Tafseer of The Cleaving · Al-Infitaar · 82:17
And what can make you know what is the Day of Recompense?
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
His statement: ( وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ ) ("And what makes you know what the Day of Judgment is?"). He, exalted is His mention, says to His Prophet Muḥammad, the Prophet ﷺ: and what makes you know, O Muḥammad — that is to say: and what gives you awareness — what the Day of Judgment (yawm al-dīn) is? He means: what a matter is the Day of Reckoning and Recompense, whereby He, exalted is His mention, magnifies its importance by this statement of His.
And in accordance with what we have said about this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: ( وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ ) — an exaltation of the Day of Resurrection, the day on which people are recompensed according to their deeds.
