Chapter Forty: Surah Ghafir

Surah Ghafir (Surah #40, Juz # 24, Aya # 85)

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.  

Ha, Meem. (1)

The [gradual] sending down of the Book is from Allah, the All-mighty, the All-knowing, (2)

forgiver of sins and acceptor of repentance, severe in retribution, [yet] all-bountiful; there is no god except Him, [and] toward Him is the destination. (3)

No one disputes the signs of Allah except the faithless. So do not be misled by their bustle in the towns. (4)

The people of Noah denied before them and the [heathen] factions [who came] after them. Every nation attempted to lay hands on their apostle, and disputed erroneously to refute the truth. Then I seized them; so how was My retribution?! (5)

That is how the word of your Lord became due concerning the faithless, that they shall be inmates of the Fire. (6)

Those who bear the Throne, and those who are around it, celebrate the praise of their Lord and have faith in Him, and they plead for forgiveness for the faithful: ‘Our Lord! You embrace all things in mercy and knowledge. So forgive those who repent and follow Your way and save them from the punishment of hell. (7)

Our Lord! Admit them into the Gardens of Eden, which You have promised them, along with whoever is righteous among their forebears, their spouses and their descendants. Indeed You are the All-mighty, the All-wise. (8)

Save them from the ills [of the Day of Retribution]; and whomever You save from the ills that day, You will have had mercy upon him, and that is the great triumph.’ (9)

It will be proclaimed to the faithless: ‘Surely, Allah’s outrage *towards you+ is greater than your outrage towards yourselves, as you were invited to faith, but you disbelieved.’ (10)

They will say, ‘Our Lord! Twice did You make us die, and twice did You give us life. We admit our sins. Is there any way out [from this plight+?’ (11)

*They will be told,+ ‘This *plight of yours+ is because, when Allah was invoked alone, you would disbelieve, but if partners were ascribed to Him you would believe. So the judgment belongs to Allah, the All-exalted, the All-great.’ (12)

It is He who shows you His signs and sends down provision for you from the sky. Yet no one takes admonition except those who return penitently [to Allah]. (13)

So supplicate Allah, putting exclusive faith in Him, though the faithless should be averse. (14)

Raiser of ranks, Lord of the Throne, He casts the Spirit of His command upon whomever of His servants that He wishes, that he may warn [people] of the Day of Encounter. (15)

The day when they will emerge [from their graves+, nothing about them will be hidden from Allah. ‘To whom does the sovereignty belong today?’ ‘To Allah, the One, the All-paramount!’ (16)

‘Today every soul shall be requited for what it has earned. There will be no injustice today. Indeed Allah is swift at reckoning.’ (17)

Warn them of the Approaching Day, when the hearts will be at the throats, choking with suppressed agony, [and] the wrongdoers will have no sympathizer, nor any intercessor who might be heard. (18)

He knows the treachery of the eyes, and what the breasts hide. (19)

Allah judges with justice, while those whom they invoke besides Him do not judge by anything. Indeed it is Allah who is the All-hearing, the All-seeing. (20)

Have they not travelled through the land so that they may observe how was the fate of those who were before them? They were greater than them in might and with respect to the effects [they left] in the land. But then Allah seized them for their sins, and they had no defender against Allah *’s punishment]. (21)

That was because their apostles used to bring them manifest proofs, but they defied [them]. So Allah seized them. Indeed He is all-strong, severe in retribution. (22)

Certainly We sent Moses with Our signs and a manifest authority (23)

to Pharaoh, Haman and Korah, but they said, ‘A magician and a mendacious liar.’ (24)

So when he brought them the truth from Us, they said, ‘Kill the sons of the faithful who are with him, and spare their women.’ But the stratagems of the faithless only go awry. (25)

And Pharaoh said, ‘Let me slay Moses, and let him invoke his Lord. Indeed I fear that he will change your religion, or bring forth corruption in our land.’ (26)

Moses said, ‘I seek the protection of my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant one who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning.’ (27)

Said a man of faith from Pharaoh’s clan, who concealed his faith, ‘Will you kill a man for saying, ‘‘My Lord is Allah,’’ while he has already brought you manifest proofs from your Lord? Should he be lying, his falsehood will be to his own detriment; but if he is truthful, there shall visit you some of what he promises you. Indeed Allah does not guide someone who is a transgressor and liar. (28)

O my people! Today sovereignty belongs to you, and you are dominant in the land. But who will save us from Allah’s punishment should it overtake us?’ Pharaoh said, ‘I just point out to you what I see *to be advisable for you+, and I guide you only to the way of rectitude.’ (29)

He who had faith said, ‘O my people! Indeed I fear for you *a day+ like the day of the [heathen] factions; (30)

like the case of the people of Noah, of Ad and Thamud, and those who came after them, and Allah does not desire any wrong for [His] servants. (31)

O my people! I fear for you a day of mutual distress calls, (32)

a day when you will turn back [to flee], not having anyone to protect you from Allah, and whomever Allah leads astray has no guide. (33)

Certainly Joseph brought you manifest proofs earlier, but you continued to remain in doubt concerning what he had brought you. When he died, you said, ‘‘Allah will never send any apostle after him.’’ That is how Allah leads astray those who are unrestrained and skeptical. (34)

Those who dispute the signs of Allah without any authority that may have come to them—[that is] greatly outrageous to Allah and to those who have faith. That is how Allah seals the heart of every arrogant tyrant.’ (35)

Pharaoh said, ‘O Haman! Build me a tower so that I may reach the routes (36)

—the routes of the heavens—and take a look at the God of Moses, and indeed I consider him a liar.’ The evil of his conduct was thus presented as decorous to Pharaoh, and he was kept from the way *of Allah+. Pharaoh’s stratagems only led him into ruin. (37)

And he who had faith said, ‘O my people! Follow me; I will guide you to the way of rectitude. (38)

O my people! This life of the world is only a [passing] enjoyment, and indeed the Hereafter is the abiding home. (39)

Whoever commits a misdeed shall not be requited except with its like, but whoever acts righteously, whether male or female, should he be faithful—such shall enter paradise, and they will be provided therein without any reckoning. (40)

O my people! [Think,] what makes me invite you to deliverance, while you invite me toward the Fire? (41)

You invite me to defy Allah and to ascribe to Him partners of which I have no knowledge, while I call you to the All-mighty, the All-forgiver. (42)

Undoubtedly, that to which you invite me has no invitation in the world nor in the Hereafter, and indeed our return will be to Allah, and indeed it is the transgressors who will be inmates of the Fire. (43)

Soon you will remember what I tell you, and I entrust my affair to Allah. Indeed Allah watches His servants.’ (44)

Then Allah saved him from their evil schemes, while a terrible punishment besieged Pharaoh’s clan: (45)

the Fire, to which they are exposed morning and evening. On the day when the Hour sets in, Pharaoh’s clan will enter the severest punishment. (46)

When they argue in the Fire, the oppressed will say to the oppressors, ‘We used to follow you; will you avail us against any portion of the Fire?’ (47)

The oppressors will say, ‘We are all in it *together+; Allah has judged between *His+ servants.’ (48)

Those who are in the Fire will say to the keepers of hell, ‘Invoke your Lord to lighten for us *at least+ a day’s punishment.’ (49)

They will say, ‘Had not your apostles brought you manifest proofs?’ They will say, ‘Yes.’ They will say, ‘Then invoke *Him+ yourselves.’ But the invocations of the faithless only go awry. (50)

Indeed We shall help Our apostles and those who have faith in the life of the world and on the day when the witnesses rise up, (51)

the day when the excuses of the wrongdoers will not benefit them, the curse will lie on them, and for them will be the ills of the [ultimate] abode. (52)

Certainly We gave guidance to Moses and We gave the Children of Israel the Book as a legacy, (53)

as guidance and admonition for those who possess intellect. (54)

So be patient! Allah’s promise is indeed true. Plead *Allah+ for forgiveness of your sin, and celebrate the praise of your Lord morning and evening. (55)

Indeed those who dispute the signs of Allah without any authority that may have come to them—there is [an ambition for] greatness in their breasts, which they will never attain. So seek the protection of Allah; indeed, He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing. (56)

The creation of the heavens and the earth is surely more prodigious than the creation of mankind, but most people do not know. (57)

The blind one and the seer are not equal, neither are the evildoers and those who have faith and do righteous deeds. Little is the admonition that you take! (58)

Indeed the Hour is bound to come; there is no doubt in it. But most people do not believe. (59)

Your Lord has said, ‘Call Me, and I will hear you!’ Indeed those who are disdainful of My worship will enter hell in utter humiliation. (60)

It is Allah who made the night for you, that you may rest in it, and the day to provide visibility. Indeed Allah is gracious to mankind, but most people do not give thanks. (61)

That is Allah, your Lord, the creator of all things, there is no god except Him. Then where do you stray? (62)

Those who were used to impugning the signs of Allah are thus made to go astray. (63)

It is Allah who made for you the earth an abode and the sky a canopy. He formed you and perfected your forms, and provided you with all the good things. That is Allah, your Lord! Blessed is Allah, Lord of all the worlds! (64)

He is the Living One, there is no god except Him. So supplicate Him, putting exclusive faith in Him. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. (65)

Say, ‘I have been forbidden to worship those whom you invoke besides Allah, as manifest proofs have come to me from my Lord, and I have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds.’ (66)

It is He who created you from dust, then from a drop of [seminal] fluid, then from a clinging mass, then He brings you forth as infants, then [He nurtures you] so that you may come of age, and then that you may become aged— though there are some of you who die earlier—and complete a specified term, and so that you may exercise your reason. (67)

It is He who gives life and brings death. When He decides on a matter, He just says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is. (68)

Have you not regarded those who dispute the signs of Allah, where they are being led away *from Allah’s way+? (69)

—Those who deny the Book and what we have sent with Our apostles. Soon they will know (70)

when they are dragged [with] iron collars and chains around their necks (71)

into scalding waters and then set aflame in the Fire. (72)

Then they will be told, ‘Where are they whom you used to worship as deities (73)

besides Allah?’ They will say, ‘They have forsaken us. No, we did not invoke anything before.’ That is how Allah leads the faithless astray. (74)

‘That *punishment+ is because you used to boast unduly on the earth and because you used to strut. (75)

Enter the gates of hell, to remain in it *forever+.’ Evil is the *final+ abode of the arrogant. (76)

So be patient! Allah’s promise is indeed true. Whether We show you a part of what We promise them, or take you away [before that], [in any case] they will be brought back to Us. (77)

Certainly We have sent apostles before you. Of them are those We have recounted to you, and of them are those We have not recounted to you. An apostle may not bring any sign except by Allah’s permission. Hence, when Allah’s edict comes, judgment is made with justice, and it is thence that the falsifiers become losers. (78)

It is Allah who created the cattle for you that you may ride some of them, and some of them you eat; (79)

and there are [numerous] uses in them for you, and that over them you may satisfy any need that is in your breasts, and you are carried on them and on ships. (80)

He shows you His signs. So which of the signs of Allah do you deny? (81)

Have they not travelled over the land so that they may observe how was the fate of those who were before them? They were more numerous than them and were greater [than them] in power and with respect to the effects [they left] in the land. But what they used to earn did not avail them. (82)

When their apostles brought them manifest proofs, they boasted about the knowledge they possessed, but they were besieged by what they used to deride. (83)

Then, when they sighted Our punishment, they said, ‘We believe in Allah alone, and disavow what we used to take as His partners.’ (84)

But their faith was of no benefit to them when they sighted Our punishment—Allah’s precedent, which has passed among His servants, and it is thence that the faithless will be losers. (85)