۞ وَيَسْتَنۢبِـُٔونَكَ أَحَقٌّ هُوَ ۖ قُلْ إِى وَرَبِّىٓ إِنَّهُۥ لَحَقٌّ ۖ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ 53
Translations
And they ask information of you, [O Muḥammad], "Is it true?" Say, "Yes, by my Lord. Indeed, it is truth; and you will not cause failure [to Allāh]."
Transliteration
Wa yastasbits'unaka ahhaqqun huwa qul 'ayy wa rabbi 'innahu lahhaqqun wa maa antum bi mu'jizeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
The people ask the Prophet (ﷺ) whether the Day of Judgment is truly real, and Allah commands him to affirm with certainty: 'Yes, by my Lord, it is indeed true, and you cannot escape it.' This ayah emphasizes the absolute reality and inevitability of the Last Day, demolishing any doubt or denial about resurrection. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this response combines divine oath (by the Lord) with the assertion of certainty (lahhaqqun - it is indeed true) to reinforce the unquestionable nature of this divine promise.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Yunus, a Meccan chapter dealing primarily with tawhid (monotheism) and the reality of the afterlife—key themes the Quraysh disputed. The context shows the Meccan disbelievers questioning the resurrection, a central point of contention between the Prophet and his opponents. The ayah directly addresses their skepticism about the Day of Judgment.
Related Hadiths
Related to the reality of the Day of Judgment: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The Day of Resurrection will come, there is no doubt about it, and Allah will raise all those in the graves' (Tirmidhi). Also relevant: 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent' (Sahih Bukhari), showing the importance of certainty in the Last Day.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to have unwavering conviction in the afterlife and divine accountability, countering modern skepticism about the unseen. The absolute certainty in the Prophet's affirmation should inspire Muslims to live with awareness that all deeds will be judged, making it a practical motivator for righteous conduct.
Related Ayahs
وَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقُل لِّى عَمَلِى وَلَكُمْ عَمَلُكُمْ ۖ أَنتُم بَرِيٓـُٔونَ مِمَّآ أَعْمَلُ وَأَنَا۠ بَرِىٓءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
And if they deny you, [O Muḥammad], then say, "For me are my deeds, and for you are your deeds. You are disassociated from what I do, and I am disassociated from what you do."
إِنَّ فِى ٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَّقُونَ
Indeed, in the alternation of the night and the day and [in] what Allāh has created in the heavens and the earth are signs for a people who fear Allāh.
ءَآلْـَٔـٰنَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ وَكُنتَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
Now? And you had disobeyed [Him] before and were of the corrupters?
فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ
So who is more unjust than he who invents a lie about Allāh or denies His signs? Indeed, the criminals will not succeed.