سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْعَامِ
Surah Al-An'aam (6) — Ayah 158
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِىَ رَبُّكَ أَوْ يَأْتِىَ بَعْضُ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّكَ ۗ يَوْمَ يَأْتِى بَعْضُ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّكَ لَا يَنفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَـٰنُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ ءَامَنَتْ مِن قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِىٓ إِيمَـٰنِهَا خَيْرًا ۗ قُلِ ٱنتَظِرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مُنتَظِرُونَ ﴿158﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Do they then wait for anything other than that the angels should come to them, or that your Lord (Allâh) should come, or that some of the Signs of your Lord should come (i.e. portents of the Hour e.g., rising of the sun from the west)! The day that some of the Signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by performing deeds of righteousness) through his Faith. Say: "Wait you! we (too) are waiting."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
هَلْ
hal
Are
يَنظُرُونَ
yanẓurūna
they waiting
إِلَّآ
illā
except
أَن
an
that
تَأْتِيَهُمُ
tatiyahumu
comes to them
ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ
l-malāikatu
the Angels
أَوْ
aw
or
يَأْتِىَ
yatiya
comes
رَبُّكَ
rabbuka
your Lord
أَوْ
aw
or
يَأْتِىَ
yatiya
comes
بَعْضُ
baʿḍu
some (of)
ءَايَـٰتِ
āyāti
(the) Signs
رَبِّكَ ۗ
rabbika
(of) your Lord
يَوْمَ
yawma
(The) Day
يَأْتِى
yatī
(when) comes
بَعْضُ
baʿḍu
some (of)
ءَايَـٰتِ
āyāti
(the) Signs
رَبِّكَ
rabbika
(of) your Lord
لَا
lā
not
يَنفَعُ
yanfaʿu
will benefit
نَفْسًا
nafsan
a soul
إِيمَـٰنُهَا
īmānuhā
its faith
لَمْ
lam
not
تَكُنْ
takun
(if) it had
ءَامَنَتْ
āmanat
believed
مِن
min
from
قَبْلُ
qablu
before
أَوْ
aw
or
كَسَبَتْ
kasabat
earned
فِىٓ
fī
through
إِيمَـٰنِهَا
īmānihā
its faith
خَيْرًۭا ۗ
khayran
any good
قُلِ
quli
Say
ٱنتَظِرُوٓا۟
intaẓirū
Wait
إِنَّا
innā
Indeed, we
مُنتَظِرُونَ
muntaẓirūna
(are) those who wait
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.
Are they waiting for anything except that the angels should come to them, or your Lord should come, or some sign of your Lord should come? On the day when a sign of your Lord comes, no soul will benefit from its faith if it had not believed before, or had not earned some good through its faith. Say, “Wait, for we too are waiting.”
[181] Whether it is an angel or the Lord Himself, an ordinary human being cannot bear to witness them. In such cases, immediate death would occur, and faith at the time of death is not accepted. And if a person witnesses such a tangible miracle that compels him to believe, then such coerced faith is also not acceptable, because in such situations, faith in the unseen no longer remains, and the benefit lies in faith in the unseen. Everyone believes in something that is present and seen with their own eyes. When the veil is lifted from reality, then what is the meaning of faith? Therefore, after seeing something certain or a definite sign, there is no benefit in believing in it, as is made clear by the following hadiths:
1.
The Rising of the Sun from the West:
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet ﷺ said, "The Hour will not be established until the sun rises from the west. Then, when people see the sun rising from the west, all of them will believe. But at that time, believing will be of no benefit." Then he recited this verse: [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
2. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet ﷺ said, "When three things appear, believing will not benefit anyone who had not believed before: the Dajjal, the Beast of the Earth, and the rising of the sun from the west." [ترمذي۔ ابواب التفسير] And one reason why faith at the time of death is of no benefit is that salvation depends on two things: faith and righteous deeds. In other words, the confirmation of verbal declaration of faith can only be done through righteous deeds. And the dying person does not get the time to act, therefore, believing at the time of death is of no benefit.
[181] Whether it is an angel or the Lord Himself, an ordinary human being cannot bear to witness them. In such cases, immediate death would occur, and faith at the time of death is not accepted. And if a person witnesses such a tangible miracle that compels him to believe, then such coerced faith is also not acceptable, because in such situations, faith in the unseen no longer remains, and the benefit lies in faith in the unseen. Everyone believes in something that is present and seen with their own eyes. When the veil is lifted from reality, then what is the meaning of faith? Therefore, after seeing something certain or a definite sign, there is no benefit in believing in it, as is made clear by the following hadiths:
1.
The Rising of the Sun from the West:
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet ﷺ said, "The Hour will not be established until the sun rises from the west. Then, when people see the sun rising from the west, all of them will believe. But at that time, believing will be of no benefit." Then he recited this verse: [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
2. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet ﷺ said, "When three things appear, believing will not benefit anyone who had not believed before: the Dajjal, the Beast of the Earth, and the rising of the sun from the west." [ترمذي۔ ابواب التفسير] And one reason why faith at the time of death is of no benefit is that salvation depends on two things: faith and righteous deeds. In other words, the confirmation of verbal declaration of faith can only be done through righteous deeds. And the dying person does not get the time to act, therefore, believing at the time of death is of no benefit.
