Tafsir of An-Nahl 16:33

An-Nahl: 33

(Do they wait) – meaning, what do the polytheists of Mecca, who were previously mentioned, wait for? – (but that the angels should come to them) – to seize their souls, as has been narrated from Qatada and Mujahid. Hamza, al-Kisa'i, Ibn Wathab, Talha, and al-A'mash read it as ya'tiyahum (that he/it should come to them) with a ya' as the final letter.

(Or that the command of your Lord should come) – meaning, the Day of Resurrection, as has also been narrated from those mentioned above. Some have said: The intended meaning is worldly torment, not the Day of Resurrection. This is not because the anticipation of it contradicts the anticipation of the coming of the angels—as the conjunction with "or" would not be appropriate if it were not a literal text regarding their obstinacy, for it is permissible to consider the denial of the exclusion, intending by its inclusion that each of the two matters is sufficient for their punishment—but rather because the saying of the Exalted, which will follow if Allah wills: (But they were wronging themselves, so that which struck them...) is explicit that what is intended is the worldly torment that afflicted them. There is a manifest refutation in this, and the intention of the former is supported by the expression "come" (ya'tiya) rather than "come to them" (ya'tiyahum).

It has been said: The coming of the angels refers to their coming to testify to the truthfulness of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace; meaning, what are they waiting for in order to believe you, except that the angels should descend and testify to your prophethood? This is like His saying: "Why is an angel not sent down to him?" The majority uphold the first view, and they have made them "waiters" for that in a metaphorical sense, because it overtakes them just as a waited-for matter does, as it is said.

It has been chosen that this is because they involve themselves in the causes of torment that necessitate it and lead to it, so it is as if they are seeking its arrival and preparing for its occurrence. It is not hidden that there is gentleness towards him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the expression "the Lord" and the addition of it to his pronoun. The way in which the verses are connected will come shortly, if Allah wills.

(Thus) – meaning, like that action of polytheism and denial – (did those who were before them) – from the nations – (do. And Allah did not wrong them) – when the penalty for their actions struck them – (but they were wronging themselves).

(By persisting in committing abominations which leads to that.) It has been said: The apparent form would have been to say "but they were the wrongdoers," as in Surah az-Zukhruf. However, the structure of the noble verse preferred the former to indicate that the calamity of their wrongdoing returns to them, and its consequence is limited to them, while at the same time necessitating that the restriction of the wrongdoing of each person to himself—in terms of the occurrence—is the same as its restriction to him—in terms of the origin.