خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ 44
Translations
Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. That is the Day which they had been promised.
Transliteration
Khāshi'atan absāruhum tarhaquhum dhillah. Dhālikal-yawmulladhī kānū yu'wadūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the state of the disbelievers on the Day of Judgment, when their eyes will be cast down in humility and shame, overwhelmed by disgrace and humiliation. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as a depiction of the spiritual and physical state of those who rejected faith, experiencing the ultimate consequence of their denial as they witness the fulfillment of what they were warned about. The verse emphasizes both the inward state (khushū') and outward manifestation (lowered gaze) of their degradation.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Ma'arij is a Meccan surah that addresses the disbelievers of Mecca and describes the Day of Judgment in vivid detail. This particular ayah falls within a passage describing the condition of the deniers of the Hereafter and their punishment, serving as a stark warning to those who rejected the Prophet's message during his early preaching in Mecca.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is reported in Sahih Muslim to have described the gathering on the Day of Judgment, emphasizing the shame and fear that will overcome the disbelievers. Additionally, numerous hadiths in Sahih Bukhari describe the humiliation awaiting those who rejected divine guidance, reinforcing this ayah's message.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that every soul will face accountability for its choices, and that rejecting divine truth carries profound spiritual consequences that will be made evident on the Day of Judgment. For modern readers, it serves as a call to reflect on one's relationship with faith and to heed the warnings given in revelation before it is too late.