‘Those on the Left’ (ashab ash-shimal) means those to whom is condign punishment will be meted out. Deceived by the amenities they had in this world, they had made things other than God the centre of their attention, and this is the greatest human crime. They had made themselves so forgetful of the Hereafter, it was as if it was not to become a reality at all. Such people will receive severe punishment on the Day of Judgement.