Surah Ash-Shu'ara — Verse 99

Word Meanings:

• Aḍallanā (أَضَلَّنَا): Led us astray, caused us to deviate from the path of truth and guidance.
• Al-Mujrimūn (الْمُجْرِمُونَ): The criminals, the wicked wrongdoers—those who persisted in sin, disbelief, and transgression, and who invited others to follow their corrupt ways.

Explanation of the Verse:

In this verse, the people of Hellfire—those who followed the path of misguidance in this worldly life—are shown speaking while they argue and blame one another within the Fire. They confess, acknowledging their own error and the reality of their situation: "And none led us astray except the criminals."

By this, they mean that the ones who caused them to deviate from the straight path of Allah—the path of monotheism, righteousness, and obedience to the Creator—were the criminal leaders and ringleaders of disbelief and sin. These were the chiefs of misguidance who called their followers to worship other than Allah, to associate partners with Him, and to commit acts of disobedience. Among these criminals are figures like Iblis (Satan) and his devils, as well as those human leaders who pioneered evil practices and set a terrible example for others to follow—such as Qabil (Cain), who was the first to commit murder and thereby opened the door to transgression against human life.

The followers, having blindly obeyed these criminal leaders in the worldly life, now find themselves in utter ruin. They realize too late that their leaders did not merely make a mistake themselves—they actively worked to mislead others, dragging them into the same destruction. The verse captures this painful moment of regret and mutual blame, where the followers admit that their misguidance was not accidental but was orchestrated by those criminals who called them to falsehood and they foolishly responded.

A Call to Reflection and Faith:

Dear reader, pause and reflect on this profound scene from the Hereafter. These people are not blaming fate or circumstance—they are pointing directly at those who misled them. This teaches us a vital lesson: we are responsible for whom we follow and whose example we emulate. In this life, we must be vigilant about our companions, our leaders, and those we take as role models. The Qur'an repeatedly warns us that on the Day of Judgment, the followers will say to their leaders, "We were your followers, so can you avail us anything against the punishment of Allah?" (Surah Ibrahim: 21).

Yet, the greatest mercy of Allah is that He has sent us the Qur'an and the Sunnah of His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the ultimate guidance. Whoever clings to them will never be led astray. So choose your path wisely, and choose your leaders carefully. Do not be among those who follow criminals into ruin, but rather be among those who follow the messengers of Allah into eternal bliss. The door of repentance is open in this life—do not wait until the Fire becomes your abode and regret becomes your only companion. Turn to Allah now, and He will forgive you and guide you to the straight path.