قَالَ لَا تَخْتَصِمُوا۟ لَدَىَّ وَقَدْ قَدَّمْتُ إِلَيْكُم بِٱلْوَعِيدِ 28
Translations
[Allāh] will say, "Do not dispute before Me, while I had already presented to you the threat [i.e., warning].
Transliteration
Qala la takhtatsimu ladayya wa qad qaddamtu ilaikum bil-wa'id
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses the deniers and disbelievers on the Day of Judgment, commanding them to cease their disputes and arguments before Him, for He had already warned them through His messengers in the worldly life. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah emphasizes that all excuses and quarrels become futile on the Day of Judgment, as the warnings were clear and sufficient during the life of this world. The ayah demonstrates Allah's justice—He gave ample warning, so there remains no basis for dispute or blame-shifting in the Hereafter.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Qaf, a Meccan chapter dealing with themes of resurrection, divine judgment, and the ultimate accountability of mankind. It is part of a broader passage (50:20-29) describing the scenes of the Day of Judgment, where Allah addresses different groups of people and their responses to His judgment.
Related Hadiths
The themes of this ayah relate to the hadith in Sahih Muslim wherein the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned that on the Day of Judgment, people will wish to hide their deeds, and none can dispute with Allah's judgment. Additionally, Surah Al-A'raf (7:51) contains a similar theme: 'Indeed, those who took their religion as amusement and diversion and whom worldly life deluded—[their] deeds are lost.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that Allah gives clear warnings in this life through revelation and guidance, making excuses or denial on the Day of Judgment inexcusable. We should heed divine warnings now while we have the opportunity, recognizing that our current debates and denials will hold no weight before our Lord on that inevitable day.