وَيَقُولُونَ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِن كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولًا 108
Translations
And they say, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled."
Transliteration
Wa-yaqūlūna subḥāna rabbinā in kāna wa'du rabbinā la-maf'ūlā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the believers' response upon hearing the Qur'an—they glorify Allah and affirm their conviction that Allah's promise is certainly to be fulfilled. Ibn Kathir explains that this verse demonstrates the believers' awe and reverence for Allah's word, acknowledging that His promises regarding the Day of Judgment and Paradise are absolutely certain and will come to pass without doubt.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Isra (verses 107-109), which describes the reactions of different groups to the Qur'an. The preceding verses mention those who disbelieve, while this verse highlights the faithful believers who respond with glorification and certainty in Allah's promise. It reflects the Meccan period when the Qur'an was being rejected by the disbelievers while believers affirmed their faith.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (7:151) emphasizes the importance of testifying to Allah's unity and affirming His promises. Additionally, the hadith from Tirmidhi about the characteristics of the believers who hear the Qur'an and their hearts tremble with fear of Allah relates to the spiritual state described in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
True believers respond to the divine message not with doubt or hesitation, but with complete conviction in Allah's promises and humble glorification of His majesty. This ayah teaches us that firm belief in Allah's word should manifest in our actions and speech, declaring His transcendence and certainty in His ultimate justice.
Related Ayahs
وَمَا مَنَعَ ٱلنَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓا۟ أَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ بَشَرًا رَّسُولًا
And what prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them except that they said, "Has Allāh sent a human messenger?"
وَلَا تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَىٰ عُنُقِكَ وَلَا تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ ٱلْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا مَّحْسُورًا
And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck or extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ نُوحٍ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِرَبِّكَ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرًۢا بَصِيرًا
And how many have We destroyed from the generations after Noah. And sufficient is your Lord, concerning the sins of His servants, as Aware and Seeing.
فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعْدُ أُولَىٰهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَّنَآ أُو۟لِى بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا۟ خِلَـٰلَ ٱلدِّيَارِ ۚ وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَّفْعُولًا
So when the [time of] promise came for the first of them, We sent against you servants of Ours - those of great military might, and they probed [even] into the homes, and it was a promise fulfilled.