Which Surah and Juz is Quran 68:42 from?

This ayah is from Surah Al-Qalam (The Pen), the 68th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 29.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 68:42?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan an-Nasa'i.

What tafsir is available for Quran 68:42?

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

Ayah 41

أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِم...

68:42Al-Qalam

Q: What does Quran 68:42 mean?

Quran 68:42 (Surah Al-Qalam, Ayah 42) translates to: "The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but the disbelievers will not be able,"

Q: What topics does Quran 68:42 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Day of Judgment, Divine Punishment, Hereafter, Spiritual Consequences, Accountability.

Ayah 43

خَٰشِعَةً أَبْصَٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌۭ ۖ وَ...

يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍۢ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ

Yawma yukshafu 'am saaqinw wa yud'awna ilas sujoodi falaa yastatee'oon

The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but the disbelievers will not be able,

Themes in this ayah

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Day of Judgment97

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Day of Judgment

68:42Ayah 152

2 ayahs in Al-Qalam are strongly about the Day of Judgment. This is one of them.

Next on Day of Judgment →68:43Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 68:42→

Mention the day when the shank is bared an expression denoting the severity of the predicament during the reckoning and the requital on the Day of Resurrection one says kashafati’l-harbu ‘an sāqin ‘the war has bared its shank’ to mean that it has intensified and they are summoned to prostrate themselves as a test of their faith but they will not be able to do so — their backs will become as stiff as a brick wall.

I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "Our Lord Allah will lay bare His Shin, and then all the Believers, men and women, will prostrate themselves before Him, but there will remain those who used to prostrate in the world for showing off and for gaining good reputation. Such people will try to prostrate (on the Day of Judgment) but their back swill be as stiff as if it is one bone (a single vertebra).

Sahih Muslim #6911Anas b. Malik reported that a person said:Sahih

Allah's Messenger, how the non-believers be made to assemble on the Day of Resurrection (by crawling) on their faces? Thereupon he said: Is He Who is powerful to make them walk on their feet not powerful enough to make them (crawl) upon their faces on the Day of Resurrection? Qatada said: Of course, it is so. (He adjured): By the might of our Lord.

Sunan an-Nasa'i #2088It was narrated from 'Aishah that the Messenger of Allah said:Sahih

"The people will be raised up on the Day of Resurrection barefoot, naked and uncircumcised." 'Aishah said: "What about their 'Awrahs?" he said: "Every man that day will have enough to make him careless of others".

Sahih Muslim #7132Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Sahih

The Last Hour would not come until a people wearing shoes of hair fight against you having their faces like hammered shields.

Jami` at-Tirmidhi #607Abdullah bin Busr narrated that :Sahih

the Prophet said: "On the day of Resurrection, my nation will be radiant from prostrating and shining from Wudu."