Quran Universe
20:127

وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي مَنۡ أَسۡرَفَ وَلَمۡ يُؤۡمِنۢ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِۦۚ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ أَشَدُّ وَأَبۡقَىٰٓ

Wakathalika najzee man asrafa walam yumin biayati rabbihi walaAAathabu alakhirati ashaddu waabqa

And thus do We recompense he who transgressed and did not believe in the signs of his Lord. And the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe and more enduring.

Word by word
  1. وَكَذَٰلِكَAnd thus
  2. نَجۡزِيWe recompense
  3. مَنۡ(he) who
  4. أَسۡرَفَtransgresses
  5. وَلَمۡand not
  6. يُؤۡمِنۢbelieves
  7. بِـَٔايَٰتِin (the) Signs
  8. رَبِّهِۦۚ(of) his Lord
  9. وَلَعَذَابُAnd surely (the) punishment
  10. ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ(of) the Hereafter
  11. أَشَدُّ(is) more severe
  12. وَأَبۡقَىٰٓand more lasting
Taha · 20:127Makkah

The Hereafter's loss is heavier and lasts longer.

Weighing now against later

Two scales
this worldhardship ends
lighter than
the Hereaftermore severe, more lasting
Which to fear more
losing hereface, money, comfort
losing therethat is what lasts

Allah says this is how He repays the one who transgresses and does not believe in His signs. Ibn Kathir cites the Prophet ﷺ: the punishment of this world is lighter than the punishment of the Hereafter. The warning is meant to steer choices now.

You hide a mistake at work to avoid embarrassment, knowing it hurts someone. Owning up costs you a bad afternoon. A hard moment here is lighter than carrying it there.

Avoiding embarrassment now is worth almost anything.

A loss in this world is small next to what lasts. I can choose the lighter cost.

Try this

Own up today to one small thing you have been hiding to save face.

Related13:34
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And thus do We requite him who transgresses beyond bounds and believes not in the Ayat of his Lord; and the torment of the Hereafter is far more severe and more lasting (127)

Severe Torment for Him Who transgresses beyond bounds

Allah says: 'Thus We do requite those who transgress beyond bounds and believe the Ayat of Allah in this world and in the Hereafter.'

لَّهُمْ عَذَابٌ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَشَقُّ ۖ وَمَا لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍ

(For them is a torment in the life of this world, and certainly, harder is the torment of the Hereafter. And they have no defender or protector against Allah.)(13:34) Therefore Allah said,

وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَشَدُّ وَأَبْقَىٰ

(and the torment of the Hereafter is far more severe and more lasting.) meaning: a more grievous and more painful penalty than of this world they will remain therein, they will abide forever in such torment. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said to both husband and wife who took an oath, when the husband accused his wife of committing illegal sexual intercourse:

إِنَّ عَذَابَ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْآخِرَةِ

(Verily, the torment of this worldly life is more insignificant, compared to the punishment of the Hereafter.)