وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ 24
Translations
Woe, that Day, to the deniers.
Transliteration
Waylun yawma'idhin lil-mukadhdhibin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah pronounces a severe warning of destruction and ruin upon those who reject the divine signs and deny the message of the Quran on the Day of Judgment. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that 'waylun' (woe) is an expression of doom and loss, directed specifically at those who persistently reject the truth despite clear evidence. This condemnation appears repeatedly throughout Surah Al-Mursalat, underscoring the grave consequences of disbelief and denial of the messengers.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Mursalat is a Meccan surah revealed during a period when the Quraysh were actively rejecting the Prophet Muhammad's message. This particular ayah fits within the surah's overarching theme of warning the disbelievers about the inevitability of the Day of Judgment and their accountability for rejecting divine guidance conveyed by the messengers (al-mursalun).
Related Hadiths
The concept of woe for disbelievers is reinforced in the hadith where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever dies while associating partners with Allah will enter the Fire' (Sahih Bukhari). Additionally, the general theme relates to the hadith on the Day of Judgment's certainty found in Surah Al-Mursalat's context in Sahih Muslim collections.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that rejection of truth carries severe consequences and that accountability before Allah is inevitable and absolute. For modern readers, it serves as an exhortation to embrace guidance when it is presented clearly, and to reflect on the gravity of turning away from divine truth.