لَوَّاحَةٌ لِّلْبَشَرِ 29
Translations
Altering [i.e., blackening] the skins.
Transliteration
Lawwāḥatun lilbashār
Tafsir (Explanation)
This phrase describes the characteristics of Hellfire (Jahannam), specifically referring to a fire that is scorching and burning for mankind. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, lawwāḥah (لَوَّاحَة) means a burning, blazing fire that strips away and consumes the skin, derived from the root meaning 'to scorch' or 'to char.' The ayah emphasizes the intense, all-consuming nature of the punishment that awaits those who reject faith and divine guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Muddaththir, a Meccan chapter revealed during the early period of Islam. The surah addresses the Prophet Muhammad's mission and describes the realities of the afterlife, particularly the fate of disbelievers. This specific verse is part of a broader description of Hellfire's torment, contextualizing the consequences of rejecting Allah's message.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The fire that you kindle in this world is only a small part of the fire of the Day of Judgment,' recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah. Additionally, Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim contain numerous hadiths describing the severity of Hellfire's punishment as a warning to believers.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder of divine justice and the serious consequences of rejecting faith, urging believers to reflect on their actions and remain steadfast in obedience to Allah. It emphasizes that worldly choices have eternal repercussions and should motivate conscious adherence to Islamic teachings.
Related Ayahs
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ
And they who disbelieved and denied Our signs - for those there will be a humiliating punishment.
إِنَّا مُنزِلُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَهْلِ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةِ رِجْزًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْسُقُونَ
Indeed, we will bring down on the people of this city punishment from the sky because they have been defiantly disobedient."
وَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَأُهْلِكُوا۟ بِرِيحٍ صَرْصَرٍ عَاتِيَةٍ
And as for ʿAad, they were destroyed by a screaming, violent wind
وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
And none will bind [as severely] as His binding [of the evildoers].