كَذَٰلِكَ نَفْعَلُ بِٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ 18
Translations
Thus do We deal with the criminals.
Transliteration
Kathalika naf'alu bil-mujrimeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah deals with the criminals and wrongdoers in the same manner as described in the preceding verses—through punishment and divine retribution. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this is a statement of Allah's consistent justice and the inevitable consequences of sin, warning that those who reject faith and commit crimes will face the same fate as previous transgressors. The ayah underscores that Allah's punishment is not arbitrary but follows a pattern of divine justice applied uniformly throughout history.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Mursalat is a Meccan surah focused on themes of the Day of Judgment and punishment of disbelievers. This ayah appears in the context of vivid descriptions of the torment awaiting the criminals in the afterlife (verses 12-17), serving as a powerful reiteration of the certainty of divine punishment for those who reject Allah's message.
Related Hadiths
The thematic content relates to hadith in Sahih Bukhari (Book of Tawheed) where the Prophet (ﷺ) described the punishment of the disbelievers, emphasizing that Allah's punishment is just and inevitable. Also relevant is the general principle mentioned in various hadiths about the consistency of Allah's Sunnah (divine law) regarding punishment of evildoers.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that moral and spiritual transgressions have real, inevitable consequences established by Allah's justice, and should motivate genuine repentance and moral reformation before facing divine judgment. It also reassures the believers that wrongdoing does not go unaccounted for, providing comfort that ultimate justice belongs to Allah alone.