The following was revealed regarding their hastening on out of mockery of the chastisement And they would have you hasten on the evil the chastisement rather than the good rather than mercy when there have indeed occurred before them exemplary punishments mathulāt is the plural of mathula similar in pattern to samura pl. samurāt ‘acacia’ that is to say the punishments of disbelievers like them will they not take warning from these? Truly your Lord is forgiving to mankind despite their evil-doing for otherwise He would not have left a single creature on the face of it the earth; and truly your Lord is severe in retribution against those who disobey Him.