سُوْرَةُ الْجَاثِيَةِ
Surah Al-Jaathiya (45) — Ayah 32
وَإِذَا قِيلَ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَٱلسَّاعَةُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا قُلْتُم مَّا نَدْرِى مَا ٱلسَّاعَةُ إِن نَّظُنُّ إِلَّا ظَنًّا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ ﴿32﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when it was said: "Verily, Allâh’s Promise is the truth, and there is no doubt about the coming of the Hour," you said: "We know not what is the Hour: we do not think it but as a conjecture, and we have no firm convincing belief (therein)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
قِيلَ
qīla
it was said
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
وَعْدَ
waʿda
(the) Promise
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
حَقٌّۭ
ḥaqqun
(is) true
وَٱلسَّاعَةُ
wal-sāʿatu
and the Hour
لَا
lā
(there is) no
رَيْبَ
rayba
doubt
فِيهَا
fīhā
about it
قُلْتُم
qul'tum
you said
مَّا
mā
Not
نَدْرِى
nadrī
we know
مَا
mā
what
ٱلسَّاعَةُ
l-sāʿatu
the Hour (is)
إِن
in
Not
نَّظُنُّ
naẓunnu
we think
إِلَّا
illā
except
ظَنًّۭا
ẓannan
an assumption
وَمَا
wamā
and not
نَحْنُ
naḥnu
we
بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ
bimus'tayqinīna
(are) convinced
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 32) ➊ {وَ اِذَا قِيْلَ اِنَّ وَعْدَ اللّٰهِ حَقٌّ وَّ السَّاعَةُ … :} Allah Almighty, while mentioning the crimes of the disbelievers, will say that when it was said to you that surely Allah’s promise is true and there is no doubt about the Day of Resurrection, you used to mock and deny it by saying: “We do not know what the Resurrection is?” Just as Pharaoh denied the invitation of Musa (peace be upon him) and said: « وَ مَا رَبُّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَ » [ الشعراء : ۲۳ ] “And what is the Lord of the worlds?” This is the worst manner of denial in which mockery is also included along with rejection.
➋ {اِنْ نَّظُنُّ اِلَّا ظَنًّا:} Here is a question that the literal meaning of this sentence is “We do not think except thinking.” This is just like someone saying {’’إِنْ نَأْكُلُ إِلَّا أَكْلًا‘‘} “We do not eat except eating.” Obviously, no meaningful point is obtained from this. The answer to this is that on {’’ ظَنًّا ‘‘} the tanween is for reduction and contempt, meaning we do not think except a little and insignificant thought, that is, due to the preaching of the prophets and what people say, we have a slight suspicion which has no value. It should be clear that in some places in the Noble Qur’an, “dhan” (thought) has come in the meaning of certainty, but here it is in the meaning of doubt, because it is coming in contrast to certainty.
➌ { وَ مَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِيْنَ:} The “ba” here is for emphasis of negation, and in {’’ مُسْتَيْقِنِيْنَ ‘‘} the “seen” and “ta” are for exaggeration, meaning we are never fully convinced; if ever a slight suspicion or vague thought comes, that is a different matter.
➍ From this it is clear that if anyone has doubt in Allah Almighty, His angels, His messengers, His books, the Day of Judgment, or destiny (even if there is no outright denial), then he is a disbeliever. Faith itself is certainty, that is, the removal of doubt, because the thing that makes a person bound to Allah’s commands is certainty. Further, the levels of certainty can be different and faith can increase or decrease, as is evident from the incident of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) with the four birds.
➋ {اِنْ نَّظُنُّ اِلَّا ظَنًّا:} Here is a question that the literal meaning of this sentence is “We do not think except thinking.” This is just like someone saying {’’إِنْ نَأْكُلُ إِلَّا أَكْلًا‘‘} “We do not eat except eating.” Obviously, no meaningful point is obtained from this. The answer to this is that on {’’ ظَنًّا ‘‘} the tanween is for reduction and contempt, meaning we do not think except a little and insignificant thought, that is, due to the preaching of the prophets and what people say, we have a slight suspicion which has no value. It should be clear that in some places in the Noble Qur’an, “dhan” (thought) has come in the meaning of certainty, but here it is in the meaning of doubt, because it is coming in contrast to certainty.
➌ { وَ مَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِيْنَ:} The “ba” here is for emphasis of negation, and in {’’ مُسْتَيْقِنِيْنَ ‘‘} the “seen” and “ta” are for exaggeration, meaning we are never fully convinced; if ever a slight suspicion or vague thought comes, that is a different matter.
➍ From this it is clear that if anyone has doubt in Allah Almighty, His angels, His messengers, His books, the Day of Judgment, or destiny (even if there is no outright denial), then he is a disbeliever. Faith itself is certainty, that is, the removal of doubt, because the thing that makes a person bound to Allah’s commands is certainty. Further, the levels of certainty can be different and faith can increase or decrease, as is evident from the incident of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) with the four birds.
