يَـٰمَعْشَرَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّنكُمْ يَقُصُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِى وَيُنذِرُونَكُمْ لِقَآءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَـٰذَا ۚ قَالُوا۟ شَهِدْنَا عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِنَا ۖ وَغَرَّتْهُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَشَهِدُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ كَـٰفِرِينَ 130
Translations
"O company of jinn and mankind, did there not come to you messengers from among you, relating to you My verses and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?" They will say, "We bear witness against ourselves"; and the worldly life had deluded them, and they will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers.
Transliteration
Ya ma'shara al-jinni wa-al-insi alam ya'tikum rusulun minkum yaqussun 'alaykum ayati wa yundhirunkum liqa'a yawmikum hadha qalu shahidna 'ala anfusina wa gharratthum al-hayatu al-dunya wa shahidu 'ala anfusihim annahum kanu kafirin
Tafsir (Explanation)
On the Day of Judgment, Allah will address both jinn and humans, reminding them that messengers from among their own kind came to them with clear signs and warned them of this very day. The people will testify against themselves, admitting their disbelief, and Allah explains that the deception of worldly life caused them to neglect the message and reject the truth. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah emphasizes that the excuse of ignorance cannot be accepted, as the messengers made the message clear and the people's own testimony condemns them.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-An'am (Meccan), which comprehensively addresses the oneness of Allah and refutes polytheism. The ayah appears in a section discussing the Day of Judgment and how people will be held accountable. It reinforces a recurring theme in the surah: that rejecting the clear message of the prophets is inexcusable because the messengers came from among the people themselves and communicated in their languages and understood their affairs.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Every soul shall taste death, and you shall only be paid your wages on the Day of Resurrection' (3:185) relates to the accountability theme. Additionally, the hadith from Sunan Ibn Majah about the Day of Judgment and people's testimonies against themselves resonates with this ayah's emphasis on self-witnessing.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that ignorance of the truth is no excuse when messengers have been sent with clear signs—we are responsible for seeking knowledge and heeding guidance. The danger of worldly distractions in causing us to neglect our spiritual obligations serves as a powerful reminder to prioritize the eternal over the temporary.