وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ قُرْءَانًا عَرَبِيًّا لِّتُنذِرَ أُمَّ ٱلْقُرَىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَتُنذِرَ يَوْمَ ٱلْجَمْعِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ۚ فَرِيقٌ فِى ٱلْجَنَّةِ وَفَرِيقٌ فِى ٱلسَّعِيرِ 7
Translations
And thus We have revealed to you an Arabic Qur’ān that you may warn the Mother of Cities [i.e., Makkah] and those around it and warn of the Day of Assembly, about which there is no doubt. A party will be in Paradise and a party in the Blaze.
Transliteration
Wa-kathalika awhayna ilayka Qur'anan AArabiyyan li-tundhira umma al-qura wa-man hawlaha wa-tundhira yawma al-jamAAi la rayba fihi fariqun fi al-jannati wa-fariqun fi al-saAAir
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah reveals to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) the Quran in Arabic as a warning to the people of Mecca and those around them, and as a warning about the Day of Judgment which is absolutely certain to occur. On that inevitable Day, humanity will be divided into two groups: one in Paradise and one in the Hellfire. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari emphasize that the Arabic language was chosen to make the message clear to the Arabs, while Ibn Kathir stresses that the Day of Judgment's certainty ("la rayba fihi") demands immediate repentance and obedience.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ash-Shuraa, a Meccan surah revealed during the early period of the Prophet's mission when the Meccans were rejecting the message. The ayah addresses the primary mission of the Quran and the Prophet: warning humanity of the inevitable Day of Judgment while offering guidance toward righteousness.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The Day of Judgment will not come until the sun rises from the west' (Sahih Bukhari 3199), affirming the certainty and specific characteristics of the Last Day mentioned in this ayah. Additionally, the hadith emphasizing the Prophet's role as a 'warner and bringer of good tidings' (Sunan Ibn Majah 9) relates to the warning function described here.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that the Quran was revealed as a clear, unmistakable warning for all people, and that belief in the certainty of the Day of Judgment should motivate us to seek righteousness and turn away from disobedience. The division of humanity into Paradise and Hellfire is not arbitrary but depends on our choices and response to divine guidance in this world.
Related Ayahs
وَيَسْتَجِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَيَزِيدُهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦ ۚ وَٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ
And He answers [the supplication of] those who have believed and done righteous deeds and increases [for] them from His bounty. But the disbelievers will have a severe punishment.
حمٓ
Ḥā, Meem.
۞ شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِۦ نُوحًا وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِۦٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰٓ ۖ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا۟ فِيهِ ۚ كَبُرَ عَلَى ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ ۚ ٱللَّهُ يَجْتَبِىٓ إِلَيْهِ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِىٓ إِلَيْهِ مَن يُنِيبُ
He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus - to establish the religion and not be divided therein. Difficult for those who associate others with Allāh is that to which you invite them. Allāh chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him].
وَمَا تَفَرَّقُوٓا۟ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعِلْمُ بَغْيًۢا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى لَّقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُورِثُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍ
And they did not become divided until after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And if not for a word that preceded from your Lord [postponing the penalty] until a specified time, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, those who were granted inheritance of the Scripture after them are, concerning it, in disquieting doubt.