Surah Al-Haqqah 69:2
سُورَةُ الحَاقَّةِ · Meccan · Verse 2 of 52
مَا ٱلْحَآقَّةُ
Translation
What is the Inevitable Hour?
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
Surah Al-Haqqah opens with a profound, almost startling declaration: "Al-Haqqah!" (The Inevitable Reality!). This is immediately followed by a powerful question in the second verse: "مَا ٱلْحَآقَّةُ" (What is the Inevitable Reality?). This phrasing is not merely informative; it is a meticulously chosen expression from Allah, designed to pierce the heart and stir contemplation.
What "Al-Haqqah" Means
The very word "الحاقَّة" (Al-Haqqah) carries immense weight. It comes from the Arabic root *haqq*, which signifies truth, reality, certainty, and inevitability. Scholars like Ibn Ashur and al-Razi explain that this particular form, an active participle, emphasizes something that is *actively and inescapably happening*. It is the Day whose occurrence is absolutely fixed, coming without a shadow of a doubt. It's not just a future event; it's a reality that will manifest in full.
Many layers of meaning emerge from this choice of word. It is the Day when all matters become truly known, when hidden truths are revealed, when justice and recompense are firmly established, and when all false claims are utterly vanquished. Ibn Ashur notes the elegant conciseness (ijaz badee') of this word choice, allowing listeners to grasp various dimensions of its awesome nature. It's a proper name, a title given to the Day of Judgment, because everything about it is *realized* and *settled*.
Why the Question?
The question "مَا ٱلْحَآقَّةُ" (What is the Inevitable Reality?) is not an ordinary inquiry seeking information. Rather, as scholars like al-Zamakhshari, al-Jalalayn, and Ibn Ashur explain, it is a rhetorical question used for *magnification and terror*. It highlights that the true nature and intensity of Al-Haqqah are beyond human comprehension. It's as if Allah is asking, "Can you truly grasp, can you even begin to imagine, what this momentous reality entails?" It’s a way of saying, "It is something unimaginably tremendous."
The Power of Repetition
Notice that the verse repeats the noun "الحاقَّة" (Al-Haqqah) instead of using a pronoun like "what is it?" This rhetorical technique, called *idhar fi maqam al-idmar* (revealing the noun in place of a pronoun), is a deliberate choice for profound impact. Ibn Ashur and al-Razi point out that this repetition serves to *intensify the awe and terror*. By reiterating the name, the Quran keeps the immense, overwhelming reality of "Al-Haqqah" at the absolute forefront of our minds, ensuring its gravity is neither diluted nor forgotten. It forces us to pause and confront the very name of this inescapable Day.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jalalayn, Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Haqqah 69:2 is discussed in 2 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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