يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا 42
Translations
They ask you, [O Muḥammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival?
Transliteration
Yas'alunaka 'an as-sā'ati ayyāna mursāhā
Tafsir (Explanation)
The people ask you (O Muhammad) about the Hour—when will it be established or anchored? This ayah addresses the frequent questions posed to the Prophet regarding the timing of the Day of Judgment. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that this reflects the human curiosity about eschatological matters, while the Qur'an consistently emphasizes that knowledge of the Hour's exact time is hidden with Allah alone, as stated in subsequent ayahs of this surah.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah An-Nazi'at, a Meccan surah that heavily emphasizes themes of resurrection, the Day of Judgment, and Allah's power. The context reflects the Meccan period when disbelievers frequently questioned the Prophet about the timing of the Day of Judgment as a form of mockery or skepticism. The surah responds to these questions by affirming that only Allah knows when it will occur.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (Hadith 4677): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The Hour will be established, but I have not been commanded to hasten it.' This directly addresses the theme that knowledge of the Hour's timing is exclusively with Allah. Additionally, Muslim (Hadith 2864) records similar statements emphasizing that no one knows the Hour except Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that while curiosity about ultimate matters is natural, obsessing over unknowable details is spiritually unproductive; instead, Muslims should focus on preparation through righteous deeds and trust in Allah's wisdom in concealing the Hour's timing. It also reminds us that authentic knowledge comes from divine revelation, not speculation or conjecture.