إِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ ءَاتِيَةٌ أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا لِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا تَسْعَىٰ
15:86; 40:60.
Important Words:
أخفیھا (I am going to manifest it) is derived from خفی which has two contrary significations: خفیالشیء (khafiya) means, the thing was or became hidden, concealed or covered. خفیالشیء (khafa) means, he made the thing apparent, manifest, plain or evident. They say خفی المطر الفأر i.e. the rain made the rats come forth from the holes. أخفیالشیء means, he removed خفاء (covering) of the thing. The Quranic expression أکاد أخفیھا means, I am almost making it to appear; I am almost removing that which covers it i.e. I am going to manifest it (Lane & Aqrab). The expression may also mean, I am going to keep it concealed.
الساعة (the Hour) may mean the Day of Resurrection; or the time of triumph of the cause of Moses and that of the discomfiture and destruction of his enemies.
Commentary:
Moses is here told that when he preached his divine mission, he will be opposed and persecuted but no opposition or persecution will be allowed to impede or arrest the progress of his cause, and that the signs foretelling the death and destruction of those who stood in his way will become increasingly manifest.
The verse may also mean that the time of the destruction of the enemies of Moses will remain hidden so that when the Divine punishment overtook them all of a sudden, they will become completely nonplussed and will not know what to do.