وَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ 29
Translations
And they say, "There is none but our worldly life, and we will not be resurrected."
Transliteration
Wa qalū in hiya illā hayātunā ad-dunyā wa mā naḥnu bi-mab'ūthīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah records the statement of the disbelievers who deny the afterlife, claiming that life is limited to this worldly existence and that there is no resurrection. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this reflects the materialist ideology of those who rejected the message of the Prophet, asserting that death is the final end and denying accountability before Allah. The ayah presents their false belief as a prelude to refutation by divine proofs throughout the surah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-An'am, which was revealed in Mecca during the early period when the Quraysh actively rejected the Prophet's message. The surah addresses various objections raised by the disbelievers, including their denial of the afterlife and resurrection—core concepts of Islamic belief that were heavily contested in Meccan society.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who have the best character and the best of you are those who are best to their families,' emphasizing that belief in the afterlife should motivate ethical conduct (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent' (Sahih Bukhari) connects to the consequences of denying resurrection.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that the denial of the afterlife leads to moral corruption and abandonment of accountability, while belief in resurrection and divine judgment is foundational to living a righteous life. Modern readers should reflect on how faith in the afterlife shapes ethical behavior and protects against materialistic worldviews that ignore spiritual responsibility.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ أَتَىٰكُمْ عَذَابُ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ أَتَتْكُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ تَدْعُونَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
Say, "Have you considered: if there came to you the punishment of Allāh or there came to you the Hour - is it other than Allāh you would invoke, if you should be truthful?"
ذَٰلِكَ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ يَهْدِى بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ ۚ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا۟ لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
That is the guidance of Allāh by which He guides whomever He wills of His servants. But if they had associated others with Allāh, then worthless for them would be whatever they were doing.
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ وُقِفُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ ۚ قَالَ أَلَيْسَ هَـٰذَا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّنَا ۚ قَالَ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ
If you could but see when they will be made to stand before their Lord. He will say, "Is this not the truth?" They will say, "Yes, by our Lord." He will [then] say, "So taste the punishment for what you used to deny."
قُلْ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّا فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يُطْعَمُ ۗ قُلْ إِنِّىٓ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ ۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Say, "Is it other than Allāh I should take as a protector, Creator of the heavens and earth, while it is He who feeds and is not fed?" Say, [O Muḥammad], "Indeed, I have been commanded to be the first [among you] who submit [to Allāh] and [was commanded], 'Do not ever be of the polytheists."