وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى ٱلنَّارِ لِخَزَنَةِ جَهَنَّمَ ٱدْعُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ يُخَفِّفْ عَنَّا يَوْمًا مِّنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ 49
Translations
And those in the Fire will say to the keepers of Hell, "Supplicate your Lord to lighten for us a day from the punishment."
Transliteration
Wa qāla alladhīna fi an-nāri li-khazanati jahannama ud'ū rabbakum yukhaffif 'annā yawman min al-'adhāb
Tafsir (Explanation)
The inhabitants of Hell plead with the angels (keepers of Hell) to call upon their Lord to reduce their punishment for even a single day. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah illustrates the desperation and regret of the people of Hell, who acknowledge Allah's power and sovereignty even in their torment, yet their plea remains unheeded because they rejected faith during their earthly life. Al-Qurtubi notes that this reflects the eternal nature of their condition—no respite is granted, demonstrating the justice of Divine punishment for those who knowingly rejected guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the broader narrative of Surah Ghafir (a Meccan surah) which contrasts the believers who call upon Allah with humility against the disbelievers who remain arrogant. The context of verses 49-50 describes the scene of the Day of Judgment, where the disbelievers' pleas are futile, serving to warn the Meccan audience about the inevitable consequences of rejecting the Message.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) described the horrors of Hell in multiple ahadith. In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated that the people of Hell will desire to exit but will be prevented, relating to the helplessness expressed in this ayah. Additionally, various ahadith in At-Tirmidhi describe the layers of Hell and the intensity of punishment, contextualizing the desperation depicted here.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that repentance and turning to Allah must occur in this life, as no relief or negotiation will be possible on the Day of Judgment for those who rejected faith. It serves as a powerful incentive for genuine tawbah (repentance) now, while opportunity remains, rather than facing eternal regret.
Related Ayahs
وَأَصْبَحَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَمَنَّوْا۟ مَكَانَهُۥ بِٱلْأَمْسِ يَقُولُونَ وَيْكَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَقْدِرُ ۖ لَوْلَآ أَن مَّنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا لَخَسَفَ بِنَا ۖ وَيْكَأَنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ
And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say, "Oh, how Allāh extends provision to whom He wills of His servants and restricts it! If not that Allāh had conferred favor on us, He would have caused it to swallow us. Oh, how the disbelievers do not succeed!"
وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ قَبْلَ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِمُ ٱلْمَثُلَـٰتُ ۗ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ لِّلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ ظُلْمِهِمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ
They impatiently urge you to bring about evil before good, while there has already occurred before them similar punishments [to what they demand]. And indeed, your Lord is the possessor of forgiveness for the people despite their wrongdoing, and indeed, your Lord is severe in penalty.
وَلَمَّا جَآءَتْ رُسُلُنَآ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ بِٱلْبُشْرَىٰ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مُهْلِكُوٓا۟ أَهْلِ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةِ ۖ إِنَّ أَهْلَهَا كَانُوا۟ ظَـٰلِمِينَ
And when Our messengers [i.e., angels] came to Abraham with the good tidings, they said, "Indeed, we will destroy the people of that [i.e., Lot's] city. Indeed, its people have been wrongdoers."
مِّن وَرَآئِهِمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَلَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُم مَّا كَسَبُوا۟ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا مَا ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
Before them is Hell, and what they had earned will not avail them at all nor what they had taken besides Allāh as allies. And they will have a great punishment.