سُوْرَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ
Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 40
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِنَا لَا يَخْفَوْنَ عَلَيْنَآ ۗ أَفَمَن يُلْقَىٰ فِى ٱلنَّارِ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّن يَأْتِىٓ ءَامِنًا يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ مَا شِئْتُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ﴿40﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, those who turn away from Our Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc. by attacking, distorting and denying them) are not hidden from Us. Is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection? Do what you will. Verily He is All-Seer of what you do (this is a severe threat to the disbelievers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
يُلْحِدُونَ
yul'ḥidūna
distort
فِىٓ
fī
[in]
ءَايَـٰتِنَا
āyātinā
Our Verses
لَا
lā
(are) not
يَخْفَوْنَ
yakhfawna
hidden
عَلَيْنَآ ۗ
ʿalaynā
from Us
أَفَمَن
afaman
So, is (he) who
يُلْقَىٰ
yul'qā
is cast
فِى
fī
in
ٱلنَّارِ
l-nāri
the Fire
خَيْرٌ
khayrun
better
أَم
am
or
مَّن
man
(he) who
يَأْتِىٓ
yatī
comes
ءَامِنًۭا
āminan
secure
يَوْمَ
yawma
(on the) Day
ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ
l-qiyāmati
(of) Resurrection
ٱعْمَلُوا۟
iʿ'malū
Do
مَا
mā
what
شِئْتُمْ ۖ
shi'tum
you will
إِنَّهُۥ
innahu
Indeed, He
بِمَا
bimā
of what
تَعْمَلُونَ
taʿmalūna
you do
بَصِيرٌ
baṣīrun
(is) All-Seer
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 40) ➊ The root of {اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يُلْحِدُوْنَ فِيْۤ اٰيٰتِنَا: ’’ يُلْحِدُوْنَ ‘‘} is {’’لَحْدٌ‘‘}. "Lahd" refers to a grave that is dug not straight down but, after going down a bit, is dug to one side. The meaning of {’’ إِلْحَادٌ ‘‘} is deviation from the straight path, that is, turning to one side, crookedness, and walking askew, meaning those who, deviating from the truth, choose a crooked path. "Ilhad" (crookedness) in the signs of Allah is to deny them, or instead of taking their straightforward and clear meaning, to engage in irrelevant debates and try to impose a wrong meaning on them. Those who, after becoming Muslims, become supporters of false ideologies such as polytheistic beliefs, innovations, rejection of hadith, socialism, capitalism, atheism, etc., adopt this very approach, going astray themselves and leading others astray as well. Here, a warning has been given to those who adopt crookedness in the signs of Allah, and in Surah Al-A'raf, Ayah (180), there is a command to keep away from those who adopt crookedness regarding the names of Allah, and their outcome has been described.
➋ {لَا يَخْفَوْنَ عَلَيْنَا:} This is the first severe warning here for those who walk crookedly regarding the signs of Allah, that these people are not hidden from Us, rather, they are in Our sight at every moment and cannot escape Our grasp. If We are delaying their punishment and giving them respite, it is because only one who fears that the criminal might hide and escape would hasten. The meaning is that We will certainly punish them for this deviation.
➌ { اَفَمَنْ يُّلْقٰى فِي النَّارِ خَيْرٌ اَمْ مَّنْ يَّاْتِيْۤ اٰمِنًا يَّوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ:} This is the second threat, that those who distort and twist the meaning of the signs of Allah and walk crookedly regarding them will be thrown into the Fire, and those who avoid deviation in the signs of Allah will come on the Day of Resurrection in a state of security. So tell, who is better: the one who is thrown into the Fire, or the one who comes on the Day of Resurrection in a state of security?
➍ {اِعْمَلُوْا مَا شِئْتُمْ …:} This is the third threat. "Do what you wish" does not mean permission to do as you please, but is a rebuke, that during this respite, do whatever you want, then for its punishment We will do as We wish. We are watching all your actions very well; do not think that you will escape the punishment for any of your evil deeds because it is hidden from Our sight. This is just like a great ruler, in severe anger, says to some of his slaves with whom he is displeased, "Do whatever you want."
➋ {لَا يَخْفَوْنَ عَلَيْنَا:} This is the first severe warning here for those who walk crookedly regarding the signs of Allah, that these people are not hidden from Us, rather, they are in Our sight at every moment and cannot escape Our grasp. If We are delaying their punishment and giving them respite, it is because only one who fears that the criminal might hide and escape would hasten. The meaning is that We will certainly punish them for this deviation.
➌ { اَفَمَنْ يُّلْقٰى فِي النَّارِ خَيْرٌ اَمْ مَّنْ يَّاْتِيْۤ اٰمِنًا يَّوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ:} This is the second threat, that those who distort and twist the meaning of the signs of Allah and walk crookedly regarding them will be thrown into the Fire, and those who avoid deviation in the signs of Allah will come on the Day of Resurrection in a state of security. So tell, who is better: the one who is thrown into the Fire, or the one who comes on the Day of Resurrection in a state of security?
➍ {اِعْمَلُوْا مَا شِئْتُمْ …:} This is the third threat. "Do what you wish" does not mean permission to do as you please, but is a rebuke, that during this respite, do whatever you want, then for its punishment We will do as We wish. We are watching all your actions very well; do not think that you will escape the punishment for any of your evil deeds because it is hidden from Our sight. This is just like a great ruler, in severe anger, says to some of his slaves with whom he is displeased, "Do whatever you want."
