“No doubt in it” attached to Book, Hour and Day
لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ
lā rayba fīhi — no doubt/dispute about it
In the twelve verses given, the fixed negative clause لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ is attached to the Book or Qur'an, the Hour, the Day (of Standing/Gathering, or unnamed as in 3:25), and the term (أَجَلًا) set for them in 17:99—each time asserting that the named thing is beyond doubt or dispute, often against hearers who deny or dispute it.
The formula consists of the negative لَا, the masculine accusative noun رَيْبَ (root ر ي ب), and a preposition with a resumptive pronoun. In the verses given it attaches to two broad referents. First, revelation: it follows ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَابُ (2:2), تَنزِيلُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ (32:2), and تَفْصِيلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ (10:37), in the last two cases immediately before مِن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ. Second, the coming judgment: it follows يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ (4:87, 6:12, 45:26), يَوْمَ ٱلْجَمْعِ (42:7), يَوْمٍ (3:25), أَجَلًا (17:99), and ٱلسَّاعَةَ (18:21, 40:59) and ٱلسَّاعَةُ (45:32). The formula does not stand alone: the verses repeatedly pair it with speech of denial. 40:59 continues وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ, 45:26 وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ, 17:99 فَأَبَى ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ إِلَّا كُفُورًا, and 45:32 quotes the addressees answering the formula itself with مَا نَدْرِى مَا ٱلسَّاعَةُ... وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ. So the clause functions as an assertion placed against recorded or anticipated doubt, declaring the referent indubitable; in 6:12, 17:99, 40:59, 45:26 and 45:32 the surrounding words also name non-trust, refusal or not-knowing. In 18:21 the stated purpose of the discovery is لِيَعْلَمُوا۟ أَنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَأَنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا, tying the formula to coming to know that the appointment is real.
Where it occurs
- 2:2 Denies dispute about the Book, which is then called هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ.
- 32:2 Denies dispute about the sending-down of the Book, attributed to the Lord of all realms.
- 10:37 Denies doubt about the Qur'an as confirmation and detailed articulation of the Book, from the Lord of all realms.
- 4:87 Denies doubt about the gathering to the Day of Standing, followed by 'who is more truthful than Allah in discourse?'
- 6:12 Denies doubt about the gathering to the Day of Standing, followed by those who lost their selves and do not trust.
- 45:26 Denies doubt about the gathering to the Day of Standing, followed by 'most of the people do not know'.
- 42:7 Denies doubt about the Day of Gathering, when a group will be in the Garden and a group in the Blaze.
- 3:25 Denies doubt about the Day for which people are gathered and paid in full what they earned.
- 17:99 Denies doubt about the term set for them; the wrongdoers then refuse nothing but extreme denial.
- 18:21 Denies doubt about the Hour, as part of what the discovery is meant to make known.
- 40:59 Denies dispute about the coming Hour, followed by 'most of the people do not trust'.
- 45:32 Denies dispute about the Hour, which the addressees answer with supposition and uncertainty.
All Qur'anic expressions