وَإِمَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى نَعِدُهُمْ أَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ ٱللَّهُ شَهِيدٌ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفْعَلُونَ 46
Translations
And whether We show you some of what We promise them, [O Muḥammad], or We take you in death, to Us is their return; then, [either way], Allāh is a witness concerning what they are doing.
Transliteration
Wa-imma nuriyannaka ba'da allathi na'iduhum aw natawaffaynnak fa-ilaina marji'uhum thumma Allahu shahidun 'ala ma yaf'alun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) regarding the fulfillment of Allah's promises to the disbelievers—whether he witnesses the punishment in this life or is taken before it occurs, the final return of all people is to Allah alone. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this establishes Allah's ultimate authority and knowledge of all deeds, emphasizing that the delay in punishment does not negate its certainty, and that Allah is the All-Seeing witness over all human actions.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during a period when the Quraysh persistently denied the Prophet's message and demanded immediate proof of threatened punishment. This ayah reassures the Prophet that whether he lives to see the fulfillment of warnings or not, accountability on the Day of Judgment is certain, placing the burden of divine justice with Allah rather than on the temporal witnessing of earthly consequences.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari reports the hadith on the seven categories of people shaded on the Day of Judgment, affirming that Allah is aware of and will judge all deeds. Additionally, Surah 13:40 contains a related statement: 'Whether We show you [O Muhammad] some of what We have promised them or take you in death, to Us is their return,' emphasizing the same theme of ultimate divine accountability.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should find comfort in the certainty that Allah witnesses all actions and will bring perfect justice on the Day of Judgment, regardless of apparent delays in worldly consequences. This fosters patience, trust in divine wisdom, and ethical behavior rooted in accountability before Allah rather than fear of human consequences alone.
Related Ayahs
وَتَرَىٰ كُلَّ أُمَّةٍ جَاثِيَةً ۚ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ تُدْعَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ كِتَـٰبِهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
And you will see every nation kneeling [from fear]. Every nation will be called to its record [and told], "Today you will be recompensed for what you used to do.
قُل لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يَغْفِرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ أَيَّامَ ٱللَّهِ لِيَجْزِىَ قَوْمًۢا بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
Say, [O Muḥammad], to those who have believed that they [should] forgive those who expect not the days of Allāh [i.e., of His retribution] so that He may recompense a people for what they used to earn.
وَقَالُوا۟ لَن تَمَسَّنَا ٱلنَّارُ إِلَّآ أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَةً ۚ قُلْ أَتَّخَذْتُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ عَهْدًا فَلَن يُخْلِفَ ٱللَّهُ عَهْدَهُۥٓ ۖ أَمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And they say, "Never will the Fire touch us, except for [a few] numbered days." Say, "Have you taken a covenant with Allāh? For Allāh will never break His covenant. Or do you say about Allāh that which you do not know?"
وَبَيْنَهُمَا حِجَابٌ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلْأَعْرَافِ رِجَالٌ يَعْرِفُونَ كُلًّۢا بِسِيمَىٰهُمْ ۚ وَنَادَوْا۟ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ أَن سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ لَمْ يَدْخُلُوهَا وَهُمْ يَطْمَعُونَ
And between them will be a partition [i.e., wall], and on [its] elevations are men who recognize all by their mark. And they call out to the companions of Paradise, "Peace be upon you." They have not [yet] entered it, but they long intensely.