أَن تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يَـٰحَسْرَتَىٰ عَلَىٰ مَا فَرَّطتُ فِى جَنۢبِ ٱللَّهِ وَإِن كُنتُ لَمِنَ ٱلسَّـٰخِرِينَ 56
Translations
Lest a soul should say, "Oh, [how great is] my regret over what I neglected in regard to Allāh and that I was among the mockers."
Transliteration
An taqoola nafsun ya hasrata ala ma farratu fi janbi-llahi wa in kunti lamin as-sakhireen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the regret and remorse a soul will experience on the Day of Judgment, saying 'O my regret!' for having neglected the rights of Allah and wasted opportunities for obedience and worship. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this depicts the anguish of those who mocked faith and the believers in their lifetime, realizing too late the gravity of their negligence. The ayah emphasizes the eternal sorrow of those who squandered their worldly life without fulfilling their obligations to Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the broader Meccan context of Surah Az-Zumar, which emphasizes divine unity, the reality of the Hereafter, and warnings against associating partners with Allah. The surah addresses those who denied the resurrection and mocked the believers, making this ayah particularly relevant to those who dismissed religious obligations during their lifetime.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of deeds is to believe in Allah and His Messenger, and the worst of deeds is to associate partners with Allah.' (Musnad Ahmad) Also relevant: 'When the son of Adam dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge that benefits, and a righteous child who prays for him.' (Sahih Muslim 1631)
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that we cannot afford to procrastinate in our spiritual obligations or dismiss faith with mockery, as death is inevitable and the opportunity for repentance will be lost; believers should use their earthly life wisely to prepare for eternal consequences.
Related Ayahs
ٱللَّهُ خَـٰلِقُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَكِيلٌ
Allāh is the Creator of all things, and He is, over all things, Disposer of affairs.
ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا رَّجُلًا فِيهِ شُرَكَآءُ مُتَشَـٰكِسُونَ وَرَجُلًا سَلَمًا لِّرَجُلٍ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلًا ۚ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Allāh presents an example: a man [i.e., slave] owned by quarreling partners and another belonging exclusively to one man - are they equal in comparison? Praise be to Allāh! But most of them do not know.
أَلَا لِلَّهِ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْخَالِصُ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ زُلْفَىٰٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِى مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ كَـٰذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ
Unquestionably, for Allāh is the pure religion. And those who take protectors besides Him [say], "We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allāh in position." Indeed, Allāh will judge between them concerning that over which they differ. Indeed, Allāh does not guide he who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever.
وَبَدَا لَهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتُ مَا كَسَبُوا۟ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ
And there will appear to them the evils they had earned, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule.