Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 17–25

40. Ghafir · The Forgiver

Makkan85 verses

ٱلْيَوْمَ تُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ ۚ لَا ظُلْمَ ٱلْيَوْمَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَرِيعُ ٱلْحِسَابِ

40:17‘Today every soul shall be requited for what it has earned. There will be no injustice today. Indeed Allah is swift at reckoning.’

وَأَنذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْءَازِفَةِ إِذِ ٱلْقُلُوبُ لَدَى ٱلْحَنَاجِرِ كَٰظِمِينَ ۚ مَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ مِنْ حَمِيمٍۢ وَلَا شَفِيعٍۢ يُطَاعُ

40:18Warn them of the Approaching Day, when the hearts will be at the throats, choking with suppressed agony, [and] the wrongdoers will have no sympathizer, nor any intercessor who might be heard.12

يَعْلَمُ خَآئِنَةَ ٱلْأَعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِى ٱلصُّدُورُ

40:19He knows the treachery of the eyes, and what the breasts hide.

وَٱللَّهُ يَقْضِى بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَقْضُونَ بِشَىْءٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ

40:20Allah judges with justice, while those whom they invoke besides Him do not judge by anything. Indeed it is Allah who is the All-hearing, the All-seeing.

۞ أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَانُوا۟ هُمْ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةًۭ وَءَاثَارًۭا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍۢ

40:21Have they not travelled through the land so that they may observe how was the fate of those who were before them? They were greater than them in might and with respect to the effects [they left] in the land. But then Allah seized them for their sins, and they had no defender against Allah [’s punishment].

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانَت تَّأْتِيهِمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ فَكَفَرُوا۟ فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ قَوِىٌّۭ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ

40:22That was because their apostles used to bring them manifest proofs, but they defied [them]. So Allah seized them. Indeed He is all-strong, severe in retribution.

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَسُلْطَٰنٍۢ مُّبِينٍ

40:23Certainly We sent Moses with Our signs and a manifest authority*

إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَٰمَٰنَ وَقَٰرُونَ فَقَالُوا۟ سَٰحِرٌۭ كَذَّابٌۭ

40:24to Pharaoh, Haman and Korah, but they said, ‘A magician and a mendacious liar.’3

فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم بِٱلْحَقِّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُوا۟ ٱقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَبْنَآءَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ وَٱسْتَحْيُوا۟ نِسَآءَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا كَيْدُ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ

40:25So when he brought them the truth from Us, they said, ‘Kill the sons of the faithful who are with him, and spare their women.’ But the stratagems of the faithless only go awry.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 19

1.A man selects two safe ways to conceal his sins. He keeps it secret in his mind that nobody can know or he makes use of his eyes such as to stare at other unrelated women and insult others, make fun of respectable persons to make people attentive to disgrace of the believers in Allah. All these works are done through winking of eyes, instead of tongue. And a man thinks he cannot be caught in this way. Allah has stated towards this point, Allah knows everything. He knows what is in your heart and believers in Allah should keep this point in their mind.

Verse 24

2.It is a strange thing that Allah has mentioned only about three persons who were the main protagonists in trouble and quarrels. One was the ruler, second was the Vizier and third was very rich - and the ruler has taken the support of his Vizier in all his mischief. Such as mentioned in the Holy Quran in detail. May Allah protect the Muslims when history repeats and overwhelming pride comes again in public view.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Azafa : One who comes very soon. Since Qiyamat is to come very soon it is mentioned as Azafa and it is a warning that considering it remote we may not become careless and forgetful of it and give up faith and deeds. Every moment it is coming nearer and its distance is reducing every moment.

  2. 2

    This word indicates that between Islam and Kufr the difference is that those who justify Kufr are not truthful of their words and the intercessors of Islam are the representatives of Allah. Therefore their plea will definitely be heard.

  3. Benefit

    The 23rd ayat is most probably explained in a way that generally ayats imply miracles in the Holy Quran and Sultan (power) is that established proof which clearly proves the point. That is why Sulaiman (a.s.) had demanded Sultan-e-Mubeen from Hud Hud.

  4. 3

    Hamaan was the vizier of Firon and Qaroon was the richest man of that time and in view of some he was the Finance Minister of Firon. In any case neither vizierate nor wealth is going to avail anyone before divine chastisement. In other words we can say that Firon was rulership and tyranny personified and Hamaan was the example of evil plotting. Qaroon was the richest person of his time and he was in deviation. In the same way there are three main characters in any conspiracy.