يَقُولُ أَءِنَّكَ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُصَدِّقِينَ 52
Translations
Who would say, 'Are you indeed of those who believe
Transliteration
Yaqolu a-innaka lamina al-musaddiqin
Tafsir (Explanation)
In this ayah, one of the deniers in Hell addresses another, saying 'Are you truly among those who believed?' This is a moment of bitter irony and regret, as the speaker questions whether his companion was actually a believer, implying that if he were truly a believer, he would not be in this state of punishment. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this reflects the confusion and despair of the disbelievers in the afterlife, where they confront the reality of their choices and recognize the false beliefs that led them to destruction.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah As-Saffat's vivid depiction of the Day of Judgment and the states of the people in the Hereafter. The surah contrasts the ranks of the righteous with the fate of the disbelievers, and this particular ayah illustrates the conversation between the damned, emphasizing the theme of mutual regret and blame among those who rejected the truth.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The most miserable person is he who had the opportunity to enter Paradise but missed it.' (Related in various collections regarding the regret of disbelievers). Additionally, Surah As-Saffat 37:26-27 is directly related, describing how the disbelievers will blame one another on the Day of Judgment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that denial of truth carries eternal consequences and leads to irremediable regret; believers should recognize the urgency of accepting faith in this life before the opportunity is lost, while also being mindful that blaming others in the Hereafter will be of no benefit.
Related Ayahs
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جَمَعْنَـٰهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ لَّا رَيْبَ فِيهِ وَوُفِّيَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
So how will it be when We assemble them for a Day about which there is no doubt? And each soul will be compensated [in full for] what it earned, and they will not be wronged.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ وَٱخْشَوْا۟ يَوْمًا لَّا يَجْزِى وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِۦ وَلَا مَوْلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَن وَالِدِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا ۚ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ ۖ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْغَرُورُ
O mankind, fear your Lord and fear a Day when no father will avail his son, nor will a son avail his father at all. Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allāh by the Deceiver [i.e., Satan].
وَكُنتُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا ثَلَـٰثَةً
And you become [of] three kinds:
ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَأَلْقِيَاهُ فِى ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلشَّدِيدِ
Who made [as equal] with Allāh another deity; then throw him into the severe punishment."