Then is he who will shield with his face1348 the worst of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection [like one secure from it]? And it will be said to the wrongdoers, "Taste what you used to earn."
Notes
[1348] Rather than his hands, which will be chained to his neck.
Verse 24 of Surah Az-Zumar (39:24), a Meccan surah, is in juz 23, on page 461 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 24 of Surah Az-Zumar
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Tafsir of verse 24
Al-Mukhtasar
Is the person whom Allah guided, blessed in the world and entered him into Paradise in the Hereafter equal to the person who disbelieved and died as a disbeliever, and as a result was entered into the Fire with his hands and feet tied, unable to protect himself against the Fire except by his face that he falls on?! Those who wronged themselves by disbelief and sins will be told by way of reproach: Taste the disbelief and sins that you used to earn, for this is your recompense.
Is one who will shield himself from the terrible punishment with his face11 on the Day of Resurrection [like someone in Paradise]? And it will be said to the wrongdoers: “Taste what you used to earn.”
Notes
[11] Rather than his hands, for his hands and feet will be chained to his neck.
Is he then, who will confront with his face the awful torment on the Day of Resurrection (as he who enters peacefully in Paradise)? And it will be said to the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers): "Taste what you used to earn!"
Is he then, who will strike his face against the awful doom upon the Day of Resurrection (as he who doeth right)? And it will be said unto the wrong-doers: Taste what ye used to earn.
Is, then, one who has to fear the brunt of the Penalty on the Day of Judgment (and receive it) on his face, (like one guarded therefrom)? It will be said to the wrong-doers: "Taste ye (the fruits of) what ye earned!"
Is he then who has to guard himself with his own person against the evil chastisement on the resurrection day? And it will be said to the unjust: Taste what you earned.
So, is he who protects (i.e., confronts with his face) (himself) with his face against the odious torment on the Day of the Resurrection (the same as the pious)? And it is said to the unjust, "Taste (now) whatever you were earning!"
Then is He who is a maintainer of every soul, [knowing] what it has earned, [like any other]? But to Allāh they have attributed partners. Say, "Name them. Or do you inform Him of that which He knows not upon the earth or of what is apparent [i.e., alleged] of speech?" Rather, their [own] plan has been made attractive to those who disbelieve, and they have been averted from the way. And whomever Allāh sends astray - there will be for him no guide.
Indeed, those who inject deviation into Our verses are not concealed from Us. So, is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection? Do whatever you will; indeed, He is Seeing of what you do.
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
And if those who did wrong had all that is in the earth entirely and the like of it with it, they would [attempt to] ransom themselves thereby from the worst of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. And there will appear to them from Allāh that which they had not taken into account.
