Ash-Shuraa 42:43
The Consultation · Juz 25 · Page 487
وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمِنۡ عَزۡمِ ٱلۡأُمُورِ ٤٣
And whoever is patient and forgives - indeed, that is of the matters [worthy] of resolve.1
1 translator’s note
- On the part of those seeking the reward of Allāh. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 42:40–43
When a man attains Faith in the real sense, this brings about a revolution in him and a new personality emerges. The qualities of a servant of God described here are the same that develop in a man as a result of the emergence of the aforesaid Faith-oriented personality. Such a man’s nature develops to the point where he is ready to give due recognition to the reality. He fully realises the godliness of God and his being the subject of God and, under the impact of this realisation, bows down before Him. When God calls him, it becomes impossible for him not to respond positively. The consciousness springing out of Faith makes him sensitive to right and wrong. He does whatever is required to be done and abstains from doing whatever should not be done. The realisation of his real position develops in him modesty and humility, which take away the anger, the propensity to transgress and the arrogance from his temperament. This humility enables him to benefit from others’ advice in collective matters and requires him to desist from taking steps simply on the basis of his personal opinion. His relationship with others is that of well-wishing and not that of obduracy and exploitation. One so inclined is never aggressive towards others. Whenever he takes steps against others, he does so in self-defence and only to the extent necessary to stop the oppression. Even when faced with extreme provocation, he is ready to forgive people and forget the wrong they have done him. A believer does all this under the influence of his strong Faith. And God acknowledges his virtue by confering upon him the titles of ‘Courageous’ and ‘Firm in Determination’ and admits him to the Garden of unending bounties.
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42:32
وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِ ٱلۡجَوَارِ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ كَٱلۡأَعۡلَٰمِ ٣٢
And of His signs are the ships in the sea, like mountains.
42:33
إِن يَشَأۡ يُسۡكِنِ ٱلرِّيحَ فَيَظۡلَلۡنَ رَوَاكِدَ عَلَىٰ ظَهۡرِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٖ شَكُورٍ ٣٣
If He willed, He could still the wind, and they would remain motionless on its surface. Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful.
42:34
أَوۡ يُوبِقۡهُنَّ بِمَا كَسَبُواْ وَيَعۡفُ عَن كَثِيرٖ ٣٤
Or He could destroy them1 for what they earned; but He pardons much.
1 translator’s note
- Meaning that Allāh could sink the ships by means of violent winds. ↩
42:35
وَيَعۡلَمَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُجَٰدِلُونَ فِيٓ ءَايَٰتِنَا مَا لَهُم مِّن مَّحِيصٖ ٣٥
And [that is so] those who dispute concerning Our signs may know that for them there is no place of escape.
42:36
فَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّن شَيۡءٖ فَمَتَٰعُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۚ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَيۡرٞ وَأَبۡقَىٰ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ٣٦
So whatever thing you have been given - it is but [for] enjoyment of the worldly life. But what is with Allāh is better and more lasting for those who have believed and upon their Lord rely
42:37
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَجۡتَنِبُونَ كَبَٰٓئِرَ ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡفَوَٰحِشَ وَإِذَا مَا غَضِبُواْ هُمۡ يَغۡفِرُونَ ٣٧
And those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, and when they are angry, they forgive,
42:38
وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتَجَابُواْ لِرَبِّهِمۡ وَأَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَمۡرُهُمۡ شُورَىٰ بَيۡنَهُمۡ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ ٣٨
And those who have responded to their Lord and established prayer and whose affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves, and from what We have provided them, they spend,
42:39
وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَابَهُمُ ٱلۡبَغۡيُ هُمۡ يَنتَصِرُونَ ٣٩
And those who, when tyranny strikes them, they retaliate [in a just manner].1
1 translator’s note
- Restoring their rights and not allowing aggressors to take advantage of them out of weakness. ↩
42:40
وَجَزَٰٓؤُاْ سَيِّئَةٖ سَيِّئَةٞ مِّثۡلُهَاۖ فَمَنۡ عَفَا وَأَصۡلَحَ فَأَجۡرُهُۥ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٤٠
And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation - his reward is [due] from Allāh. Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers.
42:41
وَلَمَنِ ٱنتَصَرَ بَعۡدَ ظُلۡمِهِۦ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ مَا عَلَيۡهِم مِّن سَبِيلٍ ٤١
And whoever retaliates after having been wronged - those have not upon them any cause [for blame].
42:42
إِنَّمَا ٱلسَّبِيلُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَظۡلِمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ وَيَبۡغُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بِغَيۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ ٤٢
The cause is only against the ones who wrong the people and tyrannize upon the earth without right. Those will have a painful punishment.
42:43
وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمِنۡ عَزۡمِ ٱلۡأُمُورِ ٤٣
And whoever is patient and forgives - indeed, that is of the matters [worthy] of resolve.1
1 translator’s note
- On the part of those seeking the reward of Allāh. ↩
42:44
وَمَن يُضۡلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن وَلِيّٖ مِّنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦۗ وَتَرَى ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ لَمَّا رَأَوُاْ ٱلۡعَذَابَ يَقُولُونَ هَلۡ إِلَىٰ مَرَدّٖ مِّن سَبِيلٖ ٤٤
And he whom Allāh sends astray - for him there is no protector beyond Him. And you will see the wrongdoers, when they see the punishment, saying, "Is there for return [to the former world] any way?"