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
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسَـٰٓـُٔوا۟ بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ بِٱلْحُسْنَى
And to Allāh belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth - that He may recompense those who do evil with [the penalty of] what they have done and recompense those who do good with the best [reward] -
رَّبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ ۖ إِن يَشَأْ يَرْحَمْكُمْ أَوْ إِن يَشَأْ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ ۚ وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكِيلًا
Your Lord is most knowing of you. If He wills, He will have mercy upon you; or if He wills, He will punish you. And We have not sent you, [O Muḥammad], over them as a manager.
أَلَآ إِنَّهُمْ فِى مِرْيَةٍ مِّن لِّقَآءِ رَبِّهِمْ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ مُّحِيطٌۢ
Unquestionably, they are in doubt about the meeting with their Lord. Unquestionably He is, of all things, encompassing.
وَمَا مِنْ غَآئِبَةٍ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍ مُّبِينٍ
And there is nothing concealed within the heaven and the earth except that it is in a clear Register.