سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 187
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّى ۖ لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَآ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ ثَقُلَتْ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلَّا بَغْتَةً ۗ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِىٌّ عَنْهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿187﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They ask you about the Hour (Day of Resurrection): "When will be its appointed time?" Say: "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (Alone). None can reveal its time but He. Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth. It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden." They ask you as if you have a good knowledge of it. Say: "The knowledge thereof is with Allâh (Alone), but most of mankind know not."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ
yasalūnaka
They ask you
عَنِ
ʿani
about
ٱلسَّاعَةِ
l-sāʿati
the Hour
أَيَّانَ
ayyāna
when will be
مُرْسَىٰهَا ۖ
mur'sāhā
its appointed time
قُلْ
qul
Say
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
عِلْمُهَا
ʿil'muhā
its knowledge
عِندَ
ʿinda
(is) with
رَبِّى ۖ
rabbī
my Lord
لَا
lā
no (one)
يُجَلِّيهَا
yujallīhā
can reveal [it]
لِوَقْتِهَآ
liwaqtihā
its time
إِلَّا
illā
except
هُوَ ۚ
huwa
Him
ثَقُلَتْ
thaqulat
It lays heavily
فِى
fī
in
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
لَا
lā
Not
تَأْتِيكُمْ
tatīkum
will it come to you
إِلَّا
illā
but
بَغْتَةًۭ ۗ
baghtatan
suddenly
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ
yasalūnaka
They ask you
كَأَنَّكَ
ka-annaka
as if you
حَفِىٌّ
ḥafiyyun
(were) well informed
عَنْهَا ۖ
ʿanhā
about it
قُلْ
qul
Say
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
عِلْمُهَا
ʿil'muhā
its knowledge
عِندَ
ʿinda
(is) with
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
but
أَكْثَرَ
akthara
most
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) the people
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَ
yaʿlamūna
know
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.
They ask you about the Hour—when will it be established? Say, "Its knowledge is only with my Lord. He alone will reveal it at its proper time. It will be a momentous event in the heavens and the earth; it will not come upon you except suddenly." They ask you as if you are well-informed about it [187]. Say, "Its knowledge is only with Allah, but most people do not know."
[186]
The Day of Judgment Will Come Suddenly:
Many signs of this great event of the Day of Judgment are mentioned in the Quran, for example, there will be severe earthquakes and continuous tremors on the earth, and people will ask in astonishment what has happened to this earth today; the stars will lose their light, the sun will be folded up, the mountains will fly about like carded wool, and many such things will suddenly appear. And Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: The Day of Judgment will occur (so suddenly) that two men will have spread a cloth between them, but they will neither be able to buy or sell with it nor fold it up; and a man will be returning after milking his she-camel, but he will not be able to drink it; and a man will be repairing his pond, but he will not be able to water his animals from it; and a man will be raising a morsel to his mouth, but he will not be able to eat it. [بخاري۔ كتاب الرقاق۔ باب طلوع الشمس من مغربها]
[187]
The Benefit of Not Disclosing the Time of the Day of Judgment:
People ask you about the Day of Judgment as if you are engaged in the investigation and research of this matter and, after searching, have gained knowledge of it. Whereas the knowledge of the Day of Judgment is exclusive to Allah Almighty, and the Prophets ؑ do not pursue matters whose disclosure Allah Almighty has withheld for a particular wisdom. And it is obvious that if the knowledge of the Day of Judgment had been given with a specific date and year, or if someone had been informed of the time of their death, then this world could not remain a place of trial for mankind. Therefore, not disclosing these matters even to any Prophet is exactly in accordance with the Divine Will, and people should never pursue such questions. Rather, they should make some preparation for it.
[186]
The Day of Judgment Will Come Suddenly:
Many signs of this great event of the Day of Judgment are mentioned in the Quran, for example, there will be severe earthquakes and continuous tremors on the earth, and people will ask in astonishment what has happened to this earth today; the stars will lose their light, the sun will be folded up, the mountains will fly about like carded wool, and many such things will suddenly appear. And Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: The Day of Judgment will occur (so suddenly) that two men will have spread a cloth between them, but they will neither be able to buy or sell with it nor fold it up; and a man will be returning after milking his she-camel, but he will not be able to drink it; and a man will be repairing his pond, but he will not be able to water his animals from it; and a man will be raising a morsel to his mouth, but he will not be able to eat it. [بخاري۔ كتاب الرقاق۔ باب طلوع الشمس من مغربها]
[187]
The Benefit of Not Disclosing the Time of the Day of Judgment:
People ask you about the Day of Judgment as if you are engaged in the investigation and research of this matter and, after searching, have gained knowledge of it. Whereas the knowledge of the Day of Judgment is exclusive to Allah Almighty, and the Prophets ؑ do not pursue matters whose disclosure Allah Almighty has withheld for a particular wisdom. And it is obvious that if the knowledge of the Day of Judgment had been given with a specific date and year, or if someone had been informed of the time of their death, then this world could not remain a place of trial for mankind. Therefore, not disclosing these matters even to any Prophet is exactly in accordance with the Divine Will, and people should never pursue such questions. Rather, they should make some preparation for it.
