hal yanẓurūna illā tawīlahu yawma yatī tawīluhu yaqūlu alladhīna nasūhu min qablu qad jāat rusulu rabbinā bil-ḥaqi fahal lanā min shufaʿāa fayashfaʿū lanā aw nuraddu fanaʿmala ghayra alladhī kunnā naʿmalu qad khasirū anfusahum waḍalla ʿanhum mā kānū yaftarūna
Translation
Do they await except its result?377 The Day its result comes, those who had ignored it before will say, "The messengers of our Lord had come with the truth, so are there [now] any intercessors to intercede for us or could we be sent back to do other than what we used to do?" They will have lost themselves, and lost from them is what they used to invent.
Notes
[377] The fulfillment of what is promised in the Qur’ān.
Verse 53 of Surah Al-A’raf (7:53), a Meccan surah, is in juz 8, on page 157 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 53 of Surah Al-A’raf
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Tafsir of verse 53
Al-Mukhtasar
Those who disbelieve in reality only wait for what they have been warned: a painful punishment in the Afterlife as a result of their actions. The believers were also foretold about the reward of that day. Those who ignored the Qur’ān in the life of this world, not acting according to what is in it, will then say: 'Indeed the messengers of our Lord came with the truth, in which there was no doubt. If only there was a mediator who could now plead on our behalf so we could be excused from the punishment. Or if only we could return to the life of the world to do good actions that would save us instead of the bad we committed!' The disbelievers have lost themselves, gaining their own ruin because of their disbelief. Those who they used to worship beside Allah have abandoned them, and can be of no help to them.
Are they waiting except for the fulfillment [of its warning]18? On the Day when it is fulfilled, those who ignored it before will say, “The messengers of our Lord surely came with the truth. Are there any intercessors who can intercede on our behalf? Or can we be sent back so that we may do other than what we used to do?” In fact, they will have ruined themselves and all that they used to fabricate will be lost from them.
Notes
[18] i.e., the coming of resurrection and punishment.
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.
Await they aught save the fulfilment thereof? On the day when the fulfilment thereof cometh, those who were before forgetful thereof will say: The messengers of our Lord did bring the Truth! Have we any intercessors, that they may intercede for us? Or can we be returned (to life on earth), that we may act otherwise than we used to act? They have lost their souls, and that which they devised hath failed them.
Do they just wait for the final fulfilment of the event? On the day the event is finally fulfilled, those who disregarded it before will say: "The messengers of our Lord did indeed bring true (tidings). Have we no intercessors now to intercede on our behalf? Or could we be sent back? then should we behave differently from our behaviour in the past." In fact they will have lost their souls, and the things they invented will leave them in the lurch.
Do they wait for aught but its final sequel? On the day when its final sequel comes about, those who neglected it before will say: Indeed the messengers of our Lord brought the truth; are there for us then any intercessors so that they should intercede on our behalf? Or could we be sent back so that we should do (deeds) other than those which we did? Indeed they have lost their souls and that which they forged has gone away from them.
Do they look for (anything) except its interpretation? The Day its interpretation comes up, the ones who forgot it earlier will say, "The Messengers of Our Lord already came with the Truth; so, have we any intercessors, (for) then they would intercede for us, or will we be turned back to do other than what we were doing?" They have already lost their (own) selves, and what they were fabricating has erred away from them.
If you could but see when they are made to stand before the Fire and will say, "Oh, would that we could be returned [to life on earth] and not deny the signs of our Lord and be among the believers." …
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
There, [on that Day], every soul will be put to trial for what it did previously, and they will be returned to Allāh, their master, the Truth, and lost from them is whatever they used to invent.
And We will extract from every nation a witness and say, "Produce your proof," and they will know that the truth belongs to Allāh, and lost from them is that which they used to invent.
