وَإِذَا قِيلَ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَٱلسَّاعَةُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا قُلْتُم مَّا نَدْرِى مَا ٱلسَّاعَةُ إِن نَّظُنُّ إِلَّا ظَنًّا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ 32
Translations
And when it was said, 'Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth and the Hour [is coming] - no doubt about it,' you said, 'We know not what is the Hour. We assume only assumption, and we are not convinced.'"
Transliteration
Wa-idha qīla inna wa'da Allāhi haqqun wa-as-sā'atu lā rayba fīhā qultum mā nadrī mā as-sā'atu in nannuznu illā zannun wa-mā nahnū bi-mustayqinīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the disbelievers' response when reminded of Allah's true promise and the certainty of the Hour (Day of Judgment). When confronted with these truths, they dismiss them by claiming ignorance and admitting they merely speculate without any certain knowledge. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this reflects the arrogance and willful denial of the disbelievers who, despite having clear signs, chose uncertainty and conjecture over faith, demonstrating their rejection of divine truth out of stubbornness rather than lack of evidence.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Jathiyah, a Meccan surah that deals with the themes of resurrection, divine signs, and the consequences of rejecting faith. The verse specifically addresses the Meccan polytheists' characteristic response to the Prophet's warnings about the Day of Judgment—they would deny its certainty and hide behind claims of uncertainty.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The Hour will not come until the sun rises from the west' relates to the certainty of the Last Hour. Additionally, the hadith in Sunan At-Tirmidhi about those who deny the Day of Judgment exemplifies those described in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that rejection of divine truth often stems from willful denial rather than genuine doubt, and that true faith requires moving beyond mere speculation to certain conviction. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder to examine whether uncertainties in their faith are genuine intellectual struggles or excuses rooted in spiritual negligence.