سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْزَابِ
Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 66
يَوْمَ تُقَلَّبُ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِى ٱلنَّارِ يَقُولُونَ يَـٰلَيْتَنَآ أَطَعْنَا ٱللَّهَ وَأَطَعْنَا ٱلرَّسُولَا۠ ﴿66﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
On the Day when their faces will be turned over in the Fire, they will say: "Oh, would that we had obeyed Allâh and obeyed the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَوْمَ
yawma
(The) Day
تُقَلَّبُ
tuqallabu
will be turned about
وُجُوهُهُمْ
wujūhuhum
their faces
فِى
fī
in
ٱلنَّارِ
l-nāri
the Fire
يَقُولُونَ
yaqūlūna
they will say
يَـٰلَيْتَنَآ
yālaytanā
O we wish
أَطَعْنَا
aṭaʿnā
we (had) obeyed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
وَأَطَعْنَا
wa-aṭaʿnā
and obeyed
ٱلرَّسُولَا۠
l-rasūlā
the Messenger
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 66) ➊ { يَوْمَ تُقَلَّبُ وُجُوْهُهُمْ فِي النَّارِ :} After stating that no intercessor or helper will be able to avert the punishment from them, it is now stated that none of their body parts will be able to save another part from the Fire. In the world, when a blow or a flame comes toward the face, the hand becomes a shield, or a person lowers his head, but there, nothing will be able to come between the face and the Fire. See Surah Al-Anbiya (39), Az-Zumar (24), and Surah Al-Qamar (48). Then, when this will be the state of the face, which is the most honorable part of the body, what will be the state of the other limbs!?
➋ The mention of faces being turned about in the Fire is intended to depict their terrible condition: even though the faces will be surrounded by Fire from all sides, they will still be turned about, so that they are constantly exposed to new flames, and if there is any possibility of relief from pain in one place, that too will not be possible. (See At-Tawbah: 35) Along with the turning about of faces for new punishments, the process of continuous replacement of skins will also be ongoing. See Surah An-Nisa (56) [ اَللّٰھُمَّ إِنَّا نَعُوْذُ بِکَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَ مِنْ حَالِ أَھْلِ النَّارِ ]
➌ { يَقُوْلُوْنَ يٰلَيْتَنَاۤ اَطَعْنَا اللّٰهَ وَ اَطَعْنَا الرَّسُوْلَا : ’’لَيْتَ‘‘} The word "layta" (if only) is for tamanni, i.e., a wish for something that is not possible. Ibn Kathir said: In that state, when their faces are being turned about in the Fire, they will wish, "If only they had obeyed Allah in the world and obeyed the Messenger," as Allah Almighty has described their state in the Plain of Gathering: «وَ يَوْمَ يَعَضُّ الظَّالِمُ عَلٰى يَدَيْهِ يَقُوْلُ يٰلَيْتَنِي اتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ الرَّسُوْلِ سَبِيْلًا (27) يٰوَيْلَتٰى لَيْتَنِيْ لَمْ اَتَّخِذْ فُلَانًا خَلِيْلًا (28) لَقَدْ اَضَلَّنِيْ عَنِ الذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ اِذْ جَآءَنِيْ وَ كَانَ الشَّيْطٰنُ لِلْاِنْسَانِ خَذُوْلًا » [ الفرقان : ۲۷ تا ۲۹ ] "And the Day the wrongdoer will bite his hands, he will say, 'Oh, would that I had taken a way with the Messenger! Woe to me! Would that I had not taken so-and-so as a close friend! He led me astray from the reminder after it had come to me.' And Satan is ever a deserter of man." And He said: « رُبَمَا يَوَدُّ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَوْ كَانُوْا مُسْلِمِيْنَ» [ الحجر : ۲ ] "Many times those who disbelieved will wish that they had been Muslims."
➋ The mention of faces being turned about in the Fire is intended to depict their terrible condition: even though the faces will be surrounded by Fire from all sides, they will still be turned about, so that they are constantly exposed to new flames, and if there is any possibility of relief from pain in one place, that too will not be possible. (See At-Tawbah: 35) Along with the turning about of faces for new punishments, the process of continuous replacement of skins will also be ongoing. See Surah An-Nisa (56) [ اَللّٰھُمَّ إِنَّا نَعُوْذُ بِکَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَ مِنْ حَالِ أَھْلِ النَّارِ ]
➌ { يَقُوْلُوْنَ يٰلَيْتَنَاۤ اَطَعْنَا اللّٰهَ وَ اَطَعْنَا الرَّسُوْلَا : ’’لَيْتَ‘‘} The word "layta" (if only) is for tamanni, i.e., a wish for something that is not possible. Ibn Kathir said: In that state, when their faces are being turned about in the Fire, they will wish, "If only they had obeyed Allah in the world and obeyed the Messenger," as Allah Almighty has described their state in the Plain of Gathering: «وَ يَوْمَ يَعَضُّ الظَّالِمُ عَلٰى يَدَيْهِ يَقُوْلُ يٰلَيْتَنِي اتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ الرَّسُوْلِ سَبِيْلًا (27) يٰوَيْلَتٰى لَيْتَنِيْ لَمْ اَتَّخِذْ فُلَانًا خَلِيْلًا (28) لَقَدْ اَضَلَّنِيْ عَنِ الذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ اِذْ جَآءَنِيْ وَ كَانَ الشَّيْطٰنُ لِلْاِنْسَانِ خَذُوْلًا » [ الفرقان : ۲۷ تا ۲۹ ] "And the Day the wrongdoer will bite his hands, he will say, 'Oh, would that I had taken a way with the Messenger! Woe to me! Would that I had not taken so-and-so as a close friend! He led me astray from the reminder after it had come to me.' And Satan is ever a deserter of man." And He said: « رُبَمَا يَوَدُّ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَوْ كَانُوْا مُسْلِمِيْنَ» [ الحجر : ۲ ] "Many times those who disbelieved will wish that they had been Muslims."
