أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ 21
Translations
Those are the ones who will have lost themselves, and lost from them is what they used to invent.
Transliteration
Ulā'ika alladhīna khasirū anfusahum wa dallā 'anhum mā kānū yaftarūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes those who have lost themselves (their souls) by rejecting faith and following falsehood, and from whom their fabricated gods and idols will depart on the Day of Judgment, unable to help them. Ibn Kathir explains that these are the disbelievers who invented false deities and false doctrines, only to find that their false gods abandon them when they need them most, resulting in complete loss and ruin in the afterlife.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Hud's discussion of various nations that rejected their prophets. It comes after the description of those who turn away from Allah's signs and follows the pattern of warning the Meccan polytheists about the consequences of their idolatry and rejection of Prophet Muhammad's message.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah (shirk)' (Sahih Bukhari 2654). Additionally, the hadith 'Whoever dies while associating partners with Allah will enter the Hellfire' (Sahih Muslim 93) relates to the theme of loss mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that rejecting Allah's guidance and following invented false beliefs results in the greatest possible loss—the loss of one's own soul and eternal salvation. It serves as a powerful reminder that no false god, ideology, or worldly distraction can benefit us on the Day of Judgment, urging believers to prioritize their spiritual foundation.
Related Ayahs
وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنَّا عَـٰمِلُونَ
And say to those who do not believe, "Work according to your position; indeed, we are working.
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ إِلَّا ٱلنَّارُ ۖ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُوا۟ فِيهَا وَبَـٰطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein, and worthless is what they used to do.
فَلَعَلَّكَ تَارِكٌۢ بَعْضَ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ وَضَآئِقٌۢ بِهِۦ صَدْرُكَ أَن يَقُولُوا۟ لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ كَنزٌ أَوْ جَآءَ مَعَهُۥ مَلَكٌ ۚ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ نَذِيرٌ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَكِيلٌ
Then would you possibly leave [out] some of what is revealed to you, or is your breast constrained by it because they say, "Why has there not been sent down to him a treasure or come with him an angel?" But you are only a warner. And Allāh is Disposer of all things.
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰصَـٰلِحُ قَدْ كُنتَ فِينَا مَرْجُوًّا قَبْلَ هَـٰذَآ ۖ أَتَنْهَىٰنَآ أَن نَّعْبُدَ مَا يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَإِنَّنَا لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَآ إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ
They said, "O Ṣāliḥ, you were among us a man of promise before this. Do you forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped? And indeed we are, about that to which you invite us, in disquieting doubt."