ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ 17
Translations
Then it will be said [to them], "This is what you used to deny."
Transliteration
Thumma yuqālu hādhā alladhī kuntum bihī tukaddhibūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the moment on the Day of Judgment when the deniers will be confronted with the Qur'an and Islamic truth they rejected in the worldly life. Allah will say to them, 'This is what you used to deny,' emphasizing their culpability and the reality of what they rejected. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as a profound moment of recognition where the disbelievers will witness the truth they stubbornly refused, intensifying their regret and torment.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the middle section of Surah Al-Mutaffifin (The Defrauders), a Meccan surah that condemns those who cheat in weights and measures as a metaphor for moral and spiritual dishonesty. The surah addresses the denial of the Day of Judgment and the Qur'an's message, establishing the theme that those who deny will face undeniable truth in the afterlife.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim (2814): The Prophet ﷺ described how people will be brought forth on the Day of Judgment and confronted with their deeds. Also relevant is Sunan Ibn Majah (4288) regarding the recognition of truth by disbelievers in the afterlife.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that denial of divine truth in this world does not negate its reality; rather, it postpones the inevitable confrontation with that truth until the Day of Judgment. Modern readers should reflect on how rejecting clear guidance today leads to unbearable regret and reproach in the hereafter, emphasizing the importance of accepting truth while in this life.