مَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ لَـَٔاتٍ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ 5
Translations
Whoever should hope for the meeting with Allāh - indeed, the term [decreed by] Allāh is coming. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
Transliteration
Man kāna yarjū liqā'a Allāhi fa-inna ajala Allāhi la-ātin wa-huwa as-samī'u al-'alīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes that whoever hopes to meet Allah (in the Hereafter) should know that Allah's appointed term will surely come to pass. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as an exhortation to prepare for the Day of Judgment through righteous deeds, as death and the meeting with Allah are inevitable certainties. The ayah affirms that Allah is All-Hearing and All-Knowing of all intentions and actions, making accountability inescapable.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-'Ankabut, a Meccan chapter that addresses believers facing persecution and trials in Mecca. The surah's broader theme concerns patience in faith and the inevitability of Allah's judgment, contextualizing this verse within warnings to disbelievers and encouragement to believers to remain steadfast, knowing that the Final Hour will certainly arrive.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who have the best character' (Sahih Bukhari 3331), reflecting the importance of preparing for meeting Allah through righteous conduct. Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet emphasized remembering death frequently, as it 'purifies deeds' (an-Nasa'i 3371).
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should constantly remember that meeting Allah is inevitable and cultivate awareness (taqwa) through righteous deeds and sincere intentions, knowing that Allah witnesses all actions and inner states. This perspective should motivate conscious living and spiritual preparation in the present life.
Related Ayahs
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّن نَّزَّلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهَا لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
And if you asked them, "Who sends down rain from the sky and gives life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "Praise to Allāh"; but most of them do not reason.
خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Allāh created the heavens and the earth in truth. Indeed in that is a sign for the believers.
أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِهِمْ أَنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَرَحْمَةً وَذِكْرَىٰ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
And is it not sufficient for them that We revealed to you the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] which is recited to them? Indeed in that is a mercy and reminder for a people who believe.
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ
If you asked them, "Who created the heavens and earth and subjected the sun and the moon?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Then how are they deluded?