وَقَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمُ ٱلتَّنَاوُشُ مِن مَّكَانٍۭ بَعِيدٍ 52
Translations
And they will [then] say, "We believe in it!" But how for them will be the taking [of faith] from a place far away?
Transliteration
Wa qalū āmannā bihī wa annā lahumu al-tanāwushu min makānin baʿīd
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the regretful declaration of disbelievers on the Day of Judgment when they claim belief in Allah and His signs, yet their faith comes too late and from a distance—when they can no longer benefit from it. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir explain that 'al-tanawush min makānin baʿīd' (reaching/grasping from a far place) refers to their inability to return to the worldly life to perform righteous deeds, as the barrier between this life and the afterlife is now insurmountable. The ayah emphasizes the futility of deathbed repentance and belief that arrives only when the soul is departing or has already departed.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Saba, a Meccan surah dealing with themes of resurrection, accountability, and the fate of disbelievers. It contextually follows descriptions of the Day of Judgment and precedes further warnings about the consequences of rejecting faith during one's lifetime. The surah addresses the Meccan polytheists who postponed belief and repentance.
Related Hadiths
The ayah relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'When the soul reaches the collarbone (at the time of death), it will no longer be accepted to repent.' This emphasizes that belief after this point is rejected, aligning with the ayah's message about the impossibility of true repentance in the afterlife.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that faith and repentance must be pursued during one's lifetime when deeds are still accepted; waiting until death approaches or until witnessing the signs of the afterlife renders belief meaningless and devoid of benefit, emphasizing the urgency of sincere worship today.
Related Ayahs
وَمَآ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَلَآ أَوْلَـٰدُكُم بِٱلَّتِى تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِندَنَا زُلْفَىٰٓ إِلَّا مَنْ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَآءُ ٱلضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَهُمْ فِى ٱلْغُرُفَـٰتِ ءَامِنُونَ
And it is not your wealth or your children that bring you nearer to Us in position, but it is [by being] one who has believed and done righteousness. For them there will be the double reward for what they did, and they will be in the upper chambers [of Paradise], safe [and secure].
۞ قُلْ مَن يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَإِنَّآ أَوْ إِيَّاكُمْ لَعَلَىٰ هُدًى أَوْ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
Say, "Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth?" Say, "Allāh. And indeed, we or you are either upon guidance or in clear error."
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ فَزِعُوا۟ فَلَا فَوْتَ وَأُخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ
And if you could see when they are terrified but there is no escape, and they will be seized from a place nearby.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ وَلَا بِٱلَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ۗ وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ مَوْقُوفُونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يَرْجِعُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ٱلْقَوْلَ يَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ لَوْلَآ أَنتُمْ لَكُنَّا مُؤْمِنِينَ
And those who disbelieve say, "We will never believe in this Qur’ān nor in that before it." But if you could see when the wrongdoers are made to stand before their Lord, refuting each others' words... Those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, "If not for you, we would have been believers."