كَلَّا ۖ بَل لَّا يَخَافُونَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ 53
Translations
No! But they do not fear the Hereafter.
Transliteration
Kalla bal la yakhafun al-akhirah
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphatically refutes the disbelievers' claims and declarations, stating the true reason for their rejection of the Qur'an and the message: they do not fear the Hereafter. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the ayah reveals that the disbelievers' denial stems not from intellectual objection but from their spiritual heedlessness and lack of belief in divine accountability. Their denial of the Afterlife is the root cause of their arrogance and rejection of guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears near the end of Surah Al-Muddaththir, which addresses the disbelievers' various excuses and objections to accepting Islam. The surah repeatedly exposes the weakness of their arguments and their true motivations. This particular ayah comes in the context of the disbelievers making demands and denials, revealing that their core problem is the absence of fear of Allah's judgment in the afterlife.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The example of this ummah is like the example of rain whose initial part is good and whose last part is good.' (Tirmidhi) - thematically related to accountability and the Hereafter. Also relevant: 'Remember frequently the thing that cuts off all pleasures - death.' (Tirmidhi) - emphasizing mindfulness of the Afterlife.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that genuine belief in the Hereafter fundamentally transforms behavior and values; without true conviction in divine accountability, people will continue in misguidance and arrogance. The lesson for believers is to nurture constant awareness of the Afterlife as a motivator for righteousness and a guard against disobedience.