قَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ 14
Translations
They said, "O woe to us! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."
Transliteration
Qalu ya waylana inna kunna zalimin
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers cry out in despair and regret, acknowledging their own wrongdoing and injustice when confronted with the reality of the Day of Judgment. This statement represents their belated recognition of their oppression and rejection of Allah's signs, as mentioned in the preceding context of Surah Al-Anbiya where the people deny the prophets. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this as a moment of admission when denial becomes impossible, emphasizing that such confession on the Day of Judgment will be of no benefit to those who rejected faith during their worldly life.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the broader Meccan context of Surah Al-Anbiya, which discusses various prophets and the disbelievers' responses to them. The specific context (ayahs 11-14) describes a scene on the Day of Judgment where people witness the punishment of nations before them and express their regret. This serves as a warning to the Meccan polytheists about the consequences of their rejection of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best repentance is to repent before death comes' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, the concept relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet mentioned that on the Day of Judgment, souls will be seized and people will wish they had done good deeds.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that repentance and rectification must occur in this life, as acknowledgment of sin after death is futile and will not alter one's eternal fate. It serves as a powerful incentive to embrace faith and righteousness while opportunity remains, rather than deferring repentance until it is too late.