Living The Quran
From Issue: 953 [Read full issue]
Ever Mindful
Luqman (Luqman) Sura 31: Verse 34
"Truly with God lies knowledge of the Hour, and He sends down the rain and knows what lies in wombs. And no soul knows what it will earn on the morrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Truly God is Knowing, Aware."
Ibn Umar related that the Prophet said, "The keys of the Unseen are five, and none knows them except God: none knows the timing of the Hour except God; none knows what is hidden in wombs except God; none knows what is in store for tomorrow except God; no soul knows in which land it will die; only God knows this; and none knows when it will rain except God". According to some accounts, after making this statement, the Prophet recited this verse.
This verse was reportedly revealed in response to a man who asked the Prophet about the Hour and its exact timing, adding, "Our land has dried up. When is it going to rain? And I left my wife pregnant. When is she going to give birth? And I know in which land I was born, but in which land am I going to die?" But according to others, the verse had been revealed before this encounter, and the Prophet simply responded to these questions by saying, "If God wanted to take the soul of a servant in a particular land, He would place within that servant a need, such that he would not cease until he had reached that land," after which he recited this verse.
That no one knows the time or place of death is understood as an admonition to be always prepared for death and thus ever mindful of God. In this vein, al-Tustari is reported to have said, "No soul knows what it will earn on the morrow; that is, [no soul knows] what [counts] for it and against it in what has been measured out from the Unseen. So, be wary of [what has been measured out] by upholding the remembrance of Him and crying out to Him for help, until He Himself takes care of your affair; as He has said: God effaces what He will and establishes."
Compiled From:
"The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary" - Seyyed Hossein Nasr