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
وَلَوْ أَنَّ لِكُلِّ نَفْسٍ ظَلَمَتْ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لَٱفْتَدَتْ بِهِۦ ۗ وَأَسَرُّوا۟ ٱلنَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ ۖ وَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُم بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
And if each soul that wronged had everything on earth, it would offer it in ransom. And they will confide regret when they see the punishment; and they will be judged in justice, and they will not be wronged.
وَأَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا
And that those who do not believe in the Hereafter - We have prepared for them a painful 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."
إِذَآ أُلْقُوا۟ فِيهَا سَمِعُوا۟ لَهَا شَهِيقًا وَهِىَ تَفُورُ
When they are thrown into it, they hear from it a [dreadful] inhaling while it boils up.