Quran Universe
23:106

قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا غَلَبَتۡ عَلَيۡنَا شِقۡوَتُنَا وَكُنَّا قَوۡمٗا ضَآلِّينَ

Qaloo rabbana ghalabat AAalayna shiqwatuna wakunna qawman dalleena

They will say, "Our Lord, our wretchedness overcame us, and we were a people astray.

Word by word
  1. قَالُواْThey (will) say
  2. رَبَّنَاOur Lord
  3. غَلَبَتۡOvercame
  4. عَلَيۡنَا[on] us
  5. شِقۡوَتُنَاour wretchedness
  6. وَكُنَّاand we were
  7. قَوۡمٗاa people
  8. ضَآلِّينَastray
Al-Mu'minun · 23:106Makkah

Our wretchedness overcame us, they will say.

A confession that comes too late

Their confession
Our Lord
admit
wretchedness won
we were astray
When to confess
at the endtoo late
todaywhen tawbah is open

Ibn Kathir explains: evidence was established against us, but we were so doomed we could not follow it, so we went astray. They admit everything, but only after the door has closed.

You know the habit that keeps beating you. You could say it to Allah today: my Lord, my weakness wins sometimes, help me. The same confession, said now, is the start of change.

I will admit my faults when I have to.

Confessing my faults to Allah today is a mercy, not a defeat.

Try this

Tell Allah honestly today one weakness that keeps beating you, and ask for help.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 23:105)

"Were not My Ayat recited to you, and then you used to deny them? (105)They will say: "Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were (an) erring people. (106)"Our Lord! Bring us out of this. If ever we return (to evil), then indeed we shall be wrongdoers. (107)

Rebuking the People of Hell, Their Admission of Their Wretchedness and Their Request to Be Brought out of Hell

This is a rebuke from Allah to the people of Hell for the disbelief, sins, unlawful deeds and evil actions that they committed, because of which they were doomed. Allah says:

أَلَمْ تَكُنْ آيَاتِي تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنْتُمْ بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ 

("Were not My Ayat recited to you, and then you used to deny them?") meaning, 'I sent Messengers to you, and revealed Books, and cleared the confusion for you, so you have no excuse.' This is like the Ayat:

 لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ

(in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the Messengers)(4:165)

وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّىٰ نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًا

(And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger)(17:15).

كُلَّمَا أُلْقِيَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌ سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌ

(Every time a group is cast therein, its keeper will ask: "Did no warner come to you?")(67:8) Until His saying;

فَسُحْقًا لِّأَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ

(So, away with the dwellers of the blazing Fire!)(67:11) They will say:

رَبَّنَا غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْنَا شِقْوَتُنَا وَكُنَّا قَوْمًا ضَالِّينَ

(Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were (an) erring people.) meaning, evidence has been established against us, but we were so doomed that we could not follow it, so we went astray and were not guided. Then they will say:

رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْهَا فَإِنْ عُدْنَا فَإِنَّا ظَالِمُونَ

(Our Lord! Bring us out of this. If ever we return (to evil), then indeed we shall be wrongdoers.) meaning, send us back to the world, and if we go back to what we used to do before, then we will indeed be wrongdoers who deserve punishment. This is like the Ayat:

فَاعْتَرَفْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا فَهَلْ إِلَىٰ خُرُوجٍ مِّن سَبِيلٍ

(Now we confess our sins, then is there any way to get out?) Until His statement:

فَالْحُكْمُ لِلَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْكَبِيرِ

(So the judgment is only with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great!")(40:11-12) meaning, there will be no way out, because you used to associate partners in worship with Allah whereas the believers worshipped Him Alone.