Man Wishes to Continue in Sin Before Him — The Conscience That Never Sleeps

Verse: "Rather, man wishes to continue sinning before him"

Reflection:
This verse exposes a deep psychological truth: man does not deny the Day of Resurrection because he does not understand it, but because he wants to continue in his sins without restraint. Denial of the afterlife is sometimes not intellectual but psychological — the desire for transgression is what drives denial.

"Before him": Meaning he wants his life extended and his future opened without accountability — transgression is not merely past but is a future project in his soul.

Ibn Kathir said: "He wants to advance the sin and delay repentance, saying: I will repent later, and later — until death comes to him while he is in that state."

Then comes the devastating response: "He asks: when is the Day of Resurrection?" — a question of denial not enquiry, and the following verses describe its terrors.

Lesson: When you find in yourself resistance to the idea of accountability, ask yourself: is this truly an intellectual problem, or do you want to continue on a path you would not approve of if you truly judged yourself?