And if Allāh was to hasten for the people the evil [they invoke]1 as He hastens for them the good, their term would have been ended for them.2 But We leave the ones who do not expect the meeting with Us, in their transgression, wandering blindly.
Translation: Saheeh International (English)
1 In anger or in heedlessness.
2 i.e., Allāh would have destroyed them on account of that.
ٱسۡتِعۡجَالَهُم(as) He hastens for themis'tiʿ'jālahum
بِٱلۡخَيۡرِthe goodbil-khayri
لَقُضِيَsurely, would have been decreedlaquḍiya
إِلَيۡهِمۡfor themilayhim
أَجَلُهُمۡۖtheir termajaluhum
فَنَذَرُBut We leavefanadharu
ٱلَّذِينَthose whoalladhīna
لَا(do) notlā
يَرۡجُونَexpectyarjūna
لِقَآءَنَاthe meeting with Usliqāanā
فِيinfī
طُغۡيَٰنِهِمۡtheir transgressionṭugh'yānihim
يَعۡمَهُونَwandering blindlyyaʿmahūna
Tafsir
If Allah responded quickly to people who pray for evil upon themselves, their children, or their wealth when they are angry, in the way He responds to them when they pray for good, they would have been destroyed. But Allah gives them time. He abandons those who do not expect to meet Him, because they do not fear the consequences of their actions, or hope for a reward, leaving them wavering and uncertain, sceptical about the Day of Judgement.