Surah 39

Surah 39:47

"(Even) if those who have done evil had what is on the earth – all (of it) – and as much again, they would indeed (try to) ransom (themselves) with it from the evil of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. But what they were not counting on will become apparent to them from God,"
How to supplicate Verses 39:46-48
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Verse 46

قُلِ ٱللَّهُمَّ فَاطِرَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ عَٰلِمَ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ أَنتَ تَحۡكُمُ بَيۡنَ عِبَادِكَ فِي مَا كَانُواْ فِيهِ يَخۡتَلِفُونَ

Say: ‘God! Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You will judge between your servants concerning their differences.’

Verse 47

وَلَوۡ أَنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعٗا وَمِثۡلَهُۥ مَعَهُۥ لَٱفۡتَدَوۡاْ بِهِۦ مِن سُوٓءِ ٱلۡعَذَابِ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۚ وَبَدَا لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَمۡ يَكُونُواْ يَحۡتَسِبُونَ

(Even) if those who have done evil had what is on the earth – all (of it) – and as much again, they would indeed (try to) ransom (themselves) with it from the evil of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. But what they were not counting on will become apparent to them from God,

Verse 48

وَبَدَا لَهُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتُ مَا كَسَبُواْ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ

and the evils of what they have earned will become apparent to them, and what they were mocking will overwhelm them.

After condemning the idolaters for their love of Shirk and their hatred of Tawhid, Allah then says: {Say: "O Allah! Creator of the heavens and the earth! All-Knower of the unseen and the seen!..."} meaning, ‘call you upon Allah Alone with no partner or associate, Who has created the heavens and the earth and originated them,’ i.e., made them like nothing that ever before existed. {All-Knower of the unseen and the seen!} means, what is secret and what is open. {You will judge between your servants about that wherein they used to differ.} means, in this world; You will judge between them on the Day when they are resurrected and brought forth from their graves.’ In his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Abu Salamah bin ‘Abdur-Rahman said, “I asked ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, how the Messenger of Allah started his prayer when he stood up to pray at night. She said, may Allah be pleased with her: When the Messenger of Allah stood up to pray at night, he would start his prayer with the words: «O Allah, Lord of Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You will judge between Your servants concerning that wherein they differ. Guide me with regard to that wherein there is dispute concerning the truth by Your leave, for You guide whomsoever You will to the straight path.»

No Ransom will be accepted on the Day of Resurrection
{And those who did wrong,} means, the idolators. {if they had all that is in earth and therewith as much again,} {they verily, would offer it to ransom themselves therewith from the evil torment;} means, that which Allah has decreed for them on the Day of Resurrection. But the ransom will not be accepted from them, even if it were to be an earth-full of gold as He mentioned elswhere (3:91). Then Allah says: {and there will become apparent to them from Allah what they had not been reckoning.} which means, when they come to realize what Allah’s punishment for them will be, which they had never before imagined. {And the evils of that which they earned will become apparent to them,} means, they will see the punishment for the forbidden actions and sins which they committed in this world. {and that which they used to mock at will encircle them.} means, the punishment which they used to make fun of in this world will encompass them.

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Page 400-402)

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.