أَن تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يَـٰحَسْرَتَىٰ عَلَىٰ مَا فَرَّطتُ فِى جَنۢبِ ٱللَّهِ وَإِن كُنتُ لَمِنَ ٱلسَّـٰخِرِينَ 56
Translations
Lest a soul should say, "Oh, [how great is] my regret over what I neglected in regard to Allāh and that I was among the mockers."
Transliteration
An taqoola nafsun ya hasrata ala ma farratu fi janbi-llahi wa in kunti lamin as-sakhireen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the regret and remorse a soul will experience on the Day of Judgment, saying 'O my regret!' for having neglected the rights of Allah and wasted opportunities for obedience and worship. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this depicts the anguish of those who mocked faith and the believers in their lifetime, realizing too late the gravity of their negligence. The ayah emphasizes the eternal sorrow of those who squandered their worldly life without fulfilling their obligations to Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the broader Meccan context of Surah Az-Zumar, which emphasizes divine unity, the reality of the Hereafter, and warnings against associating partners with Allah. The surah addresses those who denied the resurrection and mocked the believers, making this ayah particularly relevant to those who dismissed religious obligations during their lifetime.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of deeds is to believe in Allah and His Messenger, and the worst of deeds is to associate partners with Allah.' (Musnad Ahmad) Also relevant: 'When the son of Adam dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge that benefits, and a righteous child who prays for him.' (Sahih Muslim 1631)
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that we cannot afford to procrastinate in our spiritual obligations or dismiss faith with mockery, as death is inevitable and the opportunity for repentance will be lost; believers should use their earthly life wisely to prepare for eternal consequences.
Related Ayahs
قَدْ قَالَهَا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَمَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
Those before them had already said it, but they were not availed by what they used to earn.
قُلْ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّى عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
Say, "Indeed I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day."
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلْ أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَـٰشِفَـٰتُ ضُرِّهِۦٓ أَوْ أَرَادَنِى بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَـٰتُ رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ قُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ عَلَيْهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "Then have you considered what you invoke besides Allāh? If Allāh intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?" Say, "Sufficient for me is Allāh; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers."
فَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ ضُرٌّ دَعَانَا ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلْنَـٰهُ نِعْمَةً مِّنَّا قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُۥ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍۭ ۚ بَلْ هِىَ فِتْنَةٌ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
And when adversity touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We bestow on him a favor from Us, he says, "I have only been given it because of [my] knowledge." Rather, it is a trial, but most of them do not know.