سُوْرَةُ الزُّمَرِ
Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 24
أَفَمَن يَتَّقِى بِوَجْهِهِۦ سُوٓءَ ٱلْعَذَابِ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ وَقِيلَ لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ذُوقُوا۟ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْسِبُونَ ﴿24﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Is he then, who will confront with his face the awful torment on the Day of Resurrection (as he who enters peacefully in Paradise)? And it will be said to the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers): "Taste what you used to earn!"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَفَمَن
afaman
Then (is) he who
يَتَّقِى
yattaqī
will shield
بِوَجْهِهِۦ
biwajhihi
with his face
سُوٓءَ
sūa
(the) worst
ٱلْعَذَابِ
l-ʿadhābi
punishment
يَوْمَ
yawma
(on the) Day
ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ
l-qiyāmati
(of) the Resurrection
وَقِيلَ
waqīla
And it will be said
لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
lilẓẓālimīna
to the wrongdoers
ذُوقُوا۟
dhūqū
Taste
مَا
mā
what
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you used to
تَكْسِبُونَ
taksibūna
earn
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 24) ➊ The predicate of {’’ اَفَمَنْ يَّتَّقِيْ بِوَجْهِهٖ ‘‘} is omitted (as has been mentioned earlier in Ayah 19): {’’أَيْ كَمَنْ هُوَ آمِنٌ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ، أَوْ كَمَنْ هُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ‘‘} meaning, can the person who will save himself from the worst punishment on the Day of Resurrection with his face be like the one who will be fearless of punishment, or who will be among the people of Paradise? As it is said: « اَفَمَنْ يُّلْقٰى فِي النَّارِ خَيْرٌ اَمْ مَّنْ يَّاْتِيْۤ اٰمِنًا يَّوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ» [ حٰمٓ السجدۃ : ۴۰ ] "So is the one who is thrown into the Fire better, or the one who comes in security on the Day of Resurrection?" See also Surah Qamar (48) and Surah Mulk (22).
➋ In the world, when a person faces fire or anything painful, he uses his hands as a shield to protect his face from it. On the Day of Resurrection, since the hands of the people of Hell will be tied, they will be forced to use their faces as a shield against the punishment, meaning the worst blows of punishment will strike directly on their faces.
➌ {وَ قِيْلَ لِلظّٰلِمِيْنَ ذُوْقُوْا … :} meaning, they will try to protect themselves from the punishment with their faces, but this will not avail them at all; rather, the Fire will cover them from every side. Instead of saying "it will be said to them," it is said, "it will be said to those wrongdoers," the purpose being to make clear that the cause of their punishment will be their wrongdoing, and it will be said to them, "Taste the recompense of what you used to earn."
➋ In the world, when a person faces fire or anything painful, he uses his hands as a shield to protect his face from it. On the Day of Resurrection, since the hands of the people of Hell will be tied, they will be forced to use their faces as a shield against the punishment, meaning the worst blows of punishment will strike directly on their faces.
➌ {وَ قِيْلَ لِلظّٰلِمِيْنَ ذُوْقُوْا … :} meaning, they will try to protect themselves from the punishment with their faces, but this will not avail them at all; rather, the Fire will cover them from every side. Instead of saying "it will be said to them," it is said, "it will be said to those wrongdoers," the purpose being to make clear that the cause of their punishment will be their wrongdoing, and it will be said to them, "Taste the recompense of what you used to earn."
