سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 77
وَلِلَّهِ غَيْبُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَمَآ أَمْرُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ إِلَّا كَلَمْحِ ٱلْبَصَرِ أَوْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿77﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And to Allâh belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. And the matter of the Hour is not but as a twinkling of the eye, or even nearer. Truly! Allâh is Able to do all things.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلِلَّهِ
walillahi
And to Allah (belongs)
غَيْبُ
ghaybu
(the) unseen
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
(of) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
وَمَآ
wamā
And not
أَمْرُ
amru
(is the) matter
ٱلسَّاعَةِ
l-sāʿati
(of) the Hour
إِلَّا
illā
but
كَلَمْحِ
kalamḥi
as a twinkling
ٱلْبَصَرِ
l-baṣari
(of) the eye
أَوْ
aw
or
هُوَ
huwa
it
أَقْرَبُ ۚ
aqrabu
(is) nearer
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
كُلِّ
kulli
every
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
thing
قَدِيرٌۭ
qadīrun
(is) All-Powerful
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.
(Ayah77) ➊ {وَ لِلّٰهِ غَيْبُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ : ’’ غَيْبُ ‘‘} which cannot be known by the five senses, nor by intellect, is hidden from creation. {’’ لِلّٰهِ ‘‘} is the predicate of {’’ غَيْبُ السَّمٰوٰتِ ‘‘}. By mentioning it first instead of later, exclusivity is created in the speech, that is why the translation is "only with Allah." This is a very great proof among the evidences of Allah Almighty being the only true deity. Along with this, such an unseen is mentioned which no one except Allah knows, because the knowledge of that unseen has not been given to anyone, and that is the Hour (Day of Judgment), and having knowledge of it is a proof of being the true deity, and not having knowledge of it is a proof of being false. See Surah An-Nahl (21).
➋ {وَ مَاۤ اَمْرُ السَّاعَةِ اِلَّا كَلَمْحِ الْبَصَرِ … : ’’ السَّاعَةِ ‘‘} the smallest part of time, refers to the Hour (Day of Judgment), because it will suddenly be established in such a short time. In {’’ اَوْ هُوَ اَقْرَبُ ‘‘}, {’’ اَوْ ‘‘} means {’’ بَلْ ‘‘}, as it is said about Yunus (peace be upon him): «{ وَ اَرْسَلْنٰهُ اِلٰى مِائَةِ اَلْفٍ اَوْ يَزِيْدُوْنَ }» [ الصافات : ۱۴۷ ] "And We sent him to a hundred thousand, rather, they were more." Elsewhere, regarding Our command (KUN), it is said: «{ وَ مَاۤ اَمْرُنَاۤ اِلَّا وَاحِدَةٌ كَلَمْحٍۭ بِالْبَصَرِ }» [ القمر : ۵۰ ] "And Our command is but one, like the twinkling of an eye." And here {’’ اَوْ هُوَ اَقْرَبُ ‘‘} is mentioned, because even the blinking of an eye takes some time, but the Hour will be established in even less time than that. This is not difficult for Allah Almighty, because He has complete power over everything.
Some scholars have also explained its meaning as: you consider the Hour to be very far, whereas it is, in the sight of Allah Almighty, even closer than the blinking of an eye, as He said: «{ اِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهٗ بَعِيْدًا (6) وَ نَرٰىهُ قَرِيْبًا }» [ المعارج : ۶، ۷ ] "Indeed, they see it as distant, but We see it as near."
➋ {وَ مَاۤ اَمْرُ السَّاعَةِ اِلَّا كَلَمْحِ الْبَصَرِ … : ’’ السَّاعَةِ ‘‘} the smallest part of time, refers to the Hour (Day of Judgment), because it will suddenly be established in such a short time. In {’’ اَوْ هُوَ اَقْرَبُ ‘‘}, {’’ اَوْ ‘‘} means {’’ بَلْ ‘‘}, as it is said about Yunus (peace be upon him): «{ وَ اَرْسَلْنٰهُ اِلٰى مِائَةِ اَلْفٍ اَوْ يَزِيْدُوْنَ }» [ الصافات : ۱۴۷ ] "And We sent him to a hundred thousand, rather, they were more." Elsewhere, regarding Our command (KUN), it is said: «{ وَ مَاۤ اَمْرُنَاۤ اِلَّا وَاحِدَةٌ كَلَمْحٍۭ بِالْبَصَرِ }» [ القمر : ۵۰ ] "And Our command is but one, like the twinkling of an eye." And here {’’ اَوْ هُوَ اَقْرَبُ ‘‘} is mentioned, because even the blinking of an eye takes some time, but the Hour will be established in even less time than that. This is not difficult for Allah Almighty, because He has complete power over everything.
Some scholars have also explained its meaning as: you consider the Hour to be very far, whereas it is, in the sight of Allah Almighty, even closer than the blinking of an eye, as He said: «{ اِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهٗ بَعِيْدًا (6) وَ نَرٰىهُ قَرِيْبًا }» [ المعارج : ۶، ۷ ] "Indeed, they see it as distant, but We see it as near."
