يَقُولُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِى 24
Translations
He will say, "Oh, I wish I had sent ahead [some good] for my life."
Transliteration
Yaqoolu ya laytani qaddamtu li hayati
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah depicts the regretful words of a disbeliever on the Day of Judgment, crying out in despair: 'Oh, I wish I had sent forward [good deeds] for my life [in the afterlife].' According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this represents the ultimate remorse of those who neglected righteous deeds in their worldly life, realizing too late that their actions in this world determine their eternal fate. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that 'sending forward' (taqdim) refers to performing good deeds and preparing for the afterlife, which is the only true life that matters.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-Fajr, which vividly describes the scenes of the Day of Judgment and the states of the righteous and the wicked. It is part of a passage (ayahs 23-30) depicting the destiny of the disbeliever who rejected faith and squandered their worldly opportunity to prepare for eternity.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who live longest and do good deeds; the worst of you are those who live longest and do evil deeds' (Tirmidhi). Also relevant is the hadith: 'When the son of Adam dies, all his deeds come to an end except for three: a continuing charity, knowledge from which people benefit, or a righteous son who prays for him' (Sahih Muslim 1631).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that our earthly life is a brief opportunity to prepare for eternity, and we must act now with purpose—today's neglect becomes tomorrow's regret that cannot be remedied. Believers should consistently engage in righteous deeds and remember that the true life is the eternal life to come.