وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ 12
Translations
And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass?
Transliteration
Wa mā adrāka mā al-'aqabah
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah introduces the concept of 'al-'aqabah' (the steep path/difficult ascent), which represents the spiritual and moral challenges one must overcome to attain closeness to Allah. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as referring to the difficult journey of freeing slaves and showing compassion, which is elaborated in the following ayat. The phrase 'wa mā adrāk' (what will make you know) is a rhetorical device emphasizing the gravity and difficulty of understanding the true nature of this spiritual ascent.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Balad is a Meccan surah revealed during the early period of Islam, addressing the spiritual trials faced by believers in Mecca. This ayah is part of the surah's central theme about the difficulties of the spiritual path and the importance of freeing oneself and others from bondage—both literal and spiritual. It comes after an oath by Allah concerning the city of Mecca and introduces what true righteousness entails.
Related Hadiths
The concept of 'al-'aqabah' relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) emphasized freeing slaves as one of the greatest good deeds. Additionally, Jabir ibn Abdullah (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet said 'The best charity is freeing a slave' (Tirmidhi), which connects to the practical application of traversing the steep path of righteousness.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that the path to true piety and spiritual closeness to Allah is challenging and requires deliberate effort and compassion toward others. Understanding 'al-'aqabah' calls us to examine our commitment to justice, mercy, and liberation—both for ourselves from spiritual bondage and for others from oppression.