40. Surah Ghafir

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّمَا تَدْعُونَنِي إِلَيْهِ لَيْسَ لَهُ دَعْوَةٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَلَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ...

40: 43. "Without doubt ye do call me to one who is not fit to be called to, whether in this world, or in the Hereafter;

C4416. Faith is not content with its own inner vision and conviction. It can give ample arguments. Three are mentioned here:

1. nothing but Allah is worthy of worship, either in this world of sense or in the next world;

2. our Return will be to Allah, the Eternal Reality; and

3. the worship of Falsehood must necessarily lead to the Penalty of Falsehood, unless Allah's Mercy intervenes and forgives on our sincere repentance. (R).

... وَأَنَّ مَرَدَّنَا إِلَى اللَّهِ...

our Return will be to Allah;

... وَأَنَّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ هُمْ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ﴿٤٣﴾

and the Transgressors will be Companions of the Fire!

فَسَتَذْكُرُونَ مَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ...

40: 44. "Soon will ye remember what I say to you (now),

C4417. The next verse shows his thought to the last is with his People. 'No matter what you do to me: you will have cause to remember my admonition, when perhaps it is too late for you to repent. For my part I commit myself to the care of Allah, and my Faith tells me that all will be right.'

... وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِي إِلَى اللَّهِ...

my (own) affair I commit to Allah:

... إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ ﴿٤٤﴾

for Allah (ever) watches over His Servants."

فَوَقَاهُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِ مَا مَكَرُوا...

40: 45. Then Allah saved him from (every) ill that they plotted (against him),

... وَحَاقَ بِآلِ فِرْعَوْنَ سُوءُ الْعَذَابِ ﴿٤٥﴾

but the brunt of the Penalty encompassed on all sides the People of Pharaoh.

C4418. The Pharaoh of the time of Moses, and his people, suffered many calamities in this world: 7:130-136.

But those were nothing to the Penalties mentioned in the next verse.

النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا...

40: 46. In front of the Fire will they be brought, morning and evening:

C4419. When the Judgment really comes, it is not like an ordinary physical disaster. The Fire of Punishment is ever present-morning and evening- i.e. at all times. The sentence becomes final and there is no mitigation.

... وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ ﴿٤٦﴾

and (the Sentence will be) on the Day that Judgment will be established:

"Cast ye the People of Pharaoh into the severest Penalty!"

وَإِذْ يَتَحَاجُّونَ فِي النَّارِ ...

40: 47. Behold, they will dispute with each other in the Fire!

C4420. Just as Unity, Harmony, and Peace are indications of Truth, Bliss, and Salvation, so Reproaches, Disputes, and Disorders are indications of Hell.

... فَيَقُولُ الضُّعَفَاء لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا...

The weak ones (who followed) will say to those who had been arrogant,

...إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ تَبَعًا فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّغْنُونَ عَنَّا نَصِيبًا مِّنَ النَّارِ ﴿٤٧﴾

"We but followed you:

can ye then take (on yourselves) from us some share of the Fire?"

قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا إِنَّا كُلٌّ فِيهَا...

40: 48. Those who had been arrogant will say:

"We are all in this (Fire)!

C4421. Note the evasion and cynicism of the answer, befitting the character of spiritual misleaders!

'What! are we not suffering with you in the same Fire! Pray to Allah if you like! He has pronounced His Judgment!'

Cf. 14:21-22.

... إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ حَكَمَ بَيْنَ الْعِبَادِ ﴿٤٨﴾

Truly, Allah has judged between (His) Servants!"

Asad’s Version:

40:43 "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:

(40:44) 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."

40:45 And God preserved him from the evil of their scheming, whereas suffering vile was to encompass Pharaoh's folk:

(40:46) the fire [of the hereafter - that fire] which they had been

made to contemplate [in vain], morning and evening:" for on the Day when the Last Hour

dawns [God will say], "Make Pharaoh's folk enter upon suffering most severe! "

40:47

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 –

(40:48) [to which] they who had [once] been arrogant will reply, "Behold, we are all in it [together]! Verily, God has judged between His creatures!"