Surah 7:53

"Do they expect anything but its interpretation? On the Day when its interpretation comes, those who forgot it before will say, ‘The messengers of our Lord have brought the truth. Have we any intercessors to intercede for us? Or (may) we return so that we might do other than what we have done?’ They have lost their (own) selves, and what they forged has abandoned them."

Islamic Commentaries (1)Manuscripts (54)

The Idolaters have no Excuse Verses 7:52-53

Show Full Scripture Context (7:52-53) — 2 Verses

Verse 52

وَلَقَدۡ جِئۡنَٰهُم بِكِتَٰبٖ فَصَّلۡنَٰهُ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ هُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ

Certainly We have brought them a Book – We have made it distinct on (the basis of) knowledge – as a guidance and mercy for a people who believe.

Verse 53

هَلۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا تَأۡوِيلَهُۥۚ يَوۡمَ يَأۡتِي تَأۡوِيلُهُۥ يَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبۡلُ قَدۡ جَآءَتۡ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ فَهَل لَّنَا مِن شُفَعَآءَ فَيَشۡفَعُواْ لَنَآ أَوۡ نُرَدُّ فَنَعۡمَلَ غَيۡرَ ٱلَّذِي كُنَّا نَعۡمَلُۚ قَدۡ خَسِرُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَضَلَّ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَفۡتَرُونَ

Do they expect anything but its interpretation? On the Day when its interpretation comes, those who forgot it before will say, ‘The messengers of our Lord have brought the truth. Have we any intercessors to intercede for us? Or (may) we return so that we might do other than what we have done?’ They have lost their (own) selves, and what they forged has abandoned them.

Allah states that He has left no excuse for the idolaters, for He has sent to them the Book that the Messenger came with, and which is explained in detail,

(This is) a Book, the Ayat whereof are perfected (in every sphere of knowledge), and then explained in detail

Allah said next,

{We have explained in detail with knowledge} meaning, 'We have perfect knowledge of what We explained in it'. Allah said in another Ayah,

He has sent it down with His Knowledge ,

The meaning here is that after Allah mentioned the loss the idolators end up with in the Hereafter, He stated that He has indeed sent Prophets and revealed Books in this life, thus leaving no excuse for them. Allah also said;

And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning ).

This is why Allah said here,

Quoted Scripture

"Await they just for the final fulfillment of the event?"

in reference to what they were promised of torment, punishment, the Fire; or Paradise, according to Mujahid and several others.

{On the Day the event is finally fulfilled ,} on the Day of Resurrection, according to Ibn ‘Abbas,

{those who neglected it before will say } those who ignored it in this life and neglected abiding by its implications will say,

Quoted Scripture

""Verily, the Messengers of our Lord did come with the truth, now are there any intercessors for us that they might intercede on our behalf?""

so that we are saved from what we ended up in.

{"Or could we be sent back"}, to the first life,

Quoted Scripture

""So that we might do (good) deeds other than those (evil) deeds which we used to do?"}."

This part of the Ayah is similar to Allah’s statement,

If you could but see when they will be held over the (Hell) Fire! They will say: " Would that we were but sent back! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!" Nay, it has become manifest to them what they had been concealing before. But if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars

Allah said here,

Quoted Scripture

"Verily, they have lost themselves and that which they used to fabricate has gone away from them."

meaning, they destroyed themselves by entering the Fire for eternity,

Quoted Scripture

"And that which they used to fabricate has gone away from them."

What they used to worship instead of Allah abandoned them and will not intercede on their behalf, aid them or save them from their fate.

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.

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