سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ
Surah Ghafir (40) — Ayah 15
رَفِيعُ ٱلدَّرَجَـٰتِ ذُو ٱلْعَرْشِ يُلْقِى ٱلرُّوحَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ لِيُنذِرَ يَوْمَ ٱلتَّلَاقِ ﴿15﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
(He is Allâh) Owner of High Ranks and Degrees, the Owner of the Throne. He sends the revelation by His Command to any of His slaves He wills, that he (the person who receives revelation) may warn (men) of the Day of Mutual Meeting (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
رَفِيعُ
rafīʿu
Possessor of the Highest Ranks
ٱلدَّرَجَـٰتِ
l-darajāti
Possessor of the Highest Ranks
ذُو
dhū
Owner (of) the Throne
ٱلْعَرْشِ
l-ʿarshi
Owner (of) the Throne
يُلْقِى
yul'qī
He places
ٱلرُّوحَ
l-rūḥa
the inspiration
مِنْ
min
of
أَمْرِهِۦ
amrihi
His Command
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
upon
مَن
man
whom
يَشَآءُ
yashāu
He wills
مِنْ
min
of
عِبَادِهِۦ
ʿibādihi
His slaves
لِيُنذِرَ
liyundhira
to warn
يَوْمَ
yawma
(of the) Day
ٱلتَّلَاقِ
l-talāqi
(of) the Meeting
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 15) ➊ {رَفِيْعُ الدَّرَجٰتِ ذُو الْعَرْشِ:’’ الدَّرَجٰتِ ‘‘ ’’ دَرَجَةٌ ‘‘} is the plural of {’’ رَفِيْعُ ‘‘ ’’رَفَعَ يَرْفَعُ‘‘}, which means rank as well as ladder. {’’ رَفِيْعُ ‘‘ ’’رَفَعَ يَرْفَعُ‘‘} is from (ف), and it comes both as intransitive and transitive. If it is intransitive, the meaning is {’’ مُرْتَفِعُ الدَّرَجَاتِ‘‘}, its original is {’’رَفِيْعٌ دَرَجَاتُهُ‘‘}. That is, He is the possessor of very high ranks and ladders and the Owner of the Throne; His essence is separate from the creation, above the Throne. The angels have to ascend many ladders to reach the Throne, as He said: « سَاَلَ سَآىِٕلٌۢ بِعَذَابٍ وَّاقِعٍ (1) لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ لَيْسَ لَهٗ دَافِعٌ (2) مِّنَ اللّٰهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ (3) تَعْرُجُ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُ وَ الرُّوْحُ اِلَيْهِ فِيْ يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهٗ خَمْسِيْنَ اَلْفَ سَنَةٍ » [ المعارج : ۱ تا ۴ ] "A questioner asked about a punishment bound to happen, for the disbelievers, which none can avert, from Allah, the Owner of the ladders. The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years." For further clarification, see the exegesis of these same verses in Surah Al-Ma'arij.
In {’’ رَفِيْعُ الدَّرَجٰتِ ‘‘}, if {’’ رَفِيْعُ ‘‘} is considered transitive, the meaning will be: He is the One Who raises ranks very high, as He said: «نَرْفَعُ دَرَجٰتٍ مَّنْ نَّشَآءُ » [ یوسف : ۷۶ ] "We raise in degrees whom We will."
➋ By {يُلْقِي الرُّوْحَ مِنْ اَمْرِهٖ عَلٰى مَنْ يَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهٖ:’’ الرُّوْحَ ‘‘} is meant here "revelation," as He said: « يُنَزِّلُ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةَ بِالرُّوْحِ مِنْ اَمْرِهٖ عَلٰى مَنْ يَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهٖۤ اَنْ اَنْذِرُوْۤا اَنَّهٗ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّاۤ اَنَا فَاتَّقُوْنِ» [ النحل : ۲ ] "He sends down the angels with the revelation by His command upon whom He wills of His servants, [saying], 'Warn that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me.'" For further explanation, see the exegesis of this verse in Surah An-Nahl.
➌ { لِيُنْذِرَ يَوْمَ التَّلَاقِ: ’’ التَّلَاقِ ‘‘ ’’ لَقِيَ يَلْقٰي‘‘} (ع) is the verbal noun of the form tafa'ul, originally {’’تَلَاقِيْ‘‘}, meaning to meet one another. That is, Allah sends down revelation so that He may warn about the Day of Meeting. What is meant is the Day of Resurrection, in which souls will join with bodies and all people will meet one another. Every doer will meet the recompense of his deeds, the oppressor and the oppressed will meet, the angels of the heavens will meet the humans of the earth, and the creation will meet the Creator, Who will take their account.
In {’’ رَفِيْعُ الدَّرَجٰتِ ‘‘}, if {’’ رَفِيْعُ ‘‘} is considered transitive, the meaning will be: He is the One Who raises ranks very high, as He said: «نَرْفَعُ دَرَجٰتٍ مَّنْ نَّشَآءُ » [ یوسف : ۷۶ ] "We raise in degrees whom We will."
➋ By {يُلْقِي الرُّوْحَ مِنْ اَمْرِهٖ عَلٰى مَنْ يَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهٖ:’’ الرُّوْحَ ‘‘} is meant here "revelation," as He said: « يُنَزِّلُ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةَ بِالرُّوْحِ مِنْ اَمْرِهٖ عَلٰى مَنْ يَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهٖۤ اَنْ اَنْذِرُوْۤا اَنَّهٗ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّاۤ اَنَا فَاتَّقُوْنِ» [ النحل : ۲ ] "He sends down the angels with the revelation by His command upon whom He wills of His servants, [saying], 'Warn that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me.'" For further explanation, see the exegesis of this verse in Surah An-Nahl.
➌ { لِيُنْذِرَ يَوْمَ التَّلَاقِ: ’’ التَّلَاقِ ‘‘ ’’ لَقِيَ يَلْقٰي‘‘} (ع) is the verbal noun of the form tafa'ul, originally {’’تَلَاقِيْ‘‘}, meaning to meet one another. That is, Allah sends down revelation so that He may warn about the Day of Meeting. What is meant is the Day of Resurrection, in which souls will join with bodies and all people will meet one another. Every doer will meet the recompense of his deeds, the oppressor and the oppressed will meet, the angels of the heavens will meet the humans of the earth, and the creation will meet the Creator, Who will take their account.
