Surah Araf ayat 34 Tafsir Quran 7:34

﴿وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ ۖ فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ﴾
[ الأعراف: 34]

7:34 And for every nation is a [specified] term. So when their time has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it].

Every community has a term a finite period of time. When their term comes they shall not delay it a single hour nor bring it forward.

And to every people, all and each, We have ordained a definite point of time, and when their time is fulfilled never shall they be able to delay it or anticipate for one hour or infinitely less

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ ( And every Ummah has ), meaning, each generation and nation, أَجَلٌ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ ( its appointed term; when their term comes ) which they were destined for, لاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ ( neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment )).
Allah then warned the Children of Adam that He sent to them Messengers who conveyed to them His Ayat.
Allah also conveyed good news, as well as warning, فَمَنِ اتَّقَى وَأَصْلَحَ ( then whosoever has Taqwa and becomes righteous ) by abandoning the prohibitions and performing acts of obedience, فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَوَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ عَنْهَآ ( on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.
But those who reject Our Ayat and treat them with arrogance, ) meaning, their hearts denied the Ayat and they were too arrogant to abide by them, أُولَـئِكَ أَصْحَـبُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ ( they are the dwellers of the Fire, they will abide therein forever. ) without end to their dwelling in it.

(7:34) For every community there is an appointed term; and when its term arrives, they cannot tarry behind a moment, nor can they get ahead. *27

And for every nation is a [specified] meaning

*27).
The expression 'fixed term' used in the verse should not give rise to the misconception that the term of a nation expires on a definite day, month or year.
What the statement really means is that God has laid down a minimum proportion between the good and evil deeds of a nation.
As long as that nation is able to maintain that minimum proportion, its existence is tolerated in order that it might be able to show its performance.
Once a nation crosses that minimum limit, it is denied any further respite.
( For further explication of this point see Nuh 71: 4-10 and 12. )
 

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ ( And every Ummah has ), meaning, each generation and nation, أَجَلٌ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ ( its appointed term; when their term comes ) which they were destined for, لاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ ( neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment )).
Allah then warned the Children of Adam that He sent to them Messengers who conveyed to them His Ayat.
Allah also conveyed good news, as well as warning, فَمَنِ اتَّقَى وَأَصْلَحَ ( then whosoever has Taqwa and becomes righteous ) by abandoning the prohibitions and performing acts of obedience, فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَوَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ عَنْهَآ ( on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.
But those who reject Our Ayat and treat them with arrogance, ) meaning, their hearts denied the Ayat and they were too arrogant to abide by them, أُولَـئِكَ أَصْحَـبُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ ( they are the dwellers of the Fire, they will abide therein forever. ) without end to their dwelling in it.

( And every nation ) every people that have a religion ( hath its term ) an appointed time for its destruction, ( and when its term ) the time of their destruction ( cometh, they cannot put it off an hour ) they are not given reprieve one fraction of a second after their appointed time ( nor yet advance (it )) they are not destroyed before the appointed time, even if it be by one fraction of a second.

And every nation has its appointed term; when their term is reached, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment).

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