فَذَٰلِكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوْمٌ عَسِيرٌ 9
Translations
That Day will be a difficult day
Transliteration
Fa-dhalika yawma-idhin yawmun 'asir
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the Day of Judgment as an extremely difficult and arduous day for the disbelievers and those who rejected the message. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that 'asir (عسير) conveys the sense of extreme hardship and difficulty that will characterize that day for all except the believers who prepared themselves with righteous deeds. The ayah emphasizes the severity of the final reckoning when all souls will face the consequences of their earthly actions.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Al-Muddaththir, which was revealed early in the Meccan period and addresses themes of resurrection, accountability, and the consequences of rejecting divine guidance. The surah's broader context concerns the certainty of the Day of Judgment and the futility of denying it, directly responding to the Meccan disbelievers' skepticism about the afterlife.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said in Sahih Muslim: 'The Day of Judgment will not be established until people's deeds become corrupted,' highlighting the connection between earthly actions and the difficulty of the final day. Also related is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari describing the intense pressure and difficulty of the Day of Judgment for those who lived heedlessly.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that the Day of Judgment will be extraordinarily challenging for those unprepared, urging believers to reflect on their deeds and strengthen their faith and righteousness now. It emphasizes that the temporary pleasures of this world are insignificant compared to the eternal consequences that await on that Day.