Surah Al-Kahf 18:36
سُورَةُ الكَهۡفِ · Meccan · Verse 36 of 110
وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآئِمَةًۭ وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّى لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًۭا مِّنْهَا مُنقَلَبًۭا
Translation
or that the Last Hour will ever come- even if I were to be taken back to my Lord, I would certainly find something even better there.’
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
'And I do not think the Hour will come; and even if I am returned to my Lord, I will surely find better than this in exchange.' al-Saadi and Ibn Kathir note the deepening arrogance, he not only denies the reckoning but presumes that if there is one, his worldly favour proves God favours him, so he'll be rewarded there too. Ask yourself: this is a subtle, dangerous logic I can fall into, reading my worldly success as evidence of God's approval, assuming that because things go well for me here, they must go well for me there. But worldly blessing is a test, not a verdict. The man treats his garden as proof of his standing with God, when it is actually the thing being weighed against him. Do I quietly assume my comfort and success mean God is pleased with me, using His gifts as false reassurance instead of examining how I'm handling them?
Grounded in classical tafsir: al-Saadi, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Ashur.
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Kahf 18:36 is discussed in 23 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
- Security (Amn)
- Luxury (Taraf)
- Dialogue (Hiwar)
- Trees (Shajar)
- Tyranny (Tughyan)
- Racism (Unsariyyah)
- Gradual Enticement (Istidraj)
- Sustenance (Rizq)
- Resurrection (Ba'th)
- Blind Following (Taqlid)
- Humility (Tawadu)
- Monotheism (Tawhid)
- Debate (Jidal)
- Dhul-Qarnayn (Dhu al-Qarnayn)
- Adornment (Zinah)
- Oaths (Qasam)
- Disbelief (Kufr)
- Forgetfulness (Nisyan)
- Time (Waqt)
- Happiness (Sa'adah)
- Doubt (Shakk)
- Conjecture (Zann)
- Honor (Izzah)
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Kahf 18:36 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.