Ghafir 40:50
The Forgiver · Juz 24 · Page 473
قَالُوٓاْ أَوَلَمۡ تَكُ تَأۡتِيكُمۡ رُسُلُكُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِۖ قَالُواْ بَلَىٰۚ قَالُواْ فَٱدۡعُواْۗ وَمَا دُعَٰٓؤُاْ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَٰلٍ ٥٠
They will say, "Did there not come to you your messengers with clear proofs?" They will say, "Yes." They will reply, "Then supplicate [yourselves], but the supplication of the disbelievers is not except in error [i.e., futility]."
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 40:46–50
In the last verse cited here, it was said: النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا ۖ وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ. (It is the Fire before which they are presented morning and evening. And on the day when the Hour (of final judgment) will take place, (the order will be released): "Admit the family of the Pharaoh into the most severe punishment."- 46). Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ explained this verse by saying, "Spirits of people from the House of Pharaoh are presented before the Jahannam in the form of black birds, twice every day, morning and evening, and by pointing out to the Jahannam, it is said to them: This is your abode." (Reported by Abd-ur-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Haim - Mazhari)
And according to a narration of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ appearing in the two Sahihs of al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, (the meaning of which is): "When one of you dies (and is in the universe of barzakh, the post-death - pre-resurrection state) he is shown, morning and evening, the place he is to reach after the reckoning of the Day of Judgment. And this place is shown to him every day, and he is told that he has to reach there finally. If this person is from among the people of Jannah, then, Jannah will be shown to him as his place. And if he is from among the people of Jahannam, then, Jahannam will be shown to him as his place."
Punishment in graves
This verse is a proof of punishment in graves. Uninterrupted reports of ahadith and the consensus (ijma) of the Muslim Ummah confirm it. This humble writer has put together all such material, along with relevant verses from the Qur'an, in a regular treatise entitled: السبر بعذاب القبر As-sabr bi'adhabi-l-qabr. This treatise has been published in Arabic as part of Ahkam-ul-Qur'an.
Page 473
40:50
قَالُوٓاْ أَوَلَمۡ تَكُ تَأۡتِيكُمۡ رُسُلُكُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِۖ قَالُواْ بَلَىٰۚ قَالُواْ فَٱدۡعُواْۗ وَمَا دُعَٰٓؤُاْ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَٰلٍ ٥٠
They will say, "Did there not come to you your messengers with clear proofs?" They will say, "Yes." They will reply, "Then supplicate [yourselves], but the supplication of the disbelievers is not except in error [i.e., futility]."
40:51
إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَيَوۡمَ يَقُومُ ٱلۡأَشۡهَٰدُ ٥١
Indeed, We will support Our messengers and those who believe during the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand -
40:52
يَوۡمَ لَا يَنفَعُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ مَعۡذِرَتُهُمۡۖ وَلَهُمُ ٱللَّعۡنَةُ وَلَهُمۡ سُوٓءُ ٱلدَّارِ ٥٢
The Day their excuse will not benefit the wrongdoers, and they will have the curse, and they will have the worst home [i.e., Hell].
40:53
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَأَوۡرَثۡنَا بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ ٥٣
And We had certainly given Moses guidance, and We caused the Children of Israel to inherit the Scripture
40:54
هُدٗى وَذِكۡرَىٰ لِأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ ٥٤
As guidance and a reminder for those of understanding.
40:55
فَٱصۡبِرۡ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقّٞ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لِذَنۢبِكَ وَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلۡعَشِيِّ وَٱلۡإِبۡكَٰرِ ٥٥
So be patient, [O Muḥammad]. Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth. And ask forgiveness for your sin1 and exalt [Allāh] with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning.
1 translator’s note
- What is intended is "fault" or "error" in judgement, since all prophets were protected by Allāh from falling into sin. The implication is that all believers should seek forgiveness for their sins. ↩
40:56
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُجَٰدِلُونَ فِيٓ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ سُلۡطَٰنٍ أَتَىٰهُمۡ إِن فِي صُدُورِهِمۡ إِلَّا كِبۡرٞ مَّا هُم بِبَٰلِغِيهِۚ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡبَصِيرُ ٥٦
Indeed, those who dispute concerning the signs of Allāh without [any] evidence having come to them - there is not within their breasts except pride, [the extent of] which they cannot reach. So seek refuge in Allāh. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Seeing.
40:57
لَخَلۡقُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَكۡبَرُ مِنۡ خَلۡقِ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٥٧
The creation of the heavens and earth is greater than the creation of mankind, but most of the people do not know.
40:58
وَمَا يَسۡتَوِي ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ وَٱلۡبَصِيرُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَلَا ٱلۡمُسِيٓءُۚ قَلِيلٗا مَّا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ ٥٨
And not equal are the blind and the seeing, nor are those who believe and do righteous deeds and the evildoer. Little do you remember.