وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ وَٱلْإِيمَـٰنَ لَقَدْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِى كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْبَعْثِ ۖ فَهَـٰذَا يَوْمُ ٱلْبَعْثِ وَلَـٰكِنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ 56
Translations
But those who were given knowledge and faith will say, "You remained the extent of Allāh's decree until the Day of Resurrection, and this is the Day of Resurrection, but you did not used to know."
Transliteration
Wa qala alladhina ootoo al-ilma wa al-imana laqad labith tum fi kitabi Allahi ila yawm al-baath fa hatha yawm al-baath wa lakin nakum kuntum la ta'lamun
Tafsir (Explanation)
On the Day of Judgment, those blessed with knowledge and faith will address the disbelievers, informing them that their time in the world (as recorded in Allah's Book of Decrees) was only until the Day of Resurrection, and that day has now arrived. The scholars like Ibn Kathir note this verse emphasizes that the believers' testimony against the disbelievers will be based on Divine knowledge, highlighting the distinction between those who believed in Allah's revelation and those who rejected it despite the clarity of signs.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ar-Rum's eschatological discourse on the Day of Judgment. Within the surah's broader context of discussing the signs of Allah and the certainty of the resurrection, this verse appears in a passage describing the interactions between the believers and disbelievers on that inevitable Day, reinforcing the theme of ultimate accountability.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best among you are those with the most knowledge and the best character' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith 'Whoever Allah wishes good for, He grants him understanding of the religion' (Sahih Bukhari) relates to the virtue of knowledge ('ilm) and faith ('iman) mentioned in this verse.
Themes
Key Lesson
This verse reminds believers that knowledge coupled with genuine faith grants them wisdom to understand divine truths that others deny, and that on the Day of Judgment, this knowledge will serve as testimony to the justice of Allah's decree. For modern readers, it emphasizes that acquiring Islamic knowledge alongside sincere faith is not merely intellectual pursuit but preparation for accountability before Allah.
Related Ayahs
۞ إِلَيْهِ يُرَدُّ عِلْمُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ ۚ وَمَا تَخْرُجُ مِن ثَمَرَٰتٍ مِّنْ أَكْمَامِهَا وَمَا تَحْمِلُ مِنْ أُنثَىٰ وَلَا تَضَعُ إِلَّا بِعِلْمِهِۦ ۚ وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ أَيْنَ شُرَكَآءِى قَالُوٓا۟ ءَاذَنَّـٰكَ مَا مِنَّا مِن شَهِيدٍ
To Him [alone] is attributed knowledge of the Hour. And fruits emerge not from their coverings nor does a female conceive or give birth except with His knowledge. And the Day He will call to them, "Where are My 'partners'?" they will say, "We announce to You that there is [no longer] among us any witness [to that]."
وَجِا۟ىٓءَ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بِجَهَنَّمَ ۚ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ
And brought [within view], that Day, is Hell - that Day, man will remember, but how [i.e., what good] to him will be the remembrance?
وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
Woe, that Day, to the deniers.
وَعَرَضْنَا جَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَرْضًا
And We will present Hell that Day to the disbelievers, on display -