Surah Al-Haqqah 69:3
سُورَةُ الحَاقَّةِ · Meccan · Verse 3 of 52
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْحَآقَّةُ
Translation
What will explain to you what the Inevitable Hour is?
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
Surah al-Haaqqa opens with a powerful, echoing address about the Day of Judgment. The third verse, "وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْحَآقَّةُ" (Wamaa Adraaka mal Haaqqa), builds on the preceding verses to deepen our understanding and awe of this momentous event. Here, Allah is speaking directly to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, but the message of profound reality extends to all of us.
The Name Al-Haaqqa
The very name given to this Day, "الحاقّة" (al-Haaqqa), is chosen with immense precision. Derived from the Arabic root *haqqa*, meaning to be firm, established, or true, al-Haaqqa signifies something whose occurrence is absolutely certain and undeniable. Scholars like Ibn Ashur and al-Razi highlight that this word conveys multiple layers of meaning: it is the event that is certain to happen, the Day when all realities will be known, and when every right and wrong will be settled. It is a day of unavoidable truth and consequence, where the promises and threats of Allah will be fully realized. The very word itself evokes a sense of truth, certainty, and inescapable reality.
The Awe of "What is Al-Haaqqa?"
The Quran immediately follows "الحاقّة" with the question, "مَا ٱلْحَآقَّةُ" (Mal Haaqqa?), meaning "What is al-Haaqqa?" This is not a question seeking a simple definition. As scholars like al-Zamakhshari and al-Jalalayn explain, this is a rhetorical question designed for "زيادة تعظيم لشأنها" (added magnification of its status) and to convey its immense terror and awe. By repeating the name and posing it as a question, Allah emphasizes that the true nature and magnitude of this Day are beyond human comprehension. It's a way of saying, "You think you know what it is? No, it is far grander and more terrifying than you can imagine." The choice to repeat the explicit noun "الحاقّة" instead of using a pronoun further underscores its tremendousness, as noted by Ibn Ashur.
"And What Has Made You Know?"
Then comes our specific verse, "وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْحَآقَّةُ" (Wamaa Adraaka mal Haaqqa), which can be translated as "And what has made you know what al-Haaqqa is?" This phrase, addressed to the Prophet, further solidifies the theme of incomprehensible grandeur. It signifies that even a Prophet, blessed with divine revelation, cannot fully grasp the ultimate essence and depth of this Day. Al-Razi explains that its greatness and severity are beyond anyone's knowledge or imagination; however one might try to conceive it, it is greater. Ibn Ashur points out that while this particular phrasing "ما أدراك" (what has made you know) implies that *some* information *will* be given (as indeed the surah continues to describe events of that Day), the ultimate, full reality remains beyond our grasp. It leaves us with a profound sense of humility, recognizing the limits of human understanding in the face of Allah's immense power and the magnitude of His decree.
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 69:3 is discussed in 3 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Haqqah 69:3 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.