Quran Universe
23:107

رَبَّنَآ أَخۡرِجۡنَا مِنۡهَا فَإِنۡ عُدۡنَا فَإِنَّا ظَٰلِمُونَ

Rabbana akhrijna minha fain AAudna fainna thalimoona

Our Lord, remove us from it, and if we were to return [to evil], we would indeed be wrongdoers."

Word by word
  1. رَبَّنَآOur Lord
  2. أَخۡرِجۡنَاBring us out
  3. مِنۡهَاfrom it
  4. فَإِنۡthen if
  5. عُدۡنَاwe return
  6. فَإِنَّاthen indeed,we
  7. ظَٰلِمُونَ(would be) wrongdoers
Al-Mu'minun · 23:107Makkah

Take us out, and if we return, we are wrongdoers.

A promise made from the wrong side of the door

Their plea
bring us out
promising
we will not returnto what we did
Promises
promise after the fallno way out
change before itwhile the world is open

They will ask: our Lord, bring us out, and if we go back to what we did, we will be wrongdoers. Ibn Kathir links it to another verse: is there any way to get out? There is none, because they associated partners while the believers worshipped Him alone.

After the hangover, the fight, the lost money, you swear: never again. You get to make that promise now, in this world, where it can still be kept.

I will change once things get bad enough.

The time to promise and keep it is now, while I still have the world.

Try this

Make one sincere "never again" today about a habit, and take one step to keep it.

Related40:11
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.