40. Surah Ghafir (Forgiving)/al mumin
Mecca 60 [85 verses]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
أَرْسَلْنَا
مُوسَى
بِآيَاتِنَا
وَسُلْطَانٍ
مُّبِينٍ
﴿٢٣﴾
40: 23. Of old We sent Moses, with Our Signs and Authority manifest,
C4389. This is not the story of Moses himself, so much as an introduction to the story of the one just man who believed, in the court of Pharaoh:
see verse 28 below. This Surah ("The Believer") is called after him.
إِلَى
فِرْعَوْنَ
وَهَامَانَ
وَقَارُونَ
...
40: 24. To Pharaoh, Haman, and Qarun;
C4390. Here are three types of Unfaith, each showing a different phase, and yet all united in opposition to the Truth and Mission of Moses.
- Pharaoh is the type of arrogance, cruelty, and reliance on brute force; cf. 28:38-39.
- Haman was Pharaoh's minister (n. 3331 to 28:6; also 28:38): he was the type of a sycophant who would pander to the vanity of any man in power.
- Qarun excelled in his wealth, was selfish in its use, and overbearing to the poor (28:76-81, and n. 3404).
They all came to an evil end eventually.
... فَقَالُوا سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ ﴿٢٤﴾
but they called (him) "a sorcerer telling lies!"...
فَلَمَّا
جَاءهُم
بِالْحَقِّ
مِنْ
عِندِنَا...
40: 25. Now, when he came to them in Truth, from Us,
C4391. Verse 24 described the opposition of three types of Unfaith, which opposed Faith, in different ways, as described in the last note. Qarun, in his overweening insolence, may well have called Moses and Aaron "sorcerers telling lies" in the Sinai desert, as he despised priests and men of God, and might cast the Egyptian reproach in their teeth as a reminiscence.
Here, in verse 25, we have an episode about the time of the birth of Moses: "them" and "they" refer to Pharaoh and his Court; the "coming" of Moses here refers to the time of his birth.
On that construction, "with him", lower down in their speech would be elliptical, referring to "slay the sons", as if they had said, "Kill all Israelite male children: the unknown Prophet to be born would be amongst them: so kill them all with him."
In verse 26 we again skip some years and recall an episode when Moses, having got his mission, stood in Pharaoh's Court, and some of the Egyptian Commonalty were almost ready to believe in him.
... قَالُوا اقْتُلُوا أَبْنَاء الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ وَاسْتَحْيُوا نِسَاءهُمْ...
they said,
"Slay the sons of those who believe with him, and keep alive their females,"
C4392. That is, the Israelites, for they were the custodians of Allah's Faith then. For the slaughter of Israelite children by Pharaoh, see 28:4-6, and notes.
... وَمَا كَيْدُ الْكَافِرِينَ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَالٍ ﴿٢٥﴾
but the plots of Unbelievers (end) in nothing but errors (and delusions)!"...
وَقَالَ
فِرْعَوْنُ
ذَرُونِي
أَقْتُلْ
مُوسَى
وَلْيَدْعُ
رَبَّهُ...
40: 26. Said Pharaoh:
"Leave me to slay Moses; and let him Call on his Lord!
C4393. This is an episode that occurs when Moses, invested with his mission, confronts Pharaoh in his Court and preaches to him:
see 20:49 and following verses; also 20:57,63.
... إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَن يُبَدِّلَ دِينَكُمْ أَوْ أَن يُظْهِرَ فِي الْأَرْضِ الْفَسَادَ ﴿٢٦﴾
What I fear is lest he should change your religion, or lest he should cause mischief to appear in the land!"
C4394. Some of Pharaoh's people did afterwards give up the worship of Pharaoh and of the Egyptian gods and believed "in the Lord of Aaron and Moses" and in fact suffered martyrdom for the Faith of Unity: 20:70-73.
وَقَالَ
مُوسَى
إِنِّي
عُذْتُ
بِرَبِّي
وَرَبِّكُم...
40: 27. Moses said:
"I have indeed called upon my Lord and your Lord
C4395. The whole point of the Gospel of Unity which Moses preached was that the God of Moses and the God of Pharaoh, of Israel and Egypt, the Lord of all the Worlds, was One,-Allah, the only True God.
See 20:49-50 and notes 2572 and 2573.
... مِّن كُلِّ مُتَكَبِّرٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُ بِيَوْمِ الْحِسَابِ ﴿٢٧﴾
(for protection) from every arrogant one who believes not in the Day of Account!"
وَقَالَ
رَجُلٌ
مُّؤْمِنٌ
مِّنْ
آلِ
فِرْعَوْنَ
يَكْتُمُ
إِيمَانَهُ...
40: 28. A believer, a man from among the people of Pharaoh, who had concealed his faith, said:
C4396. There is nothing to justify the identification of this man with the man mentioned in 28:20, who warned Moses long before Moses had received his mission. On the contrary, in this passage, the man is evidently speaking after Moses had received his mission, preached to Pharaoh, and got a certain amount of success, for which Pharaoh and his people were trying, to seek his life. Moses had evidently already brought his Clear Signs.
... أَتَقْتُلُونَ رَجُلًا أَن يَقُولَ رَبِّيَ اللَّهُ وَقَدْ جَاءكُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ ...
"Will ye slay a man because he says, 'My Lord is Allah'? -- when he has indeed come to you with Clear (Signs) from your Lord?
... وَإِن يَكُ كَاذِبًا فَعَلَيْهِ كَذِبُهُ...
And if he be a liar on him is (the sin of) his lie:
... وَإِن يَكُ صَادِقًا يُصِبْكُم بَعْضُ الَّذِي يَعِدُكُمْ...
but, if he is telling the Truth, then will fall on you something of the (calamity) of which he warns you:
C4397. A commonsense view is put before them by an Egyptian who loves his own people and does not wish them to perish in sin. "Will you kill this man for calling on Allah?
Have you not seen his character and behaviour?
Do you not see the 'Clear Signs' about him that bespeak his credentials?
Suppose for a moment that he is a liar and pretender: he will suffer for his falsehood, but why should you turn against Allah? But suppose that he is really inspired by Allah to tell you the truth and warn you against evil, what will be your fate when Allah's Wrath descends? For it must descend if he is a true Messenger sent by Allah."
... إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ كَذَّابٌ ﴿٢٨﴾
truly Allah guides not one who transgresses and lies!
C4398. This is with reference to the "Clear signs". 'They are Signs of Allah's guidance, for Allah would never guide a man who exceeds the bounds of truth and tells you lies! Such a man is bound to be found out!'
يَا
قَوْمِ
لَكُمُ
الْمُلْكُ
الْيَوْمَ
ظَاهِرِينَ
فِي
الْأَرْضِ...
40: 29. "O my people!
yours is the dominion this day: ye have the upper hand in the land:
C4399. 'Do not be puffed up with arrogance because the power is in your hands at present! Do you deserve it?
Will it last?
If you are sinning and drawing upon yourselves Allah's Punishment, is there anything that can shield you from it?'
... فَمَن يَنصُرُنَا مِن بَأْسِ اللَّهِ إِنْ جَاءنَا...
but who will help us from the Punishment of Allah, should it befall us?"
... قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ مَا أُرِيكُمْ إِلَّا مَا أَرَى...
Pharaoh said:
"I but point out to you that which I see (myself);
C4400. Pharaoh's egotism and arrogance come out. 'I can see and understand everything. As I see things, so do I direct you. The Path which I see must be right, and you must follow it.'
... وَمَا أَهْدِيكُمْ إِلَّا سَبِيلَ الرَّشَادِ ﴿٢٩﴾
nor do I guide you but to the Path of Right!"
وَقَالَ
الَّذِي
آمَنَ
يَا
قَوْمِ
إِنِّي
أَخَافُ
عَلَيْكُم
مِّثْلَ
يَوْمِ
الْأَحْزَابِ
﴿٣٠﴾
40: 30. Then said the man who believed:
"O my People! truly I do fear for you something like the Day (of disaster) of the Confederates (in sin)! --
C4401. He appeals to past history.
"Have you not heard of people who lived before you?-like the generations of Noah, the 'Ad, the Thamud, and many more-who held together in sin against Allah's Preachers, but were wiped out for their sins?"
C4402. Cf. 38:11-13, and n. 4158,
مِثْلَ
دَأْبِ
قَوْمِ
نُوحٍ
وَعَادٍ
وَثَمُودَ
وَالَّذِينَ
مِن
بَعْدِهِمْ...
40: 31. "Something like the fate of the people of Noah, the 'Ad, and the Thamud, and those who came after them:
... وَمَا اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ظُلْمًا لِّلْعِبَادِ ﴿٣١﴾
but Allah never wishes injustice to His Servants.
C4403. 'All these disasters happened in history, and they will happen again to you if you do not give up evil. Do not for a moment think that Allah is unjust. It is you who are deliberately preparing the disasters by your conduct.'
وَيَا
قَوْمِ
إِنِّي
أَخَافُ
عَلَيْكُمْ
يَوْمَ
التَّنَادِ
﴿٣٢﴾
40: 32. "And, O my People!
I fear for you a Day when there will be mutual calling (and wailing).
C4404. This Day may refer to the Day of Judgment, of which three features are here referred to.
- People may wail and call to each other, but no one can help another: each one will have his own judgment to face;
- the wicked will then be driven to Hell from the Judgment-Seat; and
- there will be no one to help, guide, or intercede, because the grace and guidance of Allah had already been rejected.
But the words are perfectly general, and are applicable to all stages at which the Wrath of Allah is manifest.
يَوْمَ
تُوَلُّونَ
مُدْبِرِينَ
مَا
لَكُم
مِّنَ
اللَّهِ
مِنْ
عَاصِمٍ...
40: 32. "And, O my People!
I fear for you a Day when there will be mutual calling (and wailing).
... وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ ﴿٣٣﴾
any whom Allah leaves to stray, there is none to guide...
وَلَقَدْ
جَاءكُمْ
يُوسُفُ
مِن
قَبْلُ
بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ...
40: 34. "And to you there came Joseph in times gone by, with Clear Signs,
C4405. So far he has been speaking of general religious tradition. Now, as an Egyptian, addressing Egyptians, he refers to the mission of Joseph in Egypt, for which see the whole of Surah 12.
Joseph was not born in Egypt, nor was he an Egyptian. With what wonderful incidents he came into Egypt! What difficulties did he not surmount among his own brothers first, and in the Egyptian family which afterwards adopted him! How injustice, spite, and forgetfulness on the part of others, yet wove a spell round him and made him a ruler and saviour of Egypt in times of famine!
How he preached to prisoners in prison, the wife of 'Aziz in her household, to the Egyptian ladies in their banquet, and to the Court of Pharaoh generally. The Egyptians profited by the material gains which came to them through him, but as a nation remained skeptical of his spiritual truths for many generations after him.
... فَمَا زِلْتُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِّمَّا جَاءكُم بِهِ...
but ye ceased not to doubt of the (mission) for which he had come:
... حَتَّى إِذَا هَلَكَ قُلْتُمْ لَن يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ رَسُولًا...
at length, when he died, ye said: 'No messenger will Allah send after him.'
C4406. See Appendix IV for a discussion of the interval between Joseph and Moses. Perhaps the interval was about one to three centuries, a very short period for the memory of a learned nation like the Egyptians.
And yet they as a nation ignored his spiritual work, and afterwards even persecuted Israel in Egypt until Moses delivered them. They actually saw the benefits conferred by Joseph, but did not realise that Allah's Kingdom works continuously even though men ignore it.
See Appendix V; for a sketch of Religion in Egypt.
For such men how could the Grace and Guidance of Allah be effective in their hearts?
... كَذَلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ مُّرْتَابٌ ﴿٣٤﴾
Thus doth Allah leave to stray such as transgress and live in doubt
الَّذِينَ
يُجَادِلُونَ
فِي
آيَاتِ
اللَّهِ
بِغَيْرِ
سُلْطَانٍ
أَتَاهُمْ...
40: 35. "(Such) as dispute about the Signs of Allah, without any authority that hath reached them.
... كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّهِ وَعِندَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا...
Grievous and odious (is such conduct) in the sight of Allah and of the Believers.
... كَذَلِكَ يَطْبَعُ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ قَلْبِ مُتَكَبِّرٍ جَبَّارٍ ﴿٣٥﴾
Thus doth Allah seal up every heart -- of arrogant and obstinate transgressors."
C4407. See the last note.
The arrogant transgressors having closed their hearts to the Message of Allah and to every appeal made to them, it followed by Allah's Law that their hearts were sealed up to any fresh influences for good.
Cf. 7:100; also 2:7, and n. 31.
وَقَالَ
فِرْعَوْنُ
يَا
هَامَانُ
ابْنِ
لِي
صَرْحًا
لَّعَلِّي
أَبْلُغُ
الْأَسْبَابَ
﴿٣٦﴾
40: 36. Pharaoh said:
"O Haman! Build me a lofty palace, that I may attain the ways and means --
C4408. Cf. 28:38, and n. 3371.
There arc two points to be noted here.
1. Pharaoh, in the arrogance of his materialism, thinks of the Kingdom of Heaven like a kingdom on earth; he thinks of spiritual things in terms of palaces and ladders: notice that the word asbab (ways and means) is emphasised by repetition
2. His sarcasm turns Moses and Allah to ridicule, and he frankly states that 'for his part he thinks Moses is a liar', though other men less lofty than he (Pharaoh) may he deceived by the Clear Signs of Moses.
أَسْبَابَ
السَّمَاوَاتِ
فَأَطَّلِعَ
إِلَى
إِلَهِ
مُوسَى...
40: 37. "The ways and means of (reaching) the heavens, and that I may mount up to the Allah of Moses;
... وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُ كَاذِبًا...
but as far as I am concerned, I think (Moses) is a liar!"
... وَكَذَلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِفِرْعَوْنَ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَصُدَّ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ...
Thus was made alluring, in Pharaoh's eyes, the evil of his deeds, and he was hindered from the Path;
C4409. Pharaoh's speech shows how his own egotism and haughty arrogance brought him to this pass, that even the evil which he did seemed alluring in his own eyes!
His heart was indeed sealed, and his arrogance prevented him from seeing the right path.
(With the Kufi Qiraat I read sudda in the passive voice).
... وَمَا كَيْدُ فِرْعَوْنَ إِلَّا فِي تَبَابٍ ﴿٣٧﴾
and the plot of Pharaoh led to nothing but perdition (for him).
C4410. Pharaoh had plotted to slay Moses (40:26) and to kill the Children of Israel (40:25).
The plot recoiled on his own head and on the head of his people who joined in the plot; for they were all drowned in the Red Sea.
وَقَالَ
الَّذِي
آمَنَ
يَا
قَوْمِ
اتَّبِعُونِ
أَهْدِكُمْ
سَبِيلَ
الرَّشَادِ
﴿٣٨﴾
40: 38. The man who believed said further:
"O my People! follow me: I will lead you to the Path of Right.
C4411. Note the contrast between the earnest beseeching tone of the Believer here and the hectoring tone of Pharaoh in using similar words in 40:29 above.
يَا
قَوْمِ
إِنَّمَا
هَذِهِ
الْحَيَاةُ
الدُّنْيَا
مَتَاعٌ...
40: 39. "O my people!
This life of the present is nothing but (temporary) convenience:
... وَإِنَّ الْآخِرَةَ هِيَ دَارُ الْقَرَارِ ﴿٣٩﴾
it is the Hereafter that is the Home that will last.
C4412. Faith makes him see the contrast between vanities, even though they may glitter temporarily, and the eternal Good that is destined for man.
مَنْ
عَمِلَ
سَيِّئَةً
فَلَا
يُجْزَى
إِلَّا
مِثْلَهَا...
40: 40. "He that works evil will not be requited but by the like thereof:
... وَمَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ...
and he that works a righteous deed -- whether man or woman -- and is a believer --
... فَأُوْلَئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ يُرْزَقُونَ فِيهَا بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ ﴿٤٠﴾
such will enter the Garden (of Bliss):
therein will they have abundance without measure.
C4413. Cf. 2:212.
This sustenance will not only last. It will be a most liberal reward, far above any merits of the recipient.
وَيَا
قَوْمِ
مَا
لِي...
40: 41. "And O my People! how (strange) it is for me
C4414. It may seem strange according to the laws of this world that he should be seeking their Good while they are seeking his damnation! But that is the merit of Faith. Its mission is to rescue its enemies and Allah's enemies, as far as their will will consent!
... أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى النَّجَاةِ وَتَدْعُونَنِي إِلَى النَّارِ ﴿٤١﴾
to call you to Salvation while ye call me to the Fire!
تَدْعُونَنِي
لِأَكْفُرَ
بِاللَّهِ
وَأُشْرِكَ
بِهِ
مَا
لَيْسَ
لِي
بِهِ
عِلْمٌ...
40: 42. "Ye do call upon me to blaspheme against Allah, and to join with Him Partners of whom I have no knowledge;
C4415. The worship of Pharaoh was blasphemy, but it had many sides, including the worship of heroes, animals, powers of good and evil in nature, and idols of all kinds.
It is this comprehensive cult which required warnings again and again, but Allah is Exalted in Power, and gives such forgiveness on repentance.
... وَأَنَا أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى الْعَزِيزِ الْغَفَّارِ ﴿٤٢﴾
and I call you to the Exalted in Power, Who forgives again and again!"
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!"
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:
40:23 [Asad] THUS, INDEED, did We send Moses with Our messages and a manifest authority [from Us]
(40:24) unto Pharaoh, and Haman, and Qarun;" but they [only] said, "A spellbinder is he, a liar!"
40:25 Now [as for Pharaoh and his followers,] when he came to them, setting forth the truth from Us, they said, "Slay the sons of those who share his beliefs, 17 and spare [only] their women!" but the guile of those deniers of the truth could not lead to aught but failure.
(40:26) And Pharaoh said: "Leave it to me to slay Moses - and let him invoke his [alleged] sustainer! 18 Behold, I fear lest he cause you to change your religion, or lest he cause corruption to prevail in the land!"
40:27 But Moses said: "With [Him who is] my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer have I indeed found refuge from everyone who, immersed in false pride, will not believe in (the coming of] the Day of Reckoning!"
(40:28) At that, a believing man of Pharaoh's family, who [until then] had concealed his faith," exclaimed: "Would you slay a man because he says, 'God is my Sustainer' - seeing, withal, that he has brought you all evidence of this truth from your Sustainer? Now if he be a liar, his lie will fall back on him; but if he is a man of truth, something [of the punishment] whereof he warns you is bound to befall you: for, verily, God would not grace with His guidance one who has wasted his own self by lying [about Him]. 20
40:29 "O my people! Yours is the dominion today, [and] most eminent are you on earth: but who will rescue us from God's punishment, once it befalls us?" Said Pharaoh: "I but want to make you see what I see myself; 21 and I would never make you follow any path but that of rectitude ! "
(40:30) Thereupon exclaimed he who had attained to faith: "O my people! Verily, I fear for you the like of what one day befell those others who were leagued together [against God's truth] –
(40:31) the like of what happened to Noah's people, and to [the tribes of] Ad and Thamud and those who came after them! And, withal, God does not will any wrong for His creatures. 22
[[Asad’s notes -
17 Lit., "those who have come to believe with him".
18 My interpolation of the word "alleged" is necessitated by the obvious sarcasm of Pharaoh's remark.
19 Cf. the parable of the believer in 36:20-27 and, in particular, the corresponding note 15.
20 Lit., "a liar". As regards my rendering of musrif as "one who wastes [or "has wasted"] his own self, see note 21 on the last sentence of 10:12. Thus, the anonymous believer spoken of here argues that the message brought by Moses is so convincing that, by itself, it is a proof of his not being "one who wastes his own self" - i.e., destroys himself spiritually - by a spurious claim to divine inspiration.
21 Thus alluding to the reasons underlying his intention to kill Moses, expressed inverse 26.
22 I.e., those sinners were not wronged by what befell them in this world: they had deserved it. The next two verses refer to the Day of Judgment. ]]
40:32 "And, O my people, I fear for you [the coming of] that Day of [Judgment - the Day when you will be] calling unto one another [in distress] –
(40:33) the Day when you will [wish to] turn your backs and flee, having none to defend you against God: for he whom God lets go astray can never find any guide. 23
40:34 "And [remember:] it was to you that Joseph came aforetime with all evidence of the truth; but you never ceased to throw doubt on all [the messages] that he brought you - so much so that when he died, you said, 'Never will God send any apostle [even) after him!' 24 "In this way God lets go astray such as waste their own selves by throwing suspicion [on His revelations] –
(40:35) such as would call God's messages in question without having any evidence therefor: 25 [a sin] exceedingly loathsome in the sight of God and of those who have
attained to faith. It is in this way that God sets a seal on every arrogant, self-exalting heart." 26
40:36 But Pharaoh said: "O Hainan! Build me a lofty tower, that haply I may attain to the [right] means –
(40:37) the means of approach to the heavens - and that [thus] I may have a look at the god of Moses: 27 for, behold, I am indeed certain that he is a liar!" And thus, goodly seemed unto Pharaoh the evil of his own doings, and so he was barred from the path [of truth): and Pharaoh's guile did not lead to aught but ruin.
40:38 Still, the man who had attained to faith went on. "O my people! Follow me: I shall guide you onto the path of rectitude!
[[Asad’s notes -
23 See note 152 on 7:186 and note 4 on 14:4.
24 Thus not only refusing to acknowledge Joseph's prophethood, but also denying the possibility of any prophet being sent by God (Zamakhshari). It would seem that Joseph had been accepted in Egypt as a prophet only by the ruling class, the Hyksos, who were of Arab origin; spoke a language closely related to Hebrew (cf surah 12, note 44), and were, therefore, emotionally and culturally predisposed towards the spirit of Joseph's mission, while the rest of the population was and remained hostile to the faith
preached by him.
25 Lit., "without any authority [or "evidence"] having come to them": i.e., without having any cogent evidence that would support their "denial" of the fact of revelation. - The verb jadala primarily denotes "he argued"; followed by the particle fi ("with regard to" or "about") it has the meaning of contesting the truth of something, or "calling it in question".
26 Lit., "on the heart of every arrogant, self-exalting [person]". For an explanation of God's "sealing" an inveterate sinner's heart, see note 7 on 2:7.
27 See surah 28, notes 6 and 37, ]]
40:39 "O my people! This worldly life is but a brief enjoyment, whereas, behold, the life to come is the home abiding.
(40:40) [There,] anyone who has done a bad deed will be requited with no more than the like thereof, whereas anyone, be it man or woman, who has done righteous deeds and is a believer withal - all such will enter paradise, wherein they shall be blest with good beyond all reckoning! 28
40:41 "And, O my people, how is it 2 ' that I summon you to salvation, the while you summon me to the fire?
(40:42) - [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!
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!"
[[Asad’s notes -
28 I.e., beyond any earthly imagination. The concept of rizq (expressed in the verb yurzaqun) has here its full significance of all that is good and of benefit to a living being, comprising things material as well as intellectual and spiritual; hence my rendering of yurzaqun (lit., "they will be given sustenance") as "they shall be blest with good".
29 Lit., "what is the matter with me" : an expression of astonishment at the incongruity of the two attitudes referred to in the sequence.
30 I.e., because there is no reality whatsoever in those supposedly "divine" beings or forces (Zamakhshari).
31 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.
32 Cf. 14: 21 and the corresponding notes 28 and 29. ]]
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.
[[Asad’s notes-
33 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.
34 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. ]]
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