وَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلنَّفْسِ ٱللَّوَّامَةِ 2
Translations
And I swear by the reproaching soul [to the certainty of resurrection].
Transliteration
Wa lā uqsimu bi-n-nafsi al-lawwāmah
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah swears by the blaming soul (an-nafs al-lawwāmah), which refers to the conscience that constantly reproaches itself for its shortcomings and sins. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain this as the soul at an intermediate stage of spiritual development—one that recognizes its faults and feels remorse, distinguishing it from the lower commanding soul (nafs al-ammārah) that incites to evil. This oath emphasizes the reality of the Day of Resurrection and humanity's accountability, as even our own souls will testify against us.
Revelation Context
This ayah opens the discussion of Surah Al-Qiyamah, which is a Meccan chapter devoted entirely to affirming the reality of the Day of Judgment and resurrection. The oath by the blaming soul serves as a powerful rhetorical device to convince the Meccan disbelievers, many of whom denied resurrection, by invoking an experience all humans share—the inner voice of conscience that condemns wrongdoing.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best jihad is that of the soul' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi), relating to the struggle against one's own inclinations. Additionally, there is a reference in various tafsir works to the three stages of the soul mentioned in Surah Al-Fajr (89:27-30), which includes the blaming soul as a stage of spiritual development.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that our conscience is a divine gift that guides us toward righteousness by making us aware of our faults; cultivating a responsive and self-aware soul that blames itself for wrongdoing is essential for spiritual growth and preparation for the afterlife.