مِّن وَرَآئِهِمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَلَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُم مَّا كَسَبُوا۟ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا مَا ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ 10
Translations
Before them is Hell, and what they had earned will not avail them at all nor what they had taken besides Allāh as allies. And they will have a great punishment.
Transliteration
Min waraaa'ihim jahannamu wa laa yughnee 'anhum maa kasaboo shay'an wa laa maa ittakhdhoo min doonillahi awliyaa' wa lahum adhaabun adheem
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the fate of those who reject Allah's signs and turn away from His guidance: Hell awaits them, and neither their wealth and deeds nor the false deities and intercessors they relied upon will benefit them on the Day of Judgment. Ibn Kathir emphasizes that this verse demonstrates the futility of relying on anything other than Allah, as all worldly possessions and relationships forged outside the framework of divine obedience will prove worthless in the afterlife.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Al-Jathiyah, a Meccan chapter that addresses the stubbornness of disbelievers and their rejection of the Qur'an despite clear signs. The broader context (verses 7-10) describes those who turn away from Allah's verses and choose false allies, setting the stage for this warning of severe punishment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Muslim describes how wealth and children will not benefit except 'those who come to Allah with a sound heart,' reinforcing this ayah's message that only righteous deeds rooted in faith matter.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that ultimate security and benefit come only from obedience to Allah, not from material accumulation or reliance on false supports. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder to prioritize spiritual wealth and right action over worldly possessions and worldly relationships that exclude Allah's guidance.