قُلْ هَلْ تَرَبَّصُونَ بِنَآ إِلَّآ إِحْدَى ٱلْحُسْنَيَيْنِ ۖ وَنَحْنُ نَتَرَبَّصُ بِكُمْ أَن يُصِيبَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِعَذَابٍ مِّنْ عِندِهِۦٓ أَوْ بِأَيْدِينَا ۖ فَتَرَبَّصُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مَعَكُم مُّتَرَبِّصُونَ 52
Translations
Say, "Do you await for us except one of the two best things [i.e., martyrdom or victory] while we await for you that Allāh will afflict you with punishment from Himself or at our hands? So wait; indeed we, along with you, are waiting."
Transliteration
Qul hal tarbassun bina illa ihda al-husnayayn wa nahnu natabassasu bikum an yusibakum allahu bi azabin min indih aw bi aydina fa tarbassau inna ma'akum mutarabbisun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a direct challenge to the hypocrites and disbelievers: the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the believers await only one of two good outcomes—either victory in this world or martyrdom (entering Paradise) in the next. Meanwhile, the believers wait upon Allah's promise that He will punish the disbelievers either through divine punishment or through the believers' own hands. Ibn Kathir notes this demonstrates the unwavering certainty of the believers in Allah's victory and their readiness for any outcome. Al-Tabari emphasizes the rhetorical power of this statement in exposing the hopelessness of the disbelievers' position.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period during the context of Surah At-Tawbah, which addresses the issue of hypocrites (munafiqun) and wavering believers who hesitated in supporting the Prophet's military campaigns. The ayah directly confronts those who harbored doubt about the believers' cause, asserting the absolute confidence believers have in Allah's promise of eventual victory regardless of circumstance.
Related Hadiths
The concept is reflected in the hadith where the Prophet said, 'For every soul, there is a fixed term; when its term comes, it cannot be delayed nor advanced by even a single moment' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, Anas ibn Malik reported the Prophet's statement about the believer always being in a good state—whether in ease or hardship (Sahih Muslim).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to maintain unwavering faith that all outcomes are ultimately good when placed in Allah's hands—whether worldly success or eternal reward—and to recognize that hesitation or doubt reflects spiritual weakness. For modern Muslims, it encourages steadfastness in purpose and freedom from fear when acting upon Islamic principles.
Related Ayahs
أَفَمَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَـٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ تَقْوَىٰ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٍ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَـٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ شَفَا جُرُفٍ هَارٍ فَٱنْهَارَ بِهِۦ فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
Then is one who laid the foundation of his building on righteousness [with fear] from Allāh and [seeking] His approval better or one who laid the foundation of his building on the edge of a bank about to collapse, so it collapsed with him into the fire of Hell? And Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.
ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقُونَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُم مِّنۢ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَقْبِضُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ ۚ نَسُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ
The hypocrite men and hypocrite women are of one another. They enjoin what is wrong and forbid what is right and close their hands. They have forgotten Allāh, so He has forgotten them [accordingly]. Indeed, the hypocrites - it is they who are the defiantly disobedient.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَكُونُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ
O you who have believed, fear Allāh and be with those who are true.
إِنَّمَا يَسْتَـْٔذِنُكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَٱرْتَابَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِى رَيْبِهِمْ يَتَرَدَّدُونَ
Only those would ask permission of you who do not believe in Allāh and the Last Day and whose hearts have doubted, and they, in their doubt, are hesitating.