Az-Zumar 39:38
The Troops · Juz 24 · Page 462
وَلَئِن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۚ قُلۡ أَفَرَءَيۡتُم مَّا تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِنۡ أَرَادَنِيَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلۡ هُنَّ كَٰشِفَٰتُ ضُرِّهِۦٓ أَوۡ أَرَادَنِي بِرَحۡمَةٍ هَلۡ هُنَّ مُمۡسِكَٰتُ رَحۡمَتِهِۦۚ قُلۡ حَسۡبِيَ ٱللَّهُۖ عَلَيۡهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ ٱلۡمُتَوَكِّلُونَ ٣٨
And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "Then have you considered1 what you invoke besides Allāh? If Allāh intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?" Say, "Sufficient for me is Allāh; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers."
1 translator’s note
- i.e., "Tell me about..." ↩
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
Change
Commentary on 39:38–41
In every age, man has worshipped beings other than God, but nobody has had the courage to say that their deities created the heavens and the earth, or that the real causes of comfort or distress were in their power. It is very strange that, in spite of this uncertainty, people are not ready to leave their false gods. When all the arguments and pleadings of a preacher prove ineffective in influencing his people, the only alternative left for him is to tell them to do whatever they like and to warn them that when the Day of Final Judgement arrives, it will be made clear who is on the right path and who is on the wrong one. This is an expression of certainty on the basis of arguments, and is always the final word of a missionary.
Page 462
39:32
۞ فَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَبَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلصِّدۡقِ إِذۡ جَآءَهُۥٓۚ أَلَيۡسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثۡوٗى لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٣٢
So who is more unjust than one who lies about Allāh and denies the truth when it has come to him? Is there not in Hell a residence for the disbelievers?
39:33
وَٱلَّذِي جَآءَ بِٱلصِّدۡقِ وَصَدَّقَ بِهِۦٓ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُتَّقُونَ ٣٣
And the one who has brought the truth [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)] and [they who] believed in it - those are the righteous.
39:34
لَهُم مَّا يَشَآءُونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡۚ ذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ٣٤
They will have whatever they desire with their Lord. That is the reward of the doers of good -
39:35
لِيُكَفِّرَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡ أَسۡوَأَ ٱلَّذِي عَمِلُواْ وَيَجۡزِيَهُمۡ أَجۡرَهُم بِأَحۡسَنِ ٱلَّذِي كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٣٥
That Allāh may remove from them the worst of what they did and reward them their due for the best of what they used to do.
39:36
أَلَيۡسَ ٱللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبۡدَهُۥۖ وَيُخَوِّفُونَكَ بِٱلَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِۦۚ وَمَن يُضۡلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِنۡ هَادٖ ٣٦
Is not Allāh sufficient for His Servant [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)]? And [yet], they threaten you with those [they worship] other than Him. And whoever Allāh leaves astray - for him there is no guide.
39:37
وَمَن يَهۡدِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن مُّضِلٍّۗ أَلَيۡسَ ٱللَّهُ بِعَزِيزٖ ذِي ٱنتِقَامٖ ٣٧
And whoever Allāh guides - for him there is no misleader. Is not Allāh Exalted in Might and Owner of Retribution?
39:38
وَلَئِن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۚ قُلۡ أَفَرَءَيۡتُم مَّا تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِنۡ أَرَادَنِيَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلۡ هُنَّ كَٰشِفَٰتُ ضُرِّهِۦٓ أَوۡ أَرَادَنِي بِرَحۡمَةٍ هَلۡ هُنَّ مُمۡسِكَٰتُ رَحۡمَتِهِۦۚ قُلۡ حَسۡبِيَ ٱللَّهُۖ عَلَيۡهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ ٱلۡمُتَوَكِّلُونَ ٣٨
And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "Then have you considered1 what you invoke besides Allāh? If Allāh intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?" Say, "Sufficient for me is Allāh; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers."
1 translator’s note
- i.e., "Tell me about..." ↩
39:39
قُلۡ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡمَلُواْ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمۡ إِنِّي عَٰمِلٞۖ فَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ ٣٩
Say, "O my people, work according to your position, [for] indeed, I am working; and you are going to know
39:40
مَن يَأۡتِيهِ عَذَابٞ يُخۡزِيهِ وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيۡهِ عَذَابٞ مُّقِيمٌ ٤٠
To whom will come a torment disgracing him and on whom will descend an enduring punishment."