بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

We all have regrets in life — regrets for falling into sins, in our decision-making, on how we treated a family member or a loved one in the past, of trusting a business partner too much, and so many more. But these regrets we experience in this dunya can be good for our taqwa and character development, when they become catalysts in changing one’s life trajectory towards the better. As long as we’re still in this dunya, we have a chance to make things right, in shaa Allah.

But there is one major regret that will no longer bring any type of khayr to us — and that regret is the one that mankind will express on Yawm Al-Hasrah.

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in the Qur’an: 

“And warn them of Yawm Al-Hasrah when the case has been decided, while (now in this dunya) they are in a state of carelessness, and they believe not.”

[Surah Maryam 19 : 39]

Yawm Al-Hasrah is one of the names of the Day of Judgment, and it means The Day of Regret. But Al-Hasrah is not just any type of regret, rather it is an overwhelming remorse that causes devastating grief and sadness. It is called Yawm Al-Hasrah because there will be numerous words of deep regret expressed by mankind on that Day. Amongst those words are captured in the following aayah:

“And the record (of deeds) will be laid (open), and you will see the wicked in fear of what is (written) in it. They will cry: ‘Woe to us! What kind of record is this that does not leave any sin, small or large, unlisted?’ They will find whatever they did present (before them), and your Rabb treats no one with injustice.” [Surah Al-Kahf 18 : 49]

On that Day, those who will receive their book of deed in their left hand will realise that it contains every single act of disobedience they did in the dunya, both big and small, major and minor, whether they were significant or insignificant in the eyes of the doer — all have been meticulously recorded. So on that Day, they will feel a sense of crushing remorse for their disbelief, oppressions, and sins; fearing what is about to come.

“If only! If only!”

One more major event will happen, where Rasulullah ﷺ said:

“When the people of Paradise have entered Paradise, and the people of the Fire have entered the Fire, death will be brought and will be placed between the Fire and Paradise, and then it will be slaughtered, and a call will be made:

O people of Paradise, no more death!

O people of the Fire, no more death!

So the people of Paradise will have happiness added to their previous happiness, and the people of the Fire will have sorrow added to their previous sorrow.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari 6548]

Scholars mentioned that had Allah ta’ala not decreed eternal life for the inhabitants of Jannah, they would have died upon hearing this statement due to their intense happiness and relief; knowing that there will be no more calamity, and no more death. They can now truly enjoy a perfect life, a happy-ever-after that will never come to an end. May Allah make us and our loved ones among them!

And had Allah ta’ala not decreed eternal life for the inhabitants of the Fire, they too would have died upon hearing this out of intense grief. This is the moment where it finally dawns upon them that they will be in the Fire eternally, that will never come to an end. Wal-iyadzu billah (and Allah’s refuge is sought).

And so their regrets increase, and their sadness becomes too overwhelming to bear. How anguished would they feel when they hear these statements, and then see the happiness of the inhabitants of Jannah. How crushed would their hearts be! 

“If only! If only!”

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says: “And Hell will be brought near that Day (of Resurrection). On that Day, man will remember (what they did), but how will that remembrance avail him? He will say: Alas! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for my (true, permanent) life!” [Surah Al-Fajr 89 : 23-24]

Imam Ibn Kathir rahimahullah commented in his tafsir that those who will feel regret on that Day will not be amongst the sinners, but also of the believers and and the pious. He wrote: 

“If he was a disobedient person, he will regret the acts of disobedience he committed. If he was an obedient person, he would wish that he had done more acts of good deeds.” 

The words of regret will be said by the disbelievers.

And it will be said by the sinners from among the Muslims.

And it will also be said by the pious.

But what sort of regret would they feel?

They will feel remorse for not reading enough Qur’an.

For not doing more Tahajjud.

For not giving more charity.

For not utilising their time with more good deeds.

The pious will still regret not doing more so that they could attain greater rewards for their eternal life.

And so I remind myself foremost before others, take accountability of the sins and bad habits we might still be doing. Utilise what remains of our lives with taqwa of Allah ta'ala, and exert ourselves with good deeds, lest we end up being amongst those who will feel regret on Yawm Al-Hasrah.

May Allah facilitate our affairs, and grant us success in this dunya and akhirah.

Your sister in Deen,

Aida Msr