Surah 40:78

"Certainly We sent messengers before you: some of whom We have recounted to you, and some of whom We have not recounted to you. But it was not for any messenger to bring a sign, except by the permission of God. When the command of God comes, it will be decided in truth, and the perpetrators of falsehood will lose."

Islamic Commentaries (1)Manuscripts (36)

The Command to be Patient and Good News of Victory Verses 40:77-78

Show Full Scripture Context (40:77-78) — 2 Verses

Verse 77

فَٱصۡبِرۡ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقّٞۚ فَإِمَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِي نَعِدُهُمۡ أَوۡ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِلَيۡنَا يُرۡجَعُونَ

So be patient! Surely the promise of God is true. Whether We show you some of that which We promise them, or take you, to Us they will be returned.

Verse 78

وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلٗا مِّن قَبۡلِكَ مِنۡهُم مَّن قَصَصۡنَا عَلَيۡكَ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن لَّمۡ نَقۡصُصۡ عَلَيۡكَۗ وَمَا كَانَ لِرَسُولٍ أَن يَأۡتِيَ بِـَٔايَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَمۡرُ ٱللَّهِ قُضِيَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ ٱلۡمُبۡطِلُونَ

Certainly We sent messengers before you: some of whom We have recounted to you, and some of whom We have not recounted to you. But it was not for any messenger to bring a sign, except by the permission of God. When the command of God comes, it will be decided in truth, and the perpetrators of falsehood will lose.

Here Allah commands His Messenger to patiently bear the rejection of those who rejected him: 'Allah will fulfill His promise to you that you will be victorious and will prevail over your people, and you and those who follow you, will be the successful ones in this world and the Hereafter.'

Quoted Scripture

"and whether We show you some part of what We have promised them,"

means, in this world, and this is what happened, for Allah gave them the joy of humiliating the leaders and nobles (of the Quraysh), who were killed on the day of Badr, then Allah granted them victory over Makkah and the entire Arabian Peninsula during the lifetime of the Prophet.

Quoted Scripture

"or We cause you to die, then still it is to Us they all shall be returned."

means, 'and We shall inflict a severe punishment upon them in the Hereafter.' Then Allah says, consoling (His Prophet):

Quoted Scripture

"And, indeed We have sent Messengers before you, of some of them We have related to you their story."

as Allah also says in Surat An-Nisa' meaning, "We have revealed the stories of some of them and how their people disbelieved in them, but the Messengers ultimately prevailed.'

Quoted Scripture

"And of some We have not related to you their story,"

and they are many, many more than those whose stories have been told, as has been stated in Surat An-Nisa'. Praise and blessings be to Allah.

Quoted Scripture

"and it was not given to any Messenger that he should bring a sign except by the leave of Allah."

means, none of the Prophets was able to bring miracles to his people except when Allah granted him permission to do that as a sign of the truth of the message he brought to them.

Quoted Scripture

"But, when comes the commandment of Allah,"

means, His punishment and vengeance which will encompass the disbelievers,

{the matter will be decided with truth,} so the believers will be saved and the disbelievers will be destroyed. Allah says:

Quoted Scripture

"and the followers of falsehood will then be lost."

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 8, Page 505-507)

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.

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