"No nation can precede its term [ajalaha]," meaning: the time at which He destroys it. "And they cannot delay it" by an hour, nor can they advance it by an hour before the appointed time.
﴿مَا تَسْبِقُ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلَهَا﴾ يَعْنِي: الْوَقْتُ الَّذِي يُهْلِكُهَا فِيهِ ﴿وَمَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ﴾ عَنِ الْوَقْتِ سَاعَةً، وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ سَاعَة قبل الْوَقْت