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
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعَ طَرَآئِقَ وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ ٱلْخَلْقِ غَـٰفِلِينَ
And We have created above you seven layered heavens, and never have We been of [Our] creation unaware.
يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوٓا۟ ۚ أَحْصَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ وَنَسُوهُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
On the Day when Allāh will resurrect them all and inform them of what they did. Allāh had enumerated it, while they forgot it; and Allāh is, over all things, Witness.
عَـٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ فَتَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
[He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, so high is He above what they associate [with Him].
وَإِن تَجْهَرْ بِٱلْقَوْلِ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَعْلَمُ ٱلسِّرَّ وَأَخْفَى
And if you speak aloud - then indeed, He knows the secret and what is [even] more hidden.