أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَـٰنِتٌ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَآئِمًا يَحْذَرُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُوا۟ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِۦ ۗ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ 9
Translations
Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding.
Transliteration
Amman huwa qānitun ānāal-laili sājidan wa-qāiman yahdharu al-ākhirata wa-yarjū rahmata rabbihi. Qul hal yastawie alladhīna yaʿlamūna wa-alladhīna lā yaʿlamūn. Innamā yatadhakar ūlū al-albāb.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah contrasts the devoted servant of Allah who spends the night in prayer and worship with fear of the Hereafter and hope in His mercy, asking rhetorically whether such a person can be equal to those who are negligent. The ayah then shifts to emphasize that knowledge and ignorance are not equivalent, and only those possessing sound intellect (al-albāb) truly benefit from this understanding. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this passage specifically addresses those who reject the Quran and divine guidance, establishing that spiritual devotion and knowledge of truth cannot be equated with indifference and ignorance.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Az-Zumar, a Meccan surah that addresses the polytheists of Mecca. The broader context discusses the comparison between believers and disbelievers, with this specific verse responding to those who denied the Quran. It appears to be responding to the Meccan rejection of the Prophet Muhammad's (ﷺ) message and the superiority of faith-based life over one of ignorance and negligence.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you is the one who learns the Quran and teaches it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027). Additionally, the hadith 'Whoever travels a path in search of knowledge, Allah will ease for him a path to Paradise' (Sahih Muslim 2699) relates to the theme of seeking knowledge and understanding.
Themes
Key Lesson
The ayah teaches that true distinction between people lies not in worldly status but in their devotion to Allah, pursuit of knowledge, and preparation for the Hereafter. For modern readers, this emphasizes that intellectual development and spiritual practice are interconnected, and that meaningful knowledge must be coupled with sincere worship and moral consciousness.
Related Ayahs
أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
Do they not know that Allāh extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]? Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.
لِيُكَفِّرَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ أَسْوَأَ ٱلَّذِى عَمِلُوا۟ وَيَجْزِيَهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
That Allāh may remove from them the worst of what they did and reward them their due for the best of what they used to do.
أَوْ تَقُولَ حِينَ تَرَى ٱلْعَذَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى كَرَّةً فَأَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
Or [lest] it say when it sees the punishment, "If only I had another turn so I could be among the doers of good."
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلْ أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَـٰشِفَـٰتُ ضُرِّهِۦٓ أَوْ أَرَادَنِى بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَـٰتُ رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ قُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ عَلَيْهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "Then have you considered what you invoke besides Allāh? If Allāh intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?" Say, "Sufficient for me is Allāh; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers."