40:1  Ha, Mim. (Only Allah and the Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] know the real meaning.

40:2  The revelation of this Book is from Allah, the Almighty, All-Knowing

40:3  The Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance, the Severe in tormenting, the Lord of bounty; there is no God but He; towards Him (all) are to return

40:4  No one disputes about the Revelations of Allah except those who do not believe. So let not their moving about (freely) in the cities delude you

40:5  Before them the people of Nuh (Noah) and after them many (other) communities rejected (their Messengers). And every people intended to seize its Messenger (to assassinate or imprison him), and raised dispute through baseless issues to dilute (the influence of) the truth by means of that (dispute). So I seized them (in torment). So how was (My) torment

40:6  That is how the judgment of your Lord was fulfilled against those who disbelieved. Surely, they are the inmates of Hell

40:7  The angels who are bearing the Throne and those who are around it, (all) glorify their Lord with His praise and believe in Him and pray for forgiveness of the believers (and submit): ‘O our Lord, You encompass everything in (Your) mercy and knowledge. So forgive those who turn to You in repentance and follow Your path and protect them from the torment of Hell

40:8  O our Lord! And admit them to the Gardens of Eden (for eternal living) You have promised them. And (also admit with them) the pious ones of their fathers and their wives and their children. Surely, You are Almighty, Most Wise

40:9  And save them from (the punishment of) sins. And the one You have saved from (the punishment of) sins that Day, You have indeed shown him great mercy. And that is great success indeed.

40:10  Surely, the disbelievers will be called out and addressed: ‘(Today) Allah’s displeasure with you is greater than your own disgust for yourselves whilst you used to deny when called to believe.

40:11  They will say: ‘O our Lord, You have caused us to die twice and You have (also) given us life twice. (Now) we confess our sins. So is there any way out (to escape from this chastisement)?

40:12  (It will be said to them: ‘No,) this (eternal punishment) is because, when Allah alone was called upon, you used to deny, but when (something) was associated with Him, you used to believe. So (now) the command is Allah’s alone, Who is Most High, Supreme.

40:13  He is the One Who shows you His signs and sends down sustenance for you from the heaven. And only he who remains inclined (to Allah alone) accepts advice

40:14  So worship Allah for His own sake in sincere obedience and true devotion, even though the disbelievers may despise it

40:15  The Exalter of Ranks and the Owner of the Mighty Throne, He sends His Spirit (i.e., Revelation) upon whomever of His servants He wills by His command, so that He warns them (people) of the Day of Assembly

40:16  The Day when they all will come forth (from the graves), and nothing of their (deeds) will remain hidden from Allah, (He will say:) ‘Whose is the Kingdom this Day?’ (It will be further added:) ‘It belongs to Allah, the One, the Most Dominant.

40:17  Today every soul will be rewarded for what it has earned. There will be no injustice Today. Surely, Allah is Swift in taking an account

40:18  And warn them of the Day of impending calamity when hearts will rise to throats due to the suppressed grief. The wrongdoers will have neither any kind friend nor any influential intercessor

40:19  He knows the treacherous eyes, and also those secrets which the breasts hide (inside them)

40:20  And Allah judges with truth, and the (idols) they worship other than Allah can judge nothing at all. Surely, Allah is the One Who is All-Hearing, All-Seeing

40:21  And have they not travelled in the land so that they could see what was the end of those who were before them? They were far mightier in power than these and (also) greater in their remains and signs (which they left behind) in the earth. Then Allah seized them for their sins, and there was none to protect them from (the torment of) Allah

40:22  That was because their Messengers brought them open signs but they denied. So Allah seized them (in the torment). Surely, He is All-Powerful, Most Severe in punishing

40:23  And indeed We sent Musa (Moses) with Our signs and a clear authority

40:24  Towards Pharaoh, Haman and Qarun (Korah) but they said: ‘He is a sorcerer, a great liar.

40:25  Then when he came to them with the message of truth from Us, they said: ‘Kill the sons of those who have believed with him but leave their women alive.’ And the treacherous plots of the disbelievers were nothing but ruination. (They massacred the generations of peaceful community.

40:26  And (blind to his own transgression, tyranny and brutality) Pharaoh said: ‘Leave me to kill Musa (Moses) and let him call his Lord. I fear he will change your religion or will spread violence in the country (Egypt).

40:27  And Musa (Moses) said: ‘I have taken refuge with my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant character who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning.

40:28  And a believing man amongst the people of Pharaoh who had kept his faith secret said, ‘Do you kill a man (just) because he says: Allah is my Lord? And he has brought you clear signs from your Lord. And (suppose) if he is a liar, then the burden of his lie will fall back on him alone, but if he is truthful, then as much torment is bound to seize you as he has promised you. Surely, Allah does not give guidance to someone who exceeds limits and is a downright liar

40:29  O my people! You are in power today; (it is you who) are ruling over the land (of Egypt). But who can save us from the torment of Allah if that (torment) comes upon us?’ Pharaoh said: ‘I instruct you only what I myself deem (correct), and I do not show you (any path) except the path of righteousness.

40:30  And he who had embraced faith said: ‘O my people, I fear (the torment of) an evil day coming upon you (too) like the day that seized (the former) generations

40:31  On the pattern of the punishment of the people of Nuh (Noah), ‘Ad and Thamud and the later communities. And Allah does not intend any injustice to (His) servants

40:32  And, O people, I fear for you a Day of Hue and Cry (i.e., the Day of Rising)

40:33  The Day when you will turn your backs and flee away, and there will be no one to save you from (the torment of) Allah, and for him whom Allah holds astray there is no guide or leader

40:34  And, (O people of Egypt,) no doubt Yusuf (Joseph) came to you with clear signs before this. And you always remained doubtful about those (signs) which he brought to you until, when he passed away, you started saying: ‘Now Allah will never send any Messenger after him.’ In like manner, Allah holds one astray who is a transgressor and a sceptic

40:35  Those who argue about the Revelations of Allah without any proof that has come to them, (their argumentation) is awfully displeasing in the sight of Allah and in the sight of believers. That is how Allah seals up the heart of every arrogant (and) tyrant.

40:36  And Pharaoh said: ‘O Haman, build me a towering palace so that (climbing it) I may reach the tracts

40:37  The tracts to the heavens; then I may peer and glance at the God of Musa (Moses); and I consider him but a liar.’ And in this way, the evil conduct of Pharaoh was made charming for him and he was hindered from the path (of Allah). And the treacherous plan of Pharaoh was nothing but a catastrophe

40:38  And the man who had believed said: ‘O my people, follow me, I will lead you to the path of guidance and piousness

40:39  O my people! The life of this world is nothing but (a few days’) gain, and the Hereafter is certainly a home to live in forever

40:40  He who commits evil will not be rewarded but with the same measure. And whoever behaves piously, whether male or female, and is a believer as well, it is they who will enter Paradise. There they will be given sustenance without measure

40:41  And, O my people, why is it that I call you to salvation and you call me to Hell

40:42  You invite me to deny Allah, and associate with Him that of which I have no knowledge, whilst I invite you to the Almighty God, Who is Most Forgiving

40:43  The truth is that what you are calling me to is not worth calling either in this world or in the Hereafter. And surely, our return is to Allah alone, and certainly those who transgress are the inmates of Hell

40:44  So you will soon recall (these words) that I am saying to you. And I consign my affair to Allah. Surely, Allah is Ever-Watchful of the servants.

40:45  Then Allah safeguarded him against their evils which they were planning. And an evil torment engulfed the people of Pharaoh

40:46  They are brought before the Fire of Hell morning and evening. And the Day when Resurrection occurs (a voice will command:) ‘Cast the people of Pharaoh into the most miserable chastisement.

40:47  And when they will fall out with one another in Hell, the weak will say to those who used to show arrogance (in the world): ‘We were your followers, so can you remove from us (even) a portion of the Fire of Hell?

40:48  Those who practised arrogance will say: ‘We all are doomed in the same Hell; surely, Allah has given His final judgment amongst the servants.

40:49  And those burning in the Fire will say to the keepers of Hell: ‘Pray to your Lord that He lessens our torment some day.

40:50  They will say: ‘Did your Messengers not come to you with clear signs?’ They will reply: ‘Yes, of course.’ (Then the keepers) will say: ‘So pray yourselves.’ But the disbelievers’ prayer will (always) be in vain

40:51  Surely, We help Our Messengers and those who believe both in the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will rise

40:52  The Day when the excuse of the wrongdoers will not benefit them. And there will be the curse on them, and for them will be the evil home (in Hell)

40:53  And verily We gave Musa ([Moses] the Book of) guidance, and (after him) We made the Children of Israel the inheritors of that (Book)

40:54  A guidance and a reminder for those who possess wisdom

40:55  So keep patience. Assuredly, the promise of Allah is true. And ask forgiveness for the sins of your Umma (Community),* and glorify your Lord with His praise in the evening and in the morning

40:56  Surely, those who argue about the Revelations of Allah without any authority having come to them, there is nothing in their breasts except vain superiority; they will never be able to attain to that (true superiority). So keep seeking refuge with Allah (from their evil). Surely, He alone is All-Hearing, All-Seeing

40:57  Surely, the creation of the heavens and the earth is far greater than the creation of mankind but most people do not know

40:58  And the blind and the seeing cannot be equal. So (in the same way) those who believe and do righteous works and the evildoers cannot be (alike). You accept direction and guidance but little

40:59  Surely, the Last Hour is bound to come. There is no doubt in that. Yet most people do not believe

40:60  And your Lord has said: ‘Always pray to Me; I shall certainly grant your prayer. Surely, those who turn away from My worship in defiance will soon enter Hell disgraced.

40:61  Allah is the One Who has made the night for you to repose in and brightened the day to see; surely, Allah is Bountiful to mankind but most people do not give thanks

40:62  That is Allah, your Lord, Who is the Creator of everything. There is no God apart from Him. So where are you wandering disorientated

40:63  Likewise, those who used to deny the Revelations of Allah were wandering distracted

40:64  Allah is the One Who made the earth a dwelling place for you and the heaven a ceiling and gave you form and features and then perfected your shapes and granted you sustenance of pure things. Such is Allah, your Lord. So Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all the worlds

40:65  He is the Ever-Living. There is no God but He. So worship Him, making obedience and devotion sincerely His. All praise belongs to Allah alone, the Lord of all the worlds

40:66  Say: ‘I have been forbidden to worship those idols that you worship apart from Allah, whereas manifest signs have come to me from my Lord, and I have been commanded to obey the Lord of all the worlds.

40:67  He is the One Who initiated (the genesis of) your (chemical life) from clay, then (your biological genesis) from a sperm drop (zygote), then from a hanging mass (in the mother’s womb). Then (eventually) He is the One Who brings you forth as an infant, then (nourishes you), so that you may reach your maturity. (Then He grants you a period of life) so that you may grow old. And some of you die early (before senility). And (the purpose of all this is) that you may complete your respective appointed terms and (also) that you may comprehend

40:68  He is the One Who gives life and causes death. Then when He decides upon a thing, He says to it only: ‘Be,’ so it becomes

40:69  Have you not seen those who argue about the Revelations of Allah? Where are they straying

40:70  Those who have rejected the Book (as well as) the signs with which We sent Our Messengers, they will know (their end) soon

40:71  When they have iron collars round their necks and chains, and they will be dragged away

40:72  Into the boiling water and then will be thrown into the Fire as fuel

40:73  Then it will be said to them: ‘Where are those (idols) which you used to set up as partners

40:74  Apart from Allah?’ They will say: ‘They have been lost from us. In fact, we never worshipped anything before.’ That is how Allah holds the disbelievers astray

40:75  This (punishment) is the requital of your undue rejoicing in the earth and the recompense of your gloating

40:76  Enter the gates of Hell. You will live in it forever. So how evil is the abode of the arrogant

40:77  So keep patience. Surely, Allah’s promise is true. Then whether We show you a portion of that (torment) which We have promised them, or make you depart from the visible life before that, (in both cases) they will be returned to Us

40:78  And no doubt We sent many Messengers before you. We have given you an account of some of them whilst We have not (yet) narrated to you the annals of some others. And it was not possible for any Messenger to bring any sign without Allah’s leave. Then when the command of Allah came (and) the judgment was given with truth and justice, the exponents of evil went into loss

40:79  Allah is the One Who has created cattle for you so that you may ride some of them and some of them you eat

40:80  And in them are for you other benefits too. So you may ride them (further) to reach that desired (place) which is (determined) in your hearts, and (that) you are borne on them and the boats

40:81  And He shows you (many of) His signs. So which of Allah’s signs will you deny

40:82  So have they not travelled in the earth that they could see how they who passed before them met their fate? They were far greater (in number) than these people and mightier in power and (much more advanced) in respect of the remains and traces (as well) that (they) have left behind in the earth (as archeological sites). But whatever they used to earn brought them no benefit

40:83  So when their Messengers came to them with manifest signs, they kept rejoicing in the pride of (the worldly) knowledge and skill they possessed. And (in the same state) that torment which they used to mock engulfed them

40:84  But when they saw Our torment, they started saying: ‘We believe in Allah, the One, and reject (all) those we used to associate with Him as partners.

40:85  Then their acceptance of faith could not profit them at all whilst they had seen Our torment. That is Allah’s way which has always been in practice in respect of His servants, and the disbelievers always suffered heavy loss at this juncture