What does Quran 2:156 mean?

Quran 2:156 (Surah Al-Baqara, Ayah 156) translates to: "Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.""

Which Surah and Juz is Quran 2:156 from?

This ayah is from Surah Al-Baqara (The Cow), the 2th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 2.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 2:156?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abu Dawud, Sunan Ibn Majah.

What tafsir is available for Quran 2:156?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Kathir, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 2:156 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Patience, Allah, Divine Decree, Day of Judgment, Divine Testing.

Ayah 155

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْ...

2:156Al-Baqara

Ayah 157

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَٰتٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ...

ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ

Allazeena izaaa asaabathum museebatun qaalooo innaa lillaahi wa innaaa ilaihi raaji'oon

Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return."

Themes in this ayah

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Qualities of the believers95 Patience83

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

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2:156Ayah 1286

19 ayahs in Al-Baqara are strongly about the qualities of the believers. This is one of them.

← Previous on Qualities of the believers2:143And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.Next on Qualities of the believers →2:157Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.

Tafsir

Scholars largely agree on this ayah

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 2:156→

those who when they are struck by an affliction a calamity say ‘Surely we belong to God we are His possession and servants with whom He does as He pleases; and to Him we will return’ in the Hereafter whereupon He will requite us in one hadīth it is said that ‘whoever pronounces the istirjā‘ sc. the formula ‘surely we belong to God and to Him we will return’ when an affliction befalls him God will reward him and compensate him with what is better’. Similarly it is said that on one occasion when his lamp blew out the Prophet s uttered the istirjā‘ whereupon ‘Ā’isha said to him saying ‘But it is just a lamp’ to which he replied ‘Whatever bothers a believer is an affliction of sorts’ this is reported by Abū Dāwūd in his section on mursal reports.

“When a calamity strikes one of you, then let him say: ‘Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. O Allah, I seek reward with You for my affliction, so reward me for it, and replace it for me with something better (Innā lillāhi wa innā ilaihi rāji`ūn, Allāhumma `indaka aḥtasibu muṣībatī fa’jurnī fīhā wa abdilnī minhā khair).’” When the time of death was near Abu Salamah, he said: ‘O Allah, replace me for my wife, with better than me.” So when he died, Umm Salamah said: “Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. I seek reward with Allah for my affliction, so reward me for it.”

Sunan Abu Dawud #3120Narrated Umm Salamah:Sahih

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: When one of you is afflicted with a calamity, he should say: "We belong to Allah, and to Him we do return." O Allah, I expect reward from Thee from this affliction, so give me reward for it, and give me a better compensation.

Sunan Ibn Majah #1334It was narrated from Fatimah bint Husain that her father said:Da'if

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever was stricken with a calamity and when he remembers it he says ‘Inna lillahi, wa inna ilayhi raji’un (Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return),’ even though it happened a long time ago, Allah will record for him a reward like that of the day it befell him.”

Sahih Muslim #2014Umm Salama, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Sahih

If any servant (of Allah) who suffers a calamity says:" We belong to Allah and to Him shall we return; O Allah, reward me for my affliction and give me something better than it in exchange for it," ' Allah will give him reward for affliction, and would give him something better than it in exchange. She (Umm Salama) said: When Abu Salama died. I uttered (these very words) as I was commanded (to do) by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). So Allah gave me better in exchange than him. i. e. (I was taken as the wife of) the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Sahih Muslim #2013Umm Salama reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Sahih

If any Muslim who suffers some calamity says, what Allah has commanded him," We belong to Allah and to Him shall we return; O Allah, reward me for my affliction and give me something better than it in exchange for it," Allah will give him something better than it in exchange. When Abu Salama died she said: What Muslim is better than Abu Salama whose family was the first to emigrate to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I then said the words, and Allah gave me God's Messenger (ﷺ) in exchange. She said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent Hatib b. Abu Balta'a to deliver me the message of marriage with him. I said to him: I have a daughter (as my dependant) and I am of jealous temperament. He (the Holy Prophet) said: So far as her daughter is concerned, we would supplicate Allah, that He may free her (of her responsibility) and I would also supplicate Allah to do away with (her) jealous (temperament).