Granting Respite to the Wrongdoer

The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Verily Allah gives such respite to the wrongdoer, until he says [rejoicingly], ‘He [Allah] has indeed forgotten about me! Then Allah seizes him with a terrible seizing. Verily Allah has praised Himself with regard to the way in which He destroys wrongdoers, saying in the Quran: “Thus the wrongdoing ones were rooted out, and all praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds” (Quran 6:45).

Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, ‘Allah gave Pharaoh a long respite of forty years, between His two addresses to him, then Allah seized him with the punishment of this life and the Hereafter. So forty years passed between the time that Allah said to Prophet Moses (AS) and Prophet Aaron (AS): “Your supplication has already been granted” and between the time He actually showed them the answer to their supplication [i.e. through Pharaohs annihilation].