ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ 4
Translations
Then, no! You are going to know.
Transliteration
Thumma kallā sawfa ta'lamūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphatically rejects the false confidence of those consumed with worldly competition and threatens them with certain knowledge of the consequences of their heedlessness. The particle 'kallā' (nay, verily) serves as a strong negation of their complacency, while 'sawfa ta'lamūn' (you will surely know) is a divine oath assuring them of accountability. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as a stern warning that the deniers will come to recognize the truth about the afterlife and divine punishment when it becomes too late to benefit from such knowledge.
Revelation Context
This ayah concludes the opening section of Surah At-Takathur, which was revealed in Mecca during a time when the Quraysh were preoccupied with material wealth and tribal competition. The surah addresses the spiritual disease of greed and rivalry, reminding humanity that such worldly preoccupations distract from remembering death and the Day of Judgment. The context emphasizes that this distraction is temporary and will be dispelled by divine reality.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895), emphasizing balanced priorities. Additionally, 'Remember frequently the thing that cuts off all pleasures: death' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2307) aligns with the surah's theme of remembrance over worldly distraction.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that temporary worldly success cannot shield us from ultimate accountability before Allah, and that our preoccupation with material competition blinds us to spiritual realities we will inevitably face. The lesson calls believers to redirect their ambitions toward the eternal and to remember that true knowledge encompasses recognition of our Lord and the final reckoning.