As-Saffat 37:39
Those who set the Ranks · Juz 23 · Page 447
وَمَا تُجۡزَوۡنَ إِلَّا مَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ ٣٩
And you will not be recompensed except for what you used to do -
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
Change
Commentary on 37:34–39
When they were told that there was nobody worth worshipping except God, they behaved haughtily. This does not mean that their haughty behaviour was directed against God. The majesty of God is too lofty to allow any individual to be so presumptuous. Their haughty behaviour, in fact, was aimed at His messenger. The leaders in whose name others indulged in polytheistic acts, were adversely affected by the Prophet’s call for belief in the oneness of God. On the one hand was the Prophet and on the other, the polytheistic leaders. Since the Prophet appeared to be of a lesser stature than the leaders, most people ignored him, considering him a person of little or no account. The force of argument was undoubtedly on the side of the Prophet, but apparent greatness seemed to reside in their leaders and history is replete with examples where the force of reason has proved ineffective in the face of apparent greatness.
Page 447
37:25
مَا لَكُمۡ لَا تَنَاصَرُونَ ٢٥
[They will be asked], "What is [wrong] with you? Why do you not help each other?"
37:26
بَلۡ هُمُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ مُسۡتَسۡلِمُونَ ٢٦
But they, that Day, are in surrender.
37:27
وَأَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ٢٧
And they will approach one another asking [i.e., blaming] each other.
37:28
قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّكُمۡ كُنتُمۡ تَأۡتُونَنَا عَنِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ ٢٨
They will say, "Indeed, you used to come at us from the right."1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., from our position of strength, oppressing us. Or from where we would have grasped the truth, preventing us. ↩
37:29
قَالُواْ بَل لَّمۡ تَكُونُواْ مُؤۡمِنِينَ ٢٩
They [i.e., the oppressors] will say, "Rather, you [yourselves] were not believers,
37:30
وَمَا كَانَ لَنَا عَلَيۡكُم مِّن سُلۡطَٰنِۭۖ بَلۡ كُنتُمۡ قَوۡمٗا طَٰغِينَ ٣٠
And we had over you no authority, but you were a transgressing people.
37:31
فَحَقَّ عَلَيۡنَا قَوۡلُ رَبِّنَآۖ إِنَّا لَذَآئِقُونَ ٣١
So the word [i.e., decree] of our Lord has come into effect upon us; indeed, we will taste [punishment].
37:32
فَأَغۡوَيۡنَٰكُمۡ إِنَّا كُنَّا غَٰوِينَ ٣٢
And we led you to deviation; indeed, we were deviators."
37:33
فَإِنَّهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ فِي ٱلۡعَذَابِ مُشۡتَرِكُونَ ٣٣
So indeed they, that Day, will be sharing in the punishment.
37:34
إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَفۡعَلُ بِٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ ٣٤
Indeed, that is how We deal with the criminals.
37:35
إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُوٓاْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ ٣٥
Indeed they, when it was said to them, "There is no deity but Allāh," were arrogant
37:36
وَيَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَتَارِكُوٓاْ ءَالِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرٖ مَّجۡنُونِۭ ٣٦
And were saying, "Are we to leave our gods for a mad poet?"
37:37
بَلۡ جَآءَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَصَدَّقَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ٣٧
Rather, he [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)] has come with the truth and confirmed the [previous] messengers.
37:38
إِنَّكُمۡ لَذَآئِقُواْ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡأَلِيمِ ٣٨
Indeed, you [disbelievers] will be tasters of the painful punishment,
37:39
وَمَا تُجۡزَوۡنَ إِلَّا مَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ ٣٩
And you will not be recompensed except for what you used to do -
37:40
إِلَّا عِبَادَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ ٤٠
But not the chosen servants of Allāh.
37:41
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ رِزۡقٞ مَّعۡلُومٞ ٤١
Those will have a provision determined -
37:42
فَوَٰكِهُ وَهُم مُّكۡرَمُونَ ٤٢
Fruits;1 and they will be honored
1 translator’s note
- Meaning everything delicious. ↩
37:43
فِي جَنَّٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ ٤٣
In gardens of pleasure
37:44
عَلَىٰ سُرُرٖ مُّتَقَٰبِلِينَ ٤٤
On thrones facing one another.
37:45
يُطَافُ عَلَيۡهِم بِكَأۡسٖ مِّن مَّعِينِۭ ٤٥
There will be circulated among them a cup [of wine] from a flowing spring,
37:46
بَيۡضَآءَ لَذَّةٖ لِّلشَّٰرِبِينَ ٤٦
White and delicious to the drinkers;
37:47
لَا فِيهَا غَوۡلٞ وَلَا هُمۡ عَنۡهَا يُنزَفُونَ ٤٧
No bad effect is there in it, nor from it will they be intoxicated.
37:48
وَعِندَهُمۡ قَٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرۡفِ عِينٞ ٤٨
And with them will be women limiting [their] glances,1 with large, [beautiful] eyes,
1 translator’s note
- i.e., chaste and modest, looking only at their mates. ↩
37:49
كَأَنَّهُنَّ بَيۡضٞ مَّكۡنُونٞ ٤٩
As if they were [delicate] eggs, well-protected.
37:50
فَأَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ٥٠
And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other.
37:51
قَالَ قَآئِلٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ إِنِّي كَانَ لِي قَرِينٞ ٥١
A speaker among them will say, "Indeed, I had a companion [on earth].