يَسْـَٔلُونَ أَيَّانَ يَوْمُ ٱلدِّينِ 12
Translations
They ask, "When is the Day of Recompense?"
Transliteration
Yas'alūn ayyāna yawmu ad-dīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers mockingly ask when the Day of Judgment will come, expressing skepticism and derision toward this fundamental Islamic belief. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this question reflects the arrogance of those who deny the afterlife, while Al-Tabari emphasizes that their inquiry stems from doubt rather than genuine seeking of knowledge. The Quran presents their question as evidence of their heedlessness and rejection of divine truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the early Meccan period within Surah Adh-Dhariyat, which addresses the disbelievers' denial of resurrection and the Day of Judgment. The surah's broader context involves refuting the polytheists' mockery of the Prophet Muhammad's message about the afterlife and divine accountability, a central theme of early Meccan revelation.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The Hour will not be established till the sun rises from the west' (Sahih Bukhari 3199). Additionally, 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent' (Sahih Muslim 47) reinforces the importance of belief in the Day of Judgment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that skepticism toward the Day of Judgment reflects a fundamental spiritual sickness, and serves as an exhortation to maintain firm faith in divine justice and accountability despite worldly distractions. For modern readers, it encourages introspection about one's own conviction in the afterlife and the seriousness with which we should approach our deeds in this temporal life.