Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zumar Verse 24

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Tell Me about the one who tries to save himself from the worst punishment with his face on the Day of Judgment, (whether he is equal to the one who is not liable to any punishment.) And it will be said to the wrongdoers, “Have a taste of what you used to earn.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Are those who will only have their ˹bare˺ faces to shield themselves from the awful torment on Judgment Day ˹better than those in Paradise˺? It will ˹then˺ be said to the wrongdoers: “Reap what you sowed!”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Is one who will shield himself from the terrible punishment with his face on the Day of Resurrection [like someone in Paradise]? And it will be said to the wrongdoers: “Taste what you used to earn.”

A. J. Arberry

Is he who guards himself with his face against the evil of the chastisement on the Day of Resurrection...? And it is said to the evildoers, 'Taste now that you were earning!'

Abdul Haleem

What about the one who will only have his bare face to protect him from his terrible suffering on the Day of Resurrection? It will be said to the evildoers, ‘Taste what you have earned.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Is he, then, who will shield himself with his face from the evil of torment on the Day of Resurrection be as he who is secure therefrom And it shall be said Unto the wrong-doers: taste ye that which ye have been earning.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Is, then, one who has to fear the brunt of the Penalty on the Day of Judgment (and receive it) on his face, (like one guarded therefrom)? It will be said to the wrong-doers; "Taste ye (the fruits of) what ye earned!"

Abul Ala Maududi

How woeful is the plight of him who has nothing except his face to shield him from severe chastisement on the Day of Resurrection? Such evil-doers shall be told: “Taste now the consequence of your deeds.”

Ahmed Ali

Can he who will have to shield himself against the torment of the Day of Resurrection (be the same as one at peace)? The evil-doers will be told: "So taste what you earned."

Ahmed Raza Khan

So will he who will not have a shield except his own face against the wretched punishment on the Day of Resurrection, ever be equal to one who is forgiven? And it will be said to the unjust, “Taste what you have earned!”

Ali Quli Qarai

What! Is someone who fends off with his face the terrible punishment [meted out to him] on the Day of Resurrection…? And the wrongdoers will be told, ‘Taste what you used to earn.’

Ali Ünal

Is he who (thrown into the Fire upon his face with his hands chained around his neck,) tries to guard himself with his face (by trying to keep it away) from the evil punishment on the Day of Resurrection (to be likened to one who will be safe from the punishment that Day)? It will be said to the wrongdoers: "Taste (this Day) what you used to earn (in the world)!"

Amatul Rahman Omar

Is he, then, who has only his own person to shield him from the evil punishment on the Day of Resurrection (like him who is secure). And it will be said to the unjust (on that Day), `Suffer the punishment of what you used to commit deliberately.´

English Literal

Is who fears with his face/front the torture`s bad/evil/harm (on) the Resurrection Day, and was said to the unjust/oppressive taste/experience what you were gaining/acquiring .

Faridul Haque

So will he who will not have a shield except his own face against the wretched punishment on the Day of Resurrection, ever be equal to one who is forgiven? And it will be said to the unjust, “Taste what you have earned!”

Hamid S. Aziz

Is then he who has to face the awful doom on the Day of Resurrection (as he who does right)? And it will be said to the unjust, "Taste what you earned."

Hilali & Khan

Is he then, who will confront with his face the awful torment on the Day of Resurrection (as he who enters peacefully in Paradise)? And it will be said to the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.): "Taste what you used to earn!"

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Allah has revealed the best announcement, a Book consistent, repeating (its injunctions), whereat do shudder the skins of those who fear their Lord, then their skins and their hearts soften to Allah’s remembrance. This is Allah’s guidance -- He guides with it whom He pleases. And he whom Allah leaves in error, there is no guide for him.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Is he then who has to guard himself with his own person against the evil chastisement on the resurrection day? And it will be said to the unjust: Taste what you earned.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Is he then, who will strike his face against the awful doom upon the Day of Resurrection (as he who doeth right)? And it will be said unto the wrong-doers: Taste what ye used to earn.

Muhammad Sarwar

Is there anyone who is afraid of the torment of the Day of Judgment when the unjust will be told, "Suffer the result of your deeds?"

Qaribullah & Darwish

Is he whose face is cautious of the evil of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection (to be compared to the unbeliever)! To the evildoers it shall be said:'Now taste that which you have been earning'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Is he then, who will confront with his face the awful torment on the Day of Resurrection And it will be said to the wrongdoers: "Taste what you used to earn!"

Wahiduddin Khan

What about the one who will have only his bare face to protect him from his terrible punishment on the Day of Resurrection? The evil-doers will be told, "Taste what you have earned."

Talal Itani

What about someone who covers his face against the terrible misery of the Day of Resurrection? To the evildoers it will be said, “Taste what you used to earn.”

Tafsir jalalayn

Is he who will be fending off, [is he] who will encounter, with his face the awful chastisement on the Day of Resurrection ...?, that is, the most severe [chastisement], when he is flung into the Fire with his hands bound to his neck in fetters, [is he] like one who will be secure from it by entering Paradise? And it will be said to the wrongdoers, namely, the disbelievers of Mecca; `Taste [now] what you used to earn', that is, [taste] the requital for it.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Final Destination of the Disbelievers

Allah says,

أَفَمَن يَتَّقِي بِوَجْهِهِ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

Is he then, who will confront with his face the awful torment on the Day of Resurrection?

وَقِيلَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ

And it will be said to the wrongdoers;

He will be rebuked and he and the evildoers like him will be told;

ذُوقُوا مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْسِبُونَ



"Taste what you used to earn!"

`Is this like the one who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection' as Allah says;

أَفَمَن يَمْشِى مُكِبّاً عَلَى وَجْهِهِ أَهْدَى أَمَّن يَمْشِى سَوِيّاً عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

Is he who walks prone on his face, more rightly guided, or he who walks upright on the straight way; (67;22)

يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ فِى النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُواْ مَسَّ سَقَرَ

The Day they will be dragged on their faces into the Fire (it will be said to them);"Taste you the touch of Hell!" (54;48)

and,

أَفَمَن يُلْقَى فِى النَّارِ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّن يَأْتِى ءَامِناً يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ

Is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection? (41;40)

In each of these Ayat, it was sufficient to refer to one of the two groups.

Allah's statement,

كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَأَتَاهُمْ الْعَذَابُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ