Surah 16

Surah 16:28

"those who – the angels take them (while they are doing) themselves evil.’ They will offer peace: ‘We were not doing anything evil.’ ‘Yes indeed (you were)! Surely God is aware of what you have done."
The Condition of the Disbeliever during and alter Death Verses 16:28-29
Show Full Scripture Context (16:28-29) — 2 Verses
Verse 28

ٱلَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّىٰهُمُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ظَالِمِيٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡۖ فَأَلۡقَوُاْ ٱلسَّلَمَ مَا كُنَّا نَعۡمَلُ مِن سُوٓءِۭۚ بَلَىٰٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمُۢ بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

those who – the angels take them (while they are doing) themselves evil.’ They will offer peace: ‘We were not doing anything evil.’ ‘Yes indeed (you were)! Surely God is aware of what you have done.

Verse 29

فَٱدۡخُلُوٓاْ أَبۡوَٰبَ جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَاۖ فَلَبِئۡسَ مَثۡوَى ٱلۡمُتَكَبِّرِينَ

So enter the gates of Gehenna, there to remain. Evil indeed is the dwelling place of the arrogant!’

Allah informs us of the state of the idolaters who are doing wrong to themselves when death approaches and the angels come to seize their evil souls. {Then, they will (falsely) submit} meaning, they will make it appear as if they used to listen and obey by saying, {We did not do any evil.} Similarly, on the Day of Resurrection, they will say, {[By Allah, our Lord, we were not idolators.] (6:23)}(quran/6/23) {[On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all together; then they will swear to Him as they swear to you.] (58:18)}(quran/58/18) Allah says, rejecting what they say, {"Yes! Truly, Allah is Most Knowing of what you did. So enter the gates of Hell, to abide therein, and indeed, what an evil abode there is for the arrogant."} (16:28-29), meaning, a miserable position in the abode of humiliation for those who were too arrogant to pay attention to the signs of Allah and follow His Messengers. They will enter Hell from the day they die with their souls, and their bodies will feel the heat and hot winds of their graves. When the Day of Resurrection comes, their souls will be reunited with their bodies, to abide forever in the fire of Hell, and {[It will not be complete enough to kill them nor shall its torment be lightened for them] (35:36)}(quran/35/36) As Allah says, {[The Fire, they are exposed to it morning and afternoon. And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): "Cause Fir'awn's people to enter the severest torment!"]} (40:46).

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 5, Page 453)

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.