Surah Al-Maaida 5:109 - Tafsir & Translation

Al-Ma'idah 5:109 presents a profound scene from the Day of Judgment, declaring 'On the day when Allah will gather the messengers together and say to them: What was the response you received (from men to your teaching)? They will say: We have no knowledge, verily, only You are the All-Knower of all that is hidden (or unseen).' According to classical Islamic scholarship, this verse opens a window into the awesome proceedings of the Day of Resurrection, where even the most honored of Allah's creation - the messengers and prophets - will stand in humble reverence before their Creator. The phrase 'the day when Allah will gather the messengers together' (yawm yajmau Allah ar-rusul) indicates a specific moment during the Day of Judgment when all the prophets and messengers who were sent to different nations throughout history will be assembled before Allah for divine questioning. This gathering serves multiple purposes: to demonstrate that no one, regardless of their exalted status, is exempt from divine accountability, to provide testimony about their respective communities, and to establish the truth about how their messages were received and implemented by their followers. The divine question 'What was the response you received?' (madha ujibhtum) refers to how the communities and nations to whom the messengers were sent responded to their call toward Allah and divine guidance - whether they accepted the message, rejected it, or only partially followed it. This question is directed at the messengers but is really focused on evaluating the conduct and choices of their communities, with the prophets serving as the first witnesses to testify about the behavior of their people. The messengers' response 'We have no knowledge' (la ilm lana) represents a profound demonstration of humility and reverence before Allah, acknowledging that while they witnessed the apparent actions and statements of their communities, they cannot claim certain knowledge about the hidden realities of people's hearts, the sincerity of their faith, or the ultimate state of their souls. This response reflects the understanding that true knowledge of hearts, intentions, and hidden realities belongs exclusively to Allah, and that even the prophets, despite their elevated status and close relationship with Allah, recognize the limitations of human knowledge compared to divine omniscience. The phrase 'only You are the All-Knower of all that is hidden' (innaka anta allam al-ghuyub) acknowledges Allah's unique attribute of knowing all unseen matters, including the secrets of hearts, the sincerity of faith, the reality behind apparent actions, and the true state of every soul - knowledge that no created being, regardless of their rank, can claim to possess with absolute certainty. According to the tafsir literature, this humble response also demonstrates the prophets' deep compassion and concern for their communities, as they choose not to immediately testify against their people but instead defer to Allah's perfect knowledge, hoping that divine mercy might prevail over divine justice. The historical context suggests that this scene particularly addresses the distortions that occurred in various religious communities after their prophets had passed away, where followers claimed to follow their prophets while actually deviating from the original teachings and creating their own interpretations of the divine message. This divine questioning will expose the truth about which communities truly followed their prophets' teachings and which ones created innovations, distortions, or completely different religions while falsely claiming connection to their prophets. The verse teaches that the Day of Judgment will be a time when all falsehoods are exposed, all claims are verified, and the true relationship between prophets and their communities is revealed before the entire creation. The humble response of the messengers demonstrates the proper etiquette (adab) when standing before Allah, showing that even the most honored of creation approach their Creator with humility, acknowledging the supremacy of divine knowledge over all human understanding. This scene also provides comfort to sincere believers, showing that their beloved prophets will be questioned first, and that the prophets' compassionate concern for their communities continues even on the Day of Judgment. Contemporary lessons from this verse include understanding the importance of humility before divine knowledge, recognizing that ultimate judgment belongs to Allah alone, and ensuring that one's religious practice truly follows the authentic teachings of the prophets rather than innovations or distortions that may have crept into religious traditions over time.