Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 78–85

40. Ghafir · The Forgiver

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وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلًۭا مِّن قَبْلِكَ مِنْهُم مَّن قَصَصْنَا عَلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن لَّمْ نَقْصُصْ عَلَيْكَ ۗ وَمَا كَانَ لِرَسُولٍ أَن يَأْتِىَ بِـَٔايَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ قُضِىَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ ٱلْمُبْطِلُونَ

40:78Certainly We have sent apostles before you. Of them are those We have recounted to you, and of them are those We have not recounted to you. An apostle may not bring any sign except by Allah’s permission. Hence, when Allah’s edict comes, judgment is made with justice, and it is thence that the falsifiers become losers.

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَنْعَٰمَ لِتَرْكَبُوا۟ مِنْهَا وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ

40:79It is Allah who created the cattle for you that you may ride some of them, and some of them you eat;

وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَنَٰفِعُ وَلِتَبْلُغُوا۟ عَلَيْهَا حَاجَةًۭ فِى صُدُورِكُمْ وَعَلَيْهَا وَعَلَى ٱلْفُلْكِ تُحْمَلُونَ

40:80and there are [numerous] uses in them for you, and that over them you may satisfy any need that is in your breasts, and you are carried on them and on ships.1

وَيُرِيكُمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ فَأَىَّ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ تُنكِرُونَ

40:81He shows you His signs. So which of the signs of Allah do you deny?

أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَانُوٓا۟ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ قُوَّةًۭ وَءَاثَارًۭا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَمَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ

40:82Have they not travelled over the land so that they may observe how was the fate of those who were before them? They were more numerous than them and were greater [than them] in power and with respect to the effects [they left] in the land. But what they used to earn did not avail them.2

فَلَمَّا جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ فَرِحُوا۟ بِمَا عِندَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ

40:83When their apostles brought them manifest proofs, they boasted about the knowledge they possessed, but they were besieged by what they used to deride.

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا۟ بَأْسَنَا قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَحْدَهُۥ وَكَفَرْنَا بِمَا كُنَّا بِهِۦ مُشْرِكِينَ

40:84Then, when they sighted Our punishment, they said, ‘We believe in Allah alone, and disavow what we used to take as His partners.’

فَلَمْ يَكُ يَنفَعُهُمْ إِيمَٰنُهُمْ لَمَّا رَأَوْا۟ بَأْسَنَا ۖ سُنَّتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِى قَدْ خَلَتْ فِى عِبَادِهِۦ ۖ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ

40:85But their faith was of no benefit to them when they sighted Our punishment—Allah’s precedent, which has passed among His servants, and it is thence that the faithless will be losers.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 83

1.How sorrowful the fact is that instead of inviting people towards good deeds and prayer, they prepare men for revolt against Allah and a man becomes an infidel or hypocrite. Whereas it is mentioned in the parable of Qaroon that when he was reminded for Allah’s bounties and blessing, he clearly said: This is not the favour of Allah. All this is the results of my knowledge. And in the present era there are so many people who have decided to utilize their knowledge for revolt and restiveness and disgraced the entire bounties of Allah and say these are the results of our political skill. Shah Muhammad Reza the dethroned ruler of Iran was congratulated for his newborn baby that Allah has given you a son as your successor. He said what is the role of Allah in this matter? This is my work. From Qaroon and Firon to the rulers of present era the same thing has become customary.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. Benefit

    There are many traditions that state the number of Prophets to be 1,24,000. Messenger are 313 in number and Ulul Azm Prophets are five. But Anas bin Malik has mentioned only 8000 prophets, and probably he meant the great prophets, just as Quran has names of only 26 prophets and Asmoil, Irmiya, Yusha, Khizr, Ashat etc. are indicated without mention of their names.

  2. 1

    The existence of animals are necessary for human life and is a bounty for human beings. Man uses them as riding animals and also eats their meat. Additionally he derives benefits from them, and transports his goods through them. And after that boats have also been invented and the best thing is that in the beginning it is said Le Tarkaboo and in the end Tohmaloon is used. Which means that riding the animals and boats is not your achievement. It is the mercy of Allah otherwise He would have sunk the boats and man would have been incapable to ride them.

  3. 2

    Three types of prides are instrumental in the destruction of man. Excess, strength and heritage. The Holy Quran has clearly warned of their consequences and emphasised that except for belief nothing is to be of any avail and the result of all three is nothing but destruction and Hell.