إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عِندَهُۥ عِلْمُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ ٱلْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْحَامِ ۖ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا ۖ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌۢ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۢ 34
Translations
Indeed, Allāh [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing and Aware.
Transliteration
Inna Allaha AAindahu AAilmu alssaAAati wayunazzilu alghaytha wayaAAalamu ma fee alarhami wama tadree nafsun matha taksibu ghadan wama tadree nafsun biayyi ardi tamootu inna Allaha AAaleemun khabeerun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes that Allah alone possesses knowledge of five unseen matters: the Hour (Day of Judgment), the sending of rain, what is in the wombs, what one will earn tomorrow, and where one will die. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari highlight that these five matters represent the boundaries of human knowledge, demonstrating our absolute dependence on Allah's omniscience. The ayah concludes by affirming Allah's all-encompassing knowledge and awareness of all hidden things, reinforcing His exclusive prerogative over the unseen.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Luqman, a Meccan chapter primarily focused on the moral teachings of Luqman to his son. It fits within the broader context of emphasizing monotheism (tawhid) and Allah's unique attributes, responding to the polytheists' claims to knowledge and their skepticism about the unseen realities of the Day of Judgment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated: 'Five things are known to Allah alone and not to anyone else,' and then recited this very ayah (Sahih Bukhari 4697). Additionally, in Jami' at-Tirmidhi, there is emphasis on the five matters of the unseen that only Allah knows.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to accept the limits of human knowledge with humility and to place complete trust in Allah's wisdom regarding the future. It encourages us to focus on present obedience rather than anxiously seeking knowledge of tomorrow, reminding us that security and peace come from relying on Allah's perfect knowledge and divine plan.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِنَا لَا يَخْفَوْنَ عَلَيْنَآ ۗ أَفَمَن يُلْقَىٰ فِى ٱلنَّارِ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّن يَأْتِىٓ ءَامِنًا يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ مَا شِئْتُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
Indeed, those who inject deviation into Our verses are not concealed from Us. So, is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection? Do whatever you will; indeed, He is Seeing of what you do.
أَلَآ إِنَّهُمْ فِى مِرْيَةٍ مِّن لِّقَآءِ رَبِّهِمْ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ مُّحِيطٌۢ
Unquestionably, they are in doubt about the meeting with their Lord. Unquestionably He is, of all things, encompassing.
وَأَشْرَقَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّهَا وَوُضِعَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ وَجِا۟ىٓءَ بِٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُم بِٱلْحَقِّ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord, and the record [of deeds] will be placed, and the prophets and the witnesses will be brought, and it will be judged between them in truth, and they will not be wronged.
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ بَصِيرًۢا
And if Allāh were to impose blame on the people for what they have earned, He would not leave upon it [i.e., the earth] any creature. But He defers them for a specified term. And when their time comes, then indeed Allāh has ever been, of His servants, Seeing.