Arabic text
وَلَوۡلَا كَلِمَةٞ سَبَقَتۡ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَكَانَ لِزَامٗا وَأَجَلٞ مُّسَمّٗى
And if not for a word[866] that preceded from your Lord, it [i.e., punishment] would have been an obligation [due immediately],[867] and [if not for] a specified term [decreed].Translator’s notes (2)
- [866]See footnote to 10:19.
- [867]Allāh would have punished the disbelievers in this world as He did with previous peoples.