وَلَوْلَا نِعْمَةُ رَبِّى لَكُنتُ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْضَرِينَ 57
Translations
If not for the favor of my Lord, I would have been of those brought in [to Hell].
Transliteration
Walaw lā ni'matu rabbī lakuntu mina al-muḥḍarīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah expresses gratitude to Allah, with the speaker acknowledging that had it not been for the favor (ni'mah) of their Lord, they would have been among those presented (to punishment). According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this reflects the state of the people of Paradise recognizing Allah's grace that saved them from Hell. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this statement underscores the doctrine of divine predestination (qadar) combined with human responsibility, as the speaker attributes their salvation entirely to Allah's favor rather than their own deeds.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah As-Saffat (Meccan surah), which discusses the ranks of angels and the scenes of the Day of Judgment. Verses 37:54-61 depict a dialogue between the people of Paradise, where one of them reflects on how close he came to being among the damned, highlighting the theme of gratitude for Allah's protection and grace on the Day of Judgment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best supplication is to ask for forgiveness (istighfar) and the best remembrance is to say La ilaha illallah' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3383). Additionally, the hadith 'None of you will enter Paradise by his deeds alone' (Sahih Muslim 2816) relates to the theme of reliance on Allah's favor rather than one's own actions.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to continuously acknowledge that our salvation, success, and protection are ultimately gifts from Allah rather than results of our own efforts alone. It encourages believers to cultivate humility and gratitude, recognizing that without Allah's mercy and guidance, we would be among those destined for punishment.