40:1  Ha. Meem.

40:2  The revelation of this Book is from Allah, the Victorious, the All-knowing.

40:3  He forgives sin, accepts repentance, is strict in punishment, and is bountiful. No god is there except Him. To Him is the final goal.

40:4  No one can dispute about the signs of Allah, except the unbelievers. Do not let their influence throughout the land deceive you.

40:5  Before them, the people of Noah and groups after them rejected [the message]. Every community plotted against its prophet to seize him and to dispute with deception to condemn the truth, but I [the Lord] seized them. How was My punishment?

40:6  Thus was the decree of your Lord proven true against the unbelievers. They are companions of the fire.

40:7  Those who carry the [divine] throne and those around it sing glory and praise to their Lord. [They] believe in Him and implore forgiveness for the believers: “Our Lord, You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge. Forgive, then, those who repent and follow Your path. Save them from the penalty of Hell.

40:8  “Our Lord, grant that they enter the gardens of eternity, which You have promised to them and to the righteous among their parents, spouses, and children. You are the Victorious, the Perfectly Wise.

40:9  “Save them from harm. For any whom You save from harm that day, You will have bestowed on them mercy indeed. That will truly be the highest achievement.”

40:10  Truly, the unbelievers will be addressed, “Greater was the aversion of Allah to you than your aversion to yourselves, seeing that you were called to the faith and you refused.”

40:11  They will say, “Our Lord, twice You have made us die, and twice You have given us life. We now recognize our sins. Is there any way out?”

40:12  This [punishment] is because, when Allah was invoked as the only One, you rejected faith, but when associates were joined with Him, you believed. The command is with Allah, the Highest, the Almighty.

40:13  It is He who shows you His signs and sends sustenance for you from the sky. Only those who accept warning will repent to Allah.

40:14  Call upon Allah with sincere devotion to Him even though the unbelievers hate it.

40:15  Raised high above ranks is the Owner of the Throne. By His command, He sends inspiration to any of His servants as He pleases to warn of the day of the meeting.

40:16  On that day, they will come forth. Nothing concerning them is hidden from Allah. Who will have dominion that day? Allah the One, the Prevailing Force!

40:17  That day every soul will be requited for what it earned. No injustice will be on that day. Allah is swift in taking account.

40:18  Warn them of the approaching day, when the hearts will be in their throats, choking. For the sinners, no intimate friend or intercessor will be heard.

40:19  (Allah) recognizes deception in the eyes and all that hearts conceal.

40:20  Allah will judge with truth, but those they invoke besides Him will not be able to judge at all. Truly, Allah is the All-hearing, the All-seeing.

40:21  Have they not traveled throughout the earth and seen what became of those before them? They were superior to them in strength and in their impact in the land. But Allah called them to account for their sins. They had no one to defend them against Allah.

40:22  That was because messengers came to them with evidence, but they rejected them, so Allah made them accountable. He is the Strongest, strict in punishment.

40:23  Certainly, We sent Moses with Our signs and an evident authority.

40:24  [We sent him] to Pharaoh, Haman, and Korah, but they exclaimed, “A sorcerer telling lies!”

40:25  When he came to them with truth from Us, they said [in confirmation of their earlier ruling], “Kill the sons of the believers with him and allow their females to live.” The plots of the unbelievers, however, equal nothing but failure.

40:26  Pharaoh said, “Leave it to me to kill Moses. Let him call upon his Lord. What I fear is that he would change your religion or he may cause corruption to appear in the land.”

40:27  Moses said, “I seek refuge with my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant person who does not believe in the day of accountability.”

40:28  A believing man from among the family of Pharaoh had concealed his faith. He said, “Will you kill a man because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah,’ when he had come to you with evidence from your Lord? If he is a liar, he is accountable for his lie. If he is telling the truth, then you will get something of that about which he warns you. Truly, Allah does not guide a sinner who lies.

40:29  O my people, on this day, you have the dominion. You have the authority in the land, but who will rescue us from the punishment of Allah if it comes to us?” Pharaoh said, “I point out to you only what I see, and I guide you only on the right path.”

40:30  The man who believed then said, “O my people, I truly fear for you something like the fate of the enemy forces.

40:31  “[It would be] like the fate of the people of Noah, the Ad, and the Thamud, and those who came after them. Allah never wants injustice for His servants.

40:32  O my people, I fear for you a day when there will be mutual distress.

40:33  [It would be] a day when you will turn your backs and run. You will have no defender against Allah. No guide is there for anyone Allah has left to stray.

40:34  “To you, Joseph came with clear signs in times gone by. But you did not cease to doubt the reason that he came. Finally, when he died, you said, ‘Allah will not send a messenger after him.’ Thus, Allah allowed to stray those that sin and live in doubt.

40:35  “They are those that argue about the signs of Allah, without any authority having reached them. They are horrible in the sight of Allah and the believers. Thus Allah seals every heart of arrogant rebels.”

40:36  Pharaoh said, “O Haman, build me a lofty tower so I may gain access.

40:37  “[I want] access to the skies so I may behold the God of Moses, although I think (Moses) is a liar.” Thus the evil of his deeds seemed pleasant in the eyes of Pharaoh. He was stopped from the path. Pharaoh’s plot led to nothing but damnation.

40:38  The person who believed said, “O my people, follow me. I will lead you to the right path.

40:39  “O my people, this present life is nothing but temporary enjoyment. It is the hereafter that is the home that will last.

40:40  “The one that works evil will not be repaid except with something like it. The one that works righteous deeds, whether male or female, and is a believer will enter Paradise. In it, (the believers) will have provisions without measure.

40:41  “O my people, how is it that I call you to salvation while you call me to the fire?

40:42  “You call upon me to deny Allah and to join with Him partners of whom I have no knowledge. I call you to the Victorious, the Redeemer.

40:43  “Without doubt, you call me to one unworthy of being called upon in this world or in the hereafter. Our return will be to Allah. The sinners will be companions of the fire.

40:44  “Soon you will remember what I am saying to you. I commit my affair to Allah. Allah watches over His servants.”

40:45  Allah saved him from the wrong that they plotted. Dreadful doom encircled the people of Pharaoh.

40:46  They will be brought in front of the fire morning and evening. On the day that judgment will be established: “Cast the people of Pharaoh into the worst punishment.”

40:47  They will argue with each other in the fire. The feeble-minded will say to the arrogant, “Indeed, we followed you [as our role models]. Can’t you relieve us of some of our fire?”

40:48  The arrogant will say, “Indeed, we are all in this together! Truly, Allah has judged among the servants.”

40:49  Those in the fire will say to the keepers of Hell, “Pray to your Lord to lighten the punishment for just one day.”

40:50  (The keepers of Hell) will say, “Did messengers not come to you with clear signs?” They will say, “Yes.” They will reply, “You may pray, but the unbelievers’ prayers are worthless.”

40:51  We will undoubtedly help Our messengers and other believers, both in this world’s life and in the day when the witnesses will approach.

40:52  On that day, excuses will be of no use to the wicked; they will have the curse and abode of wretchedness.

40:53  Certainly, We gave Moses the guidance [of the Torah], and We gave the Book as an inheritance for the Children of Israel.

40:54  It is a guide and a reminder for people of understanding.

40:55  Certainly be patient, for the promise of Allah is true. Ask forgiveness for your sin, and celebrate the praises of your Lord in the evening and in the morning.

40:56  Certainly, those who argue about the signs of Allah, without any authority bestowed on them, have nothing in their breasts except the self-grandeur they will never attain. Seek refuge then in Allah. He truly is the All-hearing, the All-seeing.

40:57  Surely the creation of the skies and Earth is greater than the creation of humanity, yet most people do not understand.

40:58  Not equal are the unseeing and the seeing or the believers who live righteously and those who live wickedly. You don’t heed much.

40:59  The hour [of dread] will certainly come. Do not doubt it, even though most people do not believe.

40:60  Your Lord says, “Call on Me; I will answer you. Truly, those too arrogant to serve Me, however, will find themselves mortified in Hell.”

40:61  Allah is who has made the night for you so you may rest in it. [He has made] the day to give visibility. Truly, Allah is full of grace to humanity, yet most people give no thanks.

40:62  Such is Allah your Lord, Creator of all things. No god is there except Him. How then are you deluded?

40:63  Those who are deluded reject the signs of Allah.

40:64  Allah is who has made the earth for you as a resting place. [He made] the sky as a canopy. [He] has given you shape and made your shapes beautiful. [He] has provided good things for you. Such is Allah your Lord! Glory to Allah, Lord of the Worlds!

40:65  He is the Eternal One. No god is there except Him. Call upon Him, giving Him sincere devotion. Praise to Allah, Lord of the Worlds!

40:66  Say, “I have been forbidden to invoke those whom you invoke besides Allah now that obvious signs have come to me from my Lord. I have been commanded to submit to the Lord of the Worlds.

40:67  “He is who has created you from dust, and then from a drop of sperm, and then from a leech-like clot. He then brings you out as a child. He allows you to reach your age of maturity. He then allows you to grow old although some of you die earlier. He allows you to attain an appointed term so you may gain understanding.

40:68  “He is who gives life and death. When He decides a situation, He says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is.”

40:69  Do you not see those that argue about the signs of Allah? How they are turned away!

40:70  Those who reject the Book and that with which We sent Our messengers will soon know.

40:71  [They will have] yokes around their necks. Chains will drag them…

40:72  …into boiling water. In the fire, they will burn.

40:73  To them, it will be said, “Where are your false idols now, which you adored…

40:74  “…instead of Allah?” They will answer, “They have forsaken us. No, we invoked nothing.” Thus, Allah leaves the unbelievers astray.

40:75  “That was because you rejoiced [concerning your sins] on the earth without honesty, and you were insolent.

40:76  Enter the gates of Hell to dwell therein. Wretched is the abode of the arrogant.

40:77  Be patient. Indeed, the promise of Allah is true. We may show you some part of what We promise them, or We may cause you to die. They shall return to Us.

40:78  We certainly sent messengers before you. We have told some of their stories to you, and We have not told you some other stories. No messenger could bring a sign except by the will of Allah. When the command of Allah was issued, the matter was decided in justice. Those who represented lies perished.

40:79  Allah made cattle for you so you may use some for riding and some for food.

40:80  Advantages exist in them for you so, through them, you may satisfy any need in your hearts. You are carried on them and on ships.

40:81  He shows you His signs. Which of the signs of Allah will you deny?

40:82  Do they not travel throughout the earth and see what happened to those before them? They were more numerous and superior in strength and in their evidence left in the land. Yet all they accomplished did not benefit them.

40:83  When their messengers came to them with obvious signs, they relished the knowledge they had. They were overcome by that at which they scoffed.

40:84  When they saw Our punishment, they said, “We believe in Allah alone, and we now reject what we have joined with Him.”

40:85  However, their professing faith when they saw Our punishment did not profit them. That is Allah’s way of treating His servants, and the rejecters of Allah perished.