [O Muḥammad], as were those of determination among the messengers and do not be impatient for them.1490 It will be - on the Day they see that which they are promised - as though they had not remained [in the world] except an hour of a day. [This is] notification. And will [any] be destroyed except the defiantly disobedient people?
Notes
[1490] i.e., for Allāh's punishment of the disbelievers.
Verse 35 of Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:35), a Meccan surah, is in juz 26, on page 506 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 74 reciters.
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Tafsir of verse 35
Al-Mukhtasar
So be patient - O Messenger - against your people’s denial of you just as the messengers of firm resolve were patient. These were the following messengers in addition to our Prophet (peace be upon him): Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them). Do not seek to hasten the punishment for them. The deniers from your people, on the day when they will see the punishment that they are warned about in the Hereafter, will be as if they did not remain in the world except for an hour of a day due to the length of their punishment. This Qur’ān that is revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a notice to all people as well to the jinn, and only those who go against Allah by disbelief and sins will be destroyed by the punishment.
So be patient, as the Messengers of Firm Resolve15 were patient, and do not seek to hasten [punishment] for them. On the Day when they see what they were warned of, it will be as if they had only stayed [in this world] for an hour of a day16. This is a warning. Will anyone be destroyed except the rebellious people?
Notes
[15] They are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon them all).
[16] i.e., for a short period of time.
Therefore be patient (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) as did the Messengers of strong will5 and be in no haste about them (disbelievers). On the Day when they will see that (torment) with which they are promised (i.e. threatened, it will be) as if they had not stayed more than an hour in a single day. (O mankind! this Qur’ân is sufficient as) a clear Message (or proclamation to save yourself from destruction). But shall any be destroyed except the people who are Al-Fâsiqûn (the rebellious against Allâh’s Command, the disobedient to Allâh)?
Notes
[5] (V.46:35) There are many Prophets and Messengers of Allah, about twenty-five of them are mentioned in the Qur’an; out of these twenty-five, only five are of strong will: namely, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, Nûh (Noah), Ibrâhîm (Abraham), Mûsâ (Moses) and ‘Îsâ (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary) عليها السلام .
Then have patience (O Muhammad) even as the stout of heart among the messengers (of old) had patience, and seek not to hasten on (the doom) for them. On the day when they see that which they are promised (it will seem to them) as though they had tarried but an hour of daylight. A clear message. Shall any be destroyed save evil-living folk?
Therefore patiently persevere, as did (all) messengers of inflexible purpose; and be in no haste about the (Unbelievers). On the Day that they see the (Punishment) promised them, (it will be) as if they had not tarried more than an hour in a single day. (Thine but) to proclaim the Message: but shall any be destroyed except those who transgress?
Therefore bear up patiently as did the messengers endowed with constancy bear up with patience and do not seek to hasten for them (their doom). On the day that they shall see what they are promised they shall be as if they had not tarried save an hour of the day. A sufficient exposition! Shall then any be destroyed save the transgressing people?
So (endure) patiently, as the Messengers endowed with resolve (endured) patiently; and do not seek to hasten (the torment) for them; it will be as if, on the Day they see what they are promised, they had not lingered except for an hour of a (single) daytime. It is a proclamation! Then who will be caused to perish except the immoral people?
And on the Day when He will gather them, [it will be] as if they had not remained [in the world] but an hour of the day, [and] they will know each other. Those will have lost who denied the meeting with Allāh and were not guided.
