Al-Mu'minun 23:99
The Believers · Juz 18 · Page 348
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَهُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ٱرۡجِعُونِ ٩٩
[For such is the state of the disbelievers] until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "My Lord, send me back
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
Change
Commentary on 23:99
رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ (My Lord, send me back - 23:99) When death approaches an infidel and he senses the punishment that awaits him on the Day of Judgment, he wishes for a return to this world, so that by performing good deeds he may escape the punishment which he has richly deserved.
Ibn Jarir has related a story on the authority of Ibn Juraij that the Holy Prophet ﷺ once said, "At the time of death when a good Muslim perceives the angels of mercy and all the luxuries of Paradise spread out before him, and the angels ask whether he wishes to be sent back to the world, his reply invariably is in the negative. He refuses to return to a place which is full of woes and suffering and misery, and only desires to be taken to Allah's presence. But when the same question is put to an infidel, his answer is رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ i.e. he wishes to be sent back to the world."
Page 348
23:90
بَلۡ أَتَيۡنَٰهُم بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَإِنَّهُمۡ لَكَٰذِبُونَ ٩٠
Rather, We have brought them the truth, and indeed they are liars.
23:91
مَا ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِن وَلَدٖ وَمَا كَانَ مَعَهُۥ مِنۡ إِلَٰهٍۚ إِذٗا لَّذَهَبَ كُلُّ إِلَٰهِۭ بِمَا خَلَقَ وَلَعَلَا بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖۚ سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ٩١
Allāh has not taken any son, nor has there ever been with Him any deity. [If there had been], then each deity would have taken what it created, and some of them would have [sought to] overcome others. Exalted is Allāh above what they describe [concerning Him].
23:92
عَٰلِمِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ فَتَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ ٩٢
[He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, so high is He above what they associate [with Him].
23:93
قُل رَّبِّ إِمَّا تُرِيَنِّي مَا يُوعَدُونَ ٩٣
Say, [O Muḥammad], "My Lord, if You should show me that which they are promised,
23:94
رَبِّ فَلَا تَجۡعَلۡنِي فِي ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٩٤
My Lord, then do not place me among the wrongdoing people."
23:95
وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّرِيَكَ مَا نَعِدُهُمۡ لَقَٰدِرُونَ ٩٥
And indeed, We are Able to show you what We have promised them.
23:96
ٱدۡفَعۡ بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُ ٱلسَّيِّئَةَۚ نَحۡنُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا يَصِفُونَ ٩٦
Repel, by [means of] what is best, [their] evil. We are most knowing of what they describe.
23:97
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنۡ هَمَزَٰتِ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينِ ٩٧
And say, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils,
23:98
وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحۡضُرُونِ ٩٨
And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they be present with me."
23:99
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَهُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ٱرۡجِعُونِ ٩٩
[For such is the state of the disbelievers] until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "My Lord, send me back
23:100
لَعَلِّيٓ أَعۡمَلُ صَٰلِحٗا فِيمَا تَرَكۡتُۚ كـَلَّآۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَآئِلُهَاۖ وَمِن وَرَآئِهِم بَرۡزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ ١٠٠
That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind."1 No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.
1 translator’s note
- Or "in that which I neglected." ↩
23:101
فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِي ٱلصُّورِ فَلَآ أَنسَابَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ وَلَا يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ١٠١
So when the Horn is blown, no relationship will there be among them that Day, nor will they ask about one another.
23:102
فَمَن ثَقُلَتۡ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ ١٠٢
And those whose scales are heavy [with good deeds] - it is they who are the successful.
23:103
وَمَنۡ خَفَّتۡ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ فِي جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدُونَ ١٠٣
But those whose scales are light - those are the ones who have lost their souls, [being] in Hell, abiding eternally.
23:104
تَلۡفَحُ وُجُوهَهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَهُمۡ فِيهَا كَٰلِحُونَ ١٠٤
The Fire will sear their faces, and they therein will have taut smiles.1
1 translator’s note
- Their lips having been contracted by scorching until the teeth are exposed. ↩