سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْقَافِ
Surah Al-Ahqaf (46) — Ayah 20
وَيَوْمَ يُعْرَضُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ أَذْهَبْتُمْ طَيِّبَـٰتِكُمْ فِى حَيَاتِكُمُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهَا فَٱلْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ ٱلْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَفْسُقُونَ ﴿20﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
On the Day when those who disbelieve (in the Oneness of Allâh - Islâmic Monotheism) will be exposed to the Fire (it will be said): "You received your good things in the life of the world, and you took your pleasure therein. Now this Day you shall be recompensed with a torment of humiliation, because you were arrogant in the land without a right, and because you used to rebel against Allâh’s Command (disobey Allâh).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَيَوْمَ
wayawma
And (the) Day
يُعْرَضُ
yuʿ'raḍu
will be exposed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
عَلَى
ʿalā
to
ٱلنَّارِ
l-nāri
the Fire
أَذْهَبْتُمْ
adhhabtum
You exhausted
طَيِّبَـٰتِكُمْ
ṭayyibātikum
your good things
فِى
fī
in
حَيَاتِكُمُ
ḥayātikumu
your life
ٱلدُّنْيَا
l-dun'yā
(of) the world
وَٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم
wa-is'tamtaʿtum
and you took your pleasures
بِهَا
bihā
therein
فَٱلْيَوْمَ
fal-yawma
So today
تُجْزَوْنَ
tuj'zawna
you will be recompensed
عَذَابَ
ʿadhāba
(with) a punishment
ٱلْهُونِ
l-hūni
humiliating
بِمَا
bimā
because
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you were
تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
tastakbirūna
arrogant
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
بِغَيْرِ
bighayri
without
ٱلْحَقِّ
l-ḥaqi
[the] right
وَبِمَا
wabimā
and because
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you were
تَفْسُقُونَ
tafsuqūna
defiantly disobedient
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.
20. And on the Day when the disbelievers will be presented before the Fire, it will be said to them, "You exhausted your share of good things in your worldly life and enjoyed them. So today you will be punished with a humiliating punishment because you used to act arrogantly on the earth without right and because you used to disobey." [31][32]
[31]
The Reward for the Good Deeds of Disbelievers is Given to Them in This World:
Disbelievers and those who deny the Hereafter are given the reward for their good deeds in this world itself. For example, if a person builds a hospital or a room in it for public welfare, his only purpose is that his generosity becomes famous and people remember him in good words. So, he receives this reward in the world. A plaque bearing his name is placed outside the hospital room. Sometimes, an advertisement or news is also published in newspapers and magazines on behalf of someone else. In this way, he achieves the purpose for which he did this good deed. In short, such disbelievers are given the reward for their good deeds by Allah Almighty in the form of wealth and children, authority, health, honor, fame, etc. As for the matter of reward in the Hereafter, neither was it their objective nor will they receive it, and it will be clearly told to them that you have already received the reward for your good deeds in the world and have benefited from them. Therefore, today there is nothing for you. The abundance of wealth and riches, children, honor, health, and other blessings are not given only to disbelievers. Allah’s righteous servants also receive them and can receive them. However, their way of thinking and the manner of benefiting from these blessings is completely different from that of the disbelievers and deniers of the Hereafter. As is clear from the following hadith.
The Way of Thinking of the Believers:
Ibrahim, the son of Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Awfؓ, says that one day Abdur Rahman bin Awf (his father) was fasting. In the evening, when food was placed before him to break his fast, (upon seeing the blessings of food) he said: Mus’ab bin Umair رضی اللہ عنہ was martyred (on the day of Uhud). He was better than me. He was shrouded in such a sheet that if his head was covered, his feet would remain uncovered, and if his feet were covered, his head would remain uncovered. And Hamza bin Abdul Muttalibؓ was also martyred that day; he too was better than me. After that, we people were given ease and abundance, and we fear that perhaps the reward of our good deeds has been given to us quickly in this world. Then he began to weep and wept so much that he did not eat the food. [بخاري۔ كتاب المغازي۔ باب غزوه احد]
[32] That is, without any reason, you used to strut arrogantly in the world. You considered it an insult to accept the commands of Allah and regarded the believers as contemptible. Therefore, today your arrogance will be broken, and in return for your disobedience, you will be thrown into Hell. And in return for considering others contemptible, you will be given a humiliating punishment so that even the inhabitants of Hell will consider you a contemptible creation.
[31]
The Reward for the Good Deeds of Disbelievers is Given to Them in This World:
Disbelievers and those who deny the Hereafter are given the reward for their good deeds in this world itself. For example, if a person builds a hospital or a room in it for public welfare, his only purpose is that his generosity becomes famous and people remember him in good words. So, he receives this reward in the world. A plaque bearing his name is placed outside the hospital room. Sometimes, an advertisement or news is also published in newspapers and magazines on behalf of someone else. In this way, he achieves the purpose for which he did this good deed. In short, such disbelievers are given the reward for their good deeds by Allah Almighty in the form of wealth and children, authority, health, honor, fame, etc. As for the matter of reward in the Hereafter, neither was it their objective nor will they receive it, and it will be clearly told to them that you have already received the reward for your good deeds in the world and have benefited from them. Therefore, today there is nothing for you. The abundance of wealth and riches, children, honor, health, and other blessings are not given only to disbelievers. Allah’s righteous servants also receive them and can receive them. However, their way of thinking and the manner of benefiting from these blessings is completely different from that of the disbelievers and deniers of the Hereafter. As is clear from the following hadith.
The Way of Thinking of the Believers:
Ibrahim, the son of Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Awfؓ, says that one day Abdur Rahman bin Awf (his father) was fasting. In the evening, when food was placed before him to break his fast, (upon seeing the blessings of food) he said: Mus’ab bin Umair رضی اللہ عنہ was martyred (on the day of Uhud). He was better than me. He was shrouded in such a sheet that if his head was covered, his feet would remain uncovered, and if his feet were covered, his head would remain uncovered. And Hamza bin Abdul Muttalibؓ was also martyred that day; he too was better than me. After that, we people were given ease and abundance, and we fear that perhaps the reward of our good deeds has been given to us quickly in this world. Then he began to weep and wept so much that he did not eat the food. [بخاري۔ كتاب المغازي۔ باب غزوه احد]
[32] That is, without any reason, you used to strut arrogantly in the world. You considered it an insult to accept the commands of Allah and regarded the believers as contemptible. Therefore, today your arrogance will be broken, and in return for your disobedience, you will be thrown into Hell. And in return for considering others contemptible, you will be given a humiliating punishment so that even the inhabitants of Hell will consider you a contemptible creation.
