But those who disbelieved - their deeds are like a mirage in a lowland which a thirsty one thinks is water until, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing but finds Allāh before him, and He will pay him in full his due; and Allāh is swift in account.
Verse 39 of Surah An-Nur (24:39), a Medinan surah, is in juz 18, on page 355 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 39 of Surah An-Nur
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Tafsir of verse 39
Al-Mukhtasar
There is no reward for the deeds of those who disbelieve in Allah; it is like a mirage that a thirsty person sees on a low-lying piece of land and assumes it to be water. He walks towards it, until when he reaches it, does not find any water. Likewise is a disbeliever: he thinks his deeds shall benefit him, until he dies and is resurrected, but does not find their reward. Rather, he finds his Lord in front of him who takes him to account fully for his deeds; and Allah is swift in taking account.
As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a plain desert, which a thirsty person deems to be water, until when he reaches it, he finds nothing, but he finds Allah there [in the Hereafter], thus He will pay him his account in full, for Allah is swift in reckoning.
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.6
Notes
[6] (V.24:39) The deeds of a disbeliever are like a mirage for a thirsty person: when he will meet Allâh, he will think that he has a good reward with Allâh of his good deeds, but he will find nothing, like a mirage, and will be thrown in the Fire of Hell.
As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are as a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one supposeth it to be water till he cometh unto it and findeth it naught, and findeth, in the place thereof, Allah Who payeth him his due; and Allah is swift at reckoning.
But the Unbelievers,- their deeds are like a mirage in sandy deserts, which the man parched with thirst mistakes for water; until when he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing: But he finds Allah (ever) with him, and Allah will pay him his account: and Allah is swift in taking account.
And (as for) those who disbelieve, their deeds are like the mirage in a desert, which the thirsty man deems to be water; until when he comes to it he finds it to be naught, and there he finds Allah, so He pays back to him his reckoning in full; and Allah is quick in reckoning;
And the ones who have disbelieved, their deeds are as a mirage in a low land, which the man all-athirst reckons to be water, till when he comes to it, he finds it nothing, and at it he finds Allah. Then He pays him his reckoning in full; and Allah is swift at the reckoning.
Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allāh has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allāh? Then will you not be reminded?