فَلَا تَعْجَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدًّا
Commentary:
In the words فلا تعجل علیھم Muslims are enjoined not to lose patience if Divine punishment is slow in overtaking Western Christian nations. The words also seem to enjoin Muslims not to be so impatient as to indulge in such foolish dreams as waging jihad against disbelievers because they (Muslims) do not possess the necessary means to fight them successfully, but should adopt only spiritual means for this purpose such as praying and preaching and disseminating the teachings of Islam. The warning contained in the Holy Prophet’s words لا یدان لاحد لقتالھم (no one will have the power to fight them) may perhaps have been derived from this Divine command.
The words انما نعد لھم عداً mean:(a) We are keeping full account of their wicked deeds; and (b) We are keeping account of the time when their punishment will be due. The verse means to say that their doom is already decreed and it will overtake them when the appointed time arrives.
The verse means; (a) We are keeping full account of their wicked deeds; and (b) We are keeping account of the time when their punishment will be due.