Surah 39

Surah 39:14

"Say: ‘I serve God, devoting my religion to Him."
Creating Fear of the Punishment of Allah Verses 39:13-16
Show Full Scripture Context (39:13-16) — 4 Verses
Verse 13

قُلۡ إِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ إِنۡ عَصَيۡتُ رَبِّي عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٖ

Say: ‘Surely I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the punishment of a great Day.’

Verse 14

قُلِ ٱللَّهَ أَعۡبُدُ مُخۡلِصٗا لَّهُۥ دِينِي

Say: ‘I serve God, devoting my religion to Him.

Verse 15

فَٱعۡبُدُواْ مَا شِئۡتُم مِّن دُونِهِۦۗ قُلۡ إِنَّ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَأَهۡلِيهِمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۗ أَلَا ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡخُسۡرَانُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ

So serve whatever you please instead of Him.’ Say: ‘Surely the losers are those who lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Is that not – it is the clearest loss!

Verse 16

لَهُم مِّن فَوۡقِهِمۡ ظُلَلٞ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ وَمِن تَحۡتِهِمۡ ظُلَلٞۚ ذَٰلِكَ يُخَوِّفُ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ عِبَادَهُۥۚ يَٰعِبَادِ فَٱتَّقُونِ

For them (there are) shadows of fire above them, and shadows (of fire) below them. That is what God frightens His servants with: “My servants! Guard (yourselves) against Me!”’

Allah 'says, say O Muhammad, even though you are the Messenger of Allah:' "Verily, if I disobey my Lord, I am afraid of the torment of a great Day." meaning the Day of Resurrection. This is a conditional sentence, and if what is referred to here applies to the Prophet, it applies even more so to others, "Say: "Allah Alone I worship by doing religious deeds sincerely for His sake only. So, worship what you like besides Him."" This is also a threat, and a disowning of them. "Say: "The losers..."" means, the greatest losers of all, "are those who will lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection." means, they will be separated and will never meet again, whether their families have gone to Paradise and they have gone to Hell, or all of them have gone to Hell, they will never meet or feel happiness again. "Verily, that will be a manifest loss!" means, this is the clearest and most obvious loss. Then He describes their state in the Fire: "They shall have coverings of Fire, above them and covering (of Fire) beneath them." This is like the Ayat:...

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.