Surah Al-An"aam 6:158 - Tafsir & Translation
Read the Arabic text, translation, and detailed commentary for Surah Al-An"aam, Ayah 158
Arabic Text
هَلۡ يَنۡظُرُوۡنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ تَاۡتِيَهُمُ الۡمَلٰۤٮِٕكَةُ اَوۡ يَاۡتِىَ رَبُّكَ اَوۡ يَاۡتِىَ بَعۡضُ اٰيٰتِ رَبِّكَؕ يَوۡمَ يَاۡتِىۡ بَعۡضُ اٰيٰتِ رَبِّكَ لَا يَنۡفَعُ نَفۡسًا اِيۡمَانُهَا لَمۡ تَكُنۡ اٰمَنَتۡ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ اَوۡ كَسَبَتۡ فِىۡۤ اِيۡمَانِهَا خَيۡرًاؕ قُلِ انْتَظِرُوۡۤا اِنَّا مُنۡتَظِرُوۡنَ
Transliteration
Hal yanthuroona illaan ta/tiyahumu almala-ikatu aw ya/tiya rabbuka aw ya/tiyabaAAdu ayati rabbika yawma ya/tee baAAduayati rabbika la yanfaAAu nafsan eemanuhalam takun amanat min qablu aw kasabat fee eemanihakhayran quli intathiroo inna muntathiroon
Verse Definition & Meaning
Meaning & Definition
Al-An'am 6:158 delivers a stern warning about divine patience reaching its limit: 'Are they waiting for the very angels to come to them, or your Lord himself, or maybe some of His signs? But on the day some of your Lord's signs come, no soul will profit from faith if it had none before, or has not already earned some good through its faith.' According to authentic Islamic scholarship, this verse addresses three scenarios disbelievers might be waiting for: (1) angels of death coming to take their souls, (2) Allah's manifestation on the Day of Judgment for final accounting, or (3) the major signs (ayat kubra) of the last hour before Qiyamah. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) specifically identified 'some of your Lord's signs' as referring to major end-time portents, particularly the sun rising from the west, after which 'the door of repentance will be closed.' In authentic hadith, the Prophet listed ten major signs including the sun rising from the west, the Dajjal (Anti-Christ), the Beast of the Earth, the smoke, the descent of Jesus, Gog and Magog, and three major landslides. The verse establishes that once these signs appear, faith offered under compulsion becomes invalid because 'faith and repentance can be accepted only up to the time it remains within the choice of a person.' When divine punishment and afterlife reality become visible, belief under duress lacks sincerity. The final command 'Wait if you wish: we too are waiting' represents both a threat to disbelievers and promise that Allah's justice will be perfectly executed when His appointed time arrives.
This definition is based on classical Islamic scholarship and authentic interpretations from recognized scholars.
Tafsir & Context
Detailed tafsir and context for Surah Al-An"aam Ayah 158 will be available soon.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions: Surah Al-An"aam Ayah 158
Find answers to common questions about the meaning, interpretation, and significance of this verse in Islamic teachings and daily life.
❓What are the disbelievers waiting for according to Al-An'am 6:158?
According to Al-An'am 6:158, the disbelievers are waiting for three possible scenarios: (1) the angels to come to them - which refers to the angels of death arriving to take their souls, (2) their Lord to come - referring to Allah's manifestation on the Day of Judgment for final accounting, or (3) some signs of their Lord - referring to the major signs (ayat kubra) of the last hour before Qiyamah. According to authentic tafsir, these represent escalating levels of divine intervention that the disbelievers seem to require before they will believe, despite having already received clear guidance through the Quran and Prophet Muhammad.
❓What does the Quran mean by 'some of your Lord's signs' in this verse?
According to authentic hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), 'some of your Lord's signs' refers to the major signs of the last hour. In a hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad and others, the Prophet specifically mentioned ten major signs including: (1) the sun rising from the west, (2) the Dajjal (Anti-Christ), (3) the Beast of the Earth, (4) the descent of Jesus (Isa), (5) Gog and Magog (Ya'juj wa Ma'juj), (6) three major landslides in the east, west, and Arabian Peninsula, (7) a special type of smoke, and (8) a fire emerging from Yemen. The Prophet emphasized that the sun rising from the west would be among the first and most significant of these signs.
❓Why does faith become futile after these signs appear according to Islamic teaching?
According to Islamic theology explained in the tafsir, faith becomes futile after major divine signs appear because 'faith and repentance can be accepted only up to the time it remains within the choice of a person.' When divine punishment and the reality of the afterlife become open to perception, every human being stands compelled to believe and abstain from sin. Faith under duress and repentance under threat are not acceptable because they lack sincerity and free choice. As the verse states, 'no soul will profit from faith if it had none before' - meaning that authentic faith must be offered during the period of unseen (ghayb) when belief requires genuine conviction rather than compulsion based on witnessing undeniable divine manifestations.
❓What is the significance of the sun rising from the west according to authentic hadith?
According to authentic hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, the sun rising from the west is one of the most significant signs of the last hour. The Prophet Muhammad said: 'The last hour will not commence until the sun rises from the west. When the people witness that, they will all believe. This is when no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before.' Abdullah ibn Amr reported that the Prophet said this would be the first of the major signs to appear. The hadith explains that the sun normally prostrates under Allah's throne each night and seeks permission to return; but when Allah wills it to rise from the west, it will receive no response to its request for normal return, compelling it to rise from where it set. This cosmic reversal marks the closing of the 'door of repentance' for all humanity.
❓How does this verse connect to the concept of divine justice in Islam?
This verse demonstrates Allah's perfect justice by showing that divine patience has limits, but these limits are reached only after extensive opportunities for guidance have been provided. Throughout Surah Al-An'am, Allah has established His case through creation signs, revealed guidance, elimination of excuses, and clear warnings. The verse represents the final stage where Allah says, in essence: 'If you insist on waiting for overwhelming proof that removes all choice, then wait - but understand that faith offered under such circumstances will be worthless.' This maintains divine justice because: (1) ample opportunity for voluntary faith was provided, (2) clear warnings about the consequences of delay were given, and (3) the futility of forced belief preserves the authenticity and value of genuine faith chosen freely during the period of unseen.
❓What does the phrase 'earned some good through faith' mean in this context?
The phrase 'or has not already earned some good through its faith' addresses believers who had faith but failed to translate it into righteous deeds. According to the tafsir, this means that even those who were already believers will not benefit from delayed repentance or good deeds after the major signs appear if they had not 'earned good' through their faith beforehand. Islamic theology emphasizes that authentic faith (iman) must be accompanied by righteous actions (amal salih). The verse warns that the window for earning spiritual merit through good deeds will close with the appearance of major signs, just as the window for initial faith closes. This encourages believers not just to maintain faith, but to actively engage in good works while the opportunity for spiritual development remains open.
❓How does this verse relate to the individual experience of death according to Islamic teaching?
According to Islamic scholars, this verse applies both to the universal end-time signs and to the individual experience of death. Just as repentance becomes invalid after major cosmic signs appear, it also becomes invalid when a person's death is imminent and they can see the angels of death. The Prophet Muhammad said: 'The repentance of a servant of Allah continues being accepted until comes the agony of death (when the soul comes into the throat).' This creates a parallel between the cosmic timeline and individual timeline - in both cases, when the unseen becomes seen (whether through divine signs or approaching death), the opportunity for meaningful faith and repentance ends. The wisdom is that both represent moments when belief becomes compelled rather than chosen, thus lacking the authentic spiritual value that comes from faith in the unseen.
❓What is the meaning of 'we too are waiting' at the end of this verse?
The phrase 'Say: wait if you wish: we too are waiting' represents both a stern warning and a confident declaration. According to the tafsir, this is Allah's response through His Prophet to those who persist in disbelief despite clear guidance. It means: 'If you insist on waiting for the angels of death, the Day of Judgment, or the major signs of the last hour before you believe, then continue waiting - but know that we are also waiting to see what Allah decides to do with you.' This reflects divine confidence in ultimate justice and serves as both a threat to disbelievers (who will face consequences for their delay) and reassurance to believers (that Allah's promise of justice will be fulfilled). It emphasizes that while disbelievers wait for overwhelming proof, believers wait for divine vindication.
❓How does this verse address the psychology of procrastination in spiritual matters?
This verse directly confronts the dangerous psychology of spiritual procrastination by showing its ultimate futility. The verse implies that those who delay belief are essentially saying: 'We'll believe when we see angels, or when God appears, or when undeniable signs manifest.' This represents the human tendency to postpone spiritual commitment until circumstances make it undeniable or unavoidable. However, the verse warns that such delayed belief will be worthless precisely because it lacks the quality of genuine choice and sincere conviction. The psychological insight is profound: authentic spiritual transformation requires faith in the unseen (iman bil-ghayb), which develops character, humility, and genuine righteousness. Belief motivated by overwhelming evidence does not produce these spiritual qualities and therefore cannot serve as the basis for eternal reward.
❓What does this verse teach about the relationship between divine mercy and divine justice?
This verse illustrates the perfect balance between divine mercy and divine justice. Allah's mercy is demonstrated through: (1) providing extensive guidance through revelation and messengers, (2) giving multiple opportunities for belief and repentance, (3) sending clear warnings about spiritual deadlines, and (4) explaining the consequences of delay. Allah's justice is shown through: (1) setting clear boundaries for when opportunities expire, (2) maintaining the integrity of faith by rejecting insincere belief under duress, (3) ensuring that those who had genuine opportunities cannot claim ignorance, and (4) protecting the value and meaning of authentic faith. The verse shows that divine mercy provides every reasonable opportunity for salvation, while divine justice ensures that these opportunities have meaningful deadlines and that the spiritual system maintains its integrity and fairness for all.
Translations & Commentary
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