Surah Ghafir, Ayah 75

The End of Those Who dispute and deny the Signs of Allah

Allah says, `do you not wonder, O Muhammad, at those who deny the signs of Allah and dispute the truth by means of falsehood, how their minds are diverted from the truth and are misguided'

الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِالْكِـتَـبِ وَبِمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا بِهِ رُسُلَنَا

(Those who deny the Book, and that with which We sent Our Messengers) means, guidance and clear proof.

فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ

(they will come to know.) This is a stern warning and clear threat from the Lord to these people. This is like the Ayah:

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

(Woe that Day to the deniers!) (77:15)

إِذِ الاٌّغْلَـلُ فِى أَعْنَـقِهِمْ والسَّلَـسِلُ

The word: تَفْرَ‌حُونَ (tafrahun) in verse 75: (This is because you used to rejoice on the earth wrongfully,

and because you used to show arrogance.) has been derived from: فَرَح (farah) which means to be happy while the word: تَمْرَ‌حُونَ (tamrahun) is from: مَرَح (marah) which means to exult unduly or to trample over the rights of others by priding on one's wealth and power. Hence, this kind of marah or undue exultation is absolutely blameworthy and Haram (unlawful). As for farah or marah, it can be explained by saying that seeking enjoyment out of sinfulness under the intoxication of wealth coupled with the absence of any thought of there being a God is certainly Haram and impermissible. Meant in this verse is this kind of farah - as it also appears in the story of Qarun (Korah) in the same sense: لَا تَفْرَ‌حْ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَرِ‌حِينَ ("Do not exult. Surely, Allah does not like the exultant.-a1-Qasas, 28:76). There is another degree of farah - that one takes good things of life as blessings from Allah Ta’ ala, and expresses his or her joy on having these - this is permissible, in fact, is recommended (mustahabb), and desirable. It is about such farah that the Qur'an has said: فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَ‌حُوا (with these they should rejoice Yunus, 10:58). As for marah, it is a cause of punishment absolutely, without any restriction. Therefore, no qualifying words were added to it. But, in the case of farah, the words: بِغَیرِالحَقِ (bi ghayril-haqq: wrongfully) are added. It was thus pointed out that jubilating over the undue and the impermissible was forbidden (Haram) while being pleased with blessings that are rightful and permissible as an expression of gratitude was an act of ` ibadah (worship of Allah) and thawab (reward from Him).

These verses point to the phenomena of nature which exist so that man may reflect. In other words, these phenomena exist so that man may give them deep consideration and may uncover their hidden meaning. The conversion of lifeless matter into living objects; the development of the human being in a gradual manner; man’s passing through the stages of youth to old age; death of man, sometimes in old age and sometimes at a young age are events that introduce us to the various attributes of the Creator. It is revealed by these events that the Being who brought this universe into existence is the All Powerful and Wise God. He is Supreme and Dominant. If man learns a real lesson from these facts, he will spontaneously opine that it is the one and only God who deserves to be worshipped. This picture of the Universe implicitly contradicts all the false gods set up by man instead of the real God.