لَعَلِّىٓ أَعْمَلُ صَـٰلِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ ۚ كَلَّآ ۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَآئِلُهَا ۖ وَمِن وَرَآئِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ 100
Translations
That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind." No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.
Transliteration
La'allī a'malu sālihan fīmā taraktu, kallā, innaha kalimatu huwa qā'iluhā, wa min warā'ihim barzakhun ilā yawmi yub'athūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah depicts the regretful plea of a soul at the moment of death, wishing to return to the worldly life to perform righteous deeds, but Allah firmly rejects this request with 'Kallā' (never). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that this is merely a statement the dying person utters—a vain wish that cannot be granted—and that between death and the Day of Resurrection exists the Barzakh (barrier/partition), a state where souls remain separated from their bodies and cannot return to perform any actions in the material world.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Mu'minun (revealed in Mecca), which discusses the characteristics of true believers and the fate of the disbelievers. This particular verse occurs within the broader context of describing the Day of Judgment and the regrets of those who neglected their duty to Allah during their lifetime.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'When the soul is about to leave the body, it ascends to the heavens' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) warned: 'Whoever among you dies on a day other than fighting in the cause of Allah as he wished, will write down his reward like that of one who fought in the cause of Allah,' highlighting the importance of righteous intention before death arrives.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that the opportunity for righteous action is limited to one's lifetime; once death arrives, no further deeds can be performed, and regret becomes meaningless. Muslims should use their present life wisely to accumulate good deeds, as procrastination until death is a grave spiritual danger.