The Quran

Preface

وَما مَنَعَ النّاسَ أَن يُؤمِنوا إِذ جاءَهُمُ الهُدىٰ وَيَستَغفِروا رَبَّهُم إِلّا أَن تَأتِيَهُم سُنَّةُ الأَوَّلينَ أَو يَأتِيَهُمُ العَذابُ قُبُلًا

Yusuf Ali

And what is there to keep back men from believing, now that Guidance has come to them, nor from praying for forgiveness from their Lord, but that (they ask that) the ways of the ancients be repeated¹ with them, or the Wrath be brought to them face to face?

But man’s obstinacy or contrariness asks or calls for a repetition of what happened to the wicked and those who rejected Faith in ancient times. Out of curiosity, or by way of challenge, they seem to court the Punishment and ask that it be brought to pass at once. But it will come soon enough, and then they will think it too early! (Cf. 13:6 and n. 1810, and 27:46).