Surah 40. Ghafir

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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]

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Quran Text of Verse 51-60اِنَّاIndeed WeلَنَنْصُرُWe will surely helpرُسُلَنَاOur Messengersوَ الَّذِیْنَand those whoاٰمَنُوْاbelieveفِیinالْحَیٰوةِthe lifeالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldوَ یَوْمَand (on the) Dayیَقُوْمُ(when) will standالْاَشْهَادُۙthe witnesses یَوْمَ(The) Dayلَاnotیَنْفَعُwill benefitالظّٰلِمِیْنَthe wrongdoersمَعْذِرَتُهُمْtheir excuseوَ لَهُمُand for themاللَّعْنَةُ(is) the curseوَ لَهُمْand for themسُوْٓءُ(is the) worstالدَّارِ home وَ لَقَدْAnd certainlyاٰتَیْنَاWe gaveمُوْسَیMusaالْهُدٰیthe guidanceوَ اَوْرَثْنَاand We caused to inheritبَنِیْۤ(the) Children of Israelاِسْرَآءِیْلَ(the) Children of Israelالْكِتٰبَۙthe Book هُدًیA guideوَّ ذِكْرٰیand a reminderلِاُولِیfor thoseالْاَلْبَابِ (of) understanding فَاصْبِرْSo be patientاِنَّindeedوَعْدَ(the) Promise of Allahاللّٰهِ(the) Promise of Allahحَقٌّ(is) trueوَّ اسْتَغْفِرْAnd ask forgivenessلِذَنْۢبِكَfor your sinوَ سَبِّحْand glorifyبِحَمْدِ(the) praiseرَبِّكَ(of) your Lordبِالْعَشِیِّin the eveningوَ الْاِبْكَارِ and the morning اِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoیُجَادِلُوْنَdisputeفِیْۤconcerningاٰیٰتِ(the) Signsاللّٰهِ(of) Allahبِغَیْرِwithoutسُلْطٰنٍany authorityاَتٰىهُمْ ۙ(which) came to themاِنْnotفِیْ(is) inصُدُوْرِهِمْtheir breastsاِلَّاbutكِبْرٌgreatnessمَّاnotهُمْtheyبِبَالِغِیْهِ ۚ(can) reach itفَاسْتَعِذْSo seek refugeبِاللّٰهِ ؕin AllahاِنَّهٗIndeed HeهُوَHeالسَّمِیْعُ(is) the All-Hearerالْبَصِیْرُ the All-Seer لَخَلْقُSurely (the) creationالسَّمٰوٰتِ(of) the heavensوَ الْاَرْضِand the earthاَكْبَرُ(is) greaterمِنْthanخَلْقِ(the) creationالنَّاسِ(of) the mankindوَ لٰكِنَّbutاَكْثَرَmostالنَّاسِ(of) the peopleلَا(do) notیَعْلَمُوْنَ know وَ مَاAnd notیَسْتَوِیare equalالْاَعْمٰیthe blindوَ الْبَصِیْرُ ۙ۬and the seeingوَ الَّذِیْنَand those whoاٰمَنُوْاbelieveوَ عَمِلُواand doالصّٰلِحٰتِrighteous deedsوَ لَاand notالْمُسِیْٓءُ ؕthe evildoerقَلِیْلًاLittleمَّا(is) whatتَتَذَكَّرُوْنَ you take heed 40. Ghafir Page 474اِنَّIndeedالسَّاعَةَthe Hourلَاٰتِیَةٌ(is) surely comingلَّاnoرَیْبَdoubtفِیْهَاin itوَ لٰكِنَّbutاَكْثَرَmostالنَّاسِ(of) the peopleلَا(do) notیُؤْمِنُوْنَ believe وَ قَالَAnd saidرَبُّكُمُyour LordادْعُوْنِیْۤCall upon MeاَسْتَجِبْI will respondلَكُمْ ؕto youاِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoیَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ(are too) proudعَنْtoعِبَادَتِیْworship Meسَیَدْخُلُوْنَwill enterجَهَنَّمَHellدٰخِرِیْنَ۠(in) humiliation

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Translation of Verse 51-60

(40:51) Surely We shall help Our Messengers and the believers in the life of this world⁶⁷ and on the Day when witnesses will rise to testify,⁶⁸

(40:52) the Day when the excuses offered by the wrong-doers shall not avail them. They shall be victims of the curse and a woeful abode.

(40:53) We surely guided Moses⁶⁹ and made the Children of Israel the heirs of the Book

(40:54) which was a guidance and good counsel to people endowed with understanding and wisdom.⁷⁰

(40:55) Be steadfast,⁷¹ then, (O Prophet), Allah's promise is true.⁷² Seek forgiveness for your shortcomings,⁷³ and celebrate the praise of your Lord, evening and morning.⁷⁴

(40:56) Verily those who dispute regarding the Signs of Allah without any evidence that might have come to them, nothing but vain pride fills their hearts. Yet they shall never be able to satisfy the pride⁷⁵ with which they are puffed up.⁷⁶ So seek refuge with Allah.⁷⁷ Verily He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

(40:57) Surely⁷⁸ the creation of the heavens and the earth is a greater act than the creation of human beings. But most people do not know.⁷⁹

(40:58) Never can the blind and the seeing be equal; nor those that believe and act righteously and those that do evil. Little do you understand.⁸⁰

(40:59) The Hour will indeed come; there is no doubt about that. Yet most people do not believe.⁸¹

(40:60) Your⁸² Lord said: “Pray to Me, and I will accept your prayers.⁸³ Surely those who wax too proud to worship Me shall enter Hell, utterly abased.”⁸⁴

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Commentary

67. For details, see al-Saffat 37, n. 33, Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. IX p.293.

68. This refers to the Day of Judgement when God will hold His court of justice and witnesses will be summoned for testimony.

69. God makes it clear that after He directed Moses (peace be on him) ; to go forth and confront Pharaoh, he was not left to his own devices Rather, God guided him at every step and this naturally culminated in his triumph.

Impact in this is the subtle message for the Prophet Mohammad (peace be on him) that God will show him the favor he had earlier shown to Moses. After having raised him in Makkah among the Quraysh, God will not leave him at the tender mercy of his oppressive enemies God assures him that He stands by the Prophet (peace be on him) to support and guide him.

70. The Pharaonic community that had rejected the Prophet Moses ' (peace be on him) was deprived of God’s blessings and favors. In sharp contrast to this, the Children of Israel, who had affirmed their belief in Moses, were made to inherit the Scriptures. In like manner, it was made clear that those who reject the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) will be deprived of God's blessings and favors. On the other hand, those who believe in the Prophet (peace be on him) will inherit the Qur’an and will rise before the whole world as the standard-bearers of the guidance enshrined in it.

71. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) is being asked to patiently put up with the hardships that might come his way.

72. The allusion here is to God's promise made just above: 'We shall help Our Messengers and the believers in the life of this world and on the Day when witnesses will rise to testify,' (verse 51.)

73. It appears from the context that the 'shortcoming' to which reference is made here consists of a degree of impatience which had begun to develop in the Prophet (peace be on him) in this atmosphere of severe repression, especially by his observing his Companions' suffering and helplessness. The Prophet (peace be on him) had eagerly begun to look forward to some miracle taking place, one that would persuade the unbelievers into believing or to the appearance of something extraordinary, at God's behest, that would pacify the then raging storm of opposition and hostility. Obviously, there was nothing inherently wrong with this desire that one should call upon God, seeking His forgiveness. However, God had placed the Prophet (peace be on him) on a highly exalted pedestal which required of him utmost patience and fortitude. So high was the Prophet's station that the show of least impatience by him was considered out of tune with his exceptional position. It was for this reason that the Prophet (peace be on him) was asked to seek forgiveness from his Lord and to withstand all hardships with the strength of a rock.

74. Praising and glorifying God instils in believers the strength that q enables them to endure all hardships in His cause.

Praising God in the morning and evening admits of two meanings: (i) that one should continually remember God; and (ii) that one should offer Prayers at the appointed hours. Taken in the latter sense, the reference is to the five obligatory Prayers that were prescribed for Muslims a little after this Surah’s revelation. Evening covers the time period from the decline q of the sun to early night. This obviously refers to Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib and ‘Isha’ Prayers. The other expression, ibkar, signifies the time from dawn till sunrise when Fajr Prayer is offered. (For further details on this matter, j ‘see al-Baqarah 2, nn. 5, 59-61 and 262-3, Towards Understanding the Qur'an, 1 vol. I, pp. 46, 71-2 and 184-6; Hud 11, n. 113 and al-Hijr 15, n. 53, vol. IV, pp. 137, 305; Bani Isra’il 17, nn. 1 and 92-97, and Ta Ha 20, n. 111, vol. V, pp. 5-8, 63-6 and 242; al- ‘Ankabut 29, nn. 77-9 and al-Rim 30, nn. 23-24 and 50, vol. VII, pp. 41-6, 85-8 and 101-2.)

75. The unbelievers opposed the Qur’an without any worthwhile reason and engaged in contentious argumentation against it. This was not because they could not understand its teachings. Nor was it their inability to appreciate the truth and the good which it embodies that made them engage in disputatious argumentation motivated by the desire to search the truth. Rather, their hostile argumentation was prompted by pride and hauteur such that they could not seriously entertain the proposition that the Prophet (peace be on him), rather than they, could guide and lead the people of Arabia. However, eventually the time came when even these opponents too had to recognize the leadership of the Prophet (peace be on him), the leadership of one whom they had once considered, as compared to themselves, utterly unworthy of leadership. At the point of time under discussion, however, they tried their utmost to obstruct the Prophet’s path, sparing no means, howsoever mean and ignoble, to oppose him.

76. Only those whom God exalts will enjoy honor. As for the petty ones who are in vain pursuit of greatness, their attempts will end in naught.

77. The Prophet Moses (peace be on him) had grown fearless of Pharaoh, having sought refuge with God, the Mightiest and Irresistible. In like manner, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) should seek refuge with God against the threats and conspiracies of the Quraysh and should ceaselessly strive to exalt His Word.

2. After commenting on the conspiracies hatched by the Quraysh chiefs, (see verses 21-25 above), the Qur‘anic discourse is now addressed to the common people to whom the truth of the Prophet's teachings is being explained. They are told that it is in their own interest to believe in the Prophet (peace be on him); in other words, it would simply be calamitous for them to reject his teachings. In this connection reference is first made to the Hereafter along with its supporting proofs. It may be recalled that the unbelievers found the very notion of the Hereafter as weird, as something utterly incomprehensible.

79. This is meant to show that the Hereafter lies in the range of the possible. As for the unbelievers, they had ruled out resurrection as something impossible. The Qur’an refutes their fallacious notions, pointing out that those who so think are devoid of understanding. Were they to be guided by reason, they would realize that it is pretty easy for God, Who has created this vast universe, to raise the dead to life.

80. This proves the imminence of the Hereafter. Both reason and justice demand that there be an Afterlife. In fact, it is not its occurrence but its non-occurrence that is inconsistent with reason and justice. After all, how can any reasonable person believe that those who live in the world in a state of moral blindness and who corrupt the world by their misdeeds should remain unpunished, (something that was bound to happen if there were no Afterlife)? In like manner, those who live in the world with open eyes, who believe and act righteously, will see no good result of their conduct if there is no Afterlife. If this is against the dictates of reason and justice, then denial of the Afterlife is also bound to be against the dictates of reason and justice. This because the denial of the Afterlife means that both the good and the wicked will be reduced to the earth after death, both coming to the same end. If both the good and the wicked meet the same end, what would be the point in the former living in accordance with a code of goodness? Would it not be smarter, in that case, for a person were to concentrate all his attention on the single-minded pursuit of pleasure, allowing none of his desires to remain unfulfilled?

81. The truth of the Hereafter can be categorically affirmed only on the basis of sure knowledge rather than of rational argument. The fact is that a definitive statement on this matter can only be made on the basis of Revelation. At most what can be said on the basis of rational argument is that the occurrence of the Hereafter is possible and that it should take place.

It is only for God and no one else to go beyond that and categorically affirm that the Hereafter will certainly take place for He alone knows for sure about that. At this point it becomes quite evident that if the foundation of religious faith is to be rooted in true, dependable knowledge, it will have to be anchored in Revelation.

82. From here on the discourse on the Hereafter is replaced by one on monotheism which was another point of contention and dispute between the unbelievers and the Prophet (peace be on him).

83. God makes it clear that He alone has the power to accept prayers or not. Hence it stands to reason that people should address their prayers only to Him. In order to understand the underlying spirit of this verse one should fully grasp the following points: (1) Man naturally addresses his prayers to the One Whom he considers to be All-Hearing, All-Seeing and possessed of supernatural powers. What motivates a man to pray is His feeling that the ordinary means that form part of natural causation are not sufficiently effective to deliver him from his affliction or to fulfil his needs. It is only in such a state of mind that man considers it inevitable to call upon a being possessed of supernatural powers. It is for this reason that he turns to the Supreme Being. He invokes Him even though He does not see Him and makes supplications to Him whenever and wherever he likes. He invokes Him in utter solitude and prays to Him both loudly and in a low voice and even calls upon Him in his heart.

All this is done in the belief that the Supreme Being is All-Seeing, that He knows even that which lies in the recesses of a person’s -heart. This is further done in the belief that the Almighty Being can come to his aid and deliver him from distress. This being the nature of prayer to God, it is not difficult for man to realize that the person who invokes someone besides God for help is guilty of gross polytheism for he ascribes to whom he invokes. those attributes that belong to God alone.

(2) If a person believes that someone has power and authority this does not necessarily mean that that belief is correct. Possession of authority relates to fact rather than to anyone’s assumptions about it. If someone is possessed of power and authority, he will remain so regardless of whether people affirm this or not. Now, it is a fact that God alone is All-Mighty, that He rules over the universe, that He is All-Hearing and All-Seeing and that He is the One Who has absolute power over everything. There is none else who has the power to hear people’s prayers and to decide how to respond to them. If in contravention of this basic fact, some people believe that there are any Prophets, or saints, or angels, or jinn, or planets or idols who have a share in God’s power and authority, this will not at all change the objective reality. The Lord will remain what He is and the servant will remain what he actually is.

(3) The likeness of addressing prayers to anyone other than God is that of carrying a petition to a governmental bureau. However, instead of handing it over to the actual sovereign, one hands it over to other petitioners like himself, fervently entreating them to accept it. It is an act of sheer folly and ignorance that one should turn to incapable beings like oneself for help. However, if someone petitions others in the very presence of the Sovereign, this also becomes an act of outrageous provocation. This act reaches the climax of folly and ignorance when those to whom the petitions are presented repeatedly point out that they are as helpless as the petitioner himself and that he would do well to address his petition to the Sovereign Who is right there.

This folly assumes ridiculous proportions when the petitioner, despite being told that all except the Sovereign are helpless, keeps repeating to others that they alone have the power to deliver him from his awful situation.

It is against this backdrop that one should understand the implications of God’s directive: ‘Pray to Me, and I will accept your prayers’, making it clear that accepting the prayers of God’s creatures’ rests with Him alone.

84. The following two, points in this verse merit particular attention: (i) Prayer and worship have been used as synonyms. This reinforces the notion that prayer or supplication is the quintessence of worship. (ii) The following observation is significant: ‘Surely those who wax too proud to worship Me...’ (see verse 60.) This implies that to pray is the essence of servitude to God. It is the very zenith of man’s servitude to God to supplicate to Him. Those who willfully refrain from praying in fact do so because they have been puffed up by pride and arrogance. The Prophet’s own observations also amplify this point. Nu‘man ibn Bashir narrates that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: ‘Supplication is the essence of worship. ’ Then he recited the verse 60 of Surah al-Mu'min. (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, narrated by Nu‘man ibn Bashir; Tirmidhi, Kitab Tafsir al-Qur’an ‘an Rasul Allah Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam, Bab wa min Sirat al-Mu'min; Abu Da’ud, Kitab al-Salah, Bab al-Du‘a’; Nasa’i, Kitab al-Tafsir, ’ Bab Surah Ghafir; Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Du‘a’, Bab Fadl al-Du’a’; Ibn Abi Hatim, Tafsir, comments on Surah al-Mu’min 40: 60; and Tabari, Tafsir, comments on Surah al-Mu’min 40: 60.) According to Anas, the Prophet (peace be on him) spoke of supplication as the quintessence of worship, (Titmidhi, Kitab al-Da‘wat ‘an Rasul Allah Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam, Bab minhu.) Abu Hurayrah narrated the following on the Prophet's authority: ‘God becomes wrathful with him who does not invoke Him for help and support,’ (Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Da‘wat ‘an Rasul Allah Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam, Bab minhu.) These observations also resolve a perplexing dilemma. Some people think that since God exercises total control over man’s destiny, both good and bad, and since God has already decreed something for man out of His wisdom and dispensation, nothing but that is bound to happen. In view of this, they argue, it is pointless to make supplication [for what will happen has already been decreed.]

The present verse, however, removes such misperceptions: (i) God pointedly says in this verse: ‘Pray to Me, and I will accept your prayers.’ Thus what is called ‘fate’ does not prevent God from doing anything that He pleases or from accepting any supplication. Man obviously cannot alter the Divine Decree. However, God can change His decision in response to someone's supplication. (ii) Whether someone’s supplication is granted or not, it is nonetheless not devoid of blessing because by the act of supplication one acknowledges God’s supremacy and one’s own servitude and helplessness. This admission of servitude is the very essence of worship. One is rewarded for this irrespective of whether one’s supplication is granted or not. The Prophet’s following sayings on this issue further clarify both these points. Salman al-Farsi states that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: ‘Nothing but prayer can alter fate’, (Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Qadr ‘an Rasul Allah Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam, Bab ma Ja’a la Yarudd al-Qadr illa al-Du‘a’.) In other words, God can change His decision after listening to a man’s entreaty whereas no one else can change his fate. According to Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah, the Prophet (peace be on him) observed: ‘As one invokes God to grant one something, He either grants it to the person or averts some disaster that would otherwise have afflicted him, providing that it does not entail any sin or the severing of kinship ties’, (Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Da‘wat ‘an Rasul Allah Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam, Bab ma Ja’a anna Da‘wat al-Muslim Mustajabah.) Another tradition is narrated by Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri in the following words: ‘When a believer makes a supplication to God, provided that it does not entail any sin or the severance of ties of kinship, He accepts it in one of three ways: (i) The person’s supplication is granted in this world, (ii) He is compensated for it in the Hereafter, (iii) Some disaster about to befall him is averted to some extent.’ (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, narrated by Abu Sa‘id.) Abu Hurayrah narrates that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: ‘If any of you prays to God, let him not say: “Grant me deliverance or mercy or sustenance, if You please.” Rather, he should pray categorically for what he wants,’ (Bukhari, Kitab al-Tawhid, Bab fial- Mashi‘ah wa al-Iradah.) Another hadith of similar import, also related by Abu Hurayrah, is as follows: ‘Pray to God with the conviction that He will answer your prayer,’ (Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Da’wat ‘an Rasul Allah Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam, Bab ma Ja’a fi Jami’ al-Da’wat ‘an Rasul Allah Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam.) Abu Hurayrah also narrates yet another hadith: ’A servant's prayer is answered if it does not involve sin or severing of ties of kinship providing he does not hasten. ‘On being requested to clarify the meaning of haste in this context, he replied: ‘[It means] his saying: “I prayed and prayed and did not see that my prayer was answered,” so he grew weary and gave up praying.’ (Muslim, Kitab al-Dhikr wa al-Du'a’ wa al-Tawbah wa al-Istighfar, Bab Bayan annahu Yustajab li al-Da’i ma lam Ya‘jal fa Yaqul: ‘Da‘awtu falam Yustajab Ii.)

The following ahadith shed light on the excellence of supplications: Abu Hurayrah narrates that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: ‘Nothing is more valuable in God’s sight than man’s supplication to Him’, (Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Da‘wat ‘an Rasul Allah Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam, Bab ma Ja’a fi Fadl al-Du‘a’; Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Du‘a’, Bab Fadl al-Du‘a’.) ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas ‘ud says: ‘Seek God’s munificence. God loves those who invoke Him to bestow His grace upon them’, (Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Da‘wat ‘an Rasul Allah Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam, Bab ma Ja’a fi Intizar al-Faraj wa Ghayr Dhalik.) ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar and Mu’adh ibn Jabal relate that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: ‘Your supplication is beneficial for you. It protects you against the calamities that have struck you before as well as against those that are to afflict you. O servants of God, it is imperative that you turn to God, invoking His help,’ (Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Da‘wat.‘an Rasul Allah Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam, Bab fi Du‘a’ al-Nabi Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, narrated by Mu’adh ibn Jabal.) Similarly, Anas ibn Malik narrates: ‘Let each of you ask God for what he needs, so much so that he should even ask him for his shoelace,’ (Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Da’wat ‘an Rasul Allah Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam, Bab liyas’al al-Hajah mahma Saghurat.)

The fact is that one should invoke God’s help in such ordinary matters that lie within one’s power and which can easily be accomplished. For one cannot gain any success without God’s help and support. To pray to God for one’s needs before taking the practical steps that should take amounts to a fulsome acknowledgement by man of his utter helplessness on the one hand and of God’s supremacy on the other.