Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Mu'minun Verse 100

Mufti Taqi Usmani

so that I may act righteously in that (world) which I have left behind.” Never! It is simply a word he utters, and in front of such people there is a barrier till the day when they will be resurrected.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

so I may do good in what I left behind.” Never! It is only a ˹useless˺ appeal they make. And there is a barrier behind them until the Day they are resurrected.[[ Meaning, once they are dead, they will never return to the world. ]] 

Ruwwad Translation Center

so that I may do righteous deeds in what I left behind.” No, it is only a word he utters. And behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.

A. J. Arberry

haply I shall do righteousness in that I forsook.' Nay, it is but a word he speaks; and there; behind them, is a barrier until the day that they shall be raised up.

Abdul Haleem

so as to make amends for the things I neglected.’ Never! This will not go beyond his words: a barrier stands behind such people until the very Day they are resurrected.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

That I may work righteously in that which have left. By no means! It is but a word he uttereth; and before them is a barrier until the Day when they shall be raised.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"In order that I may work righteousness in the things I neglected." - "By no means! It is but a word he says."- Before them is a Partition till the Day they are raised up.

Abul Ala Maududi

that I have left behind. I am likely to do good." Nay, it is merely a word that he is uttering. There is a barrier behind all of them (who are dead) until the Day when they will be raised up.

Ahmed Ali

That I may do some good I did not do (in the world)." Not so. These are only words he utters. Behind them lies the intervening barrier (stretching) to the day of their resurrection.

Ahmed Raza Khan

“Perhaps I may do some good deeds in what I have left behind”; this is just a word that he utters from his mouth; and confronting them is a barrier until the day in which they will be raised.

Ali Quli Qarai

that I may act righteously in what I have left behind.’ ‘By no means! These are mere words that he says.’ And before them is a barrier until the day they will be resurrected.

Ali Ünal

"That I may act righteously with respect to whatever I have left undone in the world." No, never! It is merely a word that he utters over and over again. Before those (who are dead) is an intermediate world (of the grave, where they will stay) until the Day when they will be raised up.

Amatul Rahman Omar

`So that I may do righteous (deeds) which I failed to do (in the worldly life).´ `Never, that can never be,´ (is the answer he receives). It is but a word (of excuse) which he utters. And there is a barrier behind them which shall remain till the day when they shall be raised to life (again).

English Literal

Maybe/perhaps I make/do correct/righteous deeds in what I left. No but it is a word/expression he is saying it, and from behind them (is) a barrier to a day/time they be resurrected/revived .

Faridul Haque

"Perhaps I may do some good deeds in what I have left behind"; this is just a word that he utters from his mouth; and confronting them is a barrier until the day in which they will be raised.

Hamid S. Aziz

Until when death comes to any one of them he says, "My Lord! Send me back,

Hilali & Khan

"So that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" No! It is but a word that he speaks, and behind them is Barzakh (a barrier) until the Day when they will be resurrected.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Until when death overtakes one of them, he says: My Lord, send me back,

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Haply I may do good in that which I have left. By no means! it is a (mere) word that he speaks; and before them is a barrier until the day they are raised.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

That I may do right in that which I have left behind! But nay! It is but a word that he speaketh; and behind them is a barrier until the day when they are raised.

Muhammad Sarwar

so that perhaps I shall act righteously for the rest of my life." Although he will say so but his wish will never come true. After death they will be behind a barrier until the day of their resurrection.

Qaribullah & Darwish

that I should do righteousness in that I forsook' No! It is only a word which he will speak. Behind them there shall stand a barrier till the Day that they shall be resurrected.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"So that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" No! (Kalla) It is but a word that he speaks; and in front of them is Barzakh until the Day when they will be resurrected.

Wahiduddin Khan

so that I may do good works in the world I have left behind." Never! It is indeed but a meaningless word that he utters. A barrier shall stand behind such people till the Day they are raised up again.

Talal Itani

That I may do right in what I have neglected.” By no means! It is just a word that he utters. And behind them is a barrier, until the Day they are resurrected.

Tafsir jalalayn

that I might act righteously, by witnessing that `there is no god but God', that this might be, in that which I have left behind', [in what] I have wasted of my life, in other words [that this affirmation might be] in its place. God, exalted be He, says; By no means!, that is, there shall be no return. It, namely, [the statement] `My Lord! Send me back', is merely a word that he speaks, but [a word] in which there is no benefit for him; and behind them, ahead of them, there is a barrier, which prevents them from going back [to this world], until the day when they are raised, after which [day] there will be no more return.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ كَلَّ

"My Lord! Send me back, so that I may do good in that which I have left behind!"

No!

This is like the Ayat;

وَأَنفِقُواْ مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَـكُمْ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِىَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ

And spend of that with which We have provided you before death comes to one of you, until His saying;
وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
(And Allah is All-Aware of what you do. (63;10-11)

وَأَنذِرِ النَّاسَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمُ الْعَذَابُ

And warn mankind of the Day when the torment will come unto them upto His saying;
مَا لَكُمْ مِّن زَوَالٍ
(that you would not leave (the world for the Hereafter). (14;44)

And His saying;

يَوْمَ يَأْتِى تَأْوِيلُهُ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَأءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ فَهَل لَّنَا مِن شُفَعَأءَ فَيَشْفَعُواْ لَنَأ أَوْ نُرَدُّ فَنَعْمَلَ غَيْرَ الَّذِى كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ

On the Day the event is finally fulfilled, those who neglected it before will say;"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 Or could we be sent back so that we might do deeds other than those deeds which we used to do." (7;53)

And;

وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُواْ رُءُوسِهِمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَأ أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا فَارْجِعْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَـلِحاً إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ

And if you only could see when the criminals shall hang their heads before their Lord (saying);"Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back, that we will do righteous good deeds. Verily, we now believe with certainty." (32;12)

And;

وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ وُقِفُواْ عَلَى النَّارِ فَقَالُواْ يلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّنَا

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. .." until His saying;
وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ
(And indeed they are liars). (6;27-28)

And;

وَتَرَى الظَّـلِمِينَ لَمَّا رَأَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ يَقُولُونَ هَلْ إِلَى مَرَدٍّ مِّن سَبِيلٍ


And you will see the wrongdoers, when they behold the torment, they will say;"Is there any way of return!" (42;44)

And;

قَالُواْ رَبَّنَأ أَمَتَّنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ وَأَحْيَيْتَنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ فَاعْتَرَفْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا فَهَلْ إِلَى خُرُوجٍ مِّن سَبِيلٍ

They will say;"Our Lord! You have made us to die twice, and You have given us life twice! Now we confess our sins, then is there any way to get out!" (40;11)

and the Ayah after it;

And;

وَهُمْ يَصْطَرِخُونَ فِيهَا رَبَّنَأ أَخْرِجْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَـلِحاً غَيْرَ الَّذِى كُـنَّا نَعْمَلُ أَوَلَمْ نُعَمِّرْكُمْ مَّا يَتَذَكَّرُ فِيهِ مَن تَذَكَّرَ وَجَأءَكُمُ النَّذِيرُ فَذُوقُواْ فَمَا لِلظَّـلِمِينَ مِن نَّصِيرٍ

Therein they will cry;"Our Lord! Bring us out, we shall do righteous good deeds, not what we used to do."

(Allah will reply;) "Did We not give you lives long enough, so that whosoever would receive admonition could receive it And the warner came to you. So taste you (the evil of your deeds). For the wrongdoers there is no helper." (35;37)
Allah says that they will ask to go back, when death approaches, on the Day of Resurrection, when they are gathered for judgment before the Compeller (Allah) and when they are in the agonies of the punishment of Hell, but their prayer will not be answered.

Here Allah says;

كَلَّ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَايِلُهَا


No! It is but a word that he speaks;

The word Kalla (No!) is a word that is used to rebuke, and the meaning is;

"No, We will not respond to what he asks for and We will not accept it from him."

كَلَّ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَايِلُهَا

It is but a word that he speaks,

refers to his asking to go back so that he can do righteous deeds;

this is just talk on his part, it would not be accompanied by any action. If he were to go back, he would not do any righteous good deeds, he is merely lying, as Allah says;

وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ

But if they were returned, they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars. (6;28)

Qatadah said;

"By Allah, he will not wish to go back to his family and tribe, or to accumulate more of the things of this world or satisfy his desires, but he will wish that he could go back to do acts of obedience to Allah. May Allah have mercy on a man who does that which the disbeliever will wish he had done when he sees the punishment of Hell."
Barzakh and Punishment therein

Allah says;

وَمِن وَرَايِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ



and in front of them is Barzakh until the Day when they will be resurrected.

Abu Salih and others said that;
وَمِن وَرَايِهِم
(and in front of them),

means before them.

Mujahid said,
Al-Barzakh is a barrier between this world and the Hereafter.

Muhammad bin Ka`b said,

"Al-Barzakh is what is between this world and the Hereafter, neither they are the people of this world, eating and drinking, nor are they with the people of the Hereafter, being rewarded or punished for their deeds."

Abu Sakhr said,

"Al-Barzakh refers to the graves. They are neither in this world nor the Hereafter, and they will stay there until the Day of Resurrection."

وَمِن وَرَايِهِم بَرْزَخٌ

and in front of them is Barzakh.

In these words is a threat to those wrongdoers at the time of death, of the punishment of Barzakh.

This is similar to the Ayat;

مِّن وَرَايِهِمْ جَهَنَّمُ


In front of them there is Hell. (45;10)

وَمِن وَرَايِهِ عَذَابٌ غَلِيظٌ

and in front of him will be a great torment. (14;17)

إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ


until the Day when they will be resurrected.

means, he will be punished continually until the Day of Resurrection, as it says in the Hadith;

فَلَ يَزَالُ مُعَذَّبًا فِيهَا

He will continue to be punished in it.

meaning, in the earth