Surah Ghafir 40:38-50 - Quran Translation Commentary

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Tafsir Maariful Quran

Quran Translation and Commentary by Maulana Mufti Mohammad Shafi. Translation by Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari & Prof. Muhammad Shamim. Revised by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani

Quran Translation
Word for Word by
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh
& Kausar Khatri

41. Ha-Meem-As-Sajdah

Surah 40. Ghafir

Verses [Section]: 1-9[1], 10-20 [2], 21-27 [3], 28-37 [4], 38-50 [5], 51-60 [6], 61-68 [7], 69-78 [8], 79-85 [9]

Quran Text of Verse 38-50وَ قَالَAnd saidالَّذِیْۤthe one whoاٰمَنَbelievedیٰقَوْمِO my people!اتَّبِعُوْنِFollow meاَهْدِكُمْI will guide youسَبِیْلَ(to the) wayالرَّشَادِۚthe right یٰقَوْمِO my people!اِنَّمَاOnlyهٰذِهِthisالْحَیٰوةُthe lifeالدُّنْیَا(of) the world مَتَاعٌ ؗ(is) enjoymentوَّ اِنَّand indeedالْاٰخِرَةَthe Hereafterهِیَitدَارُ(is the) homeالْقَرَارِ (of) settlement مَنْWhoeverعَمِلَdoesسَیِّئَةًan evilفَلَاthen notیُجْزٰۤیhe will be recompensedاِلَّاbut مِثْلَهَا ۚ(the) like thereofوَ مَنْand whoeverعَمِلَdoesصَالِحًاrighteousnessمِّنْwhetherذَكَرٍmaleاَوْorاُنْثٰیfemaleوَ هُوَwhile heمُؤْمِنٌ(is) a believerفَاُولٰٓىِٕكَthen thoseیَدْخُلُوْنَwill enterالْجَنَّةَParadiseیُرْزَقُوْنَthey will be given provisionفِیْهَاin itبِغَیْرِwithoutحِسَابٍ account 40. Ghafir Page 472وَ یٰقَوْمِAnd O my people!مَاHow (is it)لِیْۤfor meاَدْعُوْكُمْ(that) I call youاِلَیtoالنَّجٰوةِthe salvationوَ تَدْعُوْنَنِیْۤwhile you call meاِلَیtoالنَّارِؕthe Fire! تَدْعُوْنَنِیْYou call meلِاَكْفُرَthat I disbelieveبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ اُشْرِكَand (to) associateبِهٖwith Himمَاwhatلَیْسَnotلِیْfor meبِهٖof it عِلْمٌ ؗany knowledgeوَّ اَنَاand Iاَدْعُوْكُمْcall youاِلَیtoالْعَزِیْزِthe All-Mightyالْغَفَّارِ the Oft-Forgiving لَاNoجَرَمَdoubtاَنَّمَاthat whatتَدْعُوْنَنِیْۤyou call meاِلَیْهِto itلَیْسَnotلَهٗfor itدَعْوَةٌa claimفِیinالدُّنْیَاthe worldوَ لَاand notفِیinالْاٰخِرَةِthe Hereafterوَ اَنَّand thatمَرَدَّنَاۤour returnاِلَی(is) toاللّٰهِAllahوَ اَنَّand thatالْمُسْرِفِیْنَthe transgressorsهُمْtheyاَصْحٰبُ(will be the) companionsالنَّارِ (of) the Fire فَسَتَذْكُرُوْنَAnd you will rememberمَاۤwhatاَقُوْلُI say لَكُمْ ؕto youوَ اُفَوِّضُand I entrustاَمْرِیْۤmy affairاِلَیto اللّٰهِ ؕAllahاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahبَصِیْرٌۢ(is) All-Seerبِالْعِبَادِ of (His) slaves فَوَقٰىهُSo Allah protected himاللّٰهُSo Allah protected himسَیِّاٰتِ(from the) evilsمَاthatمَكَرُوْاthey plottedوَ حَاقَand envelopedبِاٰلِ(the) peopleفِرْعَوْنَ(of) Firaunسُوْٓءُ(the) worstالْعَذَابِۚpunishment اَلنَّارُThe Fireیُعْرَضُوْنَthey are exposedعَلَیْهَاto itغُدُوًّاmorning وَّ عَشِیًّا ۚand eveningوَ یَوْمَAnd (the) Dayتَقُوْمُ(will be) established السَّاعَةُ ۫the HourاَدْخِلُوْۤاCause to enterاٰلَ(the) peopleفِرْعَوْنَ(of) Firaunاَشَدَّ(in the) severestالْعَذَابِ punishment وَ اِذْAnd whenیَتَحَآجُّوْنَthey will disputeفِیinالنَّارِthe Fireفَیَقُوْلُthen will sayالضُّعَفٰٓؤُاthe weakلِلَّذِیْنَto those whoاسْتَكْبَرُوْۤاwere arrogantاِنَّاIndeed weكُنَّا[we] wereلَكُمْfor youتَبَعًاfollowersفَهَلْso canاَنْتُمْyouمُّغْنُوْنَavertعَنَّاfrom usنَصِیْبًاa portionمِّنَofالنَّارِthe Fire قَالَWill sayالَّذِیْنَthose whoاسْتَكْبَرُوْۤا(were) arrogantاِنَّاIndeed weكُلٌّall فِیْهَاۤ ۙ(are) in itاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahقَدْcertainlyحَكَمَhas judgedبَیْنَbetweenالْعِبَادِ (His) slaves وَ قَالَAnd will sayالَّذِیْنَthoseفِیinالنَّارِthe Fireلِخَزَنَةِto (the) keepersجَهَنَّمَ(of) HellادْعُوْاCallرَبَّكُمْyour Lordیُخَفِّفْ(to) lightenعَنَّاfor usیَوْمًاa dayمِّنَofالْعَذَابِ the punishment 40. Ghafir Page 473قَالُوْۤاThey (will) sayاَوَ لَمْDid there notتَكُDid there notتَاْتِیْكُمْcome to youرُسُلُكُمْyour Messengers بِالْبَیِّنٰتِ ؕwith clear proofsقَالُوْاThey (will) say بَلٰی ؕYesقَالُوْاThey (will) say فَادْعُوْا ۚThen callوَ مَاbut notدُعٰٓؤُا(is) the callالْكٰفِرِیْنَ(of) the disbelieversاِلَّاexceptفِیْinضَلٰلٍ۠error

Translation of Verse 38-50

(40:38) And said he who had believed, “O my people, follow me, I will show you the path of guidance

(40:39) O my people, this life of the world is only a (momentary) benefit, while the Hereafter is, indeed, the place of permanent living

(40:40) The one who does something evil will not be punished but in its equal proportion, but the one who does a righteous deed, be he male or female, while he is a believer, then, such people will enter the Jannah (Paradise) where they will be provided with bounties beyond reckoning

(40:41) And O my people, what is wrong with me that I call you to salvation and you call me to the Fire

(40:42) You invite me to reject my belief in Allah and ascribe to Him partners about whom I have no knowledge, while I invite you to (Him who is) the Mighty, the Most-Forgiving

(40:43) It is obvious that those (gods) to whom you are inviting me are not worth calling, neither in this world nor in the world to come, and that we have to return back to Allah, and that the transgressors are indeed the people of the Fire

(40:44) Soon you will remember what I am saying to you. And I entrust my matter with Allah. Surely, Allah has all (His) servants in sight.”

(40:45) Then Allah saved him from the evils of what they designed, and the House of Pharaoh was encircled by an evil punishment

(40:46) It is the Fire before which they are presented morning and evening. And on the day when the Hour (of final judgment) will take place, (the order will be released,): “Admit the family of Pharaoh into the most severe punishment.”

(40:47) And (worth remembering is the time) when they (the infidels) will argue with each other in the Fire. So, the weak will say to those who were arrogant, “Surely, we used to be your followers, would you, then, stand for us in (suffering at least a) part of the (punishment of) Fire?”

(40:48) Those who were arrogant will say, “We all are in it. Allah has already passed the judgment between (His) servants

(40:49) And those in the Fire will say to the keepers of Jahannam (Hell), “Pray to your Lord to lighten the punishment for us some day.”

(40:50) They will say, “Had your messengers not been coming to you with open signs?” They will say, “Of course, (they had come).” They (the keepers) will say, “Then, keep praying” - but praying of disbelievers (in the Hereafter) is only in vain

Commentary

Verse:38 Commentary - - - Verse:39 Commentary - - - Verse:40 Commentary - - - Verse:41 Commentary - - - Verse:42 Commentary - - - Verse:43 Commentary - - - Verse:44 Commentary In verse 44, it was said: فَسَتَذْكُرُ‌ونَ مَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِ‌ي إِلَى اللَّـهِ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ بَصِيرٌ‌ بِالْعِبَادِ (Soon you will remember what I am saying to you. And I entrust my matter with Allah. Surely, Allah has all (His) servants in sight.). This is what the believer from the House of Pharaoh said at the end of his address to his people inviting them to accept the message of truth. Here, it was said that, should they not listen to him within that point of time, there would come a time when the punishment would seize them, and they would remember what he had told them. But, the remembrance of that particular time will be useless. And when by virtue of this lengthy dialogue, advice and invitation, the 'iman or faith of this believer from the House of Pharaoh stood disclosed before these people, he realized that they might bring some harm to him, therefore, he said that he was leaving his case to rest with Allah, for He is the guardian and protector of His servants. Early tafsir authority, Muqatil says: When the people of the Pharaoh, as he had apprehended, went after him, he escaped towards the mountains and they could not catch him. Verse:45 Commentary This has been mentioned in verse 45 in the following words: فَوَقَاهُ اللَّـهُ سَيِّئَاتِ مَا مَكَرُ‌وا وَحَاقَ بِآلِ فِرْ‌عَوْنَ سُوءُ الْعَذَابِ (Then Allah saved him from the evils of what they designed, and the House of the Pharaoh was encircled by an evil punishment.), that is, Allah Ta' ala saved the believer from the harm the people of Pharaoh planned to bring to him, but they themselves were seized by a severe punishment. First of all, Allah Ta' ala, in His mercy, saved the believer belonging to the House of Pharaoh right here in this world from the aggressive designs of the people of the Pharaoh against him, the details of which have not been mentioned in the Qur'an. But, the words of the Qur'an seem to say simply that the people of the Pharaoh had made many plans to hurt and kill him, and when the people of Pharaoh were drowned, Allah Ta ala saved this believing servant of Allah along with Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) . As for salvation in the Hereafter, it is fairly obvious. Verse:46 Commentary In the last verse cited here, it was said: النَّارُ‌ يُعْرَ‌ضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا ۖ وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْ‌عَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ. (It is the Fire before which they are presented morning and evening. And on the day when the Hour (of final judgment) will take place, (the order will be released): "Admit the family of the Pharaoh into the most severe punishment."- 46). Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ explained this verse by saying, "Spirits of people from the House of Pharaoh are presented before the Jahannam in the form of black birds, twice every day, morning and evening, and by pointing out to the Jahannam, it is said to them: This is your abode." (Reported by Abd-ur-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Haim - Mazhari)

And according to a narration of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ appearing in the two Sahihs of al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, (the meaning of which is): "When one of you dies (and is in the universe of barzakh, the post-death - pre-resurrection state) he is shown, morning and evening, the place he is to reach after the reckoning of the Day of Judgment. And this place is shown to him every day, and he is told that he has to reach there finally. If this person is from among the people of Jannah, then, Jannah will be shown to him as his place. And if he is from among the people of Jahannam, then, Jahannam will be shown to him as his place."

Punishment in graves

This verse is a proof of punishment in graves. Uninterrupted reports of ahadith and the consensus (ijma) of the Muslim Ummah confirm it. This humble writer has put together all such material, along with relevant verses from the Qur'an, in a regular treatise entitled: السبر بعذاب القبر As-sabr bi'adhabi-l-qabr. This treatise has been published in Arabic as part of Ahkam-ul-Qur'an. Verse:47 Commentary - - - Verse:48 Commentary - - - Verse:49 Commentary - - - Verse:50 Commentary - - -