سُوْرَةُ الْحِجْرِ
Surah Al-Hijr (15) — Ayah 99
وَٱعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَكَ ٱلْيَقِينُ ﴿99﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱعْبُدْ
wa-uʿ'bud
And worship
رَبَّكَ
rabbaka
your Lord
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
يَأْتِيَكَ
yatiyaka
comes to you
ٱلْيَقِينُ
l-yaqīnu
the certainty
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.
(Ayah99){وَ اعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتّٰى يَاْتِيَكَ الْيَقِيْنُ :} That is, remain steadfast in the worship of your Lord until death comes. Death is called "certainty" because its coming is certain for every living being. In some other places in the Quran, the word "certainty" has also been used in the meaning of death, as He said: «{ حَتّٰۤى اَتٰىنَا الْيَقِيْنُ }» [ المدثر : ۴۷ ] "Until certainty came to us (that is, death came)." Therefore, all notable commentators have taken "certainty" in this verse to mean death. So as long as consciousness remains, it is obligatory to perform prayer and other acts of worship until the last breath of life, according to one's ability, whether standing, sitting, or lying on one's side. Some ignorant and non-practicing spiritual leaders, based on this verse, say that when certainty is attained through worship, then there is no longer any need for worship, and thus they exempt themselves from prayer, fasting, and acts of worship. This interpretation is playing with the Book of Allah. Did the certainty they speak of not come to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), that they continued to observe prayer, fasting, and other acts of worship until the end? In any case, to take "certainty" in the verse to mean inner conviction and to abandon prayer and fasting is clear irreligion.
