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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
Indeed, those who distort the meaning [49] of Our verses are not hidden from Us. So, is the one who will be thrown into the Fire better, or the one who will come secure on the Day of Resurrection? Do whatever you wish [50]; surely, Allah is seeing all that you do.
[49]
The Meaning of ﴿الحاد﴾:
The root of ﴿يُلْحِدُوْنَ﴾ is ﴿لحد﴾, and ﴿لحد﴾ means grave and its side, and ﴿الحد﴾ means to deviate from the straight path to one side, and ﴿الحد السهم﴾ means for an arrow to hit one side of the target, and ﴿الحد عن الدين﴾ means to criticize the religion. (Mufradat al-Quran) And this deviation (ilhaad) is related to beliefs (F.Q.L 189), such as doubting the essence and attributes of Allah, or taking their wrong meanings, or denying miracles, as Allah Almighty has said in another place: ﴿وَذَرُوا الَّذِیْنَ یُلْحِدُوْنَ فِیْۤ اَسْمَآىٕهٖ﴾, meaning those who deviate regarding the names (attributes) of Allah. Ilhaad is related to the attributes of Allah.
What are the different sects of the deviators (mulhideen)?
In this context, the verses of Allah refer to the verses that describe the attributes of Allah. For example, due to ilhaad in the verses related to Allah’s decree, two sects, Qadariyyah and Jabariyyah, came into existence. The Khawarij also interpreted Allah’s command to mean that neither the Quran nor any human can be a judge besides Allah. The Mu'tazilah separated the attributes of Allah from His essence and declared the attributes to be created, thus raising the issue of the creation of the Quran. Besides these, all other misguided sects also commit ilhaad in the attributes of Allah and derive their own beneficial meanings from them. Such deviators (mulhideen), who are themselves misguided and also cause others to go astray, are all under Allah’s watch. And they cannot escape from Him anywhere.
[50] There is a severe warning in the manner of expression, and its example is like a ruler saying to a criminal, “I am watching everything you are doing.” And this address is to those who choose the path of ilhaad in the verses of Allah.
[49]
The Meaning of ﴿الحاد﴾:
The root of ﴿يُلْحِدُوْنَ﴾ is ﴿لحد﴾, and ﴿لحد﴾ means grave and its side, and ﴿الحد﴾ means to deviate from the straight path to one side, and ﴿الحد السهم﴾ means for an arrow to hit one side of the target, and ﴿الحد عن الدين﴾ means to criticize the religion. (Mufradat al-Quran) And this deviation (ilhaad) is related to beliefs (F.Q.L 189), such as doubting the essence and attributes of Allah, or taking their wrong meanings, or denying miracles, as Allah Almighty has said in another place: ﴿وَذَرُوا الَّذِیْنَ یُلْحِدُوْنَ فِیْۤ اَسْمَآىٕهٖ﴾, meaning those who deviate regarding the names (attributes) of Allah. Ilhaad is related to the attributes of Allah.
What are the different sects of the deviators (mulhideen)?
In this context, the verses of Allah refer to the verses that describe the attributes of Allah. For example, due to ilhaad in the verses related to Allah’s decree, two sects, Qadariyyah and Jabariyyah, came into existence. The Khawarij also interpreted Allah’s command to mean that neither the Quran nor any human can be a judge besides Allah. The Mu'tazilah separated the attributes of Allah from His essence and declared the attributes to be created, thus raising the issue of the creation of the Quran. Besides these, all other misguided sects also commit ilhaad in the attributes of Allah and derive their own beneficial meanings from them. Such deviators (mulhideen), who are themselves misguided and also cause others to go astray, are all under Allah’s watch. And they cannot escape from Him anywhere.
[50] There is a severe warning in the manner of expression, and its example is like a ruler saying to a criminal, “I am watching everything you are doing.” And this address is to those who choose the path of ilhaad in the verses of Allah.
