وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِىٓ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ 10
Translations
And they will say, "If only we had been listening or reasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze."
Transliteration
Wa qaaluu law kunna nasma'u aw na'qilu maa kunna fee ashaabi as-sa'eer
Tafsir (Explanation)
The inhabitants of Hell lament that had they possessed the faculties to listen to guidance and use their intellect to understand the truth, they would not have been among the companions of the Hellfire. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah emphasizes that the disbelievers' punishment was a consequence of their deliberate rejection and misuse of their God-given faculties of hearing and reason, not due to their absence. The ayah underscores personal accountability, as Allah had equipped them with the means to recognize truth but they chose arrogance and denial.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within Surah Al-Mulk's broader theme of Allah's absolute sovereignty and the accountability of humans in the Hereafter. It forms part of the dialogue of the people of Hell (verses 67:8-11), where they acknowledge their regrets and the causes of their punishment. The surah was revealed in Mecca and addresses the disbelievers' denial of resurrection and divine justice.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Everyone is facilitated towards that for which he was created' (Sahih Bukhari 4808). This supports the ayah's implication that humans possess the capacity for guidance but are responsible for their choices regarding it.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that ignorance is not an excuse when we possess the faculties to seek knowledge and truth; we are accountable for how we use our intellect and ability to listen to guidance. In our modern age of widespread information access, this ayah should inspire us to actively engage our reasoning and hearing in pursuit of truth rather than passively following desires or dismissing divine guidance.