Surah Al-Hijr — Verse 38

Word Meanings:

• Al-Waqt al-Ma‘loom (الْوَقْتِ الْمَعْلُومِ): The appointed time known only to Allah, specifically the time of the first trumpet blast when all creation will perish.

Explanation of the Verse:

In this verse, Allah Almighty addresses Iblis (Satan), responding to his arrogant request for respite from punishment until the Day of Resurrection. Allah grants him a limited reprieve—not until the Day of Judgment, but only until the appointed time known to Him alone: the moment of the first trumpet blast, when every living being will die. This is the time when all creatures—humans, jinn, angels, and all else—will cease to exist, and the entire universe will come to an end before the second blast raises creation anew.

This delay, however, was not a victory for Satan. Rather, it was a divine strategy—an act of profound wisdom and justice. Allah granted this respite as a test for both mankind and jinn, allowing them to demonstrate their faith and obedience through free will, while Satan’s ultimate doom remained certain and inescapable. The postponement was a means of *istidrāj*—a gradual drawing of the arrogant one toward his inevitable end, giving him enough rope to expose his own wickedness and to prove the sincerity of the believers who resist his whispers.

A Da‘wah Reflection:

Dear reader, ponder this profound truth: even the greatest enemy of humanity—Satan himself—operates only within the boundaries Allah has set. His power is limited, his time is short, and his end is sealed. How comforting it is to know that the One who controls even the devil’s movements is your Lord and Protector! When you feel overwhelmed by trials or temptations, remember that every hardship has an appointed time, and every promise of Allah is true. The respite given to evil is but a fleeting moment in the eternal scale; the victory of truth is certain. So hold fast to your faith, for the morning of justice is near, and the night of falsehood—no matter how long it seems—will inevitably break. Let this certainty fill your heart with hope and your steps with steadfastness, for you are walking toward a meeting with your Lord that will make every struggle worthwhile.