Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zumar Verse 56

Mufti Taqi Usmani

lest someone should say, “Pity on me, because I fell short in respect of (observing the rights of) Allah and in fact, I was one of those who mocked”,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

so that no ˹sinful˺ soul will say ˹on Judgment Day˺, ‘Woe to me for neglecting ˹my duties towards˺ Allah, while ridiculing ˹the truth˺.’

Ruwwad Translation Center

Lest someone should say, “Woe to me for neglecting my duties towards Allah and for being among those who mocked [the truth]”;

A. J. Arberry

Lest any soul should say, 'Alas for me, in that I neglected my duty to God, and was a scoffer,'

Abdul Haleem

and your soul says, “Woe is me for having neglected what is due to God, and having been one of those who scoffed!”

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Lest a soul should say: Alas! for that I have been remiss in respect of Allah, and I was but of the scoffers!

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Lest the soul should (then) say; 'Ah! Woe is me!- In that I neglected (my duty) towards Allah, and was but among those who mocked!'-

Abul Ala Maududi

Lest a person should say: “Alas for me for neglecting my duty towards Allah and for being among those that scoffed”;

Ahmed Ali

Lest a soul should say: "Alas, I was heedless of God and only laughed;"

Ahmed Raza Khan

So that no soul may say, “Alas! The failures that I committed regarding Allah – and indeed I used to mock!”

Ali Quli Qarai

Lest anyone should say, ‘Alas for my negligence in the vicinage of Allah! Indeed I was among those who ridiculed.’

Ali Ünal

Lest any soul should say, "Alas for me for that I have fallen short of my duty to God, and I was indeed among those who used to mock (at the truth)!"

Amatul Rahman Omar

Lest (when it comes,) anyone (of you) should say, `Woe to me for failing in my duty towards Allâh! for I made fun (of His revelations.)´

English Literal

That (E) a self says: "Oh my grief/sadness on what I neglected/abused/wasted in God`s side/direction/right, and that truly I was from (E) the humiliators/mockers ."

Faridul Haque

So that no soul may say, “Alas! The failures that I committed regarding Allah - and indeed I used to mock!”

Hamid S. Aziz

Lest a soul should say, "O woe to me! For what I fell short of my duty to Allah, and I was indeed among the scoffers!"

Hilali & Khan

Lest a person should say: "Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allah (i.e. I have not done what Allah has ordered me to do), and I was indeed among those who mocked [at the truth! i.e. La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), the Quran, and Muhammad SAW and at the faithful believers, etc.]

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And follow the best that has been revealed to you from your Lord before chastisement comes to you all of a sudden, while you perceive not --

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Lest a soul should say: O woe to me! for what I fell short of my duty to Allah, and most surely I was of those who laughed to scorn;

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lest any soul should say: Alas, my grief that I was unmindful of Allah, and I was indeed among the scoffers!

Muhammad Sarwar

Turn to God in repentance before a soul says, "Woe to me because of my failure to fulfill my duties to God. Woe to me for mocking God's guidance!"

Qaribullah & Darwish

Lest any soul should say: 'Sadly, I have neglected my duty to Allah and was of those that mocked'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Lest a person should say: "Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allah, and I was indeed among those who mocked."

Wahiduddin Khan

lest anyone should say, "Alas for me, for having neglected what is due to God, and having been one of those who scoffed!"

Talal Itani

So that a soul may not say, “How sorry I am, for having neglected my duty to God, and for having been of the scoffers.”

Tafsir jalalayn

so apply yourselves to this, before any soul should say, `Alas for me (y hasrat is actually y hasrat, meaning `O regret of mine') for what I have neglected of my duty to God, in other words, [of] obedience to Him. Indeed (wa-in; in is softened in place of the hardened form, in other words [understand it as] wa-inn) I was among those who ridiculed', His religion and His Book;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

أَن تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يَا حَسْرَتَى علَى مَا فَرَّطتُ فِي جَنبِ اللَّهِ

Lest a person should say;"Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allah..."

means, on the Day of Resurrection, the sinner who neglected to repent and turn back to Allah will regret it, and will wish that he had been one of the righteous who obeyed Allah.

وَإِن كُنتُ لَمِنَ السَّاخِرِينَ



and I was indeed among those who mocked.

means, `my actions in this world were those of one who ridicules and makes fun, not of one who has firm faith and is sincere.'

أَوْ تَقُولَ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هَدَانِي لَكُنتُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ