For this reason, Allah Most High says, “Whomever Allah leads astray has no guide, and He leaves them wandering blindly in their transgression.” That is, bewildered (1) and wavering, unable to escape it or find guidance to the truth.

⦗311⦘

(187, 188) “They ask you about the Hour: when will it come to pass? Say, ‘Knowledge of it rests only with my Lord. None but He will reveal it at its appointed time. It weighs heavily upon the heavens and the earth. It will not come upon you except suddenly.’ They ask you as though you had persistently sought knowledge of it. Say, ‘Knowledge of it rests only with Allah, but most people do not know.’”

Allah Most High says to His Messenger Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him: “They ask you”—that is, those who deny you and question you obstinately—“about the Hour: when will it come to pass?” That is, when is the time at which it will arrive, and when will it befall creation?

“Say, ‘Knowledge of it rests only with my Lord.’” That is, He alone possesses knowledge of it. “None but He will reveal it at its appointed time.” That is, none but He will disclose it at the time He has decreed for it to occur.

“It weighs heavily upon the heavens and the earth.” That is, knowledge of it is hidden from the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, and its momentous nature also weighs heavily upon them, so they are apprehensive about the Hour.

“It will not come upon you except suddenly.” That is, it will come unexpectedly, when you are unaware, and people have neither prepared themselves for it nor made ready for its occurrence.

“They ask you as though you had persistently sought knowledge of it.” That is, they are eager to question you about the Hour, as though you yourself had pressed persistently to learn about it. They do not realize that—because of your perfect knowledge of your Lord and of what it is beneficial to ask about—you attach no importance to asking about it and are not eager to do so. Why, then, do they not follow your example and cease pressing this question, which serves no useful purpose and whose answer is beyond reach? No prophet sent as a messenger and no angel brought near knows it.

The Hour is among the matters that Allah has concealed from creation because of His perfect wisdom and the vastness of His knowledge.

“Say, ‘Knowledge of it rests only with Allah, but most people do not know.’” For that reason, they eagerly pursue what should not be pursued—especially people such as these, who refrain from asking about what is most important and neglect the knowledge they are obliged to acquire, then turn instead to something that no one has any means of comprehending and that they are not required to know.