سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ
Surah Ghafir (40) — Ayah 18
وَأَنذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْـَٔازِفَةِ إِذِ ٱلْقُلُوبُ لَدَى ٱلْحَنَاجِرِ كَـٰظِمِينَ ۚ مَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ يُطَاعُ ﴿18﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And warn them (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) of the Day that is drawing near (i.e. the Day of Resurrection), when the hearts will be choking the throats, and they can neither return them (hearts) to their chests nor can they throw them out. There will be no friend, nor an intercessor for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers), who could be given heed to.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَأَنذِرْهُمْ
wa-andhir'hum
And warn them
يَوْمَ
yawma
(of the) Day
ٱلْـَٔازِفَةِ
l-āzifati
the Approaching
إِذِ
idhi
when
ٱلْقُلُوبُ
l-qulūbu
the hearts
لَدَى
ladā
(are) at
ٱلْحَنَاجِرِ
l-ḥanājiri
the throats
كَـٰظِمِينَ ۚ
kāẓimīna
choked
مَا
mā
Not
لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
lilẓẓālimīna
for the wrongdoers
مِنْ
min
any
حَمِيمٍۢ
ḥamīmin
intimate friend
وَلَا
walā
and no
شَفِيعٍۢ
shafīʿin
intercessor
يُطَاعُ
yuṭāʿu
(who) is obeyed
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 18) ➊ {وَ اَنْذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْاٰزِفَةِ: ’’ الْاٰزِفَةِ ‘‘ ’’أَزِفَ يَأْزَفُ‘‘} is an active participle from (س). It is feminine because it is an attribute of {’’اَلسَّاعَةُ‘‘}. Thus, most words related to the Day of Resurrection are used in the feminine form, such as {’’ اَلْحَاۤقَّةُ ، اَلْقَارِعَةُ ، اَلصَّاۤخَّةُ ‘‘} and {’’ الطَّاۤمَّةُ ‘‘}, etc. The Day of Resurrection is called {’’ الْاٰزِفَةُ‘‘ } because its coming is very near. Allah Almighty has warned people at several places about the nearness of the Day of Resurrection, as He said: « اَزِفَتِ الْاٰزِفَةُ (57) لَيْسَ لَهَا مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ كَاشِفَةٌ » [ النجم : ۵۷، ۵۸ ] "The approaching one has drawn near. None besides Allah can avert it." For details about the nearness of the Day of Resurrection, see the commentary of Surah Al-Anbiya, Ayah (1): « اِقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ».
➋ { اِذِ الْقُلُوْبُ لَدَى الْحَنَاجِرِ كٰظِمِيْنَ: ’’ الْحَنَاجِرِ ‘‘ ’’حَنْجَرَةٌ‘‘} is the plural of 'حَنْجَرَةٌ' (Hanjara), which means throat (حلق). The meaning of {’’ كٰظِمِيْنَ ‘‘ ’’ كَظَمَ السِّقَاءَ‘‘} is to fill a waterskin with water and then close its mouth. That is, due to intense fear and grief, the hearts of the criminals will reach their throats, and then they will neither return to their place so that they may find some relief, nor will they come out of their bodies so that, after death, their souls may be freed.
➌ { مَا لِلظّٰلِمِيْنَ مِنْ حَمِيْمٍ: ’’حَمَّ يَحُمُّ‘‘} (ن) means to heat. A close friend or relative is called {’’ حَمِيْمٍ ‘‘} because he feels warmth in his heart due to his friend or relative. On the Day of Resurrection, the wrongdoers will have no close friend, as He said: «اَلْاَخِلَّآءُ يَوْمَىِٕذٍۭ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ اِلَّا الْمُتَّقِيْنَ » [ الزخرف : ۶۷ ] "All close friends that Day will be enemies to one another except the righteous."
➍ By { وَ لَا شَفِيْعٍ:} "wrongdoers" are meant the disbelievers and polytheists. (See Al-An'am: 82; Luqman: 13) No one will intercede on their behalf, because on that Day, the permission to intercede will be given to the Prophets, angels, and righteous servants, and that too only for the believers; there will be no intercessor for the disbelievers and polytheists on that Day. See also Surah Al-Baqarah (48).
➎ { يُطَاعُ:} "whose word is accepted," meaning, firstly, no one will even dare to intercede for the disbelievers. (See Al-Anbiya: 38) If, due to ignorance or some doubt, any Prophet or saint does intercede for a disbeliever thinking that permission has been granted, his intercession will not be accepted. However, the reason for not accepting the intercession will be explained, as Ibrahim (peace be upon him) will intercede for his father on the Day of Resurrection, but it will not be accepted. Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) will intercede for some people who come to the Pond of Kawthar, but he will be told that he does not know what innovations they introduced after him, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will withdraw from interceding for them.
➋ { اِذِ الْقُلُوْبُ لَدَى الْحَنَاجِرِ كٰظِمِيْنَ: ’’ الْحَنَاجِرِ ‘‘ ’’حَنْجَرَةٌ‘‘} is the plural of 'حَنْجَرَةٌ' (Hanjara), which means throat (حلق). The meaning of {’’ كٰظِمِيْنَ ‘‘ ’’ كَظَمَ السِّقَاءَ‘‘} is to fill a waterskin with water and then close its mouth. That is, due to intense fear and grief, the hearts of the criminals will reach their throats, and then they will neither return to their place so that they may find some relief, nor will they come out of their bodies so that, after death, their souls may be freed.
➌ { مَا لِلظّٰلِمِيْنَ مِنْ حَمِيْمٍ: ’’حَمَّ يَحُمُّ‘‘} (ن) means to heat. A close friend or relative is called {’’ حَمِيْمٍ ‘‘} because he feels warmth in his heart due to his friend or relative. On the Day of Resurrection, the wrongdoers will have no close friend, as He said: «اَلْاَخِلَّآءُ يَوْمَىِٕذٍۭ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ اِلَّا الْمُتَّقِيْنَ » [ الزخرف : ۶۷ ] "All close friends that Day will be enemies to one another except the righteous."
➍ By { وَ لَا شَفِيْعٍ:} "wrongdoers" are meant the disbelievers and polytheists. (See Al-An'am: 82; Luqman: 13) No one will intercede on their behalf, because on that Day, the permission to intercede will be given to the Prophets, angels, and righteous servants, and that too only for the believers; there will be no intercessor for the disbelievers and polytheists on that Day. See also Surah Al-Baqarah (48).
➎ { يُطَاعُ:} "whose word is accepted," meaning, firstly, no one will even dare to intercede for the disbelievers. (See Al-Anbiya: 38) If, due to ignorance or some doubt, any Prophet or saint does intercede for a disbeliever thinking that permission has been granted, his intercession will not be accepted. However, the reason for not accepting the intercession will be explained, as Ibrahim (peace be upon him) will intercede for his father on the Day of Resurrection, but it will not be accepted. Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) will intercede for some people who come to the Pond of Kawthar, but he will be told that he does not know what innovations they introduced after him, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will withdraw from interceding for them.
