Every nation hath its term

Lesson # 843 from the Noble Quran

Every nation hath its term

Surah ‘A’-RAAF (The Heights) – Chapter – 7)

Stage – 2, Verse – 34 of 206, Section – 4 of 24 (Part - 8)   

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim    

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

                                                                                                            

And every nation hath its term, and when its term cometh, they cannot put it off an hour nor yet advance (it).

Wa  likulli  ‘ummatin  ‘ajal.  Fa- ‘izaa  jaaa-‘a ‘ajaluhum  laa  yasta’-khiruuna  saa-‘atanw-wa  laa  yastaq-dimuun.

                                                                                  

              

Lesson

‘Ajalun – (the term, time for which anything lasts, period of session, deadline for expiry of time)

‘Ummatun – (nation, community, group, class, party, band etc., according to original dictionary, it means “a collection, which, by joining more permanent things becomes a permanent thing itself”.

It was described in the previous verse that Allah Almighty has forbidden the human beings from some evil deeds, so they should give them up forever. Some people may think after hearing this Revelation that many people commit the forbidden acts fearlessly, but even then they suffer no injury and they enjoy unhesitatingly. What is benefit then to forbid anyone? If those people are punished immediately who commit the forbidden then however, meanings of forbidden can be understood, otherwise, it seems that forbidding is useless. There is a reply to this doubt in the above mentioned verse.

It is commanded that every group of people has been given a fixed time for working. The time of its termination has been prescribed. And when its term will come, they will not be able to put it off even a moment nor advance it. If we meditate upon this verse, two things are understandable here:

1.  No one lives alone in this world, but he/she belongs to any particular group, community, city, country and has relation with the entire human beings.

Before the revelation of this verse, some people came unto the Messenger of Allah Almighty (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him) and said: You have told us that the anguish of Allah Almighty comes due to disobedience of Allah Almighty, but we have observed that an individual commits a sin but is never punished.

The answer which has been given to them in this verse is that: O mankind! You are saved for some days because your nation has been relieved temporarily. That sinner is under the shelter of the nation. Until she will carry on looking him after, he can be saved. But at last this nation will be ruined, then none will be his savior/protecting friend.

2.  Giving a respite to the nation is produced in the formation of the world, so that it must carry its individuals on the Straight Path. When it will not remain able to do this duty, it will be finished. In other words, it is meant that its honor and good name will be ruined, and it will exist like the contemptible. Its reputation and dignity will be gone. And other nations will subdue it. It will be the result that when this nation had its term, it could not control own people. The individuals must have perceived that: Our nation will be destroyed due to our own evil deeds. Its destruction is certainly our destruction. 

Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)