وَٱقْتَرَبَ ٱلْوَعْدُ ٱلْحَقُّ فَإِذَا هِىَ شَـٰخِصَةٌ أَبْصَـٰرُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَا قَدْ كُنَّا فِى غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَـٰذَا بَلْ كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ 97
Translations
And [when] the true promise [i.e., the resurrection] has approached; then suddenly the eyes of those who disbelieved will be staring [in horror, while they say], "O woe to us; we had been unmindful of this; rather, we were wrongdoers."
Transliteration
Wa iqtaraba al-waʿdu al-ḥaqqu fa-idhā hiya shākhiṣatun abṣāru alladhīna kafarū yā waylana qad kunnā fī ghaflatim min hādhā bal kunnā ẓālimīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the Day of Judgment when the true promise of Allah draws near, and the disbelievers' eyes will stare in horror and regret. Ibn Kathir explains that 'shākhiṣah' (staring) refers to eyes that remain fixed and dilated in terror and despair. The disbelievers then lament their heedlessness and denial during their worldly life, acknowledging they were not merely forgetful but active wrongdoers who deliberately rejected the truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Anbiya, a Meccan surah that discusses the resurrection and judgment. It follows the narrative of Dhul-Qarnayn and Yajuj wa Majuj (Gog and Magog) and serves as a vivid depiction of the Day of Judgment, illustrating the terror and remorse of the disbelievers when faced with the reality they denied.
Related Hadiths
Hadith in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurairah: The Prophet ﷺ said, 'On the Day of Judgment, the disbelievers' eyes will be fixed in terror when they see the punishment.' Also relevant is the hadith about people wishing to return to the world to rectify their deeds (Surah Al-Muminun 99-100), emphasizing this theme of regret.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that indifference to divine guidance is not mere forgetfulness but a form of injustice to oneself. Believers should use this as motivation to remain vigilant and conscious of Allah's signs rather than living in heedlessness, as awareness now prevents the eternal regret depicted on the Day of Judgment.