Surah Nahl ayat 28 Tafsir Quran 16:28

﴿الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ فَأَلْقَوُا السَّلَمَ مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِن سُوءٍ ۚ بَلَىٰ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ﴾
[ النحل: 28]

16:28 The ones whom the angels take in death [while] wronging themselves, and [who] then offer submission, [saying], "We were not doing any evil." But, yes! Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what you used to do.

those whom the angels take in death read feminine person tatawaffāhum or masculine yatawaffāhum while they are wronging themselves’ through disbelief. Then they will offer submission becoming compliant and submitting themselves to belief in God upon death saying ‘We were not doing any evil’ any associating others with God whereat the angels say ‘Nay! Surely God is Knower of what you used to do’ and will requite you for it.

It is these who persist in doing wrong and continue firmly in the state of disbelief in Allah until the encounter with the angels of death who disembody their souls. There and then they express their willingness to submit to Allah and learn at last acceptance of their lot and claim they never did wrong. But the angels say to them: But you did, and Allah is indeed Alimun of all you did

The Condition of the Disbeliever during and after Death Allah informs us of the state of the idolators who are doing wrong to themselves when death approaches and the angels come to seize their evil souls. فَأَلْقَوُاْ السَّلَمَ ( Then, they will (falsely ) submit) meaning, they will make it appear as if they used to listen and obey by saying, مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِن سُوءٍ ( We did not do any evil. ) Similarly, on the Day of Resurrection, they will say, وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ ( By Allah, our Lord, we were not idolators. ) 6:23 يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهِ جَمِيعاً فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ ( On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all together; then they will swear to Him as they swear to you. ) 58:18 Allah says, rejecting what they say, الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّـهُمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ ظَالِمِى أَنفُسِهِمْ فَأَلْقَوُاْ السَّلَمَ مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِن سُوءٍ بَلَى إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ - فَادْخُلُواْ أَبْوَابَ جَهَنَّمَ خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَا فَلَبِئْسَ مَثْوَى الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ ( "Yes! Truly, Allah is Most Knowing of what you did.
So enter the gates of Hell, to abide therein, and indeed, what an evil abode there is for the arrogant." ) ( 16:28-29 ), meaning, a miserable position in the abode of humiliation for those who were too arrogant to pay atten- tion to the signs of Allah and follow His Messengers.
They will enter Hell from the day they die with their souls, and their bodies will feel the heat and hot winds of their graves.
When the Day of Resurrec- tion comes, their souls will be reunited with their bodies, to abide forever in the fire of Hell, and لاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْهِمْ فَيَمُوتُواْ وَلاَ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمْ مِّنْ عَذَابِهَا ( It will not be complete enough to kill them nor shall its torment be lightened for them. ) ( 35:36 ) As Allah says, النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوّاً وَعَشِيّاً وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُواْ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ ( The Fire, they are exposed to it morning and afternoon.
And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels ): "Cause Fir'awn's people to enter the severest torment!") ( 40:46 ).

(16:28) Yes *24 , this is for those disbelievers, who, while they are still engaged in wronging themselves, shall surrender themselves when seized by the angels, *25 saying, "We were doing nothing wrong at all." The angels will retort, "What, dare you deny this! Allah is fully aware of what you were doing.

The ones whom the angels take in meaning

*24) This is Allah's addition to the previous assertion, and not its continuation.
Those commentators who have wrongly considered this as continuation of the preceding sentence, are unable to offer any satisfactory explanation for their opinion.

*25) That is, " When the angels take possession of their souls at the time of death..... "
 

The Condition of the Disbeliever during and after Death Allah informs us of the state of the idolators who are doing wrong to themselves when death approaches and the angels come to seize their evil souls. فَأَلْقَوُاْ السَّلَمَ ( Then, they will (falsely ) submit) meaning, they will make it appear as if they used to listen and obey by saying, مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِن سُوءٍ ( We did not do any evil. ) Similarly, on the Day of Resurrection, they will say, وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ ( By Allah, our Lord, we were not idolators. ) 6:23 يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهِ جَمِيعاً فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ ( On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all together; then they will swear to Him as they swear to you. ) 58:18 Allah says, rejecting what they say, الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّـهُمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ ظَالِمِى أَنفُسِهِمْ فَأَلْقَوُاْ السَّلَمَ مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِن سُوءٍ بَلَى إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ - فَادْخُلُواْ أَبْوَابَ جَهَنَّمَ خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَا فَلَبِئْسَ مَثْوَى الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ ( "Yes! Truly, Allah is Most Knowing of what you did.
So enter the gates of Hell, to abide therein, and indeed, what an evil abode there is for the arrogant." ) ( 16:28-29 ), meaning, a miserable position in the abode of humiliation for those who were too arrogant to pay atten- tion to the signs of Allah and follow His Messengers.
They will enter Hell from the day they die with their souls, and their bodies will feel the heat and hot winds of their graves.
When the Day of Resurrec- tion comes, their souls will be reunited with their bodies, to abide forever in the fire of Hell, and لاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْهِمْ فَيَمُوتُواْ وَلاَ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمْ مِّنْ عَذَابِهَا ( It will not be complete enough to kill them nor shall its torment be lightened for them. ) ( 35:36 ) As Allah says, النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوّاً وَعَشِيّاً وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُواْ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ ( The Fire, they are exposed to it morning and afternoon.
And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels ): "Cause Fir'awn's people to enter the severest torment!") ( 40:46 ).

( Whom the angels cause to die ) on the Day of Badr ( while they are wronging themselves ) through disbelief. ( Then will they make full submission (saying )) they will answer; it is also said that this means: they resign to Allah, saying: ( We used not to do any wrong ) we did not worship anything beside Allah nor did we associate partners with Him. ( Nay! ) Allah will say: nay! ( Surely Allah is Knower of what ye used to do ) and say and worship beside Allah.

"Those whose lives the angels take while they are doing wrong to themselves (by disbelief and by associating partners in worship with Allah and by committing all kinds of crimes and evil deeds)." Then, they will make (false) submission (saying): "We used not to do any evil." (The angels will reply): "Yes! Truly, Allah is All-Knower of what you used to do.

Page 270 English transliteration