Tafsir of Ghafir 40:60

"And your Lord said, 'Call upon Me...'"

{Call upon Me}: Worship Me. The use of "supplication" (du‘a) to mean "worship" (‘ibadah) is frequent in the Qur’an. This is evidenced by His saying: "Indeed, those who are arrogant toward My worship" (Ghafir: 60).

"And I will answer you": I will reward you.

• In the exegesis of Mujahid: "Worship Me, and I will reward you."
• Al-Hasan, when asked about this, said: "Work and rejoice, for it is a right upon Allah to answer those who believe and do righteous deeds and increase them from His bounty."
• It is narrated that when Sufyan al-Thawri was told, "Call upon Allah," he replied, "Abandoning sins is the [true] supplication."

In the Hadith: "If My servant is occupied by My obedience rather than asking Me, I shall give him the best of what I give to those who ask."

Al-Nu‘man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): "Supplication is worship," and he recited this verse.

It is also possible that "supplication" and "answering" are intended in their literal sense, and that by "My worship" he means "calling upon Me," because supplication is a form of worship and one of its most excellent forms. This is supported by the words of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): "The best of worship is supplication."

Ka‘b said: Allah gave this nation three qualities that He gave only to the Messengers:

1. He used to say to every Prophet, "You are My witness over My creation," but He said to this nation: "That you may be witnesses over the people" (Al-Baqarah: 143).
2. He used to say, "There is no difficulty upon you," and He said to us: "Allah does not intend to place upon you any difficulty" (Al-Ma’idah: 6).
3. He used to say, "Call upon Me, I will answer you," and He said to us: "Call upon Me; I will answer you."

Ibn ‘Abbas said: "Declare My Oneness, and I will forgive you." This is an interpretation of "supplication" as "worship," and then "worship" as "Tawhid" (the declaration of Oneness).

{...will enter Hell, humiliated}: Abased and lowly.

"It is Allah who made for you the night that you may rest therein and the day, giving sight. Indeed, Allah is full of bounty to the people, but most of the people are not grateful."