Sad · Makki · ayah 88 of 88

Sad 38:88

وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ نَبَأَهُۥ بَعْدَ حِينٍۭ

“And you will surely know [the truth of] its information after a time."”

Saheeh International

Essence

The surah ends on an untold while: everyone will learn this Book's truth, but only those who ponder it learn it in time.

A reflection

Two ways to reach the end of a Book

This is the last ayah of Surah Sad. Look back at how the surah has spoken of its own Book. It opened with an oath by the Quran, possessor of the Reminder (38:1). In its middle it called itself a blessed Book, sent down so that its ayat would be pondered (38:29). A moment ago it named itself nothing but a reminder for all the worlds (38:87). And now it closes: you will surely know its news, after a while.

The word for pondering that 38:29 uses comes from the back of a thing, its far side, its end. To ponder is to follow an ayah round to where it leads. This last ayah makes a promise about that far end. Every hearer of this Book will reach it. The only question left open is how.

One way is to walk there now. A manager reads 38:26 one morning: judge between people with truth, and do not follow desire. That afternoon she has two candidates on her desk for one post. She notices she has already favoured the one who reminds her of herself. She reopens the other file and reads it properly. The news of that ayah has reached her while it can still change something. Faith, seen this way, is not a bet placed blind. It is news followed to where it leads, and tested in a life, before the while runs out.

The other way is to be brought there. The news arrives anyway, at death, or on the Day, or in a turn of events nobody can argue with. Then it is known with complete certainty, and too late to be of use.

That is one way to hear what made this Book blessed. Its news will be known by everyone, without exception. Pondering is simply learning it early. The surah's final word leaves every reader standing inside the while, with the Book still open and the choice still theirs.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.