وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَـٰذَا ٱلْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ 25
Translations
And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?"
Transliteration
Wa yaqooluna mata hadha al-wa'd in kuntum sadiqeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers mockingly challenge the Prophet and believers, asking 'When will this promise (of the Day of Judgment) come to pass, if you are truthful?' This ayah depicts the arrogance and denial of those who reject the message of the Hereafter. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this question reflects their stubborn rejection and demand for tangible proof, revealing their hearts' hardness and unwillingness to believe despite clear signs.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Mulk, which emphasizes Allah's absolute sovereignty and the reality of the Day of Judgment. The surah addresses the Meccan disbelievers' persistent denial of resurrection and their mockery of the Prophet's warnings about accountability in the afterlife—a common theme in Meccan revelations.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The Hour will not be established until the sun rises from the west. When the sun rises from the west, the people will believe, but that will be when no soul will benefit from belief if it believed not before' (Sahih Muslim 157). This hadith relates to how disbelievers demand proof of the promised hour, yet even when signs manifest, their belief becomes void.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to remain steadfast despite mockery from deniers, and reminds us that the hour's timing is known only to Allah—our duty is to believe sincerely and live righteously, not to speculate about when divine promises will be fulfilled.