Recognize Your Regret and Remorse Areas
If a person does not awaken in this world, he will awaken on the Day of Judgment only to discover that his entire life’s work brought him nothing but loss.
Reflection on Verse 19:39
The Qur’an repeatedly warns us about hasrat—the deep regret and sorrow that will overwhelm people on the Day of Judgment.This regret stems from one root cause: ghaflat (heedlessness).
If a person does not awaken in this world, he will awaken on the Day of Judgment only to discover that his entire life’s work brought him nothing but loss.
Verse 19:39 says:
“And warn them of the Day of Regret…”
This is a reminder to reflect now—before that day arrives.Identify Your Personal and Collective Heedlessness.
Every individual must honestly identify the areas where they are living in heedlessness.Many things that occupy Muslims today—social conflicts, communal arguments, emotional activism, exaggerated religious practices—will become sources of regret in the Hereafter.
People will say:
“If only we had understood if only we had avoided meaningless work!”
This realization after death is of no benefit.The time to discover our regret points is now.
The Warning of Surah Al-Ghashiyah
The Qur’an describes a heartbreaking scene: “Amilatun nasibah” — people who worked endlessly, yet achieved nothing. Their efforts were real, their hard work intense, but the outcome was zero.Why? Because their work was not aligned with Truth.Their sincerity was not enough to save actions that were rooted in misguidance or emotional excess.
Clear Examples of Misguided Effort
The Qur’an and Hadith give us numerous examples of sincere people whose efforts will still end in regret:
• Following Jesus is noble, but believing him to be the son of God brings devastating regret.
• Loving the Prophet Muhammad is essential, but exaggerating this love into ishq-e-Rasool that crosses the limits of faith becomes a source of grief on the Day of Judgment.Love must remain within the boundaries of Tawheed.Even sincere emotions,when misdirected, lead to regret.Look for Your Regret Points — Now
Every believer must ask:
• What am I doing today that may become a source of regret tomorrow?
• Which activities are eating up my time but producing no real spiritual benefit?
• Which beliefs or behaviours are rooted in culture rather than revelation?
• Am I prioritising the Hereafter — or living according to community pressure and emotional thinking?
The wise person identifies his regret areas during life, not after death.
True success lies in aligning every action with divine guidance, free from exaggeration, imitation, and wishful thinking.
A Call to Reflection
This is not a message of fear — it is a message of awakening.The Qur’an calls us to reflect so that our tomorrow is not filled with regret.Let us introspect deeply, recognise our areas of heedlessness, and correct our lives while we still can.May Allah save us from becoming people of hasrat, and make us among those whose efforts shine with meaning on the Day when regret will no longer help.
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Source:Tazkirul Quran / Quran Commentary by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Order:Goodword Books
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