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
Translations
Indeed, those who inject deviation into Our verses are not concealed from Us. So, is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection? Do whatever you will; indeed, He is Seeing of what you do.
Transliteration
Inna alladhina yulhidun fi ayatina la yakhfawn alayna. Afaman yulqa fi al-nari khayrun am man ya'ti amina yawm al-qiyamah. I'malu ma shi'tum innahu bima ta'malun basir.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns those who distort or deviate regarding Allah's signs that nothing is hidden from Him, and poses a rhetorical question comparing the fate of those cast into Hell with those who come secure on the Day of Judgment. The concluding command 'Do what you will' is understood by classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi not as permission for wrongdoing, but as an affirmation that Allah fully sees all actions and will judge accordingly—serving as a stern warning that Allah's knowledge and justice are absolute.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Fussilat, a Meccan chapter that emphasizes Allah's oneness, the reality of the resurrection, and warnings against those who reject the Qur'an. It addresses the polytheists and those who twisted the message of Allah's signs, reminding them that denial and deviation cannot escape divine justice.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Allah is more aware of where His right belongs' (Sahih Bukhari, regarding actions performed for show), and 'Verily, Allah sees your deeds' (related to consciousness of divine observation in Sunan Ibn Majah). These hadith emphasize the theme of Allah's comprehensive knowledge of human actions.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that concealing one's disbelief or distortion of faith is futile since Allah's knowledge encompasses all things, and should motivate believers to maintain sincerity and integrity in their actions, knowing that every deed is witnessed by the All-Seeing.
Related Ayahs
وَإِنْ عَزَمُوا۟ ٱلطَّلَـٰقَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And if they decide on divorce - then indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
وَقَدْ مَكَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَكْرُ جَمِيعًا ۖ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ۗ وَسَيَعْلَمُ ٱلْكُفَّـٰرُ لِمَنْ عُقْبَى ٱلدَّارِ
And those before them had plotted, but to Allāh belongs the plan entirely. He knows what every soul earns, and the disbelievers will know for whom is the final home.
وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسًا فَٱدَّٰرَْٰٔتُمْ فِيهَا ۖ وَٱللَّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ
And [recall] when you slew a man and disputed over it, but Allāh was to bring out that which you were concealing.
وَتَرَى ٱلْجِبَالَ تَحْسَبُهَا جَامِدَةً وَهِىَ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ ٱلسَّحَابِ ۚ صُنْعَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَتْقَنَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَفْعَلُونَ
And you see the mountains, thinking them motionless, while they will pass as the passing of clouds. [It is] the work of Allāh, who perfected all things. Indeed, He is Aware of that which you do.