Surah An-Najm

Chapter 53 · Verse 42 · Revealed in Makkah

وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلْمُنتَهَىٰ

And that to your Lord is the finality

Translation: Saheeh International

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Mishary Rashid Alafasy

Reflection — Ibn Kathir

Some Attributes of the Lord, that He returns Man as He originated Him, and some of what He does with His Servants

Allah the Exalted said,

وَأَنَّ إِلَى رَبِّكَ الْمُنتَهَى

Reflection — Maarif ul Quran

وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَ‌بِّكَ الْمُنتَهَىٰ (and that to your Lord is the end [ of every one ],... 53:42) This means that ultimately everyone will return to Allah on the Day of Resurrection, and give an account of his actions.

Some of the commentators interpret that this statement purports to say that the access of human thought and imagination ends with Allah. The reality of His Being and attributes cannot be discovered by human imagination, because they are beyond conceptualization. Thus we are clearly prohibited from deliberating (See Ma’ ariful Qur’ an, Vol.2/pp 277-280 [ Tr.]) in His Being and His Attributes. There are narrations that tell us to ponder over the manifestation of His Attributes and bounties, and not to conceptualize His Being and His Attributes or Qualities, the reality of which should be left to the Divine Knowledge only.

What does this verse bring up for you today?

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