۞ يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَآ أُجِبْتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّـٰمُ ٱلْغُيُوبِ 109
Translations
[Be warned of] the Day when Allāh will assemble the messengers and say, "What was the response you received?" They will say, "We have no knowledge. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen" -
Transliteration
Yawma yajma'u Allahu ar-rusul fayaqolu maza ujibtu, qalu la 'ilma lana, innaka anta 'allamu al-ghuyub
Tafsir (Explanation)
On the Day of Judgment, Allah will gather all the messengers and ask them what response they received from their peoples regarding the message they conveyed. The messengers will humbly respond that they possess no knowledge of the unseen matters—such as the hidden thoughts and ultimate fates of individuals—affirming that only Allah possesses complete knowledge of all hidden things. This ayah emphasizes the messengers' integrity and humility, as they claim responsibility only for conveying the message clearly, not for knowing hearts or guaranteeing belief, highlighting the boundary between the prophets' duty and Allah's exclusive attributes (as explained by Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi).
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Ma'idah's discussion of accountability on the Day of Judgment. It follows themes in the surah about the covenant Allah made with the Children of Israel and the consequences of breaking divine commandments. The ayah specifically relates to the universal accountability of messengers and their peoples, reflecting the Medinan context where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) faced rejection from various groups despite clear communication of the message.
Related Hadiths
The Hadith of Intercession (Sahih Bukhari 3340) describes the Day of Judgment when prophets will be asked about their nations' responses. Additionally, Surah 4:165 complements this theme: 'Messengers as bearers of good tidings and of warning in order that mankind might have no argument against Allah after the messengers.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that messengers, despite their elevated status, are ultimately servants of Allah with defined responsibilities—to convey the message clearly—while reserving ultimate judgment and knowledge of hearts to Allah alone. For us today, this fosters humility in our faith, reminding us that we are accountable for sincere effort and obedience, not for outcomes or knowledge beyond our capacity.