The wealth, position and status of man has much too often a blinding effect on the intellect and wisdom of the man. When elevated to an elitist class, man in his own arrogance of being at a position much above the others, loses sight of the realities and the temporary nature of one's status, wealth and even life. To such people, are also included the atheists who do not believe in the existence of any gods or deities and the life of the hereafter. This position is characterized by a lack of belief in supernatural beings rather than necessarily a claim of absolute knowledge. Thus Atheists actively deny the existence of God or simply lack a belief in Him.
This was also the mindset of the polytheists of Makkah who in the formatting days of Islam out rightly rejected the existence of One God and the concept of the Resurrection - the act of rising from the dead or returning to life. In order to refute their misconception, the very two verses of Surah 56. Al-Wāqi‘ah were revealed which are considered as one of the most philosophically powerful verses in the Qur’an. In just a few words, they collapse denial, shatter complacency, and answer the deepest objections to God and the Hereafter — not by scientific argument, but by existential certainty.
The Verses
إِذَا وَقَعَتِ الْوَاقِعَةُ لَيْسَ لِوَقْعَتِهَا كَاذِبَةٌ
Idhā waqa‘ati al-wāqi‘ah — laysa li-waq‘atihā kādhibah
“When the Inevitable Event occurs — there will be no denying its occurrence.”
Opening the discourse with this sentence "and then there will be no one to deny its occurrence" by itself signifies that this is an answer to the objections that were being raised in the disbelievers’ conferences against Resurrection. This was the time when the people of Makkah had just begun to hear the invitation to Islam from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In it what seemed most astonishing and remote from reason to them was that the entire system of the earth and heavens would one day be overturned and then another world would be set up in which all the dead, of the former and the latter generations, would be resurrected. Bewildered they would ask: This is just impossible! Where will this earth, these oceans, these mountains, this moon and sun go? How will the centuries-old dead bodies rise up to life? How can one in his senses believe that there will be another life after death and there will be gardens of Paradise and the fire of Hell? Such were the misgivings that were being expressed at that time everywhere in Makkah. It was against this background that it was said: When the inevitable event happens, there shall be no one to belie it.
Let’s unpack how these two verses directly confront polytheistic, atheistic and materialist objections.
Meaning of the Two Verses
- Verse 1 — “When the Inevitable Event occurs” الْوَاقِعَة (al-Wāqi‘ah)
- In this verse the word Wāqi‘ahh (event) has been used for Resurrection, which nearly means the same thing as the English word inevitable, signifying thereby that it is something that must come to pass. Then, its happening has been described by the word Wāqi‘ah, which is used for the sudden occurrence of a disaster.
- This verse just not foretell of “an event” — but an event that is Certain to happen and already decided. This event is thus inescapable.
- The Qur’an names the Day of Judgment as if it has already happened.
- This is Qur’ānic language of certainty.
- Philosophical point: The Hereafter is not hypothetical — it is part of reality’s structure.
- Verse 2 — “There will be no denying its occurrence” لَيْسَ لِوَقْعَتِهَا كَاذِبَةٌ
- Laisa li-waqati-ha kadhibat-un can have two meanings:
- That it will not be possible that its occurrence be averted, or stopped, or turned back; or, in other words, there will be no power to make it appear as an unreal event.
- That there will be no living being to tell the lie that the event has not taken place.
- This can mean that no one will be able to deny it or able to lie about it. There will thus be no excuse, no reinterpretation, no escape.
- That is no ideology will explain it away, no skepticism will survive it or no intellectualization will protect against it.
- Reality itself will silence denial.
How This Answers Atheist Objections (At a Deep Level)
- The Qur’an does NOT argue here with physics, probability or laboratory evidence. Instead, Qur'an attacks the psychology of denial.
- Atheistic objection: “There is no proof of the Hereafter.”
- Qur’ānic response: Your denial is not because it is false — Your denial exists because it has not yet confronted you.
- These verses say: Denial is temporary. Reality is permanent.
The Qur’ān’s Existential Argument (Not Just Logical)
- The Qur’an’s method is Not “Prove God with equations” - But expose human illusion of control and permanence.
- These verses imply: Every atheist certainty is built on: (1) Still being alive, (2) Still having time, and (3) Still not having faced death and of course the reality of resurrection
- So Qur’an says: Your philosophy depends on delay — not on truth.
The Collapse of Denial at Death & Resurrection
- These verses connect directly with later verses in the same surah: “Why then, when the soul reaches the throat… if you are not to be judged, bring it back.” (56:83–87)
- This is devastating logic: If no God, no Hereafter, no accountability (1) Why can’t you reverse death? (2) Why can’t science save the soul? (3) Why can’t ideology stop finality?
So 56:1–2 are an opening hammer: They announce a future reality that will invalidate all denial retroactively.
Answering “There is No God”
- These verses don’t say “God exists” directly.
- They say something deeper: There is a final reality that no human system controls.
- This itself implies: (1) Authority beyond human(2) Judgment beyond human (3) Reality beyond material
- Atheism claims: Human reason is final and that Matter is ultimate and Death is the end. There is nothing beyond.
- Qur'an says in 56:1–2: You are not final, Matter is not ultimate and Death is not the end
So they strike at the foundation of atheism: Human autonomy as ultimate authority.
Why This Is So Powerful (Psychologically & Philosophically)
- The Qur’an does not beg disbelief to accept. It declares: Whether you believe or not — this will happen.
- This shifts the burden: Not “Prove it to me.” - But “You will be proven wrong by reality itself.”
- This is why the Qur’an often uses: (1) Shock (2) Certainty (3) Oaths (4) Direct confrontation - Because denial is often moral and psychological — not purely intellectual.
The Hidden Message to the Modern Mind
These verses draw a comparison with the people of the time, who trust the Systems, Technology, Medicine, Progress and Control.
While the Qur'an 56:1–2 say: There is an event that will render all of that irrelevant.
That is a direct challenge to: Secular confidence, Materialist security, and Technological arrogance.
One-line Qur’ānic answer to atheism in 56:1–2:
The Qur’an does not argue that the Hereafter is possible — it declares that it is inevitable, and that denial is only sustained by delay, not by truth. Reality itself will end the debate. This is why these verses are so short yet so terrifying — they turn the atheist position from “confident” into temporarily deferred.
Se beware of the day when every human who ever lived will be brought back to life and his dossier will be presented to him and will be rewarded or awarded accordingly. Ten it will be too late to repent for not having paid heed to the Divine warnings when there was still time to acknowledge what was being said was true.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 56 Al-Wāqiʻa الواقعة "The Inevitable" already published. You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
For verses on Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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