نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ إِذْ يَقُولُ أَمْثَلُهُمْ طَرِيقَةً إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا يَوْمًا 104
Translations
We are most knowing of what they say when the best of them in manner [i.e., wisdom or speech] will say, "You remained not but one day."
Transliteration
Nahnu a'lamu bima yaqulun idh yaqulu amthaluhum tariqatan in labistum illa yawman
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah asserts His complete knowledge of what the disbelievers say when their most guided among them claims that they remained in the worldly life for only a day. This ayah refers to the Day of Resurrection when the people of Hell will perceive their time in the worldly life as extraordinarily brief, having lost all sense of duration due to their preoccupation with punishment. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this demonstrates both the subjective perception of time and Allah's omniscience—He knows not only what they say but the context and reality behind their words.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Taha, which addresses the Hereafter and divine judgment. It comes within a passage describing the resurrection and the gathering of nations, contextualizing how the people of Hell will reflect on their earthly existence with profound regret and distorted perception of time.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The worldly life compared to the Hereafter is like putting your finger in the ocean—see how much water clings to it' (Sahih Muslim 2858). This reinforces the ayah's theme of the brevity of worldly life relative to eternity.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that our earthly existence, though it may seem long, is merely a fleeting moment compared to eternity, and that Allah's knowledge encompasses all our states—seen and unseen. We should use our limited time wisely for the Hereafter rather than becoming heedless of our ultimate accountability.