إِنَّآ أَنذَرْنَـٰكُمْ عَذَابًا قَرِيبًا يَوْمَ يَنظُرُ ٱلْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ٱلْكَافِرُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَٰبًۢا 40
Translations
Indeed, We have warned you of an impending punishment on the Day when a man will observe what his hands have put forth and the disbeliever will say, "Oh, I wish that I were dust!"
Transliteration
Inna anzarnakum adhaban qariban yawma yanzuru al-marru ma qaddamat yadahu wa yaqolu al-kafiru ya laytani kuntu turaba
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah warns humanity of an imminent punishment on the Day of Judgment when each person will witness the deeds their hands have sent forward, and the disbeliever will wish they had been mere dust (never created). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this ayah describes the regret of the disbeliever when confronted with the reality of their actions on the Day of Resurrection, highlighting the finality and unavoidability of divine judgment.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Naba, a Meccan surah that comprehensively addresses the reality of the Day of Judgment and resurrection. It concludes a series of warnings to the Meccan disbelievers who denied the message of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and rejected belief in the Hereafter. The surah's broader theme is establishing certainty about the Day of Judgment and its consequences.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The shade of a Muslim on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, 'Every soul shall taste death, and you shall be paid in full your deeds on the Day of Resurrection' (Quran 3:185, Sahih Muslim confirms this theme through various ahadith about deeds being presented to Allah).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that our actions have eternal consequences and that we will be held accountable for every deed we commit. Believers should live with consciousness of Allah's judgment, striving to perform righteous deeds and repenting from wrongdoing before it is too late.