وَإِنّا إِلىٰ رَبِّنا لَمُنقَلِبونَ

And indeed we shall return to our Lord.’

EXEGESIS

Munqalibūn stems from the root verb qalaba which means inversion, alteration, or changing of a thing. Ibn ʿĀshūr states that the seventh form of the verb, inqilāb, from which stems munqalibūn (sing. munqalib), means to return back to a place that one had left.[1] This connotation of returning, however, is gleaned from the use of the preposition ilā alongside the verb.[2]
Munqalib is in the active participle form and indicates the definitive nature of this returning; humans are necessarily returning to Him, whether they choose to or not and whether they prepare for it or not.[3] What further adds emphasis to this is the use of the preposition innā (indeed) and the emphatic prefix lām.

Shakir thus translates the verse as: ‘And surely to our Lord we must return.’

Grammarians have differed as to whether the active participle gives a meaning of continuity (istimrār) or not, and if so, under what conditions. For those who do accept that it does give a meaning of continuity, the verse would be translated the way Pickthall has done: ‘And lo! unto our Lord we surely are returning.’ For those who do not accept this, the verse would be translate as we have quoted from Qarai.

EXPOSITION

This verse may be interpreted as a profession of belief in the concept of maʿād, or the return to God. In light of the preceding verses, which emphasise our God’s role in our origin, sustenance, and blessings, the notion of maʿād appears as a logical extension. By acknowledging a Creator who shapes our existence and guides us towards perfection, it follows that we must also recognise our eventual return to that same Creator. This belief in maʿād is thus intimately intertwined with the acceptance of our Creator’s constant presence and influence (see 51:49-50 for a similar idea).

The verse emphasises the obligation to contemplate the hereafter and our eventual return during moments when we may feel powerful or in control, such as when riding a subservient mount. This reminder serves as a caution against arrogance and forgetfulness of our true reality amidst the blessings Allah has bestowed upon us. As we travel from one place to another, whether on a mount or any other mode of transport, we are encouraged to reflect on our final journey – not just from one physical location to another, but from this world to the next.[4]

Other verses in the Quran also use similar metaphors where worldly mundane matters are used as a means to remind man about the hereafter (see 2:197 and 7:26).

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some exegetes propose that the connection between reflecting on the afterlife and traveling on a mount is rooted in the notion that leaving one’s place of comfort during a journey serves as a reminder of the eventual transition from the familiar world to the divine realm upon death. Just as travellers depart from their accustomed surroundings when embarking on a trip, humans must also prepare to relinquish their earthly attachments when returning to their Lord.[5]

Others have added that this comparison extends to the idea that just as travellers eventually come home to their families, humans will ultimately return to their divine origin with Allah.[6]

Some exegetes suggest the possibility that returning to our Lord means turning to Him in prayer.[7]

According to Maududi, this verse also acts as a barrier to going on a journey for sinful purposes, for it seems unlikely that a person who begins his journey by remembering the hereafter would thereafter proceed to travel for an illicit cause: ‘Can a person think or utter these words from his mouth when he intends to go to meet a prostitute, or to visit a club for the purpose of drinking and gambling? Can a ruler, or a government official, or a merchant who has stepped out of his house with such thoughts and such words at his lips, usurp the rights of others when he reaches his destination? Can a soldier utter these words while boarding his aircraft or tank when he goes out to shed blood of the innocent and deprive the weak of their freedom? If not, then this one thing alone is enough to bar every movement undertaken for the commission of a sin.’[8]

[1] Ibn Ashur, 25/224.
[2] John Penrice, A dictionary and glossary of the Koran, p. 120.
[3] Nasr, p. 2166.
[4] Amthal, 16/22.
[5] Furqan, 26/284.
[6] Mudarrisi, 12/441.
[7] Nasr, p. 2166.
[8] Maududi (taken from https://www.englishtafsir.com/Quran/43).