عَامِلَةٌ نَّاصِبَةٌ 3
Translations
Working [hard] and exhausted.
Transliteration
Amilatun naasibah
Tafsir (Explanation)
This phrase describes the faces of the inhabitants of Hell on the Day of Judgment - they are 'laboring and exhausted.' According to classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir, 'amilah (laboring) refers to their continuous toil and punishment, while 'nasibah (exhausted/weary) describes their state of extreme fatigue and distress from the torment. The dual description emphasizes both the relentless nature of hellish punishment and the complete exhaustion of the damned.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Ghashiyah describes the scenes of the Day of Judgment, contrasting the fates of the inhabitants of Paradise and Hell. This ayah specifically depicts the facial expressions and conditions of those in Hell as part of the surah's vivid portrayal of the afterlife, serving as a warning to believers about the consequences of disbelief and disobedience.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The least punished person in the Fire will be Iblis, and he will say: O Lord, because of you I have disobeyed you, and because of you they disobeyed you' (Sahih Muslim 2851). This relates to the eternal nature of punishment described in the ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a profound reminder that our deeds in this life have eternal consequences, and that the punishment in the Hereafter involves both physical torment and spiritual anguish. Believers should use such descriptions as motivation to repent, obey Allah's commands, and avoid disobedience.