عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَّآ أَحْضَرَتْ 14
Translations
A soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it].
Transliteration
Alimat nafsun ma ahdarata
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah means 'Every soul will know what it has sent forward [of good deeds] and kept back [of evil deeds].' According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this refers to the Day of Judgment when each soul becomes fully aware of its deeds—both the righteous actions it performed and the sins it committed or neglected. The word 'ahdarata' (brought forward/presented) signifies the deeds that precede one to the afterlife, emphasizing personal accountability on that inevitable day.
Revelation Context
Surah At-Takwir is a Meccan surah describing the cosmic upheaval and events of the Day of Judgment. This ayah appears in the context of depicting the Day of Resurrection when all cosmic order is overturned, serving to remind the Meccan disbelievers of their ultimate accountability before Allah. It reinforces the surah's central theme that no one can escape divine reckoning.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Each soul will know what it has sent forward and kept back' (referenced in tafsir literature as commentary on this ayah). Related: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895) emphasizing consciousness of deeds.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah calls believers to constant self-awareness and accountability, recognizing that every action—whether done or omitted—has eternal consequences. We should live with consciousness of the Hereafter, regularly examining our deeds and intentions to ensure we are sending forward righteousness rather than regret.
Related Ayahs
إِذَا رَأَتْهُم مِّن مَّكَانٍۭ بَعِيدٍ سَمِعُوا۟ لَهَا تَغَيُّظًا وَزَفِيرًا
When it [i.e., the Hellfire] sees them from a distant place, they will hear its fury and roaring.
ثُمَّ لَنَنزِعَنَّ مِن كُلِّ شِيعَةٍ أَيُّهُمْ أَشَدُّ عَلَى ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ عِتِيًّا
Then We will surely extract from every sect those of them who were worst against the Most Merciful in insolence.
يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُكُمْ لِيَوْمِ ٱلْجَمْعِ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ ٱلتَّغَابُنِ ۗ وَمَن يُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ وَيَعْمَلْ صَـٰلِحًا يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِۦ وَيُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
The Day He will assemble you for the Day of Assembly - that is the Day of Deprivation. And whoever believes in Allāh and does righteousness - He will remove from him his misdeeds and admit him to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.
وَأُتْبِعُوا۟ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعْنَةً وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ عَادًا كَفَرُوا۟ رَبَّهُمْ ۗ أَلَا بُعْدًا لِّعَادٍ قَوْمِ هُودٍ
And they were [therefore] followed in this world with a curse and [as well] on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably, ʿAad denied their Lord; then away with ʿAad, the people of Hūd.