وَتَضْحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبْكُونَ 60
Translations
And you laugh and do not weep
Transliteration
wa-tadhakoona wa-la tabkoona
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the state of the disbelievers on the Day of Judgment, where they will laugh (out of mockery and denial in this life) but will not weep (in the Hereafter, either because their capacity for tears is gone or because weeping will be useless). According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this contrasts the frivolous laughter of the deniers in the worldly life with their ultimate inability to express remorse or seek forgiveness in the afterlife, emphasizing the serious consequences of rejecting divine signs.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Najm, a Meccan chapter that deals with the Day of Judgment and the fate of believers versus disbelievers. The broader passage (53:57-62) describes the Day of Recompense when people will be brought before Allah, highlighting the contrast between temporary worldly amusement and eternal divine justice.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The people of Paradise will not regret anything except the time they spent laughing instead of remembering Allah' (at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, hadiths describing the Day of Judgment mention that some will be prevented from weeping despite their desire to do so (related themes in various collections).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that worldly laughter and mockery of the divine message will ultimately prove futile and regrettable; true wisdom lies in taking the signs of Allah seriously in this life rather than dismissing them with frivolity, for accountability and consequences are real and inevitable.