Tafsir of Ghafir 40:13

Surah Ghafir (40): Verse 13

He it is Who shows you His signs...

Know that when the Almighty mentioned what necessitates severe warning for the polytheists, He followed it up by mentioning what indicates the perfection of His power and wisdom. This serves as proof that it is permissible to make these carved stones and depicted woods partners with God in divinity.

He said: {He it is Who shows you His signs} (40:13).

Know that the most important matters are safeguarding the interests of religion and the interests of the bodies. Thus, He, the Exalted, safeguards the interests of His servants' religions by manifesting clear proofs and signs, and He safeguards the interests of their bodies by sending down sustenance from the sky. The position of the signs concerning religion is like the position of sustenance concerning the bodies. The signs are for the life of religions, and sustenance is for the life of bodies. When both are attained, the bestowal of favor is achieved in the strongest consideration and the most complete aspect.

Then He said: {But none will remember except those who turn [to Allah]} (40:14).

The meaning is that grasping the evidence for the Oneness of God is like an innate disposition rooted in reason. However, holding the belief in polytheism and engaging in the worship of other than God acts as a barrier preventing those lights from manifesting. When the servant turns away from them and turns back (in repentance/devotion) to God, the covering and veiling are removed, and complete success appears.

After establishing this meaning, He clarified the desired objective, which is turning away from all except God and wholly turning toward God, the Exalted, saying: {So invoke Allah, making your devotion sincere to Him in religion} (40:15), meaning free from polytheism and from turning attention to anyone other than God. {even if the disbelievers hate it} (40:15).

Ibn Kathir recited yulqī (يُلْقِي) with a light shaddah (emphasis), while the rest recited it with a strong shaddah (يُلَقِّي).

{Exalted in rank, Owner of the Throne, He casts the Spirit of His command upon whom He wills of His servants to warn of the Day of Meeting} (40:15).

{The Day they will come forth—nothing about them will be hidden from Allah. To whom belongs the sovereignty this Day? To Allah, the One, the Prevailing} (40:16).

{This Day every soul will be recompensed for what it earned. No injustice this Day. Indeed, Allah is swift in taking account} (40:17).