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 79-85اَللّٰهُAllahالَّذِیْ(is) the One Whoجَعَلَmadeلَكُمُfor youالْاَنْعَامَthe cattleلِتَرْكَبُوْاthat you may rideمِنْهَاsome of themوَ مِنْهَاand some of themتَاْكُلُوْنَؗyou eat وَ لَكُمْAnd for youفِیْهَاin themمَنَافِعُ(are) benefitsوَ لِتَبْلُغُوْاand that you may reachعَلَیْهَاthrough themحَاجَةًa needفِیْ(that is) inصُدُوْرِكُمْyour breastsوَ عَلَیْهَاand upon themوَ عَلَیand uponالْفُلْكِthe shipsتُحْمَلُوْنَؕyou are carried وَ یُرِیْكُمْAnd He shows youاٰیٰتِهٖ ۖۗHis SignsفَاَیَّThen whichاٰیٰتِ(of the) Signsاللّٰهِ(of) Allahتُنْكِرُوْنَ will you deny اَفَلَمْDo they notیَسِیْرُوْاtravelفِیthroughالْاَرْضِthe landفَیَنْظُرُوْاand seeكَیْفَhowكَانَwasعَاقِبَةُ(the) endالَّذِیْنَ(of) those whoمِنْ(were) before themقَبْلِهِمْ ؕ(were) before themكَانُوْۤاThey wereاَكْثَرَmore numerousمِنْهُمْthan themوَ اَشَدَّand mightierقُوَّةً(in) strengthوَّ اٰثَارًاand impressionsفِیinالْاَرْضِthe landفَمَاۤbut notاَغْنٰیavailedعَنْهُمْthemمَّاwhatكَانُوْاthey used (to)یَكْسِبُوْنَ earn فَلَمَّاThen whenجَآءَتْهُمْcame to themرُسُلُهُمْtheir Messengersبِالْبَیِّنٰتِwith clear proofsفَرِحُوْاthey rejoicedبِمَاin whatعِنْدَهُمْthey hadمِّنَofالْعِلْمِthe knowledgeوَ حَاقَand envelopedبِهِمْthemمَّاwhatكَانُوْاthey used (to)بِهٖ[at it]یَسْتَهْزِءُوْنَ mock فَلَمَّاSo whenرَاَوْاthey sawبَاْسَنَاOur punishmentقَالُوْۤاthey saidاٰمَنَّاWe believeبِاللّٰهِin AllahوَحْدَهٗAloneوَ كَفَرْنَاand we disbelieveبِمَاin whatكُنَّاwe used (to)بِهٖwith Himمُشْرِكِیْنَ associate فَلَمْBut did notیَكُBut did notیَنْفَعُهُمْbenefit themاِیْمَانُهُمْtheir faithلَمَّاwhenرَاَوْاthey sawبَاْسَنَا ؕOur punishmentسُنَّتَ(Such is the) Wayاللّٰهِ(of) Allahالَّتِیْwhichقَدْ(has) indeedخَلَتْprecededفِیْamongعِبَادِهٖ ۚHis slavesوَ خَسِرَAnd are lostهُنَالِكَthereالْكٰفِرُوْنَ۠the disbelievers

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Translation of Verse 79-85

(40:79) Allah it is Who has made cattle for you so that you ride some of them and from some of them you derive food.

(40:80) In them there are also other benefits for you, and through them you fulfil your heartfelt need (to reach places), and you are borne along upon them as upon the ships.

(40:81) Allah shows His Signs to you; then which of Allah's Signs will you deny?¹¹⁰

(40:82) Did¹¹¹ they not journey in the land that they may behold the end of those who had gone before them? They were more numerous and greater in strength and left behind more splendid traces in the land. Yet their attainments did not avail them.

(40:83) When their Messengers came to them with Clear Signs, they arrogantly exulted in whatever knowledge they had.¹¹² They were then encompassed by what they had mocked.

(40:84) When they saw Our chastisement, they said: “We have come to believe in Allah, the Only One, and we reject all what we had associated (with Allah in His Divinity).”

(40:85) But their believing after they had seen Our chastisement did not avail them. That has been Allah's Way concerning His servants.¹¹³ And the unbelievers courted utter loss, then and there.

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Commentary

110. The unbelievers are told that if they are serious in their demand for a miracle, and they need it in order to believe in the Prophet's message, then there are countless Signs of God that suffice for that purpose. Indeed, they observe those signs day in and day out. In the presence of these signs there is hardly any need for any further miracles. This represents the next rejoinder to their demand. (For further details, see al-An‘am 6, nn. 26-7 and 29, Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. IL, pp. 229-33; Yunus 10,n. 105, al-Ra‘d 13, nn.15-18 and 20, vol. IV, pp. 69, 226-9; al-Shu‘ara’ 26, nn. 1, 3 and 5, vol. VIL, pp. 52-3 and p. 55.) God has created animals, especially those that serve mankind such as the cows, oxen, sheep, goats, camels and horses, and has endowed them with such characteristics that they can easily be domesticated, enabling mankind to derive numerous benefits from them. They are used for transportation, dairy products, meat, fat, wool, hair, skin, entrails, bones, blood and excreta. All animal products are of immense use to mankind.

This proves beyond all doubt that even before man’s creation God took into full account his needs and so fashioned these animals that they would prove useful to him.

Another point worth considering is that three-fourths of the earth is filled with water, while only one-fourth is dry land. Again, water divides several regions of dry land. The settlement of human populations on dry lands and their transport and trade links could not have evolved without water, the seas and winds being governed by the laws that facilitate navigation. Again it is God Who provided the necessary means for ship building. This once again establishes that the Almighty God, Who is Most Merciful and All-Wise, has made everything - mankind, the earth, the seas and wind - according to a grand design of His. Even if one studies the specifics of navigation one clearly sees how planetary movements are of immense help to mankind. All this because God the Creator of both the earth and the heavens, is the One, Most Compassionate Lord. Since He has placed numerous resources at man’s disposal, it is unimaginable that He will not call man to account for all these bounties.

111. This marks the conclusion of this passage, which may be better appreciated if it is studied in conjunction with verses 4, 5 and 21 of this Surah.

112. The unbelievers were engrossed in the study of the disciplines of their choice, such as philosophy, science, law, mythology and theology, considering them to represent the truth. At the same time, they looked down upon the knowledge bestowed upon the Prophets as unworthy of serious attention.

113. Belief and repentance can benefit man only before he is seized by God’s punishment or death. Once a man is confronted with God’s punishment or death, his act of belief or repentance becomes unacceptable to God.