Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 41–49

40. Ghafir · The Forgiver

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۞ وَيَٰقَوْمِ مَا لِىٓ أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى ٱلنَّجَوٰةِ وَتَدْعُونَنِىٓ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ

40:41O my people! [Think,] what makes me invite you to deliverance, while you invite me toward the Fire?

تَدْعُونَنِى لِأَكْفُرَ بِٱللَّهِ وَأُشْرِكَ بِهِۦ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ وَأَنَا۠ أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْغَفَّٰرِ

40:42You invite me to defy Allah and to ascribe to Him partners of which I have no knowledge, while I call you to the All-mighty, the All-forgiver.1

لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّمَا تَدْعُونَنِىٓ إِلَيْهِ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ دَعْوَةٌۭ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَلَا فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ وَأَنَّ مَرَدَّنَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَأَنَّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ هُمْ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ

40:43Undoubtedly, that to which you invite me has no invitation in the world nor in the Hereafter, and indeed our return will be to Allah, and indeed it is the transgressors who will be inmates of the Fire.

فَسَتَذْكُرُونَ مَآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَصِيرٌۢ بِٱلْعِبَادِ

40:44Soon you will remember what I tell you, and I entrust my affair to Allah. Indeed Allah watches His servants.’2

فَوَقَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ سَيِّـَٔاتِ مَا مَكَرُوا۟ ۖ وَحَاقَ بِـَٔالِ فِرْعَوْنَ سُوٓءُ ٱلْعَذَابِ

40:45Then Allah saved him from their evil schemes, while a terrible punishment besieged Pharaoh’s clan:*

ٱلنَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّۭا وَعَشِيًّۭا ۖ وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوٓا۟ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ ٱلْعَذَابِ

40:46the Fire, to which they are exposed morning and evening. On the day when the Hour sets in, Pharaoh’s clan will enter the severest punishment.3

وَإِذْ يَتَحَآجُّونَ فِى ٱلنَّارِ فَيَقُولُ ٱلضُّعَفَٰٓؤُا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ تَبَعًۭا فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّغْنُونَ عَنَّا نَصِيبًۭا مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ

40:47When they argue in the Fire, the oppressed will say to the oppressors, ‘We used to follow you; will you avail us against any portion of the Fire?’

قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كُلٌّۭ فِيهَآ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ حَكَمَ بَيْنَ ٱلْعِبَادِ

40:48The oppressors will say, ‘We are all in it [together]; Allah has judged between [His] servants.’

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى ٱلنَّارِ لِخَزَنَةِ جَهَنَّمَ ٱدْعُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ يُخَفِّفْ عَنَّا يَوْمًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ

40:49Those who are in the Fire will say to the keepers of hell, ‘Invoke your Lord to lighten for us [at least] a day’s punishment.’

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 44

1.The writer of the commentary, Kashif has quoted from Ibne Arabi that the word Afwaz is derived from Faazul Ana it means to spill. The brave man’s slogan is that whenever I am afflicted by troubles I tolerate it and when my trouble increases I entrust my affairs to Allah so that He can decrease my trouble and make it tolerable for me. From this it is clarified that order of delegating power and trust in God does not mean carelessness or impatience but the dignity of believers is that he should always be ready to welcome the trouble so that patience is enshrined and he would be a rightful person in the hereafter. After that he is continuously afraid of danger that trouble would increase and he may lose his tolerance and thus mar his future state of bliss. That is why he has to entrust his affairs to Allah so that Allah protects him and supports him as Allah protected Moosa (a.s.) and his people from Firon’s treachery.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    What an appropriate method of speech that Allah is Powerful and Merciful at the same time. If you do not obey Him You cannot escape and if you obey Him you cannot go to Hell.

  2. 2

    The slogan of faith of every believer and the essence of his deeds and his jewel is that he must entrust all his affairs to Allah and continue to act according to His command and become oblivious of the consequences. After acting upon Divine Commands the responsibility of the consequence is on the Almighty and in such a situation man remains at peace in both the cases of profit as well as loss.

  3. Benefit

    The 45th ayat announces that Allah saved the believer of the people of Firon from their deceit. Though it is a historical fact that he was put to death. Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) said: Allah saved him from deviation and misguidance otherwise martyrdom is a great honour. (Nurus Thaqlayn)

    Benefit: The 45th ayat is not addressed to the arrogant people. It is the announcement of their helplessness. If only these people had understood this in this life itself and they would not have had to suffer such consequences.

  4. 3

    Probably more severe than Hell is that till the day of Judgment one is brought before Hell everyday that you will have to finally remain in this. This spiritual torture is worse than physical pain. May Allah protect all believers from this.