سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ
Surah Ghafir (40) — Ayah 37
أَسْبَـٰبَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَىٰٓ إِلَـٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّى لَأَظُنُّهُۥ كَـٰذِبًا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِفِرْعَوْنَ سُوٓءُ عَمَلِهِۦ وَصُدَّ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۚ وَمَا كَيْدُ فِرْعَوْنَ إِلَّا فِى تَبَابٍ ﴿37﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"The ways of the heavens, and I may look upon the Ilâh (God) of Mûsâ (Moses): But verily, I think him to be a liar." Thus it was made fair-seeming, in Fir‘aun’s (Pharaoh) eyes, the evil of his deeds, and he was hindered from the (Right) Path; and the plot of Fir‘aun (Pharaoh) led to nothing but loss and destruction (for him).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَسْبَـٰبَ
asbāba
(The) ways
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
(to) the heavens
فَأَطَّلِعَ
fa-aṭṭaliʿa
so I may look
إِلَىٰٓ
ilā
at
إِلَـٰهِ
ilāhi
(the) God
مُوسَىٰ
mūsā
(of) Musa
وَإِنِّى
wa-innī
and indeed, I
لَأَظُنُّهُۥ
la-aẓunnuhu
[I] surely think him
كَـٰذِبًۭا ۚ
kādhiban
(to be) a liar
وَكَذَٰلِكَ
wakadhālika
And thus
زُيِّنَ
zuyyina
was made fair-seeming
لِفِرْعَوْنَ
lifir'ʿawna
to Firaun
سُوٓءُ
sūu
(the) evil
عَمَلِهِۦ
ʿamalihi
(of) his deed
وَصُدَّ
waṣudda
and he was averted
عَنِ
ʿani
from
ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۚ
l-sabīli
the way
وَمَا
wamā
And not
كَيْدُ
kaydu
(was the) plot
فِرْعَوْنَ
fir'ʿawna
(of) Firaun
إِلَّا
illā
except
فِى
fī
in
تَبَابٍۢ
tabābin
ruin
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 37) ➊ { اَسْبَابَ السَّمٰوٰتِ فَاَطَّلِعَ اِلٰۤى اِلٰهِ مُوْسٰى:} Pharaoh at first only said: "So that I may reach the means," with the purpose of creating curiosity as to what means he wanted to reach. So he clarified again, so that I may reach the paths and doors of the heavens, from where there is access to the heavens, then I may look towards the deity of Moses, who according to him is above the heavens.
➋ { وَ اِنِّيْ لَاَظُنُّهٗ كَاذِبًا: ’’إِنَّ‘‘} And because of the emphasis with "Inna" and "lam," here "zann" (assumption) is in the meaning of certainty, that is, what Moses claims that he is the Messenger of Allah, or that his Lord is above the Throne over the heavens, so I am certain that he is a liar. This verse proves that Allah Almighty is above the Throne over the heavens; all the Prophets and Messengers, Companions and Followers, and Imams of the religion are agreed upon this. Alas! At this point, many commentators, who are influenced by the polytheist philosophers of Greece, have denied that Allah Almighty is above the heavens, or towards elevation, or on the Throne; rather, some have even dared to call it Pharaoh's belief, whereas it is the belief of Moses (peace be upon him) which Pharaoh is denying and calling Moses (peace be upon him) a liar in this, besides all the verses of the Qur'an with {’’ ثُمَّ اسْتَوٰى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ ‘‘} are clear evidence of this. Similarly, those verses in which it is mentioned that Allah Almighty is above the heavens. See the commentary of Surah Mulk (16, 17), Haqqah (17), and Ta-Ha (5).
➌ { وَ كَذٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِفِرْعَوْنَ سُوْٓءُ عَمَلِهٖ … :} That is, in this way, Pharaoh's evil deed, that is, denying the existence of Allah Almighty, insisting on being the supreme lord, denying Moses (peace be upon him), and oppressing the Children of Israel, was made attractive to him, and he continued to do these deeds thinking them good. Who made them attractive? It was his own desire, Satan, evil companions (see An'am: 122, 137; Anfal: 48), and Allah Almighty Himself, because He is the Creator of everything. (See An'am: 108; Naml: 4) And whoever is determined on opposition, Allah Almighty leaves him to his own will. See Surah Nisa (115).
➍ { وَ مَا كَيْدُ فِرْعَوْنَ اِلَّا فِيْ تَبَابٍ: ’’ تَبَابٍ ‘‘ ’’تَبَّ يَتُبُّ‘‘} (n) is the verbal noun (masdar), meaning destruction, ruin, and loss. It comes in both intransitive and transitive meanings. That is, all the schemes he devised kept becoming the cause of his destruction, and in the end, he was drowned in the sea along with his armies. This is the fate of every liar and deceitful person.
➎ Whether Pharaoh built that palace or not, and for further details of these two verses, see Surah Qasas (38 to 40).
➋ { وَ اِنِّيْ لَاَظُنُّهٗ كَاذِبًا: ’’إِنَّ‘‘} And because of the emphasis with "Inna" and "lam," here "zann" (assumption) is in the meaning of certainty, that is, what Moses claims that he is the Messenger of Allah, or that his Lord is above the Throne over the heavens, so I am certain that he is a liar. This verse proves that Allah Almighty is above the Throne over the heavens; all the Prophets and Messengers, Companions and Followers, and Imams of the religion are agreed upon this. Alas! At this point, many commentators, who are influenced by the polytheist philosophers of Greece, have denied that Allah Almighty is above the heavens, or towards elevation, or on the Throne; rather, some have even dared to call it Pharaoh's belief, whereas it is the belief of Moses (peace be upon him) which Pharaoh is denying and calling Moses (peace be upon him) a liar in this, besides all the verses of the Qur'an with {’’ ثُمَّ اسْتَوٰى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ ‘‘} are clear evidence of this. Similarly, those verses in which it is mentioned that Allah Almighty is above the heavens. See the commentary of Surah Mulk (16, 17), Haqqah (17), and Ta-Ha (5).
➌ { وَ كَذٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِفِرْعَوْنَ سُوْٓءُ عَمَلِهٖ … :} That is, in this way, Pharaoh's evil deed, that is, denying the existence of Allah Almighty, insisting on being the supreme lord, denying Moses (peace be upon him), and oppressing the Children of Israel, was made attractive to him, and he continued to do these deeds thinking them good. Who made them attractive? It was his own desire, Satan, evil companions (see An'am: 122, 137; Anfal: 48), and Allah Almighty Himself, because He is the Creator of everything. (See An'am: 108; Naml: 4) And whoever is determined on opposition, Allah Almighty leaves him to his own will. See Surah Nisa (115).
➍ { وَ مَا كَيْدُ فِرْعَوْنَ اِلَّا فِيْ تَبَابٍ: ’’ تَبَابٍ ‘‘ ’’تَبَّ يَتُبُّ‘‘} (n) is the verbal noun (masdar), meaning destruction, ruin, and loss. It comes in both intransitive and transitive meanings. That is, all the schemes he devised kept becoming the cause of his destruction, and in the end, he was drowned in the sea along with his armies. This is the fate of every liar and deceitful person.
➎ Whether Pharaoh built that palace or not, and for further details of these two verses, see Surah Qasas (38 to 40).
