Surah Al-Ahzab — Verse 63

Word Meanings:

• As-Sa'ah (الساعة): The Hour — the Day of Resurrection and the final judgment.
• Inda Allah (عند الله): With Allah alone — exclusively in His knowledge and domain.
• Ma Yudreeka (ما يدريك): What makes you know? — a rhetorical phrase indicating that even the Prophet ﷺ has no knowledge of it unless Allah reveals it.
• Qareeban (قريبًا): Near — emphasizing that the Hour may be closer than people imagine.

Tafsir (Explanation):

The people — especially the disbelievers of Makkah who asked out of denial and mockery, as well as the Jews who inquired — repeatedly asked the Prophet ﷺ: "When will the Hour come? When will this promised Day of Judgment happen?" They asked not out of genuine curiosity or faith, but to challenge and ridicule, seeking to cast doubt on the truth of his message.

Allah commanded His Messenger ﷺ to respond with a clear and definitive answer: *"Say: Indeed, its knowledge is only with Allah."* This means that the precise timing of the Hour is a matter of the unseen (ghayb) that belongs exclusively to Allah's knowledge. No angel brought near, no prophet sent, and no human being has any access to it. The Prophet ﷺ himself, despite his lofty status, was not given this information — for it is part of Allah's exclusive domain, like the knowledge of when rain will fall, what is in the wombs, and what tomorrow will bring.

Then Allah addresses His Prophet ﷺ with a profound rhetorical question: *"And what makes you know? Perhaps the Hour is near."* This is a gentle yet powerful reminder that the Hour may be far closer than anyone imagines. The word "perhaps" (la'alla) here carries a tone of imminent threat and warning — it tells the questioners: do not busy yourselves with asking when it will come; rather, busy yourselves with preparing for it, for it may overtake you at any moment. The nearness of the Hour is a reality that should awaken every heart from heedlessness.

This verse carries a timeless lesson for all of humanity: instead of obsessing over the timing of the Hereafter — a matter sealed in Allah's knowledge — we should focus on what we can control: our deeds, our repentance, and our readiness to meet our Lord. The Prophet ﷺ said: "The Hour and I were sent like these two" — pointing to his index and middle fingers — indicating how close the Hour is to his mission. Every generation that passes brings the Hour closer, and every soul that dies has, in a sense, witnessed its own "hour" of judgment.

Beloved reader, let this verse be a wake-up call. The One who revealed this Qur'an knows what lies ahead, and He has warned us out of His infinite mercy. Do not let the question "when" distract you from the question "how" — how will you stand before your Lord? The Hour is near, but the door of repentance is still open. Return to Allah today, before tomorrow becomes too late. For indeed, the most fortunate person is the one who prepares for the Hour before it arrives, and the most heedless is the one who spends his life asking about its timing while neglecting its preparation.