Surah As-Sajdah 32:28
سُورَةُ السَّجۡدَةِ · Meccan · Verse 28 of 30
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا ٱلْفَتْحُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ
Translation
And they say, ‘When will this Decision be, if you are telling the truth?’
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This powerful verse opens with the disbelievers mockingly challenging the believers about the timing of a promised Divine intervention. It paints a vivid picture of their denial and arrogance, captured through specific word choices.
Persistent Disbelief
The verse begins with وَيَقُولُونَ (wa yaqūlūna), "And they say." The use of this present tense verb form (mudari') is significant. As Ibn Ashur notes, it suggests their continuous, repeated questioning and mockery, not just a one-time statement. It conveys the persistent nature of their scoffing, underscoring their unwavering disbelief despite the warnings.
The Mockery of "Al-Fath"
They ask, مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا ٱلْفَتْحُ (matā hādhā al-fathu), "When is this victory/judgment?" The word الْفَتْحُ (al-fath) carries a dual meaning of "victory" and "judgment" or "decisive separation," as explained by Zamakhshari and Ibn Ashur. It refers to Allah's promised judgment between the believers and disbelievers, which would involve the believers' triumph and the disbelievers' punishment. However, the disbelievers use it here sarcastically.
Even more subtly, the use of the demonstrative pronoun هَٰذَا (hādhā), "this," by the disbelievers is an interesting choice. Ibn Ashur highlights that it serves to belittle and show a lack of concern for the promised event. They use "this" as if the 'Fath' is an insignificant, vague, or non-existent thing, thereby reducing its importance and credibility in their eyes.
A Hollow Challenge
Their challenge culminates with إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ (in kuntum sādiqīn), "if you are truthful." This isn't a sincere request for proof, but a rhetorical jab. They imply that if the believers were truly certain of the 'Fath,' they would know its exact time. Ibn Ashur calls this "invalid sophistry," explaining that knowing something will occur does not automatically mean knowing its precise timing. It was a false premise designed to invalidate the believers' claims through mockery and denial.
Through these precise wordings, the Quran reveals the disbelievers' entrenched skepticism, their belittling attitude towards Allah's promises, and their persistent, sarcastic challenges. It sets the stage for the powerful divine response that would follow.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn, al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah As-Sajdah 32:28 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.