وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَـٰذَا ٱلْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ 48
Translations
And they say, "When is [the fulfillment of] this promise, if you should be truthful?"
Transliteration
Wa yaquluna mataa hadha al-wa'd in kuntum sadiqin
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers mockingly challenge the Prophet Muhammad and the believers, demanding to know when the promised Day of Judgment will come, sarcastically suggesting that if the Muslims are truthful about this promise, they should provide evidence of its timing. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir explain that this ayah reflects the arrogance and denial of the Meccan disbelievers who rejected the message of monotheism and the certainty of the Hereafter, treating divine warnings with ridicule and defiance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan portion of Surah Yunus, which addresses the persistent mockery and denial faced by Prophet Muhammad from the Quraysh. The surah's broader context deals with how disbelievers continuously demand signs and ridicule the message of Tawhid and the afterlife, remaining obstinate despite clear evidence presented to them.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The Hour will be established, but I do not know when it will be' (Sahih Muslim 2953). Additionally, Surah Yunus 49 immediately follows with Allah's response that only He knows the unseen, reinforcing that knowledge of the Hour belongs exclusively to Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that ridicule from disbelievers is a test of faith, not evidence against the truth—certainty about divine promises does not depend on the skepticism of others. We should remain steadfast in our conviction of the Hereafter despite worldly mockery and remember that the timing of major divine events is known only to Allah.
Related Ayahs
وَمَا ظَنُّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ
And what will be the supposition of those who invent falsehood about Allāh on the Day of Resurrection? Indeed, Allāh is the possessor of bounty for the people, but most of them are not grateful.
وَمَا تَكُونُ فِى شَأْنٍ وَمَا تَتْلُوا۟ مِنْهُ مِن قُرْءَانٍ وَلَا تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ إِلَّا كُنَّا عَلَيْكُمْ شُهُودًا إِذْ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ ۚ وَمَا يَعْزُبُ عَن رَّبِّكَ مِن مِّثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَآ أَصْغَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكْبَرَ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍ مُّبِينٍ
And, [O Muḥammad], you are not [engaged] in any matter and do not recite any of the Qur’ān and you [people] do not do any deed except that We are witness over you when you are involved in it. And not absent from your Lord is any [part] of an atom's weight within the earth or within the heaven or [anything] smaller than that or greater but that it is in a clear register.
وَنَجِّنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
And save us by Your mercy from the disbelieving people."
دَعْوَىٰهُمْ فِيهَا سُبْحَـٰنَكَ ٱللَّهُمَّ وَتَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا سَلَـٰمٌ ۚ وَءَاخِرُ دَعْوَىٰهُمْ أَنِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
Their call therein will be, "Exalted are You, O Allāh," and their greeting therein will be, "Peace." And the last of their call will be, "Praise to Allāh, Lord of the worlds!"