Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 48

Mufti Taqi Usmani

and guard yourselves against a day when no one shall stand for anyone in anything, nor shall intercession be accepted on anyone’s behalf, nor shall ransom be taken from him, and neither shall any be given support.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Guard yourselves against the Day on which no soul will be of help to another. No intercession[[ “Intercession” is the act of pleading with Allah on behalf of another person on the Day of Judgment. ]] will be accepted, no ransom taken, and no help will be given.

Ruwwad Translation Center

And fear a Day when no soul will avail another anything, nor intercession will be accepted, nor compensation taken, nor will they be helped.

A. J. Arberry

and beware of a day when no soul for another shall give satisfaction, and no intercession shall be accepted from it, nor any counterpoise be taken, neither shall they be helped.

Abdul Haleem

Guard yourselves against a Day when no soul will stand in place of another, no intercession will be accepted for it, nor any ransom; nor will they be helped.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And fear a Day whereon not in aught shall a soul satisfy for a soul, nor shall intercession be accepted thereof, shall compensation be received therefor, nor shall they be succoured.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then guard yourselves against a day when one soul shall not avail another nor shall intercession be accepted for her, nor shall compensation be taken from her, nor shall anyone be helped (from outside).

Abul Ala Maududi

And guard yourselves against the Day when no one shall avail anyone anything; nor shall intercession be accepted from anyone; nor shall anyone be acquitted for any (amount of) ransom; nor shall the guilty ones be helped from any quarter.

Ahmed Ali

Take heed of the day when no man will be useful to man in the least, when no intercession matter nor ransom avail, nor help reach them.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And fear the Day (of Resurrection) when no soul will be exchanged for another, nor will any intercession be accepted for the disbelievers, nor will they be set free in lieu of compensation nor will they be helped.

Ali Quli Qarai

Beware of the day when no soul will compensate for another, neither any intercession shall be accepted from it, nor any ransom shall be received from it, nor will they be helped.

Ali Ünal

And be fearful of and strive to be guarded against a day when (everybody will be seeking a means to save himself, and when) no soul will pay on behalf of another, nor will any intercession (of the sort common in the world but which does not meet with God’s permission and approval) be accepted from any of them, nor will compensation be received from them, nor will they be helped.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And guard yourself against (the agony of) the day when no human being shall avail another in anyway, nor an intercession be accepted on anyone´s behalf, nor any compensation be taken from them, nor will they be helped.

English Literal

And fear a day/time, no self rewards/substitutes from a self a thing, and no mediation (is to) be accepted/received from it, and no ransom/redemption (is to) be taken from it, and nor they be given victory .

Faridul Haque

And fear the Day (of Resurrection) when no soul will be exchanged for another, nor will any intercession be accepted for the disbelievers, nor will they be set free in lieu of compensation nor will they be helped.

Hamid S. Aziz

Fear the day wherein no soul shall pay any recompense for another soul, nor shall intercession be accepted for it, nor shall compensation be taken from it, nor shall they be helped.

Hilali & Khan

And fear a Day (of Judgement) when a person shall not avail another, nor will intercession be accepted from him nor will compensation be taken from him nor will they be helped.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And guard yourselves against a day when no soul will avail another in the least, neither will intercession be accepted on its behalf, nor will compensation be taken from it, nor will they be helped.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And be on your guard against a day when one soul shall not avail another in the least, neither shall intercession on its behalf be accepted, nor shall any compensation be taken from it, nor shall they be helped.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And guard yourselves against a day when no soul will in aught avail another, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be received from it, nor will they be helped.

Muhammad Sarwar

Have fear of the day when every soul will be responsible for itself. No intercession or ransom will be accepted and no one will receive help.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Guard yourselves against the Day when no soul can avail a thing to another, when neither intercession nor ransom shall be accepted from it, nor will they be helped.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And fear a Day (of Judgement) when a person shall not avail another, nor will intercession be accepted from him, nor will compensation be taken from him, nor will they be helped.

Wahiduddin Khan

Guard yourselves against the Day on which no soul shall in the least avail another, when neither intercession nor ransom shall be accepted from it nor shall help be given to it.

Talal Itani

And beware of a Day when no soul will avail another in the least, nor will any intercession be accepted on its behalf, nor will any ransom be taken from it, nor will they be helped.

Tafsir jalalayn

and fear, be scared of, the day when no soul for another shall give satisfaction, which is the Day of Resurrection, and no intercession shall be accepted (read either tuqbal or yuqbal) from it, that is, it is not the case that it has power to intercede, for it then to be accepted from it [or rejected, as God says], So now we have no intercessors [Q. 26;100]; nor any compensation, ransom, be taken, neither shall they be helped, to avoid God's chastisement.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

After Allah reminded the Children of Israel of the favors that He has granted them, He warned them about the duration of the torment which He will punish them with on the Day of Resurrection.

He said,

وَاتَّقُواْ يَوْماً

And fear a Day,

meaning, the Day of Resurrection.

لااَّ تَجْزِي نَفْسٌ عَن نَّفْسٍ شَيْياً

When a person shall not avail another,

meaning, on that Day, no person shall be of any help to another.

Similarly, Allah said,

وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى

And no bearer of burdens shall bear another's burden. (35;18)

لِكُلِّ امْرِىءٍ مِّنْهُمْ يَوْمَيِذٍ شَأْنٌ يُغْنِيهِ

Every man that Day will have enough to make him careless of others. (80;37)

and,

يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمْ وَاخْشَوْاْ يَوْماً لاأَّ يَجْزِى وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِ وَلاأَ مَوْلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَن وَالِدِهِ شَيْياً

O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord (by keeping your duty to Him and avoiding all evil), and fear a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. (31;33)

This indeed should serve as a great warning that both the father and the son will not be of help to each other on that Day.
Neither Intercession, Ransom, or Assistance will be accepted on behalf of the Disbelievers

Allah said,

وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا شَفَاعَةٌ

nor will intercession be accepted from him,

meaning, from the disbelievers.

Similarly, Allah said,

فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمْ شَفَـعَةُ الشَّـفِعِينَ

So no intercession of intercessors will be of any use to them. (74;48)

and described the people of the Fire saying,

فَمَا لَنَا مِن شَـفِعِينَ

وَلَا صَدِيقٍ حَمِيمٍ

Now we have no intercessors. Nor a close friend (to help us). (26;100-101)

Allah's statement here, (2;48),

وَلَا يُوْخَذُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ

nor will compensation be taken from him,

means, that Allah does not accept the disbelievers to ransom themselves.

Similarly, Allah said,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِم مِّلْءُ الاٌّرْضِ ذَهَبًا وَلَوِ افْتَدَى بِهِ

Verily, those who disbelieved, and died while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth full of gold will not be accepted from anyone of them even if they offered it as a ransom. (3;91)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ مَّا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لِيَفْتَدُواْ بِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

Verily, those who disbelieve, if they had all that is in the earth, and as much again therewith to ransom themselves from the torment on the Day of Resurrection, it would never be accepted of them, and theirs would be a painful torment. (5;36)

وَإِن تَعْدِلْ كُلَّ عَدْلٍ لاَّ يُوْخَذْ مِنْهَأ

And even if he offers every ransom, it will not be accepted from him. (6;70)

and,

فَالْيَوْمَ لَا يُوْخَذُ مِنكُمْ فِدْيَةٌ وَلَا مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مَأْوَاكُمُ النَّارُ هِىَ مَوْلَـكُمْ

So this Day no ransom shall be taken from you (hypocrites), nor of those who disbelieved. Your abode is the Fire. That is your Mawla (friend ـ proper place). (57;15)

Allah stated that if the people do not believe in His Messenger and follow what He sent him with, then when they meet Him on the Day of Resurrection, after remaining on the path of disbelief, their family lineage and/or the intercession of their masters will not help them at all. It will not be accepted of them, even if they paid the earth's fill of gold as ransom.

Similarly, Allah said,

مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِىَ يَوْمٌ لاَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خُلَّةٌ وَلَا شَفَـعَةٌ

Before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. (2;254)

and,

لااَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خِلَـلٌ

On which there will be neither mutual bargaining nor befriending. (19;31)

Allah's statement next,

وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ



nor will they be helped.

means, "no person shall get angry - or anxious - on their behalf and offer them any help, or try to save them from Allah's punishment."

As stated earlier on that Day, neither the relative, nor persons of authority will feel pity for the disbelievers, nor will any ransom be accepted for them. Consequently, they will receive no help from others and they will be helpless themselves.

Allah said,

وَهُوَ يُجْيِرُ وَلَا يُجَارُ عَلَيْهِ

While He (Allah) grants refuge (or protection), but none grants refuge from Him. (23;88)

فَيَوْمَيِذٍ لاَّ يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُ أَحَدٌ

وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُ أَحَدٌ

So on that Day none will punish as He will punish. And none will bind (the wicked, disbelievers and polytheists) as He will bind. (89;25-26)

مَا لَكُمْ لَاا تَنَاصَرُونَ


بَلْ هُمُ الْيَوْمَ مُسْتَسْلِمُونَ


"What is the matter with you? Why do you not help one another (as you used to do in the world)!" Nay, but that Day they shall surrender! (37;25-26)

and,

فَلَوْلَا نَصَرَهُمُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ قُرْبَاناً ءَالِهَةَ بَلْ ضَلُّواْ عَنْهُمْ

Then why did those whom they had taken for alihah (gods) besides Allah, as a way of approach (to Allah) not help them Nay, but they vanished completely from them) (46;28).

Also, Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn Abbas said that Allah's statement,
مَا لَكُمْ لَاا تَنَاصَرُونَ
("What is the matter with you? Why do you not help one another?"), (37;25) means,

"This Day, you shall not have a refuge from Us. Not this Day."

Ibn Jarir said that Allah's statement,
وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ
(nor will they be helped),

meaning, on that Day, they shall neither be helped by any helper, nor shall anyone intercede on their behalf. No repeal or ransom will be accepted for them, all courtesy towards them will have ceased, along with any helpful intercession. No type of help or cooperation will be available for them on that Day. The judgment will, on that Day, be up to the Most Great, the Most Just, against whom no intercessor or helper can ever assist. He will then award the evil deed its kind and will multiply the good deeds.

This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُم مَّسْيُولُونَ


مَا لَكُمْ لَاا تَنَاصَرُونَ


بَلْ هُمُ الْيَوْمَ مُسْتَسْلِمُونَ


But stop them, verily, they are to be questioned. "What is the matter with you? Why do you not help one another?" Nay, but that Day they shall surrender. (37;24-26