What does Quran 50:19 mean?

Quran 50:19 (Surah Qaaf, Ayah 19) translates to: "And the intoxication of death will bring the truth; that is what you were trying to avoid."

Which Surah and Juz is Quran 50:19 from?

This ayah is from Surah Qaaf (The letter Qaaf), the 50th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 26.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 50:19?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sunan Abu Dawud, Sunan an-Nasa'i, Jami` at-Tirmidhi.

What tafsir is available for Quran 50:19?

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

What topics does Quran 50:19 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Al-Haqq, Death, Accountability, Knowledge, Taqwa.

Ayah 18

مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ ع...

50:19Qaaf

Ayah 20

وَنُفِخَ فِى ٱلصُّورِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ ٱلْوَعِيدِ...

وَجَآءَتْ سَكْرَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ

Wajaat sakratu almawti bialhaqqi thalika ma kunta minhu taheedu

And the intoxication of death will bring the truth; that is what you were trying to avoid.

Themes in this ayah

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Day of Judgment61

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Day of Judgment

50:19Ayah 145

9 ayahs in Qaaf are strongly about the Day of Judgment.

← Previous on Day of Judgment50:3When we have died and have become dust, [we will return to life]? That is a distant return."Next on Day of Judgment →50:20And the Horn will be blown. That is the Day of [carrying out] the threat.

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 50:19→

And the agony of death its throes and distress arrives with the truth of the Hereafter such that the one who denied it sees it with his own eyes — and this is the distress itself. That namely death is what you used to shun what you used to flee from and be terrified by.

Avoid that which produces intoxication.

Sunan an-Nasa'i #5755It was narrated that Sa'eed bin Al-Musayyab said concerning Nabidh:Sahih

"The dregs are what intoxicates."

Sunan Abu Dawud #3680Ibn ‘Umar reported the Apostel of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:Da'if

Every intoxicant is forbidden. He who drinks wine in this world, and dies when he is addiction to it, will not drink it in the next.

Jami` at-Tirmidhi #2376Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said:Sahih

"Increase in remembrance of the severer of pleasures." Meaning death.

Sunan Ibn Majah #3130It was narrated from ‘Amr bin Shu’aib, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:Da'if

“Whatever causes intoxication in large amounts a small amount of it is (also) unlawful.”