Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 53

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They are waiting for nothing but its final result (i.e. the punishment promised in the Qur’ān). The day when its final result will come, those who had ignored it earlier will say, “Surely, the messengers of our Lord had come with truth. So, are there any intercessors for us who could intercede in our favor? Or, could we be sent back, so that we might do contrary to what we used to do?” Indeed, they have put their selves to loss, and vanished from them all that they used to fabricate.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Do they only await the fulfilment ˹of its warning˺? The Day it will be fulfilled, those who ignored it before will say, “The messengers of our Lord certainly came with the truth. Are there any intercessors who can plead on our behalf? Or can we be sent back so we may do ˹good,˺ unlike what we used to do?” They will have certainly ruined themselves, and whatever ˹gods˺ they fabricated will fail them.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Are they waiting except for the fulfillment [of its warning]? On the Day when it is fulfilled, those who ignored it before will say, “The messengers of our Lord surely came with the truth. Are there any intercessors who can intercede on our behalf? Or can we be sent back so that we may do other than what we used to do?” In fact, they will have ruined themselves and all that they used to fabricate will be lost from them.

A. J. Arberry

Do they look for aught else but its interpretation? The day its interpretation comes, those who before forgot it shall say, 'Indeed, our Lord's Messengers came with the truth. Have we then any intercessors to intercede for us, or shall we be returned, to do other than that we have done?' They have indeed lost their souls, and that which they were forging has gone astray from them.

Abdul Haleem

What are they waiting for but the fulfilment of its [final prophecy]? On the Day it is fulfilled, those who had ignored it will say, ‘Our Lord’s messenger spoke the truth. Is there anyone to intercede for us now? Or can we be sent back to behave differently from the way we behaved before?’ They will really have squandered their souls, and all [the idols] they invented will have deserted them.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

They await only its fulfilment. The Day whereon the fulfilment thereof arriveth, those who were negligent thereof afore shall say: surely the apostles of our Lord brought the truths; are there for us any intercessors that they might intercede for us? or could we be sent back that we may work otherwise than we were wont to work? Surely they have lost themselves, and there hath strayed from them that which they were wont to fabricate.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Do they just wait for the final fulfilment of the event? On the day the event is finally fulfilled, those who disregarded it before will say; "The messengers of our Lord did indeed bring true (tidings). Have we no intercessors now to intercede on our behalf? Or could we be sent back? then should we behave differently from our behaviour in the past." In fact they will have lost their souls, and the things they invented will leave them in the lurch.

Abul Ala Maududi

Are they waiting for the fulfilment of its warning? On the Day that warning is fulfilled, those that have neglected it before will say: 'The Messengers of Our Lord did indeed bring forth the truth. Are there any intercessors who will now plead on our behalf? Or, can we be restored to life that we might perform differently from that which we did? ' They surely ended in utter loss, and the lies they had fabricated failed them.

Ahmed Ali

Are they waiting for the exposition of what it speaks of? The day that (Reality) is unravelled, the people who had lost sight of it will say: "The apostles of our Lord had indeed brought the truth. Do we have any one to intercede for us? If only we could go back to the world, we would act otherwise." Indeed they have caused themselves harm, and the lies they concocted did not help.

Ahmed Raza Khan

What do they await, except for the result foretold by that Book to appear? The day when the result foretold by it occurs, those who had previously forgotten it from the beginning (the disbelievers) will exclaim, “Indeed the Noble Messengers of our Lord had brought the truth! Do we have any intercessors who may intercede for us? Or can we be returned (to earth), so we may do contrary to what we have done before?” Indeed they have put themselves into ruin, and have lost the things they fabricated.

Ali Quli Qarai

Do they not consider [the consequences of] its fulfillment? The day when its fulfillment comes, those who had forgotten it before will say, ‘Our Lord’s apostles had certainly brought the truth. If only we had some intercessors to intercede for us, or we would be returned, so that we may do differently from what we did!’ They have certainly ruined their souls, and what they used to fabricate has forsaken them.

Ali Ünal

Are they waiting but for the final end of the call to that Book? On the Day when this end comes, those, who until then have been oblivious of it, say: "The Messengers of our Lord assuredly came with the truth (but we did not pay heed.) Have we, then, any intercessors who will now intercede on our behalf? Or can we be returned (to the world) that we might do otherwise than we used to do (when we were in the world)? They have certainly ruined their selves and what they fabricated (of false deities) has failed them.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Do these (disbelievers) just await the final sequel (of the warning) thereof? The day its final sequel comes, those who had forsaken it before (in this life) would say, `The Messengers of our Lord did indeed come with the truth. Have we (now) any intercessors so that they may intercede for us? Or could we be sent back so that we might act otherwise than we used to act?´ They have indeed ruined their souls and that which they used to forge has failed them.

English Literal

Do they wait/watch except (for) its interpretation/explanation? (On) a day its interpretation/explanation comes, those who forgot it from before say: "Our Lord`s messengers had come with the truth . So are99(there) for us from mediators, so they mediate for us, or we be returned so we make/do other than what we were making/doing?" They had lost themselves, and what they were fabricating/cutting and splitting (was) misguided/wasted/lost from them.

Faridul Haque

What do they await, except for the result foretold by that Book to appear? The day when the result foretold by it occurs, those who had previously forgotten it from the beginning (the disbelievers) will exclaim, "Indeed the Noble Messengers of our Lord had brought the truth! Do we have any intercessors who may intercede for us? Or can we be returned (to earth), so we may do contrary to what we have done before?" Indeed they have put themselves into ruin, and have lost the things they fabricated.

Hamid S. Aziz

Do they just wait now for its fulfilment (or interpretation)? On the day when its fulfilment shall come, those who forgot it before will say, "Indeed, there did come to us the Messenger of our Lord in truth. Have we no intercessors now to intercede for us? Or, could we return, we would behave otherwise than we did in the past." But they have lost their souls, and that which they devised has strayed away from them.

Hilali & Khan

Await they just for the final fulfillment of the event? On the Day the event is finally fulfilled (i.e. the Day of Resurrection), 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 (to the first life of the world) so that we might do (good) deeds other than those (evil) deeds which we used to do?" Verily, they have lost their ownselves (i.e. destroyed themselves) and that which they used to fabricate (invoking and worshipping others besides Allah) has gone away from them.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And certainly We have brought them a Book which We make clear with knowledge, a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Do they wait for aught but its final sequel? On the day when its final sequel comes about, those who neglected it before will say: Indeed the apostles of our Lord brought the truth; are there for us then any intercessors so that they should intercede on our behalf? Or could we be sent back so that we should do (deeds) other than those which we did? Indeed they have lost their souls and that which they forged has gone away from them.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Await they aught save the fulfilment thereof? On the day when the fulfilment thereof cometh, those who were before forgetful thereof will say: The messengers of our Lord did bring the Truth! Have we any intercessors, that they may intercede for us? Or can we be returned (to life on earth), that we may act otherwise than we used to act? They have lost their souls, and that which they devised hath failed them.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Despite the clear details of Our guidance in the Book) do they still wait for further interpretations? On the Day (of Judgment) when its interpretations will be revealed, those who had ignored its guidance will confess, saying, "The Messengers of our Lord had certainly come to us with the Truth. Will anyone intercede for us or send us back (to life) so that we would be able to act in a different manner to that which we had done before?" These people have certainly lost their souls and their evil inventions (which they had used for false excuses) will vanish.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Are they waiting but for its fulfillment? On the Day when it is realized, those who have forgotten it will say: 'The Messengers of our Lord have surely come with the truth. Have we then any intercessors to intercede for us, or shall we be returned to do other than that we have done' They have lost their souls, and that which they invented will have gone astray from them.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Await they just for the final fulfillment of the event 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 (to the first life of the world) so that we might do (good) deeds other than those (evil) deeds which we used to do" Verily, they have lost themselves and that which they used to fabricate has gone away from them.

Wahiduddin Khan

Do they wait for the fulfillment of that of which it warns? On the Day when that fulfillment comes, those who had neglected it before will say, "The messengers of our Lord did indeed bring the truth. Have we then any intercessors who would intercede for us? Or, could we be sent back so that we might act differently from the way we used to?" They have indeed ruined their souls and what they invented has forsaken them.

Talal Itani

Are they waiting for anything but its fulfillment? The Day its fulfillment comes true, those who disregarded it before will say, “The messengers of our Lord did come with the truth. Have we any intercessors to intercede for us? Or, could we be sent back, to behave differently from the way we behaved before?” They ruined their souls, and what they used to invent has failed them.

Tafsir jalalayn

Are they waiting -- they are not waiting -- for anything but its fulfilment, the consequences of what is in it? On the day when its fulfilment comes, which will be [on] the Day of Resurrection, those who were forgetful of it before, [those who] neglected to believe in it, shall say, `Indeed, our Lord's messengers came with the truth. Have we then any intercessors, that they may intercede for us, or shall we be returned, to the world, that we may act otherwise than we used to act?', [and instead] affirm God's Oneness and refrain from associating others with Him. It will then be said to them, `No!' God, exalted be He, says; Verily they have lost their souls, for they have ended up in perdition, and that which they used to invent, in alleging [that God has] a partner, has failed, has abandoned, them.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلاَّ تَأْوِيلَهُ

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.

يَوْمَ يَأْتِي تَأْوِيلُهُ

On the Day the event is finally fulfilled,

According to Ibn Abbas,

on the Day of Resurrection,

يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبْلُ

those who neglected it before will say,

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

قَدْ جَاءتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ فَهَل لَّنَا مِن شُفَعَاء فَيَشْفَعُواْ لَنَا

"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.

أَوْ نُرَدُّ

"Or could we be sent back,"

to the first life,

فَنَعْمَلَ غَيْرَ الَّذِي كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ

"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,

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

بَلْ بَدَا لَهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ

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. (6;27-28)

Allah said here,

قَدْ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ

Verily, they have lost themselves,

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

وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ



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