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 61-68اَللّٰهُAllahالَّذِیْ(is) the One Whoجَعَلَmadeلَكُمُfor youالَّیْلَthe nightلِتَسْكُنُوْاthat you may restفِیْهِin itوَ النَّهَارَand the dayمُبْصِرًا ؕgiving visibilityاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahلَذُوْ(is) Full (of) Bountyفَضْلٍ(is) Full (of) Bountyعَلَیtoالنَّاسِthe peopleوَ لٰكِنَّbutاَكْثَرَmostالنَّاسِ(of) the peopleلَا(do) notیَشْكُرُوْنَ give thanks ذٰلِكُمُThatاللّٰهُ(is) Allahرَبُّكُمْyour Lordخَالِقُ(the) Creatorكُلِّ(of) allشَیْءٍ ۘthingsلَاۤ(there is) noاِلٰهَgodاِلَّاexceptهُوَ ۚؗHimفَاَنّٰیSo howتُؤْفَكُوْنَ are you deluded كَذٰلِكَThusیُؤْفَكُwere deludedالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَانُوْاwereبِاٰیٰتِ(the) Signsاللّٰهِ(of) Allahیَجْحَدُوْنَ rejecting اَللّٰهُAllahالَّذِیْ(is) the One Whoجَعَلَmadeلَكُمُfor youالْاَرْضَthe earthقَرَارًاa place of settlementوَّ السَّمَآءَand the skyبِنَآءًa canopyوَّ صَوَّرَكُمْand He formed youفَاَحْسَنَand perfectedصُوَرَكُمْyour formsوَ رَزَقَكُمْand provided youمِّنَofالطَّیِّبٰتِ ؕthe good thingsذٰلِكُمُThatاللّٰهُ(is) Allahرَبُّكُمْ ۖۚyour LordفَتَبٰرَكَThen blessed isاللّٰهُAllahرَبُّ(the) Lordالْعٰلَمِیْنَ (of) the worlds هُوَHeالْحَیُّ(is) the Ever-Livingلَاۤ(there is) noاِلٰهَgodاِلَّاbutهُوَHeفَادْعُوْهُso call Himمُخْلِصِیْنَ(being) sincereلَهُto Himالدِّیْنَ ؕ(in) the religionاَلْحَمْدُAll praise (be)لِلّٰهِto Allahرَبِّ(the) Lordالْعٰلَمِیْنَ (of) the worlds قُلْSayاِنِّیْIndeed, Iنُهِیْتُ[I] have been forbiddenاَنْtoاَعْبُدَworshipالَّذِیْنَthose whomتَدْعُوْنَyou callمِنْbesidesدُوْنِbesidesاللّٰهِAllahلَمَّاwhenجَآءَنِیَhave come to meالْبَیِّنٰتُthe clear proofsمِنْfromرَّبِّیْ ؗmy Lordوَ اُمِرْتُand I am commandedاَنْtoاُسْلِمَsubmitلِرَبِّto (the) Lordالْعٰلَمِیْنَ (of) the worlds 40. Ghafir Page 475هُوَHeالَّذِیْ(is) the One Whoخَلَقَكُمْcreated youمِّنْfromتُرَابٍdustثُمَّthenمِنْfromنُّطْفَةٍa sperm-dropثُمَّthenمِنْfromعَلَقَةٍa clinging substanceثُمَّthenیُخْرِجُكُمْHe brings you outطِفْلًا(as) a childثُمَّthenلِتَبْلُغُوْۤاlets you reachاَشُدَّكُمْyour maturityثُمَّthenلِتَكُوْنُوْاlets you becomeشُیُوْخًا ۚoldوَ مِنْكُمْand among youمَّنْ(is he) whoیُّتَوَفّٰیdiesمِنْbeforeقَبْلُbeforeوَ لِتَبْلُغُوْۤاand lets you reachاَجَلًاa termمُّسَمًّیspecifiedوَّ لَعَلَّكُمْand that you mayتَعْقِلُوْنَ use reason هُوَHeالَّذِیْ(is) the One Whoیُحْیٖgives lifeوَ یُمِیْتُ ۚand causes deathفَاِذَاAnd whenقَضٰۤیHe decreesاَمْرًاa matterفَاِنَّمَاthen onlyیَقُوْلُHe saysلَهٗto itكُنْBeفَیَكُوْنُ۠and it is

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Translation of Verse 61-68

(40:61) Allah it is Who made the night so that you may seek repose in it, and made the day radiant. Surely Allah is Most Bounteous to people; but most people do not give thanks.⁸⁵

(40:62) Allah (Who bestowed all these favours upon you) is your Lord, the Creator of everything. There is no god but He.⁸⁶ Whence are you, then, being led astray?⁸⁷

(40:63) Thus it is only those who had denied Allah's Signs that were led astray.⁸⁸

(40:64) Allah it is Who made the earth a dwelling place for you⁸⁹ and made the sky a canopy,⁹⁰ Who shaped you � and shaped you exceedingly well � and gave you good things as sustenance.⁹¹ That is Allah, your Lord; blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Universe.

(40:65) He is the Ever-Living:⁹² there is no god but He. So call upon Him, consecrating to Him all your devotion.⁹³ All praise and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the whole Universe.⁹⁴

(40:66) Say, (O Prophet): “I have been forbidden to worship those beside Allah whom you call upon.⁹⁵ (How can I worship any beside Allah) when clear Signs have come to me from my Lord and I have been commanded to surrender to Allah, the Lord of the Universe?”

(40:67) He it is Who created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clot; then He brings you out as an infant, then causes you to grow into full maturity, and then causes you to grow further so that you may reach old age, while some of you He recalls earlier.⁹⁶ All this is in order that you may reach an appointed term⁹⁷ and that you may understand (the Truth).⁹⁸

(40:68) He it is Who gives life and causes death. Whenever He decrees a thing, He only commands to it “Be”, and it is.

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Commentary

85. This verse comprises two important truths: (i) The phenomenon of day and night is put forward asa proof in support of monotheism. The constant alternation of day and night underscores that the One True God - reigns supreme over the whole universe and that He exercises full control over both the earth and the sun. That their alternation is immensely beneficial for God’s creatures only serves to underline that God is the Creator of everything and that He has devised the whole system with such perfect wisdom that it is beneficial for all His creatures. (ii) Polytheists and atheists have been sensitized to the immense benefits of the alternation of day and night. In view of these benefits it becomes all the more evident how starkly ungrateful both unbelieving groups are to their Beneficent Creator. Even though they constantly benefit from God’s bounties the nonetheless remain disloyal and thankless to Him. (For further details, see Yunus 10, n. 65, Towards Understanding the Qur’an, vol. IV, P 48-50 al-Furqan 25, n. 77, al-Naml 27, n. 105, and al-Qasas 28: 71-3 vol 36 and 187-8; al-Rum 30, n. 33 and Luqman 31: 29 and n. 50, vol. VII oy 93-5 and 144; and Ya Sin 36: 37 and n. 32, vol. IX, p. 257.) —— ‘PP.

86. The alternation of day and night demonstrates that God is the Creator of man and of everything else. The numerous benefits accruing to mankind from the alternation of day and night highlight the fact that God is the Most Merciful Lord. It leaves no room to doubt that He is the Lord of the whole universe. What naturally follows from this is that God should also be their deity. For it is altogether discordant with both reason and justice that while God should be man’s creator and sustainer, he should consecrate his worship and service to any other than Him.

87. The unbelievers are asked as to who misguides them into worshipping those who neither created them nor provide them with sustenance.

88. Human beings have been misled simply because they paid no heed to the Messengers’ teachings. As a result, they fell prey to misguided and selfish people who deceived them in order to promote their own selfish ends.

89. For further details, see al-Naml 27, n. 74-5, Towards Understanding the Qur’an, vol. VIL, pp. 172-3.

90. Human beings have not been left unprotected against the natural calamities from outer space that would annihilate them. Instead, God "has erected a firm celestial barrier which appears to the naked eyes as though it were a canopy. No destructive object, not even devastating cosmic rays, can reach human beings without first passing through this celestial obstacle. It is thanks to this protection that man has enjoyed a secure and comfortable living on earth.

91. That is, before creating man God arranged for him an exceedingly safe and secure dwelling place. Thereafter, when God created man He made sure that he was possessed of a very wholesome body, of extremely well-proportioned limbs and of sterling physical and mental faculties.

Man’s straight posture, his hands and feet, his eyes and ears, his articulate tongue, and his brain — that outstanding treasure-house of excellent potentialities - none of these was created by man himself, nor did his parents make them, nor did any Prophet or saint or deity have the power to bring them into existence. It is only the All-Powerful, All-Compassionate and All-Merciful God Who, on deciding to create man, bestowed on him an exquisite body to enable him to function effectively on earth.

No sooner than man opened his eyes did he find a vast table of wholesome dishes spread around him for his sustenance. Notably, — the sustenance that had already been arranged for him is nutritious, delicious and palatable rather than injurious, bitter and foul-tasting. It does not consist of good-for-nothing ruff age but is rich in vitamins and beneficial nutrients and is most vitally suited for his physical growth and development. Take for instance water, iron, vegetables, fruits, milk, honey, meat, salt and spices. All these provide exceedingly appropriate nourishment. Besides, they not only provide man with ample vitality to live but are also exceedingly conducive for life’s enjoyment. Who, after all, has made these valuable objects available in such abundance? Who has made sure that these limitless resources of food constantly well out of earth in uninterrupted continuity, their supply never coming to an end? Had people been brought into existence without creating this excellent arrangement, what would human life have been like? Is this not clear proof that man’s Creator did not simply create, but that He is also an _immensely Wise Creator and a Most Compassionate Sustainer?

92. God alone enjoys eternal life. He exists by Himself and no one else a shares eternity with Him. None other than God owes his life to himself for all received it from God. Therefore, all beings are mortal and live only for a relatively short time.

93. For further details, see al-Zumar 39, nn. 3-4 above.

94. None other than God deserves absolute praise and glorification.

95. Once again, prayer and worship are used as synonyms.

96. Some die even before birth, while others die before reaching youth | or old age.

97. The expression ‘appointed term’ used here might refer to the time of one’s death or to resurrection when everyone will be raised to stand before God. In the former sense, it means that God carries man through several stages until the hour appointed for each person’s return to Him arrives. Before that hour a person cannot die, even if he were to make a concerted effort to end his life. On the contrary, should the whole world try to restore life to a dead person, they will not succeed. Were we, however, to adopt the latter meaning, it would mean that God has not created human beings to simply die and be reduced to dust and extinction. On ‘the contrary, God has made sure that human beings should pass through various stages until they are made to stand before Him at the Hour He Himself has determined.

98. That is, God does not cause humans to go through these various stages in order that they live and then become extinct like animals; rather, they are made to go through these stages in order that they use the reason that He has granted them to try to comprehend the system through which they pass.

The emergence of the astonishing phenomenon of life in lifeless matter, the growth of a microscopic sperm into the wondrous being that a human is, the development of the sperm in the mother’s womb right from the time of inception in such manner that its gender, its form and appearance, its ‘faculties, mental abilities and other potentialities are so clearly determined that no external factor can affect them. Then the one who is fated to suffer miscarriage is inevitably eliminated by miscarriage and the one who is destined to die an early death dies early. Likewise, those who are destined to reach the age of youth or old age inexorably reach that age despite the graveness of circumstances that should ordinarily have caused them to die. On the other hand, anyone who is destined to die at a certain age inevitably dies at that very age notwithstanding the best medical care available to him under the most effective supervision. All this clearly shows that man’s life and death are in the Hand of the Omnipotent Being.

Since this is the case, no Prophet, saint, angel, star or planet deserves to be worshipped. No creature occupies such an exalted position that justifies that we address prayers to it or consider it to have the power to make or mar our destiny. Nor does anyone possess the power and authority to warrant blind obedience to his law or that others should unquestioningly carry out his do’s and don’ts. (For further elaboration, see al-Hajj 22, n. 9, Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. VI, pp. 9-11.)