Surah An-Nahl — Verse 124

Word Meanings:

• السَّبْتُ (As-Sabt): Saturday, the day whose sanctification was made obligatory upon the Jews.
• جُعِلَ (Ju'ila): Was made/ordained as an obligation.
• اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ (Ikhtalafu fihi): Those who differed concerning it — i.e., they disagreed with their prophet about which day should be honored and chosen for worship.

Explanation of the Verse:

The verse clarifies that the obligation to honor Saturday — by setting aside worldly occupations and dedicating it exclusively to worship — was not an original divine command for all nations. Rather, it was imposed specifically upon the Jews, who had differed with their prophet about the proper day of worship. They had been commanded to honor Friday, but they deviated from this command and instead chose Saturday for themselves. Thus, the sanctification of Saturday became a binding duty upon them as a consequence of their own choice and disagreement.

This carries a profound lesson: the divine legislation is not arbitrary, but is tailored to each nation's circumstances and their response to divine guidance. When a people deviate from what they were commanded, they may be tested with what they themselves chose.

Then Allah addresses His Messenger ﷺ with reassurance: "And indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ." This means that the disputes among the Jews — and indeed all those who differed about matters of religion — will not be left unresolved. On the Day of Judgment, Allah will settle every difference with perfect justice, rewarding those who followed the truth and punishing those who persisted in falsehood. No one will be wronged, and every soul will be recompensed fully for what it earned.

A Call to Reflection and Faith:

This verse invites us to reflect on the wisdom of Allah in His legislation. He knows what is best for His servants and ordains for each community what suits their condition. For us, the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ, Allah has honored us with Friday — the best of days — as our weekly day of congregation and worship. This is a great blessing and mercy, for Friday is the master of days, the most virtuous of them in His sight.

Let us, therefore, cherish this divine favor by attending the Friday prayer, increasing our supplications, sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, and dedicating ourselves to worship on this blessed day. Let us not be like those who differed and were burdened with what they chose for themselves. Instead, let us embrace the guidance of Allah with gratitude and submission, for in that lies our success in this life and the next.

And let us remember that all the differences that divide people in matters of faith — whether among the Jews of old or among the various sects today — will be decisively settled by Allah on the Day of Resurrection. So let us cling to the truth, follow the clear guidance of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and leave the final judgment to the All-Wise, the All-Just. For He is the best of judges, and His judgment is absolute and perfect.