سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ
Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 39
لَوْ يَعْلَمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ حِينَ لَا يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ ٱلنَّارَ وَلَا عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ ﴿39﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
If only those who disbelieved knew (the time) when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs, and they will not be helped.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لَوْ
law
If
يَعْلَمُ
yaʿlamu
knew
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
حِينَ
ḥīna
(the) time
لَا
lā
(when) not
يَكُفُّونَ
yakuffūna
they will avert
عَن
ʿan
from
وُجُوهِهِمُ
wujūhihimu
their faces
ٱلنَّارَ
l-nāra
the Fire
وَلَا
walā
and not
عَن
ʿan
from
ظُهُورِهِمْ
ẓuhūrihim
their backs
وَلَا
walā
and not
هُمْ
hum
they
يُنصَرُونَ
yunṣarūna
will be helped
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
39. If only these disbelievers knew the time when they will not be able to protect their faces [36] or their backs from the Fire, nor will they be helped from anywhere.
[36] That is, the only reason for their demand is that they do not truly believe in the punishment of the Fire with which they are being warned. If this reality were to be unveiled before them and they were to truly understand that dreadful moment, they would never make such a request. Then, when that time comes before them and the Fire surrounds them from the front and the back, from the right and the left, from above and below—in short, from every direction—they will see no way to escape it. And all the things they are saying today, on that day they will be so bewildered that none of these things will even come to their minds.
[36] That is, the only reason for their demand is that they do not truly believe in the punishment of the Fire with which they are being warned. If this reality were to be unveiled before them and they were to truly understand that dreadful moment, they would never make such a request. Then, when that time comes before them and the Fire surrounds them from the front and the back, from the right and the left, from above and below—in short, from every direction—they will see no way to escape it. And all the things they are saying today, on that day they will be so bewildered that none of these things will even come to their minds.
