Surah Yunus Tafseer

قُل لاَّ أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا

Say:"I have no power over any harm or profit to myself."

I will not say except what He has taught me. I also have no authority over anything that Allah has not shown to me. I am Allah's servant and His Messenger to you. I was told that the Hour is going to come, but He has not told me when it will occur.

إِلاَّ مَا شَاء اللّهُ

except what Allah may will.

لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ

For every Ummah, there is a term appointed;

meaning that for every generation or community there is a set term appointed for them.

إِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهُمْ

when their term comes,

When the end of that term approaches,

فَلَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ

neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment).

This is similar to what Allah said in another Ayah:

وَلَن يُوَخِّرَ اللَّهُ نَفْساً إِذَا جَأءَ أَجَلُهَأ

And Allah grants respite to none when his appointed time (death) comes. (63:11)

Allah instructed His Messenger to tell the people that His punishment would come suddenly. He said: