سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْزَابِ

Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 63

The Clans · Medinan · Juz 22 · Page 427

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يَسْـَٔلُكَ ٱلنَّاسُ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ تَكُونُ قَرِيبًا ﴿63﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

People ask you concerning the Hour, say: "The knowledge of it is with Allâh only. What do you know? It may be that the Hour is near!"

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

يَسْـَٔلُكَ yasaluka Ask you
ٱلنَّاسُ l-nāsu the people
عَنِ ʿani about
ٱلسَّاعَةِ ۖ l-sāʿati the Hour
قُلْ qul Say
إِنَّمَا innamā Only
عِلْمُهَا ʿil'muhā its knowledge
عِندَ ʿinda (is) with
ٱللَّهِ ۚ l-lahi Allah
وَمَا wamā And what
يُدْرِيكَ yud'rīka will make you know
لَعَلَّ laʿalla Perhaps
ٱلسَّاعَةَ l-sāʿata the Hour
تَكُونُ takūnu is
قَرِيبًا qarīban near

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 63) ➊ { يَسْـَٔلُكَ النَّاسُ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ:} Qurtubi said: “By ‘those who ask’ are meant the same people who used to harm the Prophet, those with diseased hearts, hypocrites, and those who spread false news, who were mentioned earlier. When they were warned of a humiliating punishment, they would say {’’اَلسَّاعَةُ‘‘} ‘When is that hour of punishment, i.e., when is the Resurrection?’ Their purpose was not to ask, but rather to deny, mock, and try to leave the Prophet speechless, as if he did not even know when the Resurrection would be.” See Surah Al-A’raf (187), Ta-Ha (15), Naml (66), Nazi’at (42–44), and Surah Al-Mulk (25–27), etc.
➋ { قُلْ اِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ :} That is, its knowledge is only with Allah, and if Allah has kept its knowledge hidden from me just as He has from all other people, this does not affect my truthfulness in any way, nor is it a condition of prophethood that the Prophet must be a knower of the unseen and know those things which Allah has not informed him of.
➌ {وَ مَا يُدْرِيْكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ تَكُوْنُ قَرِيْبًا :} That is, although no one except Allah knows its appointed time, still know that it is very near, as Allah said: « اِقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَ انْشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ » [ القمر : ۱ ] “The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has split.” And He said: «اِقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَ هُمْ فِيْ غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُوْنَ » [ الأنبیاء : ۱ ] “The reckoning of mankind has drawn near to them, while they turn away in heedlessness.” And He said: « اَتٰۤى اَمْرُ اللّٰهِ فَلَا تَسْتَعْجِلُوْهُ» [ النحل : ۱ ] “The command of Allah has come, so do not seek to hasten it.” And Sahl bin Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) said: [ رَأَيْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ قَالَ بِإِصْبَعَيْهِ هٰكَذَا بِالْوُسْطٰی وَالَّتِيْ تَلِی الْإِبْهَامَ بُعِثْتُ وَالسَّاعَةُ كَهَاتَيْنِ ] [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب سورۃ : « والنازعات » : ۴۹۳۶ ] “I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he pointed with his middle finger and the finger next to the thumb and said: ‘I and the Hour have been sent like this (together, close to each other).’”
➍ Here is a question: {’’ السَّاعَةِ ‘‘} is feminine, so why is its predicate {’’ قَرِيْبًا ‘‘} masculine? For the answer, see the commentary of Surah Al-A’raf, Ayah (56): «اِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللّٰهِ قَرِيْبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِيْنَ ».

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

The exegesis of this verse has been done along with the previous verse.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

63. People ask you about the Hour [104]. Say, "Its knowledge is only with Allah. And what do you know? Perhaps the Hour is near."

[104] Since the knowledge of the Hour belongs to Allah alone, and specifying its exact time is against divine wisdom, therefore, its appointed time has not been disclosed to anyone. The disbelievers and hypocrites kept asking this question repeatedly because they had made it a pastime to annoy the Muslims. Their intention was merely to mock and ridicule the Prophet of Islam and the message of Islam; they considered it nothing more than an empty threat.
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