وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدْعُونِىٓ أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ 60
Translations
And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.
Transliteration
Wa qāla rabbukum ud'ūnī astajib lakum. Inna alladhīna yastakbirūna 'an 'ibādatī sayadkhulūna jahannam dākhirīn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah Most High invites His servants to call upon Him in supplication, promising to answer their du'ā, while simultaneously warning that those who arrogantly refuse to worship and submit to Him will enter Hell in disgrace. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this ayah encompasses two divine attributes: mercy and justice—the promise of answering prayers for the humble believers, and the inevitable punishment for those who reject divine guidance through pride and arrogance.
Revelation Context
Surah Ghafir is a Meccan surah revealed during a period of intense opposition to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This ayah occurs in the context of the surah's broader theme of Allah's forgiveness, power, and the consequences of rejecting faith. It serves as both an encouragement for believers to rely on Allah through du'ā and a warning to disbelievers about the consequences of their arrogance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Du'ā is worship' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, in Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet stated: 'There is nothing more honorable to Allah than du'ā,' emphasizing the nobility of supplication and direct communication with Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Allah is always accessible through sincere du'ā and promises to answer, encouraging a direct and intimate relationship with the Divine. Conversely, it warns against spiritual arrogance and the refusal to submit to Allah's will, reminding us that humility and obedience are fundamental to faith and salvation.
Related Ayahs
يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ ۖ وَلَهُمُ ٱللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوٓءُ ٱلدَّارِ
The Day their excuse will not benefit the wrongdoers, and they will have the curse, and they will have the worst home [i.e., Hell].
وَيَـٰقَوْمِ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلتَّنَادِ
And O my people, indeed I fear for you the Day of Calling -
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى ٱلنَّارِ لِخَزَنَةِ جَهَنَّمَ ٱدْعُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ يُخَفِّفْ عَنَّا يَوْمًا مِّنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ
And those in the Fire will say to the keepers of Hell, "Supplicate your Lord to lighten for us a day from the punishment."
يَـٰقَوْمِ لَكُمُ ٱلْمُلْكُ ٱلْيَوْمَ ظَـٰهِرِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَمَن يَنصُرُنَا مِنۢ بَأْسِ ٱللَّهِ إِن جَآءَنَا ۚ قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ مَآ أُرِيكُمْ إِلَّا مَآ أَرَىٰ وَمَآ أَهْدِيكُمْ إِلَّا سَبِيلَ ٱلرَّشَادِ
O my people, sovereignty is yours today, [your being] dominant in the land. But who would protect us from the punishment of Allāh if it came to us?" Pharaoh said, "I do not show you except what I see, and I do not guide you except to the way of right conduct."