عن أَبي موسى رضي اللّهُ عنه قال: قال رسول اللّهِ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّم: «إِنَّ اللّه لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ فَإِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْهُ، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ: {وَكَذَلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِي ظَالِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَديدٌ}. متفق عليه.
Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Allah gives respite to the wrongdoer, but when He seizes him, He does not let him escape." Then he recited: "Such is the seizure of your Lord when He seizes the towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His seizure is painful and severe" [Hud: 102]. Agreed upon (narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
يملي: يُمهل، من الإملاء وهو الإمهال والتأخير. أخذه: عاقبه بذنبه. لم يفلته: لم يدَعْه ولم يرفع عنه الهلاك.
Gives respite (yumli): grants a delay, from al-imla' meaning granting time and postponement. Seized him (akhadhahu): punished him for his sin. Did not let him escape (lam yuflithu): did not release him and did not lift destruction from him.
الدروس · lessons
أن اللّه عزّ وجلّ يمهل الظالم ولا يهمله، ويعطيه فرصة للتوبة. اللّهُ سبحانه وتعالى لا يعاجل بالعقوبة، ولكن إذا عاقب كان عقابه شديدًا. العاقل لا يغتر إذا لمس من نفسه ظلمًا ولم يصبه أذًى، فهو استدراج من اللّهِ تعالى. أن الظالم لا بد له من الحساب؛ فليسارع إلى التوبة وردّ المظالم وأداء الحقوق إلى أصحابها.
Allah Almighty gives respite to the wrongdoer but does not neglect him, granting him an opportunity for repentance. Allah, glorified and exalted, does not hasten with punishment, but when He does punish, His punishment is severe. The wise person must not be deceived if he recognizes injustice in himself yet suffers no harm, for this is enticement (istidraj) from Allah, the Most High. The wrongdoer will inevitably be held to account; so let him hasten to repentance, restore usurped rights, and fulfill obligations to their rightful owners.