سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 53
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا تَأْوِيلَهُۥ ۚ يَوْمَ يَأْتِى تَأْوِيلُهُۥ يَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَآءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ فَهَل لَّنَا مِن شُفَعَآءَ فَيَشْفَعُوا۟ لَنَآ أَوْ نُرَدُّ فَنَعْمَلَ غَيْرَ ٱلَّذِى كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ ۚ قَدْ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ ﴿53﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Await they just for the final fullfilment of the event? On the Day the event is finally fulfilled (i.e. the Day of Resurrection), those who neglected it before will say: "Verily, the Messengers of our Lord did come with the truth, now are there any intercessors for us that they might intercede on our behalf? Or could we be sent back (to the first life of the world) so that we might do (good) deeds other than those (evil) deeds which we used to do?" Verily, they have lost their ownselves (i.e. destroyed themselves) and that which they used to fabricate (invoking and worshipping others besides Allâh) has gone away from them.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
هَلْ
hal
Do
يَنظُرُونَ
yanẓurūna
they wait
إِلَّا
illā
except
تَأْوِيلَهُۥ ۚ
tawīlahu
(for) its fulfillment
يَوْمَ
yawma
(The) Day
يَأْتِى
yatī
(will) come
تَأْوِيلُهُۥ
tawīluhu
its fulfillment
يَقُولُ
yaqūlu
will say
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
نَسُوهُ
nasūhu
had forgotten it
مِن
min
from
قَبْلُ
qablu
before
قَدْ
qad
Verily
جَآءَتْ
jāat
had come
رُسُلُ
rusulu
(the) Messengers
رَبِّنَا
rabbinā
(of) our Lord
بِٱلْحَقِّ
bil-ḥaqi
with the truth
فَهَل
fahal
so are (there)
لَّنَا
lanā
for us
مِن
min
any
شُفَعَآءَ
shufaʿāa
intercessors
فَيَشْفَعُوا۟
fayashfaʿū
so (that) they intercede
لَنَآ
lanā
for us
أَوْ
aw
or
نُرَدُّ
nuraddu
we are sent back
فَنَعْمَلَ
fanaʿmala
so (that) we do (deeds)
غَيْرَ
ghayra
other than
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
that which
كُنَّا
kunnā
we used to
نَعْمَلُ ۚ
naʿmalu
do
قَدْ
qad
Verily
خَسِرُوٓا۟
khasirū
they lost
أَنفُسَهُمْ
anfusahum
themselves
وَضَلَّ
waḍalla
and strayed
عَنْهُم
ʿanhum
from them
مَّا
mā
what
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they used to
يَفْتَرُونَ
yaftarūna
invent
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 53) ➊ The meaning of "ta'wil" is the real essence of something or its outcome. In this, those who deny have been warned: Are they waiting for the punishment (worldly or of the Hereafter) that has been promised to them in the Quran to actually occur?
➋ {يَوْمَ يَاْتِيْ تَاْوِيْلُهٗ …… : } Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "That is, the disbelievers are waiting, as this book contains news of punishment. They say, 'Let us see if it actually happens, then we will accept.' So when it actually happens, where will they find escape? The news is given so that they may take precaution beforehand." (Muwadhih) That is, after the outcome they were waiting for comes before them, the acknowledgment of the truth, the desire to be sent back to the world, and the search for an intercessor—all these things will be useless. Those deities whom they used to worship besides Allah will also disappear from them; they will neither be able to help them nor intercede, nor save them from the punishment of Hell.
➋ {يَوْمَ يَاْتِيْ تَاْوِيْلُهٗ …… : } Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "That is, the disbelievers are waiting, as this book contains news of punishment. They say, 'Let us see if it actually happens, then we will accept.' So when it actually happens, where will they find escape? The news is given so that they may take precaution beforehand." (Muwadhih) That is, after the outcome they were waiting for comes before them, the acknowledgment of the truth, the desire to be sent back to the world, and the search for an intercessor—all these things will be useless. Those deities whom they used to worship besides Allah will also disappear from them; they will neither be able to help them nor intercede, nor save them from the punishment of Hell.
