Tafseer of The Prostration · As-Sajda · 32:12
If you could but see when the criminals are hanging their heads before their Lord, [saying], "Our Lord, we have seen and heard, so return us [to the world]; we will work righteousness. Indeed, we are [now] certain."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُو رُءُوسِهِمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَا أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا فَارْجِعْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ (12) (And if you could but see when the criminals hang their heads before their Lord: "Our Lord, we have seen and heard, so send us back, that we may do good; we are now certain." (32:12))
The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says to His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ: if you, O Muḥammad, could but see these who say: أَئِذَا ضَلَلْنَا فِي الأَرْضِ أَئِنَّا لَفِي خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ (When we have become lost in the earth, shall we then truly be in a new creation?) — when they hang their heads before their Lord, out of shame before their Lord, on account of the acts of disobedience toward Him that had issued from them in the worldly life, while they say: "O رَبَّنَا أبْصَرْنا (Our Lord, we have seen) what we used to deny of Your punishment of the people who were disobedient to You, وَسَمِعْنَا (and we have heard) from You the confirmation of what Your messengers used to enjoin upon us in the worldly life, فارجعنا (so send us back)" — He says: so send us back to the worldly life, that we may act therein in obedience to You, and that is the good deed, إنَّا مُوقَنُونَ (we are now certain) — He says: we have now become certain of that of which we were ignorant in the worldly life concerning Your oneness, and that it is not right that anything other than You be worshipped, and that there should be no lord besides You, and that You grant life and cause death, and raise up again those who are in the graves after death and perishing, and do what You will.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning His saying نَاكِسُوا رُءُوسِهمْ (hanging their heads), the exegetes have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His saying وَلَوْ تَرَى إذِ المُجْرِمونَ ناكِسُوا رُءُوسِهِمْ عِنْدِ رَبَّهِمْ (And if you could but see when the criminals hang their heads before their Lord): he said: they have become grieved and put to shame.
