فَلَوْ أَنَّ لَنَا كَرَّةً فَنَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ 102
Translations
Then if we only had a return [to the world] and could be of the believers..."
Transliteration
Falau anna lana karrah fanakoona mina al-mu'mineen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah depicts the regret of disbelievers on the Day of Judgment, expressing their desperate wish for a second chance to return to worldly life so they could become believers. Ibn Kathir explains that this represents the futile longing of those who rejected faith in the dunya, now recognizing their error when it is too late. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that their regret and conditional statement ('if we had another chance') underscores the finality of the afterlife and the impossibility of returning to rectify one's deeds.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Ash-Shu'ara, a Meccan surah that recounts the stories of various prophets and their people's rejection. The context is the Day of Judgment, where disbelievers witness the consequences of their choices. This particular ayah is part of a passage describing the regret and remorse of those in the Fire who rejected the message.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The greatest regret on the Day of Resurrection will be for a man who remembered (good deeds) while in the grave.' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2465). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Muslim describes how souls of the dead are presented their deeds, reinforcing the theme of regret in the afterlife.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that our time in this world is precious and limited; we must not delay in sincere repentance and faith, as death severs all opportunity for change. It emphasizes that genuine belief and righteous action must be pursued in this life, before it becomes eternally too late.