77:49

وَيۡلٞ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

Waylun yawmaithin lilmukaththibeena

Woe, that Day, to the deniers.

Word by word
  1. وَيۡلٞWoe
  2. يَوۡمَئِذٖthat Day
  3. لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَto the deniers
Al-Mursalat · 77:49Makkah

Woe, that Day, to the deniers who would not bow.

Tenth refrain: after refusing to pray


The last refrain
told to bow
refusedin pride
so
woeto the deniers
Denial in practice
only wordswhat I say
a head that will not bowwhat I do

This is the last of the ten refrains. It comes after "when told to bow, they do not bow." Ibn Kathir says they refused arrogantly. Denial is not only a belief. It shows up as a refusal to bow.

You believe in the Day. You would never deny it. But when the time for prayer comes, your body says no. The verse asks what your actions are saying.

As long as I believe, not praying is a small thing.

A head that will not bow is a kind of denial too. I want mine to bow.

Try this

Make one sujud today a little longer and ask Allah for steadiness.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 77:41)

Verily, those who had Taqwa, shall be amidst shades and springs (41)And fruits, such as they desire (42)"Eat and drink comfortably for that which you used to do. (43)Verily, thus We reward the Muhsinin (44)Woe that Day to the deniers (45)Eat and enjoy yourselves for a little while. Verily, you are criminals (46)Woe that Day to the deniers (47)And when it is said to them: "Bow down yourself!" They bow not down (48)Woe that Day to the deniers (49)Then in what statement after this will they believe (50)

The Final Abode for Those Who have Taqwa

Allah informs that His servants who have Taqwa and worship Him by performing the obligations and abandoning the forbidden things, will be in gardens and springs on the Day of Judgement. This means they will be in the opposite condition of the wretched people, who will be in shades of Al-Yahmum, which is purtrid, black smoke. Allah says,

وَفَوَاكِهَ مِمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ

(And fruits, such as they desire.) meaning, and from other types of fruits, they will have whatever they request.

كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا هَنِيئًا بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

(Eat and drink comfortably for that which you used to do.) meaning, this will be said to them out of kindness for them. Reestablishing what He has previously mentioned, Allah says;

إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Verily, thus We reward the Muhsinin.) meaning, 'this is Our reward for whoever does good deeds.'

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

(Woe that Day to the deniers!)

A Threat for Whoever denies the Day of Judgement

Allah says,

كُلُوا وَتَمَتَّعُوا قَلِيلًا إِنَّكُمْ مُجْرِمُونَ

(Eat and enjoy yourselves for a little while. Verily, you are criminals.) This is an address to the deniers of the Day of Judgement. It is commanding them with a command of threat and intimidation. Allah says,

كُلُوا وَتَمَتَّعُوا قَلِيلًا

(Eat and enjoy yourselves for a little while.) meaning, for a period of time that is short, small and brief.

إِنَّكُمْ مُجْرِمُونَ

(Verily, you are criminals.) meaning, then you all will be driven to the fire of Hell which has already been mentioned.

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

(Woe that Day to the deniers!) This is similar to Allah's statement,

نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ

(We let them enjoy for a little while, then in the end We shall oblige them to a great torment.)(31:24) Allah also says,

قُلْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ - مَتَاعٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ نُذِيقُهُمُ الْعَذَابَ الشَّدِيدَ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ

(Verily, those who invent a lie against Allah, will never be successsful. (A brief) enjoyment in this world! And then unto Us will be their return, then We shall make them taste the severest torment because they used to disbelieve.)(10:69,70) Then Allah says,

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ارْكَعُوا لَا يَرْكَعُونَ

(And when it is said to them: "Bow down yourself!" They bow not down.) meaning, when these ignorant disbelievers are ordered to pray with the congregation (of believers), they refuse and turn away from it arrogantly. Thus, Allah says,

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ 

(Woe that Day to the deniers!) Then Allah says,

فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ

(Then in what statement after this will they believe?) meaning, if they do not believe in this Qur'an, then what talk will they believe in? This is as Allah says,

فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَ اللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ

(Then in which speech after Allah and His Ayat will they believe?)(45: 6)

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Mursalat, and all praise and thanks are due to Allah. He is the Giver of success and security.