وَبَدَا لَهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتُ مَا كَسَبُوا۟ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ 48
Translations
And there will appear to them the evils they had earned, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
Transliteration
Wa badā lahum sayyiātu mā kasabū wa ḥāqa bihim mā kānū bihī yastahziʾūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how the evil deeds of the disbelievers will become manifest to them on the Day of Judgment, and the punishment they mocked in this life will befall them. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, 'badā' (became apparent) signifies the revelation of hidden consequences, while 'ḥāqa' (encompassed/overtook) emphasizes the inevitability and inescapability of divine retribution. The ayah serves as a warning that mockery of faith and rejection of truth carries severe consequences that cannot be avoided.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Az-Zumar, a Meccan chapter addressing the polytheists who rejected the Prophet Muhammad's message and ridiculed believers. The broader context of the surah concerns the reality of the Hereafter and the futility of shirk (associating partners with Allah), with this particular ayah appearing in a section describing the scenes of Judgment Day when disbelievers will witness the fruits of their actions.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim (2807) narrated by Abu Hurairah: 'Whoever mocks a verse of Allah or the Messenger of Allah will face punishment,' directly relates to the warning against mockery. Additionally, the general theme aligns with hadith about deeds being returned to their doers on Judgment Day.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that all actions have consequences and that mocking faith or truth is a grave sin with eternal repercussions. It encourages believers to take their deeds seriously and treat religious matters with reverence, knowing that nothing remains hidden from Allah's knowledge and justice.
Related Ayahs
وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ
And Allāh will surely make evident those who believe, and He will surely make evident the hypocrites.
وَإِمَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى نَعِدُهُمْ أَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ ٱللَّهُ شَهِيدٌ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفْعَلُونَ
And whether We show you some of what We promise them, [O Muḥammad], or We take you in death, to Us is their return; then, [either way], Allāh is a witness concerning what they are doing.
وَلَوْ أَنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَمِثْلَهُۥ مَعَهُۥ لَٱفْتَدَوْا۟ بِهِۦ مِن سُوٓءِ ٱلْعَذَابِ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ وَبَدَا لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا۟ يَحْتَسِبُونَ
And if those who did wrong had all that is in the earth entirely and the like of it with it, they would [attempt to] ransom themselves thereby from the worst of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. And there will appear to them from Allāh that which they had not taken into account.
وَيَوْمَ يُحْشَرُ أَعْدَآءُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ
And [mention, O Muḥammad], the Day when the enemies of Allāh will be gathered to the Fire while they are [driven], assembled in rows,