يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ ۖ وَلَهُمُ ٱللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوٓءُ ٱلدَّارِ 52
Translations
The Day their excuse will not benefit the wrongdoers, and they will have the curse, and they will have the worst home [i.e., Hell].
Transliteration
Yawma lā yanfaʿu aẓ-ẓālimīna maʿdhiratuhum wa lahum al-laʿnatu wa lahum sūʾu ad-dār
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the Day of Judgment when the excuses and apologies of the wrongdoers will be of no avail to them. Ibn Kathir explains that despite their attempts to justify themselves before Allah, their pleas will be rejected, and they will face the curse (laʿnah) of Allah and His separation from His mercy, along with the evil and torment of the final abode (Hell). Al-Qurtubi notes that this verse emphasizes the futility of deception on the Day of Resurrection, when all truth will be laid bare.
Revelation Context
Surah Ghafir is a Meccan surah revealed during the period of intense opposition to the Prophet ﷺ. This ayah appears in the context of warnings about the Day of Judgment and the ultimate fate of those who reject Allah's signs and persist in wrongdoing. It serves as a powerful reminder to disbelievers that their worldly excuses and arguments will have no validity in the Hereafter.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The most fortunate person to whom I shall be made to intercede is the one who says: There is none worthy of worship except Allah, with sincerity of heart' (Sahih Bukhari 99:1). This relates to the theme that sincere repentance, unlike empty excuses, will benefit a person on the Day of Judgment.
Themes
Key Lesson
On the Day of Judgment, no excuse or argument will save those who knowingly rejected Allah's truth—only sincere repentance and faith in this life will benefit a person. This ayah encourages believers to seek forgiveness now and avoid the grave error of procrastination, knowing that every opportunity for excuses will vanish before Allah's perfect justice.