Surah Luqman ayat 34 Tafsir Quran 31:34

﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْأَرْحَامِ ۖ وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا ۖ وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ﴾
[ لقمان: 34]

31:34 Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.

Lo! God with Him lies knowledge of the Hour when it will come to pass; and He sends down read yunzilu or yunazzilu the rain at times which only He knows; and He knows what is in the wombs whether it is a male or a female; and not one of the three things is known by anyone other than God exalted be He. And no soul knows what it will earn tomorrow of good or evil but God exalted be He knows this; and no soul knows in what land it will die but God exalted be He knows this. Truly God is Knower of all things Aware of the inward and outward aspects thereof. Al-Bukhārī reported by way of an isnād from ‘Abd Allāh Ibn ‘Umar the following hadīth ‘The Keys of the Unseen are five Lo! God with Him lies knowledge of the Hour … to the end of the sūra’ above.

Allah keeps to Himself and in His hand rests the knowledge of the predetermined moment of the Final Hour. He causes the condensed water vapour in the atmosphere to fall down in rain drops from the floor of the vault of heaven as He will. He knows what is in the wombs of humans and animals, of the earth, of the depth of the night, of fortune and of any hidden cavity. No soul knows what it will earn; material or immaterial on the morrow and no soul knows where it is destined to come upon the encounter with death. Allah is indeed Alimun and Khabirun (intimately acquainted with all things.) see Introduction

لاَ يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَآ إِلاَّ هُوَ ( None can reveal its time but He ) ( 7:187 ).
Similarly, no one but Allah knows when rain will fall, but when He issues the commands, the angels who are entrusted with the task of bringing rain know about it, as do those among His creation whom He wills should know.
No one but He knows what is in the wombs of what He wants to create, but when He decrees whether it is to be male or female, and whether it is to be blessed or doomed, the angels who are entrusted with that know about it, as do those among His creation whom He wills should know.
No one knows what he will earn tomorrow with regard to this world or the Hereafter. وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ ( and no person knows in what land he will die. ) in his own land or elsewhere, in some other land.
No one knows this.
This Ayah is like the Ayah, وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَآ إِلاَّ هُوَ ( And with Him are the keys of the Unseen, none knows them but He. ) ( 6:59 ) It was reported in the Sunnah that the above five things are called the Keys of the Unseen.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Buraydah said that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: «خَمْسٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلَّا اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَداً وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَيمٌ خَبِيرٌ » ( There are five things which no one knows except Allah: (Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs.
No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die.
Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware. )) The chain of narrators for this Hadith is Sahih, although they did not recorded it. The Hadith of Ibn `Umar Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «مَفَاتِيحُ الْغَيْبِ خَمْسٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلَّا اللهُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَداً وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَيمٌ خَبِيرٌ » ( The Keys of the Unseen are five, which no one knows except Allah: (Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs.
No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die.
Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware. )) This was recorded only by Al-Bukhari, which he narrated in the Book of the Rain Prayer in his Sahih.
He also recorded it in his Tafsir with a different chain of narrators, stating that `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "The Prophet said:
«مَفَاتِيحُ الْغَيْبِ خَمْس»
( The Keys of the Unseen are five. )" Then he recited: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ ( Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. ) This too was recorded only by Al-Bukhari. The Hadith of Abu Hurayrah In his Tafsir of this Ayah, Al-Bukhari narrated from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was standing before the people one day when a man came to him and said, `O Messenger of Allah, what is Iman' He said:
«الْإِيمَانُ أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ، وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلِقَائِهِ، وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْبَعْثِ الْآخِر»
( Iman is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and in the meeting with Him, and to believe in the Resurrection in the Hereafter. ) He said: `O Messenger of Allah, what is Islam' He said:
«الْإِسْلَامُ أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ الْمَفْرُوضَةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَان»
( Islam is to worship Allah Alone and not associate anything in worship with Him, to establish regular prayer, to pay the obligatory Zakah, and to fast in Ramadan. ) He said, `O Messenger of Allah, what is Ihsan' He said:
«الْإِحْسَانُ أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاك»
( Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then He sees you. ) He said, `O Messenger of Allah, when will the Hour come' He said: «مَا الْمَسْؤُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ، وَلكِنْ سَأُحَدِّثُكَ عَنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا: إِذَا وَلَدَتِ الْأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا فَذَاكَ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا، وَإِذَا كَانَ الْحُفَاةُ الْعُرَاةُ رُؤُوسَ النَّاسِ فَذَاكَ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا فِي خَمْسٍ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلَّا اللهُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ ( The one who is asked about it does not know more than the one who is asking, but I will tell you of some of its signs: when the servant woman gives birth to her mistress, that is one of its signs; when the barefoot and naked become leaders of the people, that is one of its signs.
The timing of the Hour is one of the five things which no one knows except Allah: (Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs.... )) Then the man went away, and the Prophet said,
«رُدُّوهُ عَلَي»
( Bring him back to me. ) They went to bring him back, but they could not find him.
He said:
«هَذَا جِبْرِيلُ جَاءَ لِيُعَلِّمَ النَّاسَ دِينَهُم»
( That was Jibril who came to teach the people their religion. ) It was also recorded by Al-Bukhari in the Book of Faith, and by Muslim with several chains of narration.
We have discussed this at the beginning of our commentary on Al-Bukhari, where we mentioned at length some Hadiths narrated by the Commander of the faithful `Umar bin Al-Khattab.
These were recorded only by Muslim. وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ ( and no person knows in what land he will die. ) Qatadah said, "There are some things which Allah has kept to Himself, and they are not known to any angel who is close to Him or any Prophet who was sent by Him. إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ ( Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, ) no one among mankind knows when the Hour will come, in which year or month, or whether it will come at night or during the day. وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ ( He sends down the rain, ) and no one knows when rain will come, night or day. وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ ( and knows that which is in the wombs. ) No one knows what is in the wombs, male or female, red or black, or what it is. وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَداً ( No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, ) whether it will be good or bad.
You do not know, O son of Adam, when you will die.
You might die tomorrow, you might be stricken by calamity tomorrow. وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ ( and no person knows in what land he will die. ) means, no person knows where his resting place will be, on the land or in the sea, on a plain or in the mountains.
It says in the Hadith:
«إِذَا أَرَادَ اللهُ قَبْضَ عَبْدٍ بِأَرْضٍ جَعَلَ لَهُ إِلَيْهَا حَاجَة»
( If Allah wants to take a person's soul in a particular land, He will give him a reason to go there. ) In Al-Mu`jam Al-Kabir, Al-Hafiz Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani recorded that Usamah bin Zayd said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«مَا جَعَلَ اللهُ مِيتَةَ عَبْدٍ بِأَرْضٍ إِلَّا جَعَلَ لَهُ فِيهَا حَاجَة»
( Allah does not will that a person should die in a certain land but He gives him a reason to go there. )" This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Luqman.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
Sufficient for us is Allah and He is the Best Disposer of affairs.

(31:34) Surely Allah alone has the knowledge of the Hour. It is He Who sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs, although no person knows what he will earn tomorrow, nor does he know in which land he will die. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. *63

Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the meaning

*63) This verse is, in fact an answer to the disbelievers' question as to when the Hour of Resurrection will come, which they asked when they heard the Holy Prophet mention it and the promise of the Hereafter, again and again.
The Qur'an has answered this sometimes by citing the question and sometimes without citing it, because the addressees knew what they were asking.
This is one of those verses which answer the question without citing the question itself.

The first sentence: 'AIIah alone has the knowledge of the Hour" , is the real answer to the question.
The four sentences that follow constitute the argument to support it.
The argument means this: "O man.
you do not have the knowledge even about those things with which you are most closely and intimately concerned in life.
How then can it be possible for you to know as to when will the whole world cane to an end? Your prosperity and adversity mainly depend on the rain.
But its control and regulation is entirely in the hand of Allah.
He sends down the rain whenever and wherever and in whatever measure He pleases and withholds it whenever he pleases.
You do not at aII know how much of the rain will fall at a particular place at a particular time and which land will remain without it, and which land will be adversely affected in spite of it.
Your wives conceive by your own sperm-drop, which perpetuates your race in the future, but you do not know what is taking shape in their wombs, and in what form and with what good or evil it will emerge.
You do not even know what you are going to meet with the next day A sudden accident can change your destiny; but you are unaware of it even a minute before its occurence.
You do not know where your present life will eventually cane to an end.
AIlah has kept all this information with Himself alone; and has not given you any knowledge of any of these.
You actually desire that you should have the knowledge of each of these things so that you may make necessary preparations beforehand, but you have no other course open to you than to depend only on Allah's decree and disposal in these matters.
Likewise, about the end of the world also there is no alternative but to rely on Allah's decree and decision.
The knowledge of this also has neither been given to anybody, nor can it be given." Here, another thing also should be understood well, and it is this: This verse dces not give a list of the unseen and hidden things, which are known to no one but Allah.
Here only some of the most apparent things have been pointed out only to serve as an illustration.
These are the things with which man is most deeply and intimately concerned, yet he is unaware of them.
From this it would be wrong to conclude that these are the only five unseen and hidden things which are known to no one but AIIah.
As a matter of fact, ghaib applies to every such thing which is hidden from the creation but is in the knowledge of Allah, and such things are countless and limitless.
( For a detailed discussion of this, see An-Naml: 65 and the E.N.'s thereof ).

لاَ يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَآ إِلاَّ هُوَ ( None can reveal its time but He ) ( 7:187 ).
Similarly, no one but Allah knows when rain will fall, but when He issues the commands, the angels who are entrusted with the task of bringing rain know about it, as do those among His creation whom He wills should know.
No one but He knows what is in the wombs of what He wants to create, but when He decrees whether it is to be male or female, and whether it is to be blessed or doomed, the angels who are entrusted with that know about it, as do those among His creation whom He wills should know.
No one knows what he will earn tomorrow with regard to this world or the Hereafter. وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ ( and no person knows in what land he will die. ) in his own land or elsewhere, in some other land.
No one knows this.
This Ayah is like the Ayah, وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَآ إِلاَّ هُوَ ( And with Him are the keys of the Unseen, none knows them but He. ) ( 6:59 ) It was reported in the Sunnah that the above five things are called the Keys of the Unseen.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Buraydah said that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: «خَمْسٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلَّا اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَداً وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَيمٌ خَبِيرٌ » ( There are five things which no one knows except Allah: (Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs.
No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die.
Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware. )) The chain of narrators for this Hadith is Sahih, although they did not recorded it. The Hadith of Ibn `Umar Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «مَفَاتِيحُ الْغَيْبِ خَمْسٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلَّا اللهُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَداً وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَيمٌ خَبِيرٌ » ( The Keys of the Unseen are five, which no one knows except Allah: (Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs.
No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die.
Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware. )) This was recorded only by Al-Bukhari, which he narrated in the Book of the Rain Prayer in his Sahih.
He also recorded it in his Tafsir with a different chain of narrators, stating that `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "The Prophet said: «مَفَاتِيحُ الْغَيْبِ خَمْس» ( The Keys of the Unseen are five. )" Then he recited: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ ( Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. ) This too was recorded only by Al-Bukhari. The Hadith of Abu Hurayrah In his Tafsir of this Ayah, Al-Bukhari narrated from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was standing before the people one day when a man came to him and said, `O Messenger of Allah, what is Iman' He said: «الْإِيمَانُ أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ، وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلِقَائِهِ، وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْبَعْثِ الْآخِر» ( Iman is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and in the meeting with Him, and to believe in the Resurrection in the Hereafter. ) He said: `O Messenger of Allah, what is Islam' He said: «الْإِسْلَامُ أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ الْمَفْرُوضَةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَان» ( Islam is to worship Allah Alone and not associate anything in worship with Him, to establish regular prayer, to pay the obligatory Zakah, and to fast in Ramadan. ) He said, `O Messenger of Allah, what is Ihsan' He said: «الْإِحْسَانُ أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاك» ( Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then He sees you. ) He said, `O Messenger of Allah, when will the Hour come' He said: «مَا الْمَسْؤُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ، وَلكِنْ سَأُحَدِّثُكَ عَنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا: إِذَا وَلَدَتِ الْأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا فَذَاكَ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا، وَإِذَا كَانَ الْحُفَاةُ الْعُرَاةُ رُؤُوسَ النَّاسِ فَذَاكَ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا فِي خَمْسٍ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلَّا اللهُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ ( The one who is asked about it does not know more than the one who is asking, but I will tell you of some of its signs: when the servant woman gives birth to her mistress, that is one of its signs; when the barefoot and naked become leaders of the people, that is one of its signs.
The timing of the Hour is one of the five things which no one knows except Allah: (Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs.... )) Then the man went away, and the Prophet said, «رُدُّوهُ عَلَي» ( Bring him back to me. ) They went to bring him back, but they could not find him.
He said: «هَذَا جِبْرِيلُ جَاءَ لِيُعَلِّمَ النَّاسَ دِينَهُم» ( That was Jibril who came to teach the people their religion. ) It was also recorded by Al-Bukhari in the Book of Faith, and by Muslim with several chains of narration.
We have discussed this at the beginning of our commentary on Al-Bukhari, where we mentioned at length some Hadiths narrated by the Commander of the faithful `Umar bin Al-Khattab.
These were recorded only by Muslim. وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ ( and no person knows in what land he will die. ) Qatadah said, "There are some things which Allah has kept to Himself, and they are not known to any angel who is close to Him or any Prophet who was sent by Him. إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ ( Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, ) no one among mankind knows when the Hour will come, in which year or month, or whether it will come at night or during the day. وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ ( He sends down the rain, ) and no one knows when rain will come, night or day. وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ ( and knows that which is in the wombs. ) No one knows what is in the wombs, male or female, red or black, or what it is. وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَداً ( No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, ) whether it will be good or bad.
You do not know, O son of Adam, when you will die.
You might die tomorrow, you might be stricken by calamity tomorrow. وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ ( and no person knows in what land he will die. ) means, no person knows where his resting place will be, on the land or in the sea, on a plain or in the mountains.
It says in the Hadith: «إِذَا أَرَادَ اللهُ قَبْضَ عَبْدٍ بِأَرْضٍ جَعَلَ لَهُ إِلَيْهَا حَاجَة» ( If Allah wants to take a person's soul in a particular land, He will give him a reason to go there. ) In Al-Mu`jam Al-Kabir, Al-Hafiz Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani recorded that Usamah bin Zayd said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «مَا جَعَلَ اللهُ مِيتَةَ عَبْدٍ بِأَرْضٍ إِلَّا جَعَلَ لَهُ فِيهَا حَاجَة» ( Allah does not will that a person should die in a certain land but He gives him a reason to go there. )" This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Luqman.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
Sufficient for us is Allah and He is the Best Disposer of affairs.

Lo! Allah! With Him is knowledge of the Hour) knowledge of the advent of the Hour which is kept hidden from the servants. ( He sendeth down the rain ) He knows when the rain comes down but this is hidden from people, ( and knoweth that which is in the wombs ) whether it is a male or female, felicitous or damned while this is hidden from the servants. ( No soul knoweth what it will earn tomorrow ) of good or evil while this is hidden from the servants, ( and no soul knoweth in what land it will die ) in what manner it will die because it is hidden from the servants. ( Lo! Allah is Knower ) of His creation, ( Aware ) of their works and of what touches them of benefit or harm’.

Verily, Allah! With Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware (of things).

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