وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَـٰذَا ٱلْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ 71
Translations
And they say, "When is [the fulfillment of] this promise, if you should be truthful?"
Transliteration
Wa yaqūlūna matā hādhā al-wa'd in kuntum sādiqīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers mockingly challenge the Prophet and believers by asking when the promised Day of Judgment will come, demanding proof of their claims. This ayah reflects the obstinate rejection of the Hereafter by those who refuse to believe in the message, despite the clear signs presented to them. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this represents the characteristic arrogance of the deniers who use sarcasm to express their disbelief in the divine promises.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the context of Surah An-Naml, a Meccan surah addressing the recurring theme of disbelievers' mockery toward the message of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The surah repeatedly emphasizes the reality of the Day of Judgment and divine accountability, responding to the persistent taunts of the Quraysh who demanded visible punishment if the Prophet's warnings were true.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The Hour (Day of Judgment) will not be established until the sun rises from the west' (Sahih Bukhari 3208). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding the signs of the Hour addresses this mockery, as people would doubt its coming despite clear warnings.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that ridicule from disbelievers should not shake their faith in divine promises; instead, it underscores the spiritual blindness of those who reject truth despite clear evidence. Modern Muslims should remain steadfast in their conviction that the Hereafter is certain and inevitable, regardless of worldly mockery or apparent delays in divine justice.