وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ فَزِعُوا۟ فَلَا فَوْتَ وَأُخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ 51
Translations
And if you could see when they are terrified but there is no escape, and they will be seized from a place nearby.
Transliteration
Wa law tara idh fazicu fa la fawta wa ukhidhu min makaan qareeb
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah depicts the terrifying scene on the Day of Judgment when the disbelievers will suddenly be seized by punishment with no escape ('no fawt' meaning no deliverance or passage to safety). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that they will be captured from a near place, meaning the punishment will be inescapable and inevitable, coming upon them suddenly without warning or opportunity to flee. Al-Qurtubi notes this emphasizes the swiftness and certainty of divine justice, highlighting that no distance or refuge will protect those who reject Allah's signs.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah of Saba, which addresses the disbelievers of Mecca and their rejection of the message. The broader context of verses 51-54 describes the ultimate fate of those who deny resurrection and the Day of Judgment, serving as a warning to the pagan Arabs who mocked the Prophet Muhammad's message about the afterlife.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The Day of Judgment will come, and Allah will say to the people of the Fire: Is there anything good you wish for? They will say: Yes, we wish for water and shade. Then Allah will shade them with a cloud above the Fire for seventy years' (related to themes of inescapable punishment). Also relevant is the hadith about the seizing of souls: 'The soul is taken while the body is unaware' (thematically related to sudden capture).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that rejecting divine guidance has inevitable consequences that cannot be evaded, and serves as a deterrent against heedlessness—encouraging readers to reflect on accountability and respond to Allah's message before it is too late, as no excuse or escape will avail on that Day.