Tafseer of The Cattle · Al-An'aam · 6:15
Say, "Indeed I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day."
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 His word: قُلْ إِنِّي أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّي عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ("Say: Truly, I fear, if I were to disobey my Lord, the punishment (ʿadhāb) of a tremendous Day.") (15)
Abū Jaʿfar said: He, exalted is His mention, says to His Prophet Muḥammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: say to these polytheists (mushrikīn) who set up others as equals to Allah, who call you to the worship of their idols: truly, my Lord has forbidden me to worship anything besides Him = "wa-innī akhāfu in ʿaṣaytu rabbī" (and truly, I fear, if I were to disobey my Lord), by worshipping these = "ʿadhāba yawmin ʿaẓīm" (the punishment of a tremendous Day), that is to say: the punishment of the Day of Resurrection. And He, exalted is He, described it as "tremendous" because of the tremendousness of its terror and the dreadfulness of its affair.
