• The sufferings of the disbelievers and their regret

• God alone should be called upon though the disbelievers may not like it

• The Day of Judgment shall be the Day wholly of God

• The disbelievers shall not have any intercessors to deliver them from the chastisement

Al-Ghafir (Al-Mu’min) Verses 10 – 20

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُنَادَوْنَ لَمَقْتُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ مَقْتِكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِذْ تُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ فَتَكْفُرُونَ

Verily, those who disbelieve, unto them shall a voice cry: “Certainly, God’s hatred (of you) is greater than your hatred of yourselves when ye were called upon unto the faith and ye did disbelieve!” (40:10)

قَالُوا رَبَّنَا أَمَتَّنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ وَأَحْيَيْتَنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ فَاعْتَرَفْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا فَهَلْ إِلَىٰ خُرُوجٍ مِنْ سَبِيلٍ

They shall say: “O’ our Lord! Twice didst thou cause us to die, and twice didst Thou give us life, and (now) we do confess our sins: Is there then a way to get out (of this)?” (40:11)

ذَٰلِكُمْ بِأَنَّهُ إِذَا دُعِيَ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ كَفَرْتُمْ وَإِنْ يُشْرَكْ بِهِ تُؤْمِنُوا فَالْحُكْمُ لِلَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْكَبِيرِ

This (hath befallen you) for when God alone was called1upon, ye did disbelieve, and when associates were assigned unto Him, ye believed; And (all) authority2is God’s, the Highest, the Greatest.” (40:12)

هُوَ الَّذِي يُرِيكُمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُنَزِّلُ لَكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ رِزْقًا وَمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ إِلَّا مَنْ يُنِيبُ

He it is Who showeth you His signs and sendeth down for you from the heaven - sustenance; but payeth not heed save he who turneth (unto Him). (40:13)

فَادْعُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

So call ye upon God, devoting religion exclusively unto Him, though averse3be the dis believers. (40:14)

رَفِيعُ الدَّرَجَاتِ ذُو الْعَرْشِ يُلْقِي الرُّوحَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلَىٰ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ لِيُنْذِرَ يَوْمَ التَّلَاقِ

The Exalter of the ranks, the Lord of ‘Arsh’4(the Supreme Authority); Causeth5forth He the spirit at His own behest on whomsoever He willeth of His servants, that he6may warn (men) of the day of meeting, (40:15)

يَوْمَ هُمْ بَارِزُونَ لَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْهُمْ شَيْءٌ لِمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ لِلَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ

(Of) the Day when they shall come forth (from their graves), when naught about them shall be hidden from God. (A voice shall ask): “Whose is the kingdom this day? (It is) God’s, the One, the Subduer (absolute)!” (40:16)

الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ لَا ظُلْمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ

This day shall every soul be recompensed for what it hath earned; No injustice (shall be done on the Day); Verily God is quick in reckoning. (40:17)

وَأَنْذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْآزِفَةِ إِذِ الْقُلُوبُ لَدَى الْحَنَاجِرِ كَاظِمِينَ مَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ يُطَاعُ

And (thou) warn them, then, of the approaching Day, when (men’s) hearts shall rise7up to their throats choking; For the unjust8there shall not be any sincere friend nor an intercessor who shall prevail. (40:18)

يَعْلَمُ خَائِنَةَ الْأَعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِي الصُّدُورُ

He knoweth the deceit9of the eye, and what the breasts conceal. (40:19)

وَاللَّهُ يَقْضِي بِالْحَقِّ وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ لَا يَقْضُونَ بِشَيْءٍ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

And God judgeth with truth; and those whom they call upon besides Him can judge not any thing; Verily God is the All-Hearing,10the All-Seeing.11(40:20)

Commentary

Verse 10

Hatred of yourselves means the hatred of one another or it refers to the psychological state when one realises his failure due to his misdeeds, when he feels a sort of hatred towards himself. Such a case in this life sometimes causes suicide. This kind of hatred may refer to what the individual would feel at his disappointment in the life hereafter. The closing adverbial clause, refers to the time of hatred, then it supports the first interpretation - and if it refers to the clause preceding the hatred, then the second interpretation is correct. (A.P.).

Verse 11

The ‘First death’ refers to the nothingness or the state of non-existence from which man was first brought into existence12 and the ‘Second death’ is the cessation of the life in this world. The ‘First life’ is the life in this world and the ‘Second life’. The Resurrection after death.

Verse 15

Here and in verse 42:52 - means the divine light proceeding from God’s command, (i.e., attention) cast on the heart of the servant whom He wills. (A.P.).

Verse 16

This is true of all creatures on the Total Resurrection and it is also true about the individuals who have reached the state of direct communion with God before the Total Resurrection viz. the apostles. (A.P.).

Verse 17

‘Swift in taking account’ - Once a man asked the First Holy Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib as to how God would take account of all men at one and the same time. The Holy Imam replied, “As He provides all men and also every other living being with their sustenance at one and the same time.”

Verse 19

‘Deceiving with the eye’ God’s All-Comprehending and All-Pervading knowledge penetrates through all hidden mysteries. God knows even the movement of the eye which could see things stealthily which it should not see.

• 1. To submit to God’s Absolute Sovereignty and Authority.
• 2. Today His absolute authority is manifested.
• 3. Refer to verse 9:33.
• 4. Refer to verse 58:11.
• 5. Refer to verse 42:52.
• 6. i.e., His Servant i.e., the Apostle.
• 7. A figurative expression of utmost fear. (A.P.).
• 8. i.e., Those not unjust will have friends and intercessors.
• 9. Treacherous look.
• 10. The Hearer.
• 11. The Seer.
• 12. See verse 2:28.