40. Sura al Mu’min

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ فِي النَّارِ لِخَزَنَةِ جَهَنَّمَ...

40: 49. Those in the Fire will say to the Keepers of Hell:

C4422. Cf. 39:71.

The poor misguided ones will turn to the angels who are their Keepers, asking them to pray and intercede for them. But the angels are set there to watch over them, not to intercede for them. In their innocence they ask, 'Did you have no warnings from messengers, men like yourselves, in your past life?'

ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ يُخَفِّفْ عَنَّا يَوْمًا مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ ﴿٤٩﴾

"Pray to your Lord to lighten us the Penalty for a Day (at least)!"

قَالُوا أَوَلَمْ تَكُ تَأْتِيكُمْ رُسُلُكُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ...

40: 50. They will say: "Did there not come to you your messengers with Clear Signs?"

... قَالُوا بَلَى...

They will say, "Yes."

... قَالُوا فَادْعُوا...

They will reply, "Then pray (as ye like)

C4423. The answer being in the affirmative, they will have to tell the dreadful truth:

'This is neither the time nor the place for prayer, for mercy! And in any case, Prayer without Faith is Delusion, and must miss its mark.'

Cf. 13:14.

... وَمَا دُعَاء الْكَافِرِينَ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَالٍ ﴿٥٠﴾

but the Prayer of those without Faith is nothing but (futile wandering) in (mazes of) error!"

Asad’s Version:

40:49 And they who are in the fire will say to the keepers of hell," "Pray unto your Sustainer that He lighten, [though it be] for one day [only], this suffering of ours!"

(40:50) [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 aught but delusion.