يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ لَا بُشْرَىٰ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ وَيَقُولُونَ حِجْرًا مَّحْجُورًا 22
Translations
The day they see the angels - no good tidings will there be that day for the criminals, and [the angels] will say, "Prevented and inaccessible."
Transliteration
Yawma yarawn al-malā'ikah lā bushrā yawma'idhin lil-mujrimīn wa-yaqūlūn hijran mahhjūrā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the Day of Judgment when criminals will see the angels descend, but will receive no good news (glad tidings) of mercy or forgiveness. Instead, they will say 'Hijar Mahjur' (forbidden, forbidden / a barrier between us and mercy), expressing their despair and rejection. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as the moment when the disbelievers and criminals lose all hope of divine mercy, and the angels arrive not to comfort them but to witness their judgment and punishment.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within Surah Al-Furqan, which was revealed in Mecca during a period of intense persecution of Muslims. The surah emphasizes the reality of the Day of Judgment and the contrasting fates of the righteous and the wicked. This particular verse warns the Meccan disbelievers about what awaits them if they persist in rejecting Allah's message.
Related Hadiths
The theme is echoed in Sahih Muslim (2764) where the Prophet ﷺ describes how the angels will come at death to those who rejected faith, bringing them tidings of punishment. Additionally, Surah An-Nahl (16:28) contains a related description of angels coming to the disbelievers at the time of death.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that rejection of Allah's guidance leads to irreversible despair and that the opportunity for repentance and mercy is limited to this worldly life. Believers should recognize the urgency of seeking Allah's forgiveness now, before facing the final judgment when no intercession or mercy will be granted to those who rejected His signs.