Overall meaning : The Almighty says to His Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: If you could see these unbelievers and idolaters who associate partners with Allah when they are made to stand by the Fire on the Day of Judgement, you would perceive something truly dreadful and terrifying! When they see the horrors of Hell, they will feel bitter regret and wish they could be brought back to the world so that they could do good deeds, believe their Lord’s signs and revelations and be truly among the believers.
Their statement that if they could only go back to the world so that they would embrace faith on the pretext that only on the Day of judgement have they realised the truthfulness of Allah’s messengers is by no means true, for they did know in their heart of hearts that Allah’s messengers were sincere and truthful but they had chosen, out of sheer stubbornness, not to admit this fact in the life of the world, and thus nothing new will really become known to them on the Day of Judgement whereby they will be excused. Only what they have previously known to be the truth will be shown to them then. Even if they were sent back and given a respite to believe, they would still revert to unbelief and disobedience which they were forbidden, and they are liars in their claim.
Allah then mentions some of the lies they used to tell in the life of world, such as their claim that there is no life other than the worldly life and that they will never be resurrected and brought before Allah for judgement.
Then He says to His Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: If you could see them when they are stationed before their Lord, you would perceive something truly dreadful and terrifying! Allah will rebukingly ask them, 'Is resurrection, which you have now witnessed, not true, then?’ They will swear by their Lord that it is indeed true. 'Taste then the punishment for your unbelief,’ He will reply.
Those who deny the resurrection and deny that they will ever meet Allah for judgement, He further states, have indeed incurred a great loss. When the day Allah will resurrect the dead from their graves comes to them suddenly, they will express deep regret for having wasted their lives and neglected to prepare for that day. They will bear the burden of their sins on their backs; evil indeed is the burden they will bear!
Allah then explains that the worldly life is nothing but play and amusement, and that the life to come is far better for the righteous who do what He commands and avoid what He forbids. Then, addressing those who deny the resurrection, he asks: Did you not have minds with which you comprehend the true reality of the life of the world and that the hereafter is far better and everlasting?!