سُوْرَةُ النُّوْرِ
Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 39
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍۭ بِقِيعَةٍ يَحْسَبُهُ ٱلظَّمْـَٔانُ مَآءً حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَهُۥ لَمْ يَجِدْهُ شَيْـًٔا وَوَجَدَ ٱللَّهَ عِندَهُۥ فَوَفَّىٰهُ حِسَابَهُۥ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَرِيعُ ٱلْحِسَابِ ﴿39﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water, until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing; but he finds Allâh with him, Who will pay him his due (Hell). And Allâh is Swift in taking account.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
But those who
كَفَرُوٓا۟
kafarū
disbelieve
أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ
aʿmāluhum
their deeds
كَسَرَابٍۭ
kasarābin
(are) like a mirage
بِقِيعَةٍۢ
biqīʿatin
in a lowland
يَحْسَبُهُ
yaḥsabuhu
thinks it
ٱلظَّمْـَٔانُ
l-ẓamānu
the thirsty one
مَآءً
māan
(to be) water
حَتَّىٰٓ
ḥattā
until
إِذَا
idhā
when
جَآءَهُۥ
jāahu
he comes to it
لَمْ
lam
not
يَجِدْهُ
yajid'hu
he finds it
شَيْـًۭٔا
shayan
(to be) anything
وَوَجَدَ
wawajada
but he finds
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
عِندَهُۥ
ʿindahu
before him
فَوَفَّىٰهُ
fawaffāhu
He will pay him in full
حِسَابَهُۥ ۗ
ḥisābahu
his due
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
سَرِيعُ
sarīʿu
(is) swift
ٱلْحِسَابِ
l-ḥisābi
(in) the account
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. As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage [65] in a desert, which the thirsty one thinks is water. But when he comes near it, he finds nothing there, but finds Allah with him, Who will settle his account in full. And Allah is swift in taking account.
[65]
The Linguistic Difference Between "Saraab" and "Sharaab":
In the Arabic language, every drinkable thing is called "sharaab," and that which appears to be "sharaab" outwardly but in reality is the opposite is called "saraab." Then, this word began to be used for that heap of sand which, from a certain angle in the sunlight, appears to be surging water from a distance, but in reality, there is no water at all.
The Example of Ordinary Disbelievers and Hypocrites:
This example relates to those disbelievers and hypocrites who, in general, believe in the Hereafter and also perform some good deeds, even if it is for show and display. Then, they also expect that they will receive a reward for these deeds in the Hereafter. And since most of their deeds are not according to Allah's will but according to their own desires, Allah Almighty, while stating the example of such people, said: Just as in a desert, a thirsty person, seeing the shining sand from afar, mistakes it for water and heads towards it to quench his thirst. That person, driven by thirst, after traversing the field of hot sand and running to reach there, finds nothing there. And he becomes extremely disappointed and exhausted. This is exactly the state of such disbelievers. The time of death is a "saraab" for them. And they are sitting with the expectation that they will receive the reward for their good deeds. But due to disbelief, hypocrisy, and the evil of their deeds, they will not receive any reward for their deeds there. And just as the thirsty person had to endure exhaustion and the intensity of heat in reaching the "saraab," in the same way, these people will be given the recompense for their evil deeds in the form of the punishment of Hell.
[65]
The Linguistic Difference Between "Saraab" and "Sharaab":
In the Arabic language, every drinkable thing is called "sharaab," and that which appears to be "sharaab" outwardly but in reality is the opposite is called "saraab." Then, this word began to be used for that heap of sand which, from a certain angle in the sunlight, appears to be surging water from a distance, but in reality, there is no water at all.
The Example of Ordinary Disbelievers and Hypocrites:
This example relates to those disbelievers and hypocrites who, in general, believe in the Hereafter and also perform some good deeds, even if it is for show and display. Then, they also expect that they will receive a reward for these deeds in the Hereafter. And since most of their deeds are not according to Allah's will but according to their own desires, Allah Almighty, while stating the example of such people, said: Just as in a desert, a thirsty person, seeing the shining sand from afar, mistakes it for water and heads towards it to quench his thirst. That person, driven by thirst, after traversing the field of hot sand and running to reach there, finds nothing there. And he becomes extremely disappointed and exhausted. This is exactly the state of such disbelievers. The time of death is a "saraab" for them. And they are sitting with the expectation that they will receive the reward for their good deeds. But due to disbelief, hypocrisy, and the evil of their deeds, they will not receive any reward for their deeds there. And just as the thirsty person had to endure exhaustion and the intensity of heat in reaching the "saraab," in the same way, these people will be given the recompense for their evil deeds in the form of the punishment of Hell.
