سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ
Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 97
وَٱقْتَرَبَ ٱلْوَعْدُ ٱلْحَقُّ فَإِذَا هِىَ شَـٰخِصَةٌ أَبْصَـٰرُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَا قَدْ كُنَّا فِى غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَـٰذَا بَلْ كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ ﴿97﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And the true promise (Day of Resurrection) shall draw near (of fulfillment). Then (when mankind is resurrected from their graves), you shall see the eyes of the disbelievers fixedly staring in horror. (They will say): "Woe to us! We were indeed heedless of this - nay, but we were Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱقْتَرَبَ
wa-iq'taraba
And has approached
ٱلْوَعْدُ
l-waʿdu
the promise
ٱلْحَقُّ
l-ḥaqu
[the] true
فَإِذَا
fa-idhā
then behold
هِىَ
hiya
[it]
شَـٰخِصَةٌ
shākhiṣatun
(are) staring
أَبْصَـٰرُ
abṣāru
(the) eyes
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(of) those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
يَـٰوَيْلَنَا
yāwaylanā
O woe to us
قَدْ
qad
Verily
كُنَّا
kunnā
we had been
فِى
fī
in
غَفْلَةٍۢ
ghaflatin
heedlessness
مِّنْ
min
of
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
this
بَلْ
bal
nay
كُنَّا
kunnā
we were
ظَـٰلِمِينَ
ẓālimīna
wrongdoers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 97) ➊ With the addition of hamzah and taa in {وَ اقْتَرَبَ الْوَعْدُ الْحَقُّ : ’’ اقْتَرَبَ ‘‘ ’’قَرِبَ‘‘ }, the meaning is intensified, that is, it became very or absolutely near. By "the true promise" is meant the Day of Resurrection. After the destruction of Gog and Magog, the Messiah (peace be upon him) will descend from the mountain with the Muslims, then Allah Almighty will grant the Muslims countless blessings of the earth. In Sahih Muslim (2937) it is stated that while they are in this state, Allah Almighty will send a pure wind under their armpits, which will seize the soul of every believer, and the worst people will remain, who will mount each other like donkeys for lustful desires, and upon them the Hour will be established. Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: [ لاَ تَقُوْمُ السَّاعَةُ إِلَّا عَلٰی شِرَارِ الْخَلْقِ هُمْ شَرٌّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ لاَ يَدْعُوْنَ اللّٰهَ بِشَيْءٍ إِلَّا رَدَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ] [ مسلم، الإمارۃ، باب قولہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : لا تزال طائفۃ من أمتی… : ۱۹۲۴ ] "The Hour will be established upon those people who will be the worst of Allah's creation, they will be even worse than the people of ignorance, and whatever they ask from Allah, Allah will grant them that thing."
➋ The meaning of { فَاِذَا هِيَ شَاخِصَةٌ اَبْصَارُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا : ’’شُخُوْصٌ‘‘} is to remain open out of astonishment or fear, that is, upon seeing the scene of the Resurrection, at that time the eyes of all the present people, who will be the worst disbelievers, will remain open. A verse with a similar meaning: «{ وَ لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ اللّٰهَ غَافِلًا عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظّٰلِمُوْنَ اِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيْهِ الْاَبْصَارُ (32) مُهْطِعِيْنَ مُقْنِعِيْ رُءُوْسِهِمْ لَا يَرْتَدُّ اِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ وَ اَفْـِٕدَتُهُمْ هَوَآءٌ}» [ إبراھیم : ۴۲، ۴۳ ] "And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers are doing. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare in horror. Racing ahead, their heads raised up, their gaze not returning to them, and their hearts empty."
➌ In {يٰوَيْلَنَا قَدْ كُنَّا فِيْ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هٰذَا بَلْ كُنَّا ظٰلِمِيْنَ :} at that time they will call out for their ruin and destruction and will first make the excuse of heedlessness, then themselves will clearly admit that the Prophets had warned us of this Day, so we were not heedless but were wrongdoers to ourselves. See Surah Al-Mulk (5 to 11).
➋ The meaning of { فَاِذَا هِيَ شَاخِصَةٌ اَبْصَارُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا : ’’شُخُوْصٌ‘‘} is to remain open out of astonishment or fear, that is, upon seeing the scene of the Resurrection, at that time the eyes of all the present people, who will be the worst disbelievers, will remain open. A verse with a similar meaning: «{ وَ لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ اللّٰهَ غَافِلًا عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظّٰلِمُوْنَ اِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيْهِ الْاَبْصَارُ (32) مُهْطِعِيْنَ مُقْنِعِيْ رُءُوْسِهِمْ لَا يَرْتَدُّ اِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ وَ اَفْـِٕدَتُهُمْ هَوَآءٌ}» [ إبراھیم : ۴۲، ۴۳ ] "And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers are doing. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare in horror. Racing ahead, their heads raised up, their gaze not returning to them, and their hearts empty."
➌ In {يٰوَيْلَنَا قَدْ كُنَّا فِيْ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هٰذَا بَلْ كُنَّا ظٰلِمِيْنَ :} at that time they will call out for their ruin and destruction and will first make the excuse of heedlessness, then themselves will clearly admit that the Prophets had warned us of this Day, so we were not heedless but were wrongdoers to ourselves. See Surah Al-Mulk (5 to 11).
