Surah 40. Ghafir

"And, O my people, how is it²⁹ that I summon you to salvation, the while you summon me to the fire?

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "what is the matter with me": an expression of astonishment at the incongruity of the two attitudes referred to in the sequence.

And O my people! How is it that I call you to salvation, while you call me to the fire?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And, O my people! What aileth me that I call you unto deliverance when ye call me unto the Fire?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[for] you call upon me to deny [the oneness of] God and to ascribe a share in His divinity to aught of which I cannot [possibly] have any knowledge,³⁰ the while I summon you to [a cognition of] the Almighty, the All-Forgiving!

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., because there is no reality whatsoever in those supposedly "divine" beings or forces (Zamakhshari).

You bid me to deny Allah and worship other gods I know nothing of; while I bid you to worship the All-Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Ye call me to disbelieve in Allah and ascribe unto Him as partners that whereof I have no knowledge, while I call you unto the Mighty, the Forgiver.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"There is no doubt that what you summon me to is something that has no claim to being invoked either in this world or in the life to come - as [there is no doubt] that unto God is our return, and that they who have wasted their own selves shall find themselves in the fire:

  - Mohammad Asad

No doubt you call me towards those who can be invoked neither in this world nor in the hereafter. In fact, we all have to return back to Allah and the transgressors are the ones who shall go to hell.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Assuredly that whereunto ye call me hath no claim in the world or in the Hereafter, and our return will be unto Allah, and the prodigals will be owners of the fire.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and at that time you will [have cause to] remember what I am telling you [now]. "But [as for me,] I commit myself unto God: for, verily, God sees all that is in [the hearts of] His servants."

  - Mohammad Asad

So bear in mind what I have told you, I am entrusting my affairs to Allah, surely Allah is ever watchful over His servants."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And ye will remember what I say unto you. I confide my cause unto Allah. Lo! Allah is Seer of (His) slaves.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And God preserved him from the evil of their scheming, whereas suffering vile was to encompass Pharaoh's folk:

  - Mohammad Asad

So Allah saved that believer from all those evil plots that the people devised against him, and the people of Fir'on were overtaken by a horrible scourge.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So Allah warded off from him the evils which they plotted, while a dreadful doom encompassed Pharaoh's folk.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

the fire [of the hereafter-that fire] which they had been made to contemplate [in vain], morning and evening:³¹ for on the Day when the Last Hour dawns [God will say], "Make Pharaoh's folk enter upon suffering most severe!"

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., of which they had been warned, day-in and day-out, by prophets and believers like the one spoken of in this passage.

It is the fire of hell before which they are presented morning and evening, and on the Day when the time of their Judgment will come, it will be commanded: "Make the people of Fir'on (Pharaoh) to enter the severest punishment."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The Fire; they are exposed to it morning and evening; and on the day when the Hour upriseth (it is said): Cause Pharaoh's folk to enter the most awful doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND LO! They [who in life were wont to deny the truth] will contend with one another in the fire [of the hereafter]; and then the weak will say unto those who had gloried in their arrogance, "Behold, we were but your followers: can you, then, relieve us of some [of our] share of this fire?"³²

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 14:21 and the corresponding notes [28] and [29].

Then imagine that time when these people will start arguing with each other in the fire, and the weak followers will say to the arrogant leaders: "We were your followers: can you now save us from some of these flames?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And when they wrangle in the fire, the weak say unto those who were proud: Lo! we were a following unto you: will ye therefor rid us of a portion of the Fire?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[to which] they who had [once] been arrogant will reply, "Behold, we are all in it [together]! Verily, God has judged between His creatures!"

  - Mohammad Asad

The arrogant leaders will reply: "We are all in it together! Allah has already judged between His servants."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those who were proud say: Lo! we are all (together) herein. Lo! Allah hath judged between (His) slaves.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And they who are in the fire will say to the keepers of hell,³³ "Pray unto your Sustainer that He lighten, [though it be] for one day [only], this suffering of ours!"

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the angelic forces that are to watch over the suffering of the sinners in the hereafter: perhaps an allegory of the belated awakening of the latters' conscience.

Also imagine when the dwellers of fire will ask the Keepers of hell: "Pray to your Rabb for relieving our punishment at least for one day!"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And those in the Fire say unto the guards of hell: Entreat your Lord that He relieve us of a day of the torment.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[But the keepers of hell] will ask, "Is it not [true] that your apostles came unto you with all evidence of the truth?" Those [in the fire] will reply, "Yea, indeed." [And the keepers of hell] will say, "Pray, then!"³⁴ -for the prayer of those who deny the truth cannot lead to aupht but delusion.

  - Mohammad Asad

According to the classical commentators, this answer implies no more than a refusal on the part of the "keepers of hell" to intercede for the doomed sinners, telling them, as it were, "Pray yourselves, if you can." It seems to me, however, that we have here an indirect allusion to the sinners' erstwhile, blasphemous devotion to false objects of worship and false values - the meaning being, "Pray now to those imaginary powers to which you were wont to ascribe a share in God's divinity, and see whether they can help you!" This interpretation finds support in the next sentence, which speaks of the delusion (dalal) inherent in the prayers of "those who deny the truth", i.e., during their life on earth - for, obviously, on the Day of Judgment all such delusions will have disappeared.

The Keepers of hell will ask: "Did there not come to you Rasools with clear revelations?" "Yes," they will answer. The Keepers of hell will say: "Then pray yourselves." But vain shall be the prayer of the disbelievers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They say: Came not your messengers unto you with clear proofs? They say: Yea, verily. They say: Then do ye pray, although the prayer of disbelievers is in vain.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

BEHOLD, We shall indeed succour Our apostles and those who have attained to faith, [both] in this world's life and on the Day when all the witnesses shall stand up³⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [71] on 39:69 .

We surely will help Our Rasools and the believers both in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will take a stand to testify.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! We verily do help Our messengers, and those who believe, in the life of the world and on the day when the witnesses arise,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

the Day when their excuses will be of no avail to the evildoers, seeing that their lot will be rejection from all that is good, and a woeful hereafter.³⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "the evil of the [otherworldly] abode". As regards the term la'nah, its primary significance is "estrangement" or "rejection"; in Qur'anic terminology it denotes "rejection from all that is good" (Lisan al-'Arab) and, specifically, "estrangement from Cod's grace" (Zamakhshari).

On that Day, no excuses shall avail the wrongdoers. The curse shall be their lot and the worst place will be their home.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The day when their excuse availeth not the evil doers, and theirs is the curse, and theirs the ill abode.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And, indeed, We bestowed aforetime [Our] guidance on Moses, and [thus] made the children of Israel heirs to the divine writ [revealed to him]

  - Mohammad Asad

As you can see We gave Musa the Book of guidance and We made the children of Israel to inherit that Book,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And we verily gave Moses the guidance, and We caused the Children of Israel to inherit the Scripture,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

as a [means of] guidance and a reminder for those who were endowed with insight:³⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "and thus, too, have We bestowed Our revelation upon Muhammad". This connects with the opening words of verse {51}, "We shall indeed succour Our apostles and those who have attained to faith", thus explaining the purport of the preceding story of the believer who stood up for Moses. The reference to "those [of the children of Israel] who were endowed with insight" and therefore could benefit from the message of Moses, is undoubtedly meant to remind the followers of the Our'an that this divine writ, too, is for "those who are endowed with insight" (u-lu 'I-albab), for "people who think" (qawm yatafakkarun), and "people who use their reason" (qawm ya qilun).

which was a guide and an admonition to the people of understanding.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

A guide and a reminder for men of understanding.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

hence, remain thou patient in adversity - for, verily, God's promise always comes true - and ask forgiveness for thy sins, and extol thy Sustainer's glory and praise by night and by day.³⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

According to all classical commentators, the above passage is addressed in the first instance to the Prophet and, through him, to every believer. As regards the Prophet himself, see note [41] on the last sentence of 24:31 .

So be patient, the promise of Allah is true. Implore forgiveness for your sins and celebrate the praises of your Rabb evening and morning.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then have patience (O Muhammad). Lo! the promise of Allah is true. And ask forgiveness of thy sin, and hymn the praise of thy Lord at fall of night and in the early hours.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Behold, as for those who call God's messages in question without having any evidence therefor³⁹ - in their hearts is nothing but overweening self-conceit, which they will never be able to satisfy:⁴⁰ seek thou, then, refuge with God-for, verily, He alone is all-hearing, all-seeing!

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [25] above.

Lit., "which they will never [be able to] reach" or "fulfil". This is a reference to the conceit which makes many agnostics think that man is "self-sufficient" and that, therefore, there are no limits to what he may yet achieve, and no need to assume that he is responsible to a higher Power. Cf. in this connection {96:6-7}, which is one of the earliest Qur'anic revelations: "Nay, verily, man becomes grossly overweening whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient." And since this "self-sufficiency" is entirely illusory, those who build their world-view on it "will never be able to satisfy their overweening conceit". (Cf. also the reference to "arrogant, self-exalting hearts" in verse {35} above.)

Those who dispute the revelations of Allah with no authority bestowed on them; they nurture in their hearts arrogant ambitions which they shall never attain. Therefore, seek refuge with Allah; It is He Who hears all and sees all.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! those who wrangle concerning the revelations of Allah without a warrant having come unto them, there is naught else in their breasts save pride which they will never attain. So take thou refuge in Allah. Lo! He, only He, is the Hearer, the Seer.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Greater indeed than the creation of man is the creation of the heavens and the earth:⁴¹ yet most men do not understand [what this implies].

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., of the universe as a whole. By stressing the fact that man is only a small, insignificant part of the universe, the Qur'an points out the absurdity of the man-centred world-view alluded to in the preceding verse.

Certainly the creation of the heavens and the earth is a greater task than the creation of men; yet most people do not understand.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Assuredly the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind; but most of mankind know not.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But [then,] the blind and the seeing are not equal; and neither [can] they who have attained to faith and do good works and the doers of evil [be deemed equal]. How seldom do you keep this in mind!

  - Mohammad Asad

The blind and those who can see are not alike, nor are the believers who do good deeds equal to the wicked; yet you seldom think.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And the blind man and the seer are not equal, neither are those who believe and do good works (equal with) the evil doer. Little do ye reflect!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Verily, the Last Hour is sure to come: of this there is no doubt; yet most men will not believe it.⁴²

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., refuse to admit to themselves that the world as they know it could ever come to an end: which is another aspect of the "overweening conceit" spoken of in verse {56} above.

The hour of Doom is sure to come, there is no doubt about it; yet most people do not believe it.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! the Hour is surely coming, there is no doubt thereof; yet most of mankind believe not.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But your Sustainer says: "Call unto Me, [and] I shall respond to you! ⁴³ Verily, they who are too proud to worship Me will enter hell, abased!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 2:186 .

And your Rabb says: "Call on Me, I will answer your prayers. Surely those who are too arrogant to worship Me shall soon enter hell in humiliation."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And your Lord hath said: Pray unto me and I will hear your prayer. Lo! those who scorn My service, they will enter hell, disgraced.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall