Surah Al Mulk Tafseer

وَقَالُوا

They will say,

لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِي أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ

Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we would not have been among the dwellers of the blazing Fire!

meaning, `if we would have benefited from our intellects or listened to the truth that Allah revealed, we would not have been disbelieving in Allah and misguided about Him. But we did not have understanding to comprehend what the Messengers came with, and we did not have the intelligence to guide us to following them.'

Allah then says,

فَاعْتَرَفُوا بِذَنبِهِمْ فَسُحْقًا لاَِّصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ