40. Surah Ghafer | سورة غافر

03/19/24 • 27 min

Quran Recitation - Hashem Nabil | تلاوة القرآن - هاشم نبيل

It is generally accepted that this chapter was revealed directly after chapter thirty-nine. Thus, it was revealed in Mecca and is one of the chapters that examine the fundamentals of faith. It reminds us of God’s signs and favors and gives glimpses from the story of Moses and Pharaoh with life-changing lessons for us. It also provides reassurance to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.

Verses 1 – 23 Signs and revelations

This chapter begins with the Arabic letters Ha and Mim. The placement of Arabic letters at the beginning of a chapter is a narrative device used in this and 28 other chapters of the Quran. The reason and the meaning for this is the subject of much scholarly debate, however, the answer is known only to God.

This Book is sent down by God, the Almighty, the Forgiver of sins, the Accepter of repentance, and the One Who Bestows blessings. None has the right to be worshipped but Him. Only the disbelievers dispute His revelation, so do not be deceived by their prosperity and luxurious life. In the past, the people of Noah and other communities tried to destroy their messengers and refute the message. But it was God Who destroyed them with a terrible punishment, condemning them to the Fire.

The angels who carry and surround the Throne celebrate the praise of their Lord and ask for forgiveness for the believers, and that they be admitted to Paradise and kept safe from the Fire.

God shows His signs such as sending water down to sustain life, yet no one learns a lesson from this except those who turn to Him. So be sincere no matter how much the disbelievers dislike it. He is the Lord of the Throne and sends revelations to whomever He wills. On the Day of Judgement each soul will account for their actions and no injustice will be done.

Have they not traveled and seen what happened to those who were mightier in strength and numbers? God destroyed them and they had no one to defend them because they repeatedly rejected their messengers.

Verses 24 – 38 An excellent speech

Moses was sent to Pharaoh, Haman, and Korah with God’s authority but they called him a magician and a liar. They rejected the truth and ordered the sons of the believers to be killed. Finally, Pharaoh said he wanted to kill Moses himself. And Moses sought refuge with God. A believer among the relatives of Pharaoh advised him to think carefully about why he would kill a man who might be speaking the truth. Pharaoh knew Moses was right but lied and said he was only saying what he believed to be right and that he was guiding to the right way. The believing advisor warned his people against how previous disbelieving nations were destroyed. He reminded them about Joseph who came with clear signs, but their doubt remained. Rejecting the truth with clear signs is a despicable attitude, and God seals the heart of the arrogant ones. Pharaoh persisted in his rejection and defiance, and his schemes led only to destruction.

The believing advisor urged people to follow the right way. He said that this life was only temporary while the home in the Hereafter was permanent. He invited them to Paradise while they invited him to the Fire. God saved him from their terrible plots, and the people of Pharaoh were taken over by a terrible scourge.

Verses 46 – 60 God’s promise is true

On the Day of Judgement, the people of Pharaoh will enter the severest part of the Fire. They will argue with each other about who led who to destruction and beg for relief. They will be reminded about their messengers and told their pleas would be in vain. God supports the messengers and the believers.

Certainly the creation of the heavens and the earth is a much greater creation than the creation of humankind. Yet most people do not understand. Those who can see and those who cannot are not the same. Good and wicked deeds are not the same and the Hour will come!

Verses 61 – 85 God’s creation

God made the night for rest and the day bright to make our day to day activities easy. He is the Creator of all things; none has the right to be worshipped except Him. Why then are you deluded? The earth is a settlement place and the sky a canopy. God molded your form and perfected it, then provided you with good things. He is One and there is no deity but Him, so call on Him and be sincere to Him. O Prophet, tell your followers that you have been forbidden to worship what they worship and you have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds.

God created you from dust (referring to Adam), then from a sperm-drop, then developed you into a clinging clot, then you are born from the womb of your mother, and He allows you to grow to your full strength and maturity before you reach old age and the appointed term of your life, although some of you may die sooner. God gives life and death. He only says ‘Be’ and it is.

Those who...

Verses 1 – 23 Signs and revelations

The angels who carry and surround the Throne celebrate the praise of their Lord and ask for forgiveness for the believers, and that they be admitted to Paradise and kept safe from the Fire.

Verses 24 – 38 An excellent speech

Verses 46 – 60 God’s promise is true

Verses 61 – 85 God’s creation

Those who...

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39. Surah al-Zomar | سورة الزمر

This chapter of seventy-five verses was revealed in Mecca. Its title comes from the word zumar mentioned in verses seventy-one and seventy-three. The majority of chapters revealed in the Meccan period dealt with the fundamentals of faith and this one is no exception. This chapter contrasts the believers with those who ascribe partners with God. People are free to choose, we are told, however choosing the right path before it is too late is urgently recommended.

Verses 1 – 20 Refuting polytheism

This revelation (the Quran) is from God, sent down to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. The religion acceptable to God is that none be associated with Him in both worship and obedience. Those who justify their actions saying we only worship others to make them closer to God will be judged by God and find that He does not guide those who lie and disbelieve.

If God intended to have offspring, He could have chosen anyone from the creation, but he is far too exalted for such a thing. He created the heavens and the earth for a purpose; the night and the day wrap over one another and the sun and the moon run in their orbits for a specified time. He created humankind from a single person (Adam) and from him He made his wife (Eve). God created livestock in pairs and creates people in their mother’s wombs one after the other in threefold darkness (the stomach, the uterus, and the amniotic membrane). God has control; there is no deity but Him. How could you turn away?

God does not need the disbelievers, and He does not like ingratitude. He likes to see gratitude, and no soul will ever bear another’s burden. When returned to God He will tell us the truth about what we did in this life. When adversity touches humankind, they call upon their Lord, but when He bestows blessings, they turn away and forget Him. Is the person who prays in the night and fears the Hereafter like the person who does not? Are those who know equal to those who do not know? Those who do good will have a good reward. Say I am commanded to worship God and obey none but Him and I fear a terrible Day.

The losers are those who lose themselves and their families on the Day of Judgement; they will be under layers of fire. Those who shun the worship of false gods are the people of understanding, and they will have dwellings built for them in gardens under which rivers flow. This is God’s promise.

Verses 21 – 35 Actions have consequences

God sends down rain, it brings forth vegetation which later withers and dies at His command. This is a reminder—every rise has a fall, therefore do not be charmed by this world and its glitter and forget God and the Hereafter. Some walk in the light, others have hearts that have hardened, and they have completely lost their way.

Is the one who is to be punished like the one who is secure? The wrongdoers will taste the chastisement they earned. Many in the past denied God, but the punishment came upon them suddenly, and the punishment in the Hereafter will be far worse. Everyone will die, and on the Day of Resurrection, many will dispute with one another in God’s presence. Who is more unjust than the person who lies about God? Hell is the abode of the disbelievers, and the righteous will have whatever they desire.

Verses 36 – 54 Make a choice

Is God not enough for His servant? The disbelievers threaten Prophet Muhammad with what they worship other than God. If God allows a person to stray none can guide him, but if He guides someone none can lead him astray. They say that God created the heavens and the earth, so ask them why do they invoke something other than God! Can they remove harm; can they give or withhold mercy!? Whoever follows the guidance of the Quran does so for his own benefit and whoever goes astray does so at his own peril.

When God is mentioned, the hearts of the disbelievers shrink with aversion, but if an idol is mentioned, they are happy. And God will judge between those who differ. Even if the wrongdoers have everything in this world, and more than that, they would certainly offer it to ransom themselves from the punishment on the Day of Judgement. God will then show them something they did not expect—their evil deeds plain to see and they will be overwhelmed.

When adversity touches a person, he calls on God, but when he receives a blessing, he attributes it to his own knowledge. It is a test, and people in the past were tested in the same way. Today’s wrongdoers will be hit in the same way the people of the past were hit by the evil effects of their deeds. One can always turn back to God—never despair of His mercy because He forgives all sins of those who repent and correct themselves.

Verses 55 – 75 Those driven in groups

Follow the Quran before the punishment comes, and you are regretful. Those who lied about God will be punished, whilst those who did well will be delivered t...

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41. Surah Fusilat | سورة فصلت

This is a fifty-four verse chapter revealed in Mecca and thus it examines the fundamentals of faith. The title ‘Explained in Detail’ refers to an Arabic term used to describe the Quran in verses three, and forty-four. The chapter presents some of God’s signs and warns against denying them. It also explains what happens to the unbelievers that refuse to acknowledge the truth and submit to God.

Verses 1 – 12 God creates the universe

Chapter forty-one begins with the letters ha, meem. They are two letters from among various combinations of fourteen letters that open twenty-nine chapters of the Quran. God did not reveal what meanings they may or may not have. Usually after these letters we learn something about the Quran itself. In this case, God says that this Quran is a revelation from Him in the Arabic language and it is a book in which the verses are explained in detail. It gives good news and a warning, but most people do not listen. They make up all sorts of excuses. God says, ‘Do whatever you want,’ and so will He.

Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, calls to the disbelievers telling them he is just a man. God revealed that He is One, so take the right path and beg for His forgiveness. Woe to those who associate anything with God, those who refuse to pay the obligatory charity, and those who refuse to believe in the Hereafter. As for those who believe and do good deeds their reward is never-ending. Prophet Muhammad asks how they can deny the One who created the earth in two days. How could they set up rivals to Him? He is the Lord of all creation! He placed mountains on the earth and bestowed and measured out all His blessings in four days before He turned His attention to the heaven. In two days He made the heaven into seven heavens and each had its task.

Verses 13 – 25 Learn from the past

Those who turn away are warned about a blast like that which struck the communities of Ad and Thamud. When Ad was warned they didn’t listen, behaved arrogantly, and denied their messenger. They were given a humiliating punishment. The people of Thamud were offered guidance, but they too preferred to remain blind. A thunderbolt struck them, and God saved the believers.

On the Day when God’s enemies will be gathered and led to the Hellfire, their ears, eyes, and skins will testify. They will ask their skin, ‘Why did you testify against us?’ And it will reply that God gave them the faculty of speech. You didn’t bother to hide what you were doing from your eyes, ears, and skin, thinking they would never testify against you, but nothing is hidden from God. What you thought led you to ruin and you became losers. The Fire will be their home, and they cannot make amends.

God is fully aware of their corrupt hearts, so He allows evil companions to befriend them and convince them that what they are doing is fair and good. They are lost.

Verses 26 – 44 Consider your options

And the disbelievers say, ‘Don’t listen to the Quran and be disruptive when it is recited.’ For denying God’s revelations they will be punished with Hell. The disbelievers there will ask to be shown those who misled them so that they can trample them underfoot. As for those who say Our Lord is God, and follow the straight path, the angels will descend upon them and say, ‘Have no fear, rejoice in the good news of Paradise. We are your friends in this world and in the world to come where you can have anything your heart desires as a welcome gift from your Lord.’

Who speaks better than someone who calls people to God, does what is right and declares his devotion to God? Good deeds are not equal to evil ones. Repel the bad deeds of others with your good deeds; the person who was your enemy will become your close friend. But only those who endure patiently and are fortunate will attain this quality. If you are tempted by Satan seek refuge in God.

The night, the day, the sun, the moon, are just a few of God’s signs. Do not bow down to them but rather bow down to God, the One who created them, if you are truly His worshippers. If the disbelievers are too arrogant, remember O Prophet Muhammad that the angels who are with God glorify Him tirelessly—He is in no need of creation. And among God’s signs is the barren land. When God sends down rain, it stirs itself into life. He who gives the land life is surely capable of raising the dead back to life on the Day of Resurrection.

Those who distort God’s message are not hidden from Him. Consider who is better, the one who is hurled into the Fire or the one who goes through the Day of Resurrection safely? Do whatever you want because God sees everything you do. The Quran is unassailable, falsehood cannot touch it; it is a revelation sent down from the One worthy of praise. If the Quran was revealed in a foreign language, they would have said why was it not revealed in Arabic? The Quran is a g...