• God is Forgiving

• The Lord of Mercy who never hastens to requite for the evils of men

• but defers punishment

Al-Kahf Verses 54 – 59

وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِي هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ كُلِّ مَثَلٍ وَكَانَ الْإِنْسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلًا

And indeed have We (fully) displayed for mankind in this Qur’an every kind of 1similitude; but man, of most things, is contentious. (18:54)2

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا إِذْ جَاءَهُمُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمْ سُنَّةُ الْأَوَّلِينَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ قُبُلًا

And nothing preventeth the people from believing when the guidance came unto them, and from asking for the forgiveness from their Lord 3except overtaketh them, the fate of the ancients or cometh face to face unto them the chastisement. (18:55)

وَمَا نُرْسِلُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْذِرِينَ وَيُجَادِلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّ وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَمَا أُنْذِرُوا هُزُوًا

And We send not apostles but as bearers of glad tidings and warners; and dispute those who disbelieve with falsehood that they may refute with it the truth, and take they My signs and that they have been warned with, for a jest. (18:56)

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ ذُكِّرَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِيَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَنْ يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا وَإِنْ تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَىٰ فَلَنْ يَهْتَدُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا

And who is more unjust than he who is reminded of the signs of his Lord, then he turneth away from them and 4forgetteth what have sent forth5his two hands? Verily We have caused veils over their hearts lest they understand it and in their ears a heaviness; And if thou calleth them unto guidance, never will they in that case get guided aright at all. (18:57)6

وَرَبُّكَ الْغَفُورُ ذُو الرَّحْمَةِ لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُمْ بِمَا كَسَبُوا لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابَ بَلْ لَهُمْ مَوْعِدٌ لَنْ يَجِدُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ مَوْئِلًا

And thy Lord is Oft-Forgiving and the Lord of Mercy; were He to seize them for what they earn, surely He would have hastened for them the chastisement; but for them is a tryst never shall they find, besides it, a refuge. (18:58)

وَتِلْكَ الْقُرَىٰ أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا وَجَعَلْنَا لِمَهْلِكِهِمْ مَوْعِدًا

And these towns, We did destroy them when they committed iniquities; but We had a tryst for their destruction. (18:59)7

• 1. Examples – parables.
• 2. Refer to verse 17:41.
• 3. Unless - i.e., they wish that.
• 4. Heedeth not.
• 5. Sent in advance.
• 6. Refer to verses 7:179, 16:108 & 17:45.
• 7. Towns referred to in the previous Surah.