ٱصْلَوْهَا فَٱصْبِرُوٓا۟ أَوْ لَا تَصْبِرُوا۟ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ إِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ 16
Translations
[Enter to] burn therein; then be patient or impatient - it is all the same for you. You are only being recompensed [for] what you used to do."
Transliteration
Islaw-ha fa-isbiroo aw la tasbiroo sawaa'un alaikum; innama tujzawna ma kuntum ta'maloon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the inhabitants of Hell, stating that whether they bear their punishment with patience or not makes no difference—the outcome is the same for them. Allah emphasizes that they are receiving recompense solely for the deeds they committed in the worldly life. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir note this demonstrates Allah's perfect justice: the punishment is a direct consequence of one's own actions, removing any excuse or complaint from the punished.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah At-Tur, which focuses on the Day of Judgment, the resurrection, and the consequences of belief and disbelief. The broader context (52:12-16) describes the state of the people in Hell, establishing that their torment is a just recompense for their rejection of Allah's signs and their transgressions during worldly life.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Each soul shall taste death, and We will test you with evil and with good as a trial' (Quran 21:35). Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Muslim: 'No one's deeds will enter Paradise because of his deeds alone.' This reinforces the theme of divine justice and accountability for one's actions.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that we are fully responsible for our deeds and cannot escape the consequences of our actions through complaint or excuse-making. It should motivate believers to purify their intentions and actions in this life, knowing that every deed—good or bad—carries eternal weight in the Hereafter.