يَوْمَ يَدْعُوكُمْ فَتَسْتَجِيبُونَ بِحَمْدِهِۦ وَتَظُنُّونَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا 52
Translations
On the Day He will call you and you will respond with praise of Him and think that you had not remained [in the world] except for a little."
Transliteration
Yawma yad'ookum fatastajeeboona bihamdih wa taẓunnoona in labithtum illa qaleel
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the Day of Resurrection when Allah will call humanity and they will respond with praise to Him, yet they will perceive their worldly life to have lasted only a brief moment. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that despite the lengthy period between death and resurrection, the souls of the deceased will feel as though only a short time has passed, demonstrating the illusory nature of earthly time and the swift nature of the Hereafter's arrival. This reflects the Quranic theme that the temporal perception of this world is insignificant compared to eternity.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Isra is a Meccan chapter focused on the signs of Allah's power and the certainty of the Day of Judgment. This ayah appears within a broader passage (17:49-52) addressing the disbelievers' skepticism about resurrection, serving as a direct rebuttal to their denial by affirming the reality and imminence of the Day of Judgment from Allah's perspective.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The worldly life compared to the Hereafter is nothing but like one of you putting his finger in the ocean—let him see what it returns with' (Sahih Muslim 2858). Additionally, the Prophet described how the Day of Judgment will come swiftly: 'The Hour will come when people are in the midst of their deeds' (Sunan Ibn Majah).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that our earthly existence, however long it may seem, is ephemeral in the greater context of eternity and divine reckoning. It should motivate us to prioritize righteous deeds and remembrance of Allah, recognizing that the Hereafter approaches swiftly and our accountability before Him is imminent.