إِنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَـٰتًا 17
Translations
Indeed, the Day of Judgement is an appointed time -
Transliteration
Inna yawma al-fasl kana miqata
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that the Day of Judgment (Yawm al-Fasl), when Allah will separate the righteous from the wicked, is a fixed and appointed time that will certainly occur. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that 'miqata' (an appointed term) stresses the certainty and predetermined nature of this day, and that Allah alone knows its exact time. The ayah serves to reinforce the reality of the afterlife and the accountability that awaits all creation.
Revelation Context
Surah An-Naba is a Meccan surah revealed during the early period of Islam when the Quraysh were denying the resurrection and the Day of Judgment. This ayah appears within a passage describing the signs and certainties of the Day of Judgment, addressing the skeptics and confirming that this momentous day is not mere speculation but a divinely appointed reality.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The Hour will not be established until... (various signs),' emphasizing the certainty of the Day of Judgment (Sahih Bukhari 3176). Additionally, the Quran states in Surah Luqman (31:34): 'Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour,' relating to the fixed but unknown time of this appointed day.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that the Day of Judgment is not a matter of doubt or delay—it is an appointed certainty that will come to pass. We should use this knowledge to cultivate consciousness of Allah (taqwa) and align our actions with accountability before this inevitable divine appointment.