وَيَـٰقَوْمِ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلتَّنَادِ 32
Translations
And O my people, indeed I fear for you the Day of Calling -
Transliteration
Wa yā qawmi innī akhāfu ʿalaykum yawma al-tanād
Tafsir (Explanation)
In this ayah, the Prophet Nūḥ (peace be upon him) addresses his people with sincere concern, warning them of 'Yawm al-Tanād' (the Day of Mutual Calling/Crying Out), referring to the Day of Judgment when people will desperately call out to one another in distress. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as Nūḥ's compassionate admonition that his people will face severe consequences if they reject faith, as on that Day each soul will be preoccupied with its own fate and unable to help others. This verse exemplifies the prophetic duty to warn communities of divine accountability while expressing genuine concern for their spiritual welfare.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within Surah Ghafir (Meccan period), which documents the dialogue between Nūḥ and his disbelieving people. The surah presents various scenes of prophets warning their nations. Nūḥ's warning here is part of the broader Quranic narrative emphasizing that prophets were sent as warners to their communities, and this particular phrase captures the emotional urgency of that mission—Nūḥ spent 950 years calling his people to Allah, yet most rejected him.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim describes the Day of Judgment where people will call out: 'Each soul will know what it has sent forward and kept back.' Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari about the Prophet's intercession relates to the desperation and mutual calling among people on the Day of Resurrection when they seek help.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that true concern for others involves warning them of spiritual consequences with sincerity and compassion, and that on the Day of Judgment, worldly connections and mutual help will be meaningless—only one's deeds matter. Modern Muslims should reflect on fulfilling the duty of advice (naṣīḥah) toward family and community while recognizing that ultimate salvation depends on individual accountability before Allah.