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 Surah Ghafir 40:28-37 [4/9]
  
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Verse Summary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
وَقَالَAnd said
رَجُلٌa man,
مُّؤْمِنٌbelieving,
مِّنْfrom
ءَالِ(the) family
فِرْعَوْنَ(of) Firaun
يَكْتُمُwho conceal(ed)
إِيمَـٰنَهُۥٓhis faith,
أَتَقْتُلُونَ`Will you kill
رَجُلاًa man
أَنbecause
يَقُولَhe says,
رَبِّىَ`My Lord
ٱللَّهُ(is) Allah,`
وَقَدْand indeed
جَآءَكُمhe has brought you
بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِclear proofs
مِنfrom
رَّبِّكُمْۖyour Lord?
وَإِنAnd if
يَكُhe is
كَـٰذِبًاa liar,
فَعَلَيْهِthen upon him
كَذِبُهُۥۖ(is) his lie;
وَإِنand if
يَكُhe is
صَادِقًاtruthful,
يُصِبْكُم(there) will strike you
بَعْضُsome (of)
ٱلَّذِى(that) which
يَعِدُكُمْۖhe threatens you.
إِنَّIndeed,
ٱللَّهَAllah
لَا(does) not
يَهْدِىguide
مَنْ(one) who
هُوَ[he]
مُسْرِفٌ(is) a transgressor,
كَذَّابٌa liar.
﴿٢٨﴾
يَـٰقَوْمِO my people!
لَكُمُFor you
ٱلْمُلْكُ(is) the kingdom
ٱلْيَوْمَtoday,
ظَـٰهِرِينَdominant
فِىin
ٱلْأَرْضِthe land,
فَمَنbut who
يَنصُرُنَاwill help us
مِنۢfrom
بَأْسِ(the) punishment
ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah,
إِنif
جَآءَنَاۚit came to us.`
قَالَSaid
فِرْعَوْنُFiraun,
مَآ`Not
أُرِيكُمْI show you
إِلَّاexcept
مَآwhat
أَرَىٰI see
وَمَآand not
أَهْدِيكُمْI guide you
إِلَّاexcept
سَبِيلَ(to the) path
ٱلرَّشَادِthe right.`
﴿٢٩﴾
وَقَالَAnd said
ٱلَّذِىٓ(he) who
ءَامَنَbelieved,
يَـٰقَوْمِ`O my people!
إِنِّىٓIndeed I,
أَخَافُ[I] fear
عَلَيْكُمfor you
مِّثْلَlike
يَوْمِ(the) day
ٱلْأَحْزَابِ(of) the companies,
﴿٣٠﴾
مِثْلَLike
دَأْبِ(the) plight
قَوْمِ(of the) people
نُوحٍ(of) Nuh
وَعَادٍand Aad
وَثَمُودَand Thamud
وَٱلَّذِينَand those
مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْۚafter them.
وَمَا ٱللَّهُAnd Allah (does) not
يُرِيدُwant
ظُلْمًاinjustice
لِّلْعِبَادِfor (His) slaves.
﴿٣١﴾
وَيَـٰقَوْمِAnd O my people!
إِنِّىٓIndeed, I
أَخَافُ[I] fear
عَلَيْكُمْfor you
يَوْمَ(the) Day
ٱلتَّنَادِ(of) Calling,
﴿٣٢﴾
يَوْمَA Day
تُوَلُّونَyou will turn back
مُدْبِرِينَfleeing;
مَاnot
لَكُمfor you
مِّنَfrom
ٱللَّهِAllah
مِنْany
عَاصِمٍۗprotector.
وَمَنAnd whoever
يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُAllah lets go astray,
فَمَاthen not
لَهُۥfor him
مِنْany
هَادٍguide.
﴿٣٣﴾
وَلَقَدْAnd indeed,
جَآءَكُمْcame to you
يُوسُفُYusuf
مِن قَبْلُbefore
بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِwith clear proofs,
فَمَاbut not
زِلْتُمْyou ceased
فِىin
شَكٍّdoubt
مِّمَّاabout what
جَآءَكُمhe brought to you
بِهِۦۖ[with it],
حَتَّىٰٓuntil
إِذَاwhen
هَلَكَhe died,
قُلْتُمْyou said,
لَن`Never
يَبْعَثَ ٱللَّهُwill Allah raise
مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦafter him
رَسُوۚلاًa Messenger.`
كَذَٲلِكَThus,
يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُAllah lets go astray
مَنْwho
هُوَ[he]
مُسْرِفٌ(is) a transgressor,
مُّرْتَابٌa doubter.`
﴿٣٤﴾
ٱلَّذِينَThose who
يُجَـٰدِلُونَdispute
فِىٓconcerning
ءَايَـٰتِ(the) Signs
ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
بِغَيْرِwithout
سُلْطَـٰنٍany authority
أَتَـٰهُمْۖ(having) come to them,
كَبُرَ(it) is greatly
مَقْتًا(in) hateful
عِندَ ٱللَّهِnear Allah
وَعِندَand near
ٱلَّذِينَthose
ءَامَنُواْۚwho believe.
كَذَٲلِكَThus
يَطْبَعُ ٱللَّهُAllah sets a seal
عَلَىٰover
كُلِّevery
قَلْبِheart
مُتَكَبِّرٍ(of) an arrogant
جَبَّارٍtyrant.`
﴿٣٥﴾
وَقَالَAnd said
فِرْعَوْنُFiraun,
يَـٰهَـٰمَـٰنُ`O Haman!
ٱبْنِConstruct
لِىfor me
صَرْحًاa tower
لَّعَلِّىٓthat I may
أَبْلُغُreach
ٱلْأَسْبَـٰبَthe ways
﴿٣٦﴾
أَسْبَـٰبَ(The) ways
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ(to) the heavens
فَأَطَّلِعَso I may look
إِلَىٰٓat
إِلَـٰهِ(the) God
مُوسَىٰ(of) Musa;
وَإِنِّىand indeed, I
لَأَظُنُّهُۥ[I] surely think him
كَـٰذِبًاۚ(to be) a liar.`
وَكَذَٲلِكَAnd thus
زُيِّنَwas made fair-seeming
لِفِرْعَوْنَto Firaun
سُوٓءُ(the) evil
عَمَلِهِۦ(of) his deed,
وَصُدَّand he was averted
عَنِfrom
ٱلسَّبِيلِۚthe way.
وَمَاAnd not
كَيْدُ(was the) plot
فِرْعَوْنَ(of) Firaun
إِلَّاexcept
فِىin
تَبَابٍruin.
﴿٣٧﴾


وَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مُّؤۡمِنٌ ​ۖ مِّنۡ اٰلِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ يَكۡتُمُ اِيۡمَانَهٗۤ اَتَقۡتُلُوۡنَ رَجُلًا اَنۡ يَّقُوۡلَ رَبِّىَ اللّٰهُ وَقَدۡ جَآءَكُمۡ بِالۡبَيِّنٰتِ مِنۡ رَّبِّكُمۡ ؕ وَاِنۡ يَّكُ كَاذِبًا فَعَلَيۡهِ كَذِبُهٗ ؕ وَاِنۡ يَّكُ صَادِقًا يُّصِبۡكُمۡ بَعۡضُ الَّذِىۡ يَعِدُكُمۡ ۚ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَهۡدِىۡ مَنۡ هُوَ مُسۡرِفٌ كَذَّابٌ‏   يٰقَوۡمِ لَـكُمُ الۡمُلۡكُ الۡيَوۡمَ ظٰهِرِيۡنَ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ فَمَنۡ يَّنۡصُرُنَا مِنۡۢ بَاۡسِ اللّٰهِ اِنۡ جَآءَنَا ؕ قَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ مَاۤ اُرِيۡكُمۡ اِلَّا مَاۤ اَرٰى وَمَاۤ اَهۡدِيۡكُمۡ اِلَّا سَبِيۡلَ الرَّشَادِ‏  وَقَالَ الَّذِىۡۤ اٰمَنَ يٰقَوۡمِ اِنِّىۡۤ اَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ مِّثۡلَ يَوۡمِ الۡاَحۡزَابِۙ‏  مِثۡلَ دَاۡبِ قَوۡمِ نُوۡحٍ وَّعَادٍ وَّثَمُوۡدَ وَالَّذِيۡنَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡؕ وَمَا اللّٰهُ يُرِيۡدُ ظُلۡمًا لِّلۡعِبَادِ‏  وَيٰقَوۡمِ اِنِّىۡۤ اَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ يَوۡمَ التَّنَادِۙ‏  يَوۡمَ تُوَلُّوۡنَ مُدۡبِرِيۡنَ​ۚ مَا لَكُمۡ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ مِنۡ عَاصِمٍۚ وَمَنۡ يُّضۡلِلِ اللّٰهُ فَمَا لَهٗ مِنۡ هَادٍ‏  وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَكُمۡ يُوۡسُفُ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ بِالۡبَيِّنٰتِ فَمَا زِلۡـتُمۡ فِىۡ شَكٍّ مِّمَّا جَآءَكُمۡ بِهٖ ؕ حَتّٰٓى اِذَا هَلَكَ قُلۡتُمۡ لَنۡ يَّبۡعَثَ اللّٰهُ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهٖ رَسُوۡلًا ؕ كَذٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللّٰهُ مَنۡ هُوَ مُسۡرِفٌ مُّرۡتَابٌ  ۚ ۖ‏  اۨلَّذِيۡنَ يُجَادِلُوۡنَ فِىۡۤ اٰيٰتِ اللّٰهِ بِغَيۡرِ سُلۡطٰنٍ اَتٰٮهُمۡ ؕ كَبُـرَ مَقۡتًا عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ وَعِنۡدَ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا ؕ كَذٰلِكَ يَطۡبَعُ اللّٰهُ عَلٰى كُلِّ قَلۡبِ مُتَكَبِّرٍ جَبَّارٍ‏  وَقَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ يٰهَامٰنُ ابۡنِ لِىۡ صَرۡحًا لَّعَلِّىۡۤ اَبۡلُغُ الۡاَسۡبَابَۙ‏   اَسۡبَابَ السَّمٰوٰتِ فَاَطَّلِعَ اِلٰٓى اِلٰهِ مُوۡسٰى وَاِنِّىۡ لَاَظُنُّهٗ كَاذِبًا ؕ وَكَذٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِفِرۡعَوۡنَ سُوۡٓءُ عَمَلِهٖ وَصُدَّ عَنِ السَّبِيۡلِ ؕ وَمَا كَيۡدُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ اِلَّا فِىۡ تَبَابٍ‏ 

Translation
(40:28) Then a man endowed with faith, from Pharaoh's folk, who had kept his faith hidden, said: “Do you kill a person simply because he says: 'My Lord is Allah' even though he brought to you clear Signs from your Lord?45 If he is a liar, his lying will recoil upon him;46 but if he is truthful, you will be smitten with some of the awesome consequences of which he warns you. Allah does not guide to the Right Way any who exceeds the limits and is an utter liar.47 (40:29) My people, today the kingdom is yours, and you are supreme in the land. But if Allah's chastisement were to come upon you, who will come to our help?”48 Pharaoh said: “I only counsel what I consider right; I only direct you to the Path of Rectitude.”49 (40:30) He who had faith said: “My people, I fear that you will confront a day like that which overtook many parties before you, (40:31) like the day that overtook the people of Noah and Ad and Thamud, and those who came after them. Allah does not wish to subject His servants to any injustice.50 (40:32) My people, I fear that you will encounter a day when there will be much wailing and you will cry out to one another for help, (40:33) the day when you will turn around to retreat, there will be none to protect you from Allah. He whom Allah lets go astray, none will be able to show him the Right Way. (40:34) Verily Joseph came to you with Clear Signs before, yet you continued to doubt his Message. Thereafter when he died, you said: 'Allah shall send no Messenger after him.'”51 Thus Allah leads astray those who transgress the limits and are given to much doubting; (40:35) those52 who contend regarding Allah's Signs without any evidence that might have come to them.53 That is exceedingly loathsome to Allah and to those that believe. Thus does Allah seal the heart of everyone who is proud and high-handed.54 (40:36) Pharaoh said: “Haman, build for me a lofty tower that I may scale the highways � (40:37) the highways to the heavens � and have a look at the God of Moses, although I am certain that Moses is a liar.”55 Thus Pharaoh's evil deed was made to seem fair to him, and he was barred from the Right Path. Pharaoh's guile only led him to his own perdition.

Commentary

45. That is, He has shown such manifest signs to you as have made it absolutely clear that he is a Messenger sent by your Lord. The Believer, from among the people of Pharaoh, was obviously referring to the signs the details of which have already been given in (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayats 107-117, 130-133); (Surah Bani-Israil, Ayats 101-102); (Surah TaHa, Ayats 56-73); (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayats 30-51); (Surah An-Naml, Ayats 10-13).

46. That is, if in spite of such manifest signs as he has shown you, you regard him as a liar, you should leave him alone, for the alternative probability, and a very strong probability too, is that he is truthful, and therefore you may involve yourselves in God’s torment by laying your hands on him. Therefore, even if you think that he is a liar, you should leave him to himself. For if he is lying, in the name of Allah, Allah Himself will take him to task. Similar words had the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) himself said to Pharaoh before this: If you do not believe in me, do not harm me. (Surah Ad-Dukhan, Ayat 21).

Here one should keep in mind that the Believer of the people of Pharaoh had not openly disclosed in the beginning that he had affirmed faith in the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), but he spoke as if he also belonged to Pharaoh’s side, and was only wishing his people well. But when Pharaoh and his courtiers did not seem to see reason and continued to behave stubbornly, he at last disclosed the secret of his faith, as becomes obvious from his speech in( verses 38-44).

47. This sentence can have two meanings and probably the Believer had intentionally employed it, because he did not yet want to express his belief openly. Its one meaning is: One and the same person cannot combine righteousness and lying and falsehood. You can clearly see that Moses is a man of very sublime and pure character. Therefore, how can you believe that, on the one hand, he should be such a liar as to lay a baseless claim to prophethood in the name of Allah. And on the other hand, Allah should bless him with such high morals? The other meaning is: If you are bent upon taking the life of Moses (peace be upon him) by transgressing all limits and will execute your evil designs by bringing false accusations against him, you should remember that Allah will never show you the way to success.

48. That is, why are you being ungrateful to Allah for His blessing of granting you domination in the land and are inviting His scourge to visit you?

49. From this answer of Pharaoh it appears that he had not yet found out that the noble of his court had become a Believer in his heart. That is why he did not show any displeasure at what he said, but made clear that he was not inclined to change his opinion even after hearing what he had to say.

50. That is, Allah has no enmity with His servants that He should destroy them without any reason. He sends calamities upon them only when they have transgressed all limits, and sending the torment then is the very demand of justice.

51. That is, your deviation, and then your stubbornness, is such that before Moses (peace be upon him), there came in your land the Prophet Joseph (peace be upon him) about whom you yourselves admit that he was a man of the highest morals, and you also admit that by giving the right interpretation of the king’s dream he saved you from the dreadful effects of the seven year long famine, which had struck Egypt in his time, and your entire nation also acknowledges that Egypt has never witnessed a period of greater justice and prosperity than the period of his rule. But in spite of knowing and recognizing all his merits and high qualities you did not believe in him during his life time, and when he died, you said: Never will the like of him came again! That is, you recognized his excellences only for an excuse to deny every prophet who came after him. This means that you would not accept guidance in any case.

52. It so appears that the next few sentences are an addition by Allah and an explanation of the words of the Believer of the people of Pharaoh.

53. That is, Allah allows only those people to go astray who possess the following three qualities:

(1) They transgress all limits in their evil doing, and then develop such a taste for it that they do not feel inclined to accept any invitation to reform their morals.

(2) Their permanent attitude in respect of the Prophets is characterized by doubt and suspicion. The Prophets of God may bring any clear signs before them, yet they doubt their Prophethood and view with suspicion those truths which they present with regard to Tauhid and the Hereafter.

(3) They try to resist the revelations of the Book of Allah with crooked arguments instead of considering them rationally, and these objections are neither based on any sound reason nor on the authority of a revealed Book, but from the beginning to the end their only basis is obstinacy and stubbornness.

When a group of the people develops these three evils, Allah hurls it into the deep pit of Hell fire where from no power can then rescue them.

54. That is, the seal is not set on the heart of anybody without a reason. This seal of curse is set only on the heart of the one who is filled with arrogance and spirit of violence and tyranny.

55. Pharaoh addresses these words to Haman, his minister, interposing in the speech of the Believer in a way as though he has no regard for what he was saying. Therefore, he turns away from him arrogantly and says to Haman: Build me a high tower so that I may climb it to see where the God of whom this Moses speaks, lives. (For explanation, see( Surah Al-Qasas, Ayat 38) and E.Ns thereof).