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Surah Ghafir, Verse 28

سورة غافر، الآية ٢٨

40:28 Juz 24 Hizb 47 Page 470 of the mushaf Meccan surah

Text of verse 40:28

وَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مُّؤْمِنٌ مِّنْ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَكْتُمُ إِيمَٰنَهُۥٓ أَتَقْتُلُونَ رَجُلًا أَن يَقُولَ رَبِّىَ ٱللَّهُ وَقَدْ جَآءَكُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ وَإِن يَكُ كَٰذِبًا فَعَلَيْهِ كَذِبُهُۥ وَإِن يَكُ صَادِقًا يُصِبْكُم بَعْضُ ٱلَّذِى يَعِدُكُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ كَذَّابٌ ۝٢٨

Transliteration

waqāla rajulun mu'minun min āli fir'ʿawna yaktumu īmānahu ataqtulūna rajulan an yaqūla rabbiya l-lahu waqad jāakum bil-bayināti min rabbikum wa-in yaku kādhiban faʿalayhi kadhibuhu wa-in yaku ṣādiqan yuṣib'kum baʿḍu alladhī yaʿidukum inna l-laha lā yahdī man huwa mus'rifun kadhābun

Translation

And a believing man from the family of Pharaoh who concealed his faith said, "Do you kill a man [merely] because he says, 'My Lord is Allāh' while he has brought you clear proofs from your Lord? And if he should be lying, then upon him is [the consequence of] his lie; but if he should be truthful, there will strike you some of what he promises you. Indeed, Allāh does not guide one who is a transgressor and a liar.

Translation in another language
Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary Read in the surah

Verse 28 of Surah Ghafir (40:28), a Meccan surah, is in juz 24, on page 470 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.

Listen to verse 28 of Surah Ghafir

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Tafsir of verse 28

Al-Mukhtasar

A believing man from the family of Pharoah, who was hiding his faith from his people said, criticising them for deciding to kill Moses: “Are you going to kill a man without any crime, besides him saying: ‘My Lord is Allah’, despite the fact he brought you miracles and proof to show the truthfulness of his claim to be a messenger from his Lord? If he really is a liar, his lying will turn against him, but if he is truthful, some of the punishment he is promising will quickly befall you. Allah does not guide to the truth one who trespasses His limits and who lies against Allah and His messengers.

Tafsir of the whole Surah Ghafir

Other translations of verse 28

A believing man from the house of Pharaoh, who was concealing his faith, said, “Would you kill a man6 simply because he says: ‘My Lord is Allah,’ even though he has come to you with clear proofs from your Lord? If he is a liar, he will suffer the consequences of his lie, but if he is truthful, some of what he is threatening you with will befall you. Surely Allah does not guide anyone who is a transgressor and an utter liar.

Notes

[6] i.e., Moses.

And a believing man of Fir‘aun’s (Pharaoh) family, who hid his faith said: "Would you kill a man because he says: My Lord is Allâh, and he has come to you with clear signs (proofs) from your Lord? And if he is a liar, upon him will be (the sin of) his lie; but if he is telling the truth, then some of that (calamity) wherewith he threatens you will befall on you." Verily, Allâh guides not one who is a Musrif (a polytheist, or a murderer who shed blood without a right, or those who commit great sins, oppressor, transgressor), a liar!

And a believing man of Pharaoh's family, who hid his faith, said: Would ye kill a man because he saith: My Lord is Allah, and hath brought you clear proofs from your Lord? If he is lying, then his lie is upon him; and if he is truthful, then some of that wherewith he threateneth you will strike you. Lo! Allah guideth not one who is a prodigal, a liar.

A believer, a man from among the people of Pharaoh, who had concealed his faith, said: "Will ye slay a man because he says, 'My Lord is Allah'?- when he has indeed come to you with Clear (Signs) from your Lord? and if he be a liar, on him is (the sin of) his lie: but, if he is telling the Truth, then will fall on you something of the (calamity) of which he warns you: Truly Allah guides not one who transgresses and lies!

And a believing man of Firon's people who hid his faith said: What! will you slay a man because he says: My Lord is Allah, and indeed he has brought to you clear arguments from your Lord? And if he be a liar, on him will be his lie, and if he be truthful, there will befall you some of that which he threatens you (with); surely Allah does not guide him who is extravagant, a liar:

And a believing man of Firaawn's (Pharaoh) house who kept back his belief said, "Will you kill a man for that he says, ‘My Lord is Allah, ' and he has come to you with the supreme evidence (s) from your Lord? And in case he is a liar, then his lying is upon himself, and in case he is sincere, some of that which he promises you will alight on you. Surely Allah does not guide him who is extravagant, a constant liar.

Verse 28 word by word

  1. وَقَالَ waqāla And said ق و ل
  2. رَجُلٌ rajulun a man ر ج ل
  3. مُّؤْمِنٌ mu'minun believing أ م ن
  4. مِّنْ min from
  5. ءَالِ āli (the) family أ و ل
  6. فِرْعَوْنَ fir'ʿawna (of) Firaun
  7. يَكْتُمُ yaktumu who conceal(ed) ك ت م
  8. إِيمَٰنَهُۥٓ īmānahu his faith أ م ن
  9. أَتَقْتُلُونَ ataqtulūna Will you kill ق ت ل
  10. رَجُلًا rajulan a man ر ج ل
  11. أَن an because
  12. يَقُولَ yaqūla he says ق و ل
  13. رَبِّىَ rabbiya My Lord ر ب ب
  14. ٱللَّهُ l-lahu (is) Allah
  15. وَقَدْ waqad and indeed
  16. جَآءَكُم jāakum he has brought you ج ي أ
  17. بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ bil-bayināti clear proofs ب ي ن
  18. مِن min from
  19. رَّبِّكُمْ rabbikum your Lord ر ب ب
  20. وَإِن wa-in And if
  21. يَكُ yaku he is ك و ن
  22. كَٰذِبًا kādhiban a liar ك ذ ب
  23. فَعَلَيْهِ faʿalayhi then upon him
  24. كَذِبُهُۥ kadhibuhu (is) his lie ك ذ ب
  25. وَإِن wa-in and if
  26. يَكُ yaku he is ك و ن
  27. صَادِقًا ṣādiqan truthful ص د ق
  28. يُصِبْكُم yuṣib'kum (there) will strike you ص و ب
  29. بَعْضُ baʿḍu some (of) ب ع ض
  30. ٱلَّذِى alladhī (that) which
  31. يَعِدُكُمْ yaʿidukum he threatens you و ع د
  32. إِنَّ inna Indeed
  33. ٱللَّهَ l-laha Allah
  34. لَا lā (does) not
  35. يَهْدِى yahdī guide ه د ي
  36. مَنْ man (one) who
  37. هُوَ huwa [he]
  38. مُسْرِفٌ mus'rifun (is) a transgressor س ر ف
  39. كَذَّابٌ kadhābun a liar ك ذ ب

Hadiths that cite this verse

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 3856

I asked Ibn `Amr bin Al-As, "Tell me of the worst thing which the pagans did to the Prophet." He said, "While the Prophet (ﷺ) was praying in the Hijr of the Ka`ba; `Uqba bin Abi Mu'ait came and put his garment around the Prophet's neck and throttled him violently. Abu Bakr came and caught him by…

يُصَلِّي فِي حِجْرِ الْكَعْبَةِ إِذْ أَقْبَلَ عُقْبَةُ بْنُ أَبِي مُعَيْطٍ، فَوَضَعَ ثَوْبَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ فَخَنَقَهُ خَنْقًا شَدِيدًا، فَأَقْبَلَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَتَّى أَخَذَ بِمَنْكِبِهِ وَدَفَعَهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى…

Narrated by Amr ibn al-‘Ās

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 4815

I asked `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As to inform me of the worst thing the pagans had done to Allah's Apostle. He said: "While Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was praying in the courtyard of the Ka`ba, `Uqba bin Abi Mu'ait came and seized Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) by the shoulder and twisted his garment round his…

يُصَلِّي بِفِنَاءِ الْكَعْبَةِ، إِذْ أَقْبَلَ عُقْبَةُ بْنُ أَبِي مُعَيْطٍ، فَأَخَذَ بِمَنْكِبِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَوَى ثَوْبَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ فَخَنَقَهُ خَنْقًا شَدِيدًا، فَأَقْبَلَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ…

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr + 2 other versions

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 3678

I asked ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr about the worst thing the polytheists did to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said: I saw ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt coming to the Prophet while he was praying. ‘Uqbah wrapped his garment around the Prophet's neck and strangled him therewith severely

‘Urwah ibn Az-Zubayr reported: I asked ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr about the worst thing the polytheists did to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said: "I saw ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt coming to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while he was…

رَأَيْتُ عُقْبَةَ بْنَ أَبِي مُعَيْطٍ جَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي، فَوَضَعَ رِدَاءَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ فَخَنَقَهُ بِهِ خَنْقًا شَدِيدًا، فَجَاءَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَتَّى دَفَعَهُ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ…

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr + 2 other versions Explained

Other hadiths (2)

Verses related to verse 28

Cited by Ibn Kathir in his explanation of this verse

  • Al-Qasas 28:20

    وَجَآءَ رَجُلٌ مِّنْ أَقْصَا ٱلْمَدِينَةِ يَسْعَىٰ قَالَ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّ ٱلْمَلَأَ يَأْتَمِرُونَ بِكَ لِيَقْتُلُوكَ فَٱخْرُجْ إِنِّى لَكَ مِنَ ٱلنَّٰصِحِينَ

    And a man came from the farthest end of the city, running. He said, "O Moses, indeed the eminent ones are conferring over you [intending] to kill you, so leave [the city]; indeed, I am to you of the sincere advisors."

  • Ad-Dukhan 44:17–21

    وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَجَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ كَرِيمٌ …

    And We had already tried before them the people of Pharaoh, and there came to them a noble messenger [i.e., Moses], …

  • Ash-Shuraa 42:23

    ذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يُبَشِّرُ ٱللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ قُل لَّآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا ٱلْمَوَدَّةَ فِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَمَن يَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَّزِدْ لَهُۥ فِيهَا حُسْنًا إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ

    It is that of which Allāh gives good tidings to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say, [O Muḥammad], "I do not ask you for it [i.e., this message] any payment [but] only good will through [i.e., due to] kinship." And whoever commits a good deed - We will increase for him good therein. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Appreciative.

Verses with similar wording

They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.

  • Az-Zumar 39:3

    أَلَا لِلَّهِ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْخَالِصُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ زُلْفَىٰٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِى مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ كَٰذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ

    Unquestionably, for Allāh is the pure religion. And those who take protectors besides Him [say], "We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allāh in position." Indeed, Allāh will judge between them concerning that over which they differ. Indeed, Allāh does not guide he who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever.

  • An-Nahl 16:37

    إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَىٰ هُدَىٰهُمْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَن يُضِلُّ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ

    [Even] if you should strive for their guidance, [O Muḥammad], indeed, Allāh does not guide those He sends astray, and they will have no helpers.

  • Al-Munafiqun 63:6

    سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَسْتَغْفَرْتَ لَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ لَن يَغْفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَٰسِقِينَ

    It is all the same for them whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them; never will Allāh forgive them. Indeed, Allāh does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.

  • Al-Ma’idah 5:51

    يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ ٱلْيَهُودَ وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

    O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allāh guides not the wrongdoing people.

  • Al-Qasas 28:50

    فَإِن لَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لَكَ فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ ٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

    But if they do not respond to you - then know that they only follow their [own] desires. And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allāh? Indeed, Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.

  • Al-Ahqaf 46:10

    قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَفَرْتُم بِهِۦ وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ عَلَىٰ مِثْلِهِۦ فَـَٔامَنَ وَٱسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

    Say, "Have you considered: if it [i.e., the Qur’ān] was from Allāh, and you disbelieved in it while a witness from the Children of Israel has testified to something similar and believed while you were arrogant...?" Indeed, Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.

All similar verses of Surah Ghafir

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