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
وَسِيقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ زُمَرًا ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُوهَا فُتِحَتْ أَبْوَٰبُهَا وَقَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَآ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُونَ عَلَيْكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّكُمْ وَيُنذِرُونَكُمْ لِقَآءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَـٰذَا ۚ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ وَلَـٰكِنْ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَةُ ٱلْعَذَابِ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups until, when they reach it, its gates are opened and its keepers will say, "Did there not come to you messengers from yourselves, reciting to you the verses of your Lord and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?" They will say, "Yes, but the word [i.e., decree] of punishment has come into effect upon the disbelievers."
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."
فَأَصَابَهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتُ مَا كَسَبُوا۟ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ سَيُصِيبُهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتُ مَا كَسَبُوا۟ وَمَا هُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ
And the evil consequences of what they earned struck them. And those who have wronged of these [people] will be struck [i.e., afflicted] by the evil consequences of what they earned; and they will not cause failure.
أَوْ تَقُولَ حِينَ تَرَى ٱلْعَذَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى كَرَّةً فَأَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
Or [lest] it say when it sees the punishment, "If only I had another turn so I could be among the doers of good."