أَفَأَمِنتُمْ أَن يَخْسِفَ بِكُمْ جَانِبَ ٱلْبَرِّ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًا ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُوا۟ لَكُمْ وَكِيلًا 68
Translations
Then do you feel secure that [instead] He will not cause a part of the land to swallow you or send against you a storm of stones? Then you would not find for yourselves an advocate.
Transliteration
Afa-amintum an yakhsifa bikum janiba al-barri aw yursila alaikum hasiban thumma la tajidoo lakum wakilan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns the disbelievers against false security by posing rhetorical questions about Allah's power to punish them through natural disasters—either by causing the earth to swallow them or by sending stones of baked clay upon them—after which they would find no protector or helper. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this serves as a warning against rejecting the message of the Prophet (ﷺ) and emphasizes that reliance must be placed in Allah alone, not in material might or worldly defenses.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah Al-Isra, which discusses various signs of Allah's power and warnings to those who reject faith. It follows the context of the Night Journey and continues addressing the Quraysh's denial of the Prophet's message, reminding them that no earthly power can protect them from Allah's punishment if they persist in disbelief.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He will suffice him' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2347). Also related is the hadith: 'The best of deeds is to trust in Allah' (Sunan Ibn Majah 3973), emphasizing reliance upon Allah rather than earthly means.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that no amount of worldly security, wealth, or allies can protect us from Allah's justice if we turn away from His guidance; therefore, true security comes only through faith in Allah and obedience to His commands. It is a call to humility and recognition of our complete dependence on the Divine.