وَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ 29
Translations
And they say, "There is none but our worldly life, and we will not be resurrected."
Transliteration
Wa qalū in hiya illā hayātunā ad-dunyā wa mā naḥnu bi-mab'ūthīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah records the statement of the disbelievers who deny the afterlife, claiming that life is limited to this worldly existence and that there is no resurrection. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this reflects the materialist ideology of those who rejected the message of the Prophet, asserting that death is the final end and denying accountability before Allah. The ayah presents their false belief as a prelude to refutation by divine proofs throughout the surah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-An'am, which was revealed in Mecca during the early period when the Quraysh actively rejected the Prophet's message. The surah addresses various objections raised by the disbelievers, including their denial of the afterlife and resurrection—core concepts of Islamic belief that were heavily contested in Meccan society.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who have the best character and the best of you are those who are best to their families,' emphasizing that belief in the afterlife should motivate ethical conduct (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent' (Sahih Bukhari) connects to the consequences of denying resurrection.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that the denial of the afterlife leads to moral corruption and abandonment of accountability, while belief in resurrection and divine judgment is foundational to living a righteous life. Modern readers should reflect on how faith in the afterlife shapes ethical behavior and protects against materialistic worldviews that ignore spiritual responsibility.
Related Ayahs
أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيْتًا فَأَحْيَيْنَـٰهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُۥ نُورًا يَمْشِى بِهِۦ فِى ٱلنَّاسِ كَمَن مَّثَلُهُۥ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِّنْهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
And is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge therefrom? Thus it has been made pleasing to the disbelievers that which they were doing.
وَإِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ءَايَةٌ قَالُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ حَتَّىٰ نُؤْتَىٰ مِثْلَ مَآ أُوتِىَ رُسُلُ ٱللَّهِ ۘ ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُۥ ۗ سَيُصِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا۟ صَغَارٌ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَعَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَمْكُرُونَ
And when a sign comes to them, they say, "Never will we believe until we are given like that which was given to the messengers of Allāh." Allāh is most knowing of where [i.e., with whom] He places His message. There will afflict those who committed crimes debasement before Allāh and severe punishment for what they used to conspire.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا فِى كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ أَكَـٰبِرَ مُجْرِمِيهَا لِيَمْكُرُوا۟ فِيهَا ۖ وَمَا يَمْكُرُونَ إِلَّا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
And thus We have placed within every city the greatest of its criminals to conspire therein. But they conspire not except against themselves, and they perceive [it] not.
قُلْ هُوَ ٱلْقَادِرُ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابًا مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعًا وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُم بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ ۗ ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ
Say, "He is the [one] Able to send upon you affliction from above you or from beneath your feet or to confuse you [so you become] sects and make you taste the violence of one another." Look how We diversify the signs that they might understand.