Tafsir al-Uthaymin Juz Amma - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (56)

Tafsir al-Uthaymin Juz AmmaIbn al-'Uthaymin

“They ask you about the Hour: ‘When will it come to pass?’ What can you say about its time? Its ultimate knowledge rests with your Lord. You are only a warner to those who fear it. On the Day they see it, it will be as though they had remained only for a single evening or its morning.”

“They ask you about the Hour: ‘When will it come to pass?’” “They ask you” means that people ask you, just as Allah Most High says in another verse: “People ask you about the Hour. Say, ‘Its knowledge is only with Allah’” [al-Ahzāb: 63].

Mursāhā means when it will occur. People’s questions about the Hour fall into two categories. The first is a question expressing incredulity and denial, and this is disbelief. The polytheists questioned the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—about the Hour in this manner and demanded that it be hastened. Allah says of such people: “Those who do not believe in it seek to hasten it, while those who believe are fearful of it and know that it is the truth.”

The second is to ask when the Hour will be so as to prepare for it. There is nothing wrong with this. A man once said to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—“O Messenger of Allah, when will the Hour be?” He asked him, “What have you prepared for it?” The man replied, “Love for Allah and His Messenger.” He said, “A person will be with those whom he loves.” (1)

Thus, people ask the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—but their intentions in asking differ. Regardless of their intentions and the questions they ask, knowledge of the Hour rests with Allah. Hence He says: “What can you say about its time?” This means that you cannot tell them when the Hour will be, because its knowledge rests with Allah, as He says in another verse: “Say, ‘Its knowledge is only with Allah’” [al-Ahzāb: 63].

Gabriel—peace be upon him—the most knowledgeable of the angels, asked the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—the most knowledgeable of humankind, about this by Allah’s revelation. He said, “Tell me about the Hour.” The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—replied, “The one questioned about it knows no more than the questioner.” (2) In other words, as for you, if—

(1) Narrated by al-Bukhārī, *Book of Good Manners*, “Chapter on Saying ‘Woe to You!’” (6167); and Muslim, *Book of Virtue*, “Chapter: A Person Will Be with Those He Loves” (2639 [161]). (2) Narrated by al-Bukhārī, *Book of Faith*, “Chapter on Gabriel’s Questions” (50); and Muslim, *Book of Faith*, “Chapter Clarifying Faith and Islam” (1).

﴿يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَهَا * فِيمَ أَنتَ مِن ذِكْرَاهَا * إِلَى رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَهَآ * إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُنذِرُ مَن يَخْشَهَا * كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُواْ إِلَاّ عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَهَا ﴿يسألونك عن الساعة إيَّان مرسها﴾ ﴿يسألونك﴾ يعني يسألك الناس كما قال تعالى في آية أخرى: ﴿يسألك الناس عن الساعة قل إنما علمها عند الله﴾ [الأحزاب: ٦٣] . (مرساها) أي متى وقوعاها سؤال الناس عن الساعة ينقسم إلى قسمين: سؤال استبعاد وإنكار وهذا كفر كما سأل المشركون النبي ﷺ عن الساعة واستعجلوها، وقد قال الله عن هؤلاء: ﴿يستعجل بها الذين لا يؤمنون بها والذين آمنوا مشفقون منها ويعلمون أنها الحق﴾ . وسؤال عن الساعة يسأل متى الساعة ليستعد لها وهذا لا بأس به، وقد قال رجل للنبي ﵊: يا رسول الله متى الساعة؟ قال له: «ماذا أعددت لها؟ قال: حب الله ورسوله. قال: «المرء مع من أحب» (١) ، فالناس يسألون النبي ﵊ ولكن تختلف نياتهم في هذا السؤال، ومهما كانت نياتهم ومهما كانت أسئلتهم فعلم الساعة عند الله ولهذا قال: ﴿فيمَ أنت من ذكراها﴾ يعني أنه لا يمكن أن تذكر لهم الساعة، لأن علمها عند الله كما قال تعالى في آية أخرى: ﴿قل إنما علمها عند الله﴾ [الأحزاب: ٦٣] . وقد سأل جبريل ﵇ وهو أعلم الملائكة، بوحي الله النبي ﵌ وهو أعلم البشر بذلك قال: أخبرني عن الساعة. فقال له النبي ﵌: «ما المسؤول عنها بأعلم من السائل» (٢) ، يعني أنت إذا

(١) أخرجه البخاري كتاب الأدب باب ما جاء في قول الرجل ويلك، (٦١٦٧) ومسلم كتاب البر باب المرء مع من أحب (٢٦٣٩) (١٦١) . (٢) أخرجه البخاري كتاب الإيمان، باب سؤال جبريل (٥٠) ومسلم كتاب الإيمان باب بيان الإيمان والإسلام (١) ..