Chapter 40 - 55
The Forgiver (Surah Al-Ghafir)
(85 verses in total; revealed in Makkah, Middle Period)
This chapter emphasizes God’s ever forgiving disposition to people, provided they listen to the message, accept faith and pursue goodness before the Day of Judgment arrives.
The key themes in this chapter are as follows:
· Those who argue about God’s messages are in fact show their doubts about God
· Those who are in God’s presence (such as angels) sees the reality firsthand and pleads for human beings in front of God
· God has placed evidence of His presence in nature and feeds all beings which should garner faith and gratefulness in God
· Every soul will be compensated and judged based on its own conduct and belief
· All of nature and its rhythm – heavens, the earth, the day, the night, the provisions, our own human creation and cycle of life – are gifts from God that call for submission, alignment and being true to the natural order and purpose of creation
In the name of God, the God of Mercy, the Endower of Mercy!
Ha Mim!
A scripture – revealed from God – the Mighty, the Knowing, The Forgiver of sins, The Acceptor of repentance, The Stern in retribution, The Infinite in blessings – there is no god but God! To God is the ultimate going back! (v. 1-3)
None argue about the messages from God except those who doubt. Don’t be fooled by their free movement in the land. (v. 4)
Before these people, the people of Noah and their future generations denied – every community attempted to destroy its messenger by falsehood and to dislodge the truth. Then I took them under My grip and see the effect of My retribution! This is how the word of your God was realized against those who denied, and they were made to become the residents of the Fire! (v. 5-6)
Those who shoulder The Throne of God (arsh) and those who surround it – all glorify the praise of God and believe. They seek for the believer’s forgiveness and protection - “Our Sustainer, You embrace all in Your Mercy and Knowledge! Extend protection to those who turn towards You and follow Your guidance. Save them from the torment of the abyss (hell)! Make them enter the Garden of Perpetuity – they and their parents (and ancestors), their spouses, and their offspring such as those who are good. You are indeed the Mighty, the Wise! Protect them from evil! Whoever you protect from evils, are indeed blessed with Your Mercy – a worthy achievement!” (v. 7-9)
The deniers will be told, “God’s displeasure, when you were called to faith and you rejected, was greater than your own self-hatred.” Now you plead, “Twice You had caused us to be dead, and twice You have given us life – therefore, we confess our sins. Is there a way out?” But when you were invited previously to believe in God alone, you rejected but when partners were assigned to God, you accepted. Therefore, judgement (now) belongs to God alone – the High, the Great! (v. 10-12)
It is God who shows you signs and evidence, and sends down provisions from heaven, but no one is truly mindful excepts those who turn to God. Call on God, being genuine in your submission, even though the disbelievers may dislike – God who elevates and lights up the spirit of whom God pleases of the servants towards the glory of God such that he may warn people of the Day of Separation1 – the day when they will come forth and nothing of them stays secret from God! Who controls the kingdom today? – it is God, the One, Who overpowers all! (v. 13-16)
This day every soul is compensated according to what it had earned – no injustice can occur on this day – ensured by God Who is diligent in taking accounts. Therefore, warn them of the day – the day when the heart grieves, (soul) rising to the throat as it readies to depart – for the deniers, there will be no friend left, nor even an intervener to be heard. God knows the dishonesty of the eyes and the secrets (disobedience) of the hearts! God renders judgement, while those they call on besides God, can judge nothing. God hears and God sees! (v. 17-20)
Have they not travelled around to see the remnant of those who went before them? They were more powerful and had more fortifications on the land than these people; yet God destroyed them for their sins, and they had no one to protect them from God. Such a consequence was because of their continued disbelief in their messengers who were sent to them repeatedly – God destroyed them; God is powerful and firm in retribution! (v. 21-22)
We sent Moses to Pharaoh, Haman and Korah with Our messages and directives but they said, “You are a lying enchanter!” As he pronounced the truth from God to them, they said, “Kill the sons of those who believe with him and keep their women alive.” Yet, the scheming of those who disbelieve is bound to fall apart! (v. 23-25)
Pharaoh said, “Leave me in charge to kill Moses and let him call on his God. I fear that he will change our religion or that he will disturb the order in the land.” Moses replied, “I seek refuge in my God and your God from every arrogant being who deny the Day of Accountability.” (v. 26-27)
A man from the family of Pharaoh who was faithful but kept this faith secret spoke out, “Will you kill a man because he says, ‘My Sustainer is the One God, and he had conveyed sound and clear arguments from your God? If he is a liar, then his lie will be on him but if he speaks the truth, then whatever he warns you about will descend on you – God does not guide one who is wasteful of his life and a liar! My people, yours is the rule today, being the master of this land, but who will protect us when the judgement of God comes upon us?”
Pharaoh replied, “I guide you to what I understand, and I guide you aright!” The man replied, “My people, I fear the consequences of other fallen tribes – the tribes of Noah, Ad, Thamud and those after them. God indeed wishes no injustice to His creation! O my people, I fear for you for the Day of Calling (yau’mat-tanadh) when you will want to run away, having no savior other than God. Whoever God leaves in error will find no guide. Joseph came to you with guidance, but you doubted what he brought and then when he died, you said, ‘God will never send another messenger after him.’ This is how God let the doubters and arrogant to remain on their errand ways – those who dispute about the message of God without any reliable authority and evidence. Such stance displeases God and those who are faithful! This is how God seals the hearts of the arrogant and the tyrants! (v. 28-35)
Pharaoh said, “Haman, build me a tower that I can have access – access to the heavens and reach the God of Moses. I consider him a liar.” This is how he considered his actions to be reasonable and he did turn aside from guidance. Yet, the plot of Pharaoh brought him nothing but ruins! (v. 36-37)
The believer (from Pharaoh’s family) said, “My people, follow me and I will show you the right way. The life of this world is anything but a passing enjoyment whereas the Hereafter is where you should find proper resettlement. Whoever does evil, will meet its consequences in proper measure and whoever does good, be a male or a female, and is a believer will enter Paradise with provisions beyond measure. My people, how is it that I call you to salvation and you call me towards the Fire? You invite me to deny God and to seek partners that I am unaware of, while I call you to God Almighty, the Forgiver! Whatever you bid me to call upon has no entitlement to be called upon in this world or in the Hereafter, while our eventual return is to God. It is the rebellious who will end up in the Fire! Therefore, remember what I say to you while I put myself to the care of God. God keeps an eye on the believers!” God protected him from the evils of what was planned against him, whereas the results of their evil actions overtook Pharoah’s people. (v. 38-45)
The Fire – they are brought to face it each morning and evening. When the Day of the Hour will arrive, (it will be said), “Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest chastisement.” They will then contend with one another in the Fire – the weaker among them will say to the powerful, “We did indeed follow you before – can you now remove the fire from us?” Those who were powerful and proud will say, “Now, we are in it all together. God had indeed judged among the creations! (v. 46-48)
Those in the fire will then approach the guards of hell, “Will you pray to your God to lighten our chastisement for a day?” The guards (Angels) will reply, “Did your messengers not come to you with guidance? They will say, “Yes!”; then the guards will say, “Now pray for yourself. The prayers of the deniers are fruitless!” (v. 49-50)
We (God) certainly help Our messengers and the believers in this worldly life and on the day when witnesses will arise – the day when guilty will not be benefitted by the excuses, a curse will be on them, and they will find an evil place to reside. (v. 51-52)
We did give guidance to Moses and let the Children of Israel inherit the Book – a book of guidance and a reminder for people who wish to understand. So be patient – surely the promise of God is true; ask for God’s protection against your sins and glorify God at the beginning and the end of the day. Those who dispute about God’s guidance without any authoritative evidence that came to them, there is no other motive in their hearts except to seek vanity and greatness which they will never achieve. Therefore, seek refuge in God – God of All Hearing, All Seeing! (v. 53-56)
The creation of the heavens and earth is of greater import than the creation of humankind – yet, most people seem to be unaware! The blind and the seeing are not the same – neither are those who
believe and do good vs. the evil doers. You are hardly mindful of such distinctions! The Hour is coming – there is no doubt in it – yet most people deny! (v. 57-59)
You Sustainer God encourages you, “Pray to Me, I will answer you. Those who are too proud to serve Me will enter hell and will be humiliated! It is God Who had made the night for resting and the day for going about2. God is full of grace for humankind, but most people are not thankful! This is your God Who made all things – there is no god but God – where does your delusion and perversion come from? Only those who deny God’s messages are in turn delusional and perverted! It is God Who had made the earth for dwelling and the sky a protective shield, and shaped you perfecting your form, and given you provisions of good things – this your God, your Sustainer – so blessed be God, the Cherisher of the universe! Your God is Living – there is no god but God! Therefore, turn to God with sincere submission – all praises be to God, the Cherisher of the universe! (v. 60-65)
Say (Prophet), “Since clear arguments have come to me from my Sustainer, I am forbidden to serve any god you assign as partners to the true God. I am commanded to submit to the Cherisher of the universe!” (v. 66)
God created you first from this earth and then reproduces you from sperm and egg, then attaches you securely and finally brings you out as a child that you can attain maturity and then grow old; some of you die before others to fulfil a term appointed for each so that you may understand and acknowledge. It is God Who gives life and causes death; when God executes an affair, God only says to it, “Be” and it becomes! (v. 67-68)
Do you see those who dispute about the messages from God – how delusional are they? They reject the book and all (arguments and reasoning) that We send with the prophets – yet they will soon come to realize, when with chains around their necks they will be dragged into boiling waters and towards the fire to burn. There they will be questioned, “Where are those that you used to worship besides God?” and they will respond, “They have failed us, or perhaps we never worshipped any such things before.” This is how God confounds the disbelievers, because they behaved arrogantly and unjustly on the earth and without any accountability. “Enter the gates of Hell to live therein; evil is the place of residence for the arrogant!” (v. 69-76)
Therefore, be patient! God’s promise is true! Whether we allow you (Prophet) to see the consequences that We threaten them with or We cause you to die beforehand, they will be brought back to Us! We did send messengers before you – some of whom We had related to you, while others we did not relate to you. It is also not possible for a prophet to bring signs except with God’s permission. Judgement will be rendered with truth when God’s command is executed. Those who considered the message a lie will indeed suffer losses! (v. 77-78)
God made the cattle for you that you may ride and eat their meat. There are other benefits for you in them and aspirations that you satisfy through them. You are transported by them and on ships – God shows you evidence – which of God’s evidence will you continue to deny? Why not travel the land and see the consequences suffered by the earlier generations? They were larger in numbers, greater in prowess and more secure in fortifications but all their possessions were of no use. Their prophet came to them with sound reasoning, but they took pride in their knowledge; eventually the message they made fun of overtook them. (v. 79-83)
When they saw the impending consequences from Us, they said, “We believe in God alone! We deny ever associating anything with God!” But their new-found faith could not benefit them, when they are faced with the consequences – such is God’s law, which always prevails in human affairs. The deniers are but lost! (v. 84-85)
