The Inquiry

The Inquiry السؤال

  • وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ 186

[ البقرة : 186] (2)

  1. And when My servants ask you about Me, I Am near; I answer the call of the caller when he calls on Me. So let them answer Me, and have faith in Me, that they may be rightly guided.

2-AlBaqarah

  • يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الأهِلَّةِ قُلْ هِيَ مَوَاقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَالْحَجِّ وَلَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِأَنْ تَأْتُوْا الْبُيُوتَ مِن ظُهُورِهَا وَلَكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنِ اتَّقَى وَأْتُواْ الْبُيُوتَ مِنْ أَبْوَابِهَا وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ 189

[ البقرة : 189 ] (2)

  1. They ask you about the crescents. Say, “They are timetables for people, and for the Hajj.” It is not virtuous that you approach homes from their backs, but virtue is to be pious. So approach homes from their doors, and observe God, that you may succeed.

2-AlBaqarah

  • يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ وَمَا عَلَّمْتُم مِّنَ الْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ اللَّهُ فَكُلُواْ مِمَّا أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَاذْكُرُواْ اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ 4

[ المائدة : 4 ] (5)

  1. They ask you what is permitted for them. Say, “Permitted for you are all good things, including what trained dogs and falcons catch for you.” You train them according to what God has taught you. So eat from what they catch for you, and pronounce God’s name over it. And fear God. God is Swift in reckoning.

5-AlMa’idah

  • يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْ أَشْيَاء إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ وَإِن تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْهَا حِينَ يُنَزَّلُ الْقُرْآنُ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنْهَا وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ 101
  • قَدْ سَأَلَهَا قَوْمٌ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحُواْ بِهَا كَافِرِينَ 102

[ المائدة 101 – 102 ] (5)

  1. O you who believe! Do not ask about things that would trouble you if disclosed to you. But if you were to ask about them while the Quran is being revealed, they will become obvious to you. God forgives that. God is Forgiving and Clement.
  2. A people before you asked about them, but then came to reject them.

5-AlMa’idah

  • يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّي لاَ يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَا إِلاَّ هُوَ ثَقُلَتْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لاَ تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلاَّ بَغْتَةً يَسْأَلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِيٌّ عَنْهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ 187
  • قُل لاَّ أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي نَفْعًا وَلاَ ضَرًّا إِلاَّ مَا شَاء اللَّهُ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ لاَسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِيَ السُّوءُ إِنْ أَنَاْ إِلاَّ نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ 188

[ الاعراف 187 – 188 ] (7)

  1. They ask you about the Hour, “When will it come?” Say, “Knowledge of it rests with my Lord. None can reveal its coming except He. It weighs heavily on the heavens and the earth. It will not come upon you except suddenly.” They ask you as if you are responsible for it. Say, “Knowledge of it rests with God,” but most people do not know.
  2. Say, “I have no control over any benefit or harm to myself, except as God wills. Had I known the future, I would have acquired much good, and no harm would have touched me. I am only a warner, and a herald of good news to a people who believe.”

7-AlA’raf

  • وَنَادَى نُوحٌ رَّبَّهُ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ ابْنِي مِنْ أَهْلِي وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ الْحَاكِمِينَ 45
  • قَالَ يَا نُوحُ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَالِحٍ فَلاَ تَسْأَلْنِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنِّي أَعِظُكَ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ 46
  • قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَإِلاَّ تَغْفِرْ لِي وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُن مِّنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ 47

[ هود 45 – 47 ] (11)

  1. And Noah called to his Lord. He said, “O My Lord, my son is of my family, and Your promise is true, and You are the Wisest of the wise.”
  2. He said, “O Noah, he is not of your family. It is an unrighteous deed. So do not ask Me about something you know nothing about. I admonish you, lest you be one of the ignorant.”
  3. He said, “O My Lord, I seek refuge with You, from asking You about what I have no knowledge of. Unless You forgive me, and have mercy on me, I will be one of the losers.”

11-Hud

  • وَلاَ تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْؤُولاً 36
  • وَلاَ تَمْشِ فِي الأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّكَ لَن تَخْرِقَ الأَرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ الْجِبَالَ طُولاً 37
  • كُلُّ ذَلِكَ كَانَ سَيِّئُهُ عِندَ رَبِّكَ مَكْرُوهًا 38
  • ذَلِكَ مِمَّا أَوْحَى إِلَيْكَ رَبُّكَ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ فَتُلْقَى فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَلُومًا مَّدْحُورًا 39

[ الاسراء 36 – 39 ] (17)

  1. And do not occupy yourself with what you have no knowledge of. The hearing, and the sight, and the brains—all these will be questioned.
  2. And do not walk proudly on earth. You can neither pierce the earth, nor can you match the mountains in height.
  3. The evil of all these is disliked by your Lord.
  4. That is some of the wisdom your Lord has revealed to you. Do not set up with God another god, or else you will be thrown in Hell, rebuked and banished.

17-AlIsra’

  • وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّن الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً 85
  • وَلَئِن شِئْنَا لَنَذْهَبَنَّ بِالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ ثُمَّ لاَ تَجِدُ لَكَ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا وَكِيلاً
  • إِلاَّ رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّ فَضْلَهُ كَانَ عَلَيْكَ كَبِيرًا 87

[ الاسراء 85 – 87 ] (17)

  1. And they ask you about the Spirit. Say, “The Spirit belongs to the domain of my Lord; and you were given only little knowledge.”
  2. If We willed, We could take away what We revealed to you. Then you will find for yourself no protecting guardian against Us.
  3. Except through a mercy from your Lord. His favors upon you have been great.

17-AlIsra’

  • فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِّنْ عِبَادِنَا آتَيْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلْمًا 65
  • قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَى أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا
  • قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا
  • وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْرًا
  • قَالَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاء اللَّهُ صَابِرًا وَلا أَعْصِي لَكَ أَمْرًا
  • قَالَ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِي فَلا تَسْأَلْنِي عَن شَيْءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا 70

[ الكهف 65 – 70 ] (18)

  1. Then they came upon a servant of Ours, whom We had blessed with mercy from Us, and had taught him knowledge from Our Own.
  2. Moses said to him, “May I follow you, so that you may teach me some of the guidance you were taught?”
  3. He said, “You will not be able to endure with me.
  4. And how will you endure what you have no knowledge of?”
  5. He said, “You will find me, God willing, patient; and I will not disobey you in any order of yours.”
  6. He said, “If you follow me, do not ask me about anything, until I myself make mention of it to you.”

18-AlKahf

  • وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْجِبَالِ فَقُلْ يَنسِفُهَا رَبِّي نَسْفًا 105
  • فَيَذَرُهَا قَاعًا صَفْصَفًا
  • لا تَرَى فِيهَا عِوَجًا وَلا أَمْتًا
  • يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَّبِعُونَ الدَّاعِيَ لا عِوَجَ لَهُ وَخَشَعَت الأَصْوَاتُ لِلرَّحْمَنِ فَلا تَسْمَعُ إِلاَّ هَمْسًا
  • يَوْمَئِذٍ لّا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَنُ وَرَضِيَ لَهُ قَوْلا
  • يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْمًا 110
  • وَعَنَتِ الْوُجُوهُ لِلْحَيِّ الْقَيُّومِ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ حَمَلَ ظُلْمًا
  • وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِنَ الصَّالِحَاتِ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلا يَخَافُ ظُلْمًا وَلا هَضْمًا 112

[ طه 105 – 112 ] (20)

  1. And they ask you about the mountains. Say, “My Lord will crumble them utterly.”
  2. And leave them desolate waste.
  3. You will see in them neither crookedness, nor deviation.”
  4. On that Day, they will follow the caller, without any deviation. Voices will be hushed before the Merciful, and you will hear nothing but murmur.
  5. On that Day, intercession will not avail, except for him permitted by the Merciful, and whose words He has approved.
  6. He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot comprehend Him in their knowledge.
  7. Faces will be humbled before the Living, the Eternal. Whoever carries injustice will despair.

112. But whoever has done righteous deeds, while being a believer—will fear neither injustice, nor grievance.

20-TaHa

  • وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً نُّوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ فَاسْأَلُواْ أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ 7
  • وَمَا جَعَلْنَاهُمْ جَسَدًا لّا يَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَمَا كَانُوا خَالِدِينَ
  • ثُمَّ صَدَقْنَاهُمُ الْوَعْدَ فَأَنجَيْنَاهُمْ وَمَن نَّشَاء وَأَهْلَكْنَا الْمُسْرِفِينَ 9

[ الانبياء 7 – 9 ] (21)

  1. We did not send before you except men, whom We inspired. Ask the people of knowledge, if you do not know.
  2. We did not make them mere bodies that ate no food, nor were they immortal.
  3. Then We fulfilled Our promise to them, and We saved them together with whomever We willed, and We destroyed the extravagant.

21-AlAnbiya’

  • وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لا يَمُوتُ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِهِ وَكَفَى بِهِ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا 58
  • الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ الرَّحْمَنُ فَاسْأَلْ بِهِ خَبِيرًا 59
  • وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اسْجُدُوا لِلرَّحْمَنِ قَالُوا وَمَا الرَّحْمَنُ أَنَسْجُدُ لِمَا تَأْمُرُنَا وَزَادَهُمْ نُفُورًا 60

[ الفرقان 58 – 60 ] (25)

  1. And put your trust in the Living, the One who never dies; and celebrate His praise. He suffices as the All-Informed Knower of the faults of His creatures.
  2. He who created the heavens and the earth and everything between them in six days, then settled on the Throne. The Most Merciful. Ask about Him a well-informed.
  3. And when it is said to them, “Bow down to the Merciful,” they say, “And what is the Merciful? Are we to bow down to whatever you command us?” And it increases their aversion.

25-AlFurqan

  • يَسْأَلُكَ النَّاسُ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللَّهِ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ تَكُونُ قَرِيبًا 63

[ الاحزاب : 63 ] ( 33)

  1. The people ask you about the Hour. Say, “The knowledge thereof rests with God. But what do you know? Perhaps the hour is near.”

33-AlAhzab

  • يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا 42
  • فِيمَ أَنتَ مِن ذِكْرَاهَا
  • إِلَى رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَاهَا
  • إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُنذِرُ مَن يَخْشَاهَا
  • كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلاَّ عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَاهَا 46

[ النازعات 42 – 46 ] (79)

  1. They ask you about the Hour, “When will it take place?”
  2. You have no knowledge of it.
  3. To your Lord is its finality.
  4. You are just a warner for whoever dreads it.
  5. On the Day when they witness it—as though they only stayed an evening, or its morning.

79-AnNazi’at