Tafseer of The Forgiver · Ghafir · 40:34
And Joseph had already come to you before with clear proofs, but you remained in doubt of that which he brought to you, until when he died, you said, 'Never will Allah send a messenger after him.' Thus does Allah leave astray he who is a transgressor and skeptic."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the statement of the Exalted: وَلَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ يُوسُفُ مِنْ قَبْلُ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَمَا زِلْتُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِمَّا جَاءَكُمْ بِهِ حَتَّى إِذَا هَلَكَ قُلْتُمْ لَنْ يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ رَسُولا كَذَلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ مُرْتَابٌ (And Yūsuf had already come to you before with the clear proofs, but you remained in doubt about that which he brought to you, until, when he died, you said: "Allah will never send a messenger after him." Thus does Allah lead astray whoever is excessive and in doubt) (40:34).
The Exalted, whose remembrance is exalted, says: And Yūsuf, the son of Yaʿqūb, had already come to you, O people, before Mūsā, with the clear proofs of Allah's arguments.
As Muḥammad related to us, he said: Aḥmad related to us, he said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, وَلَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ يُوسُفُ مِنْ قَبْلُ (And Yūsuf had already come to you before), he said: before Mūsā.
And His statement: فَمَا زِلْتُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِمَّا جَاءَكُمْ بِهِ (but you remained in doubt about that which he brought to you) means: you continued unceasingly to be in doubt about that which Yūsuf brought to you from your Lord, while your hearts had no certainty regarding its truth. حَتَّى إِذَا هَلَكَ (until, when he died) means: until Yūsuf died, and you said, O people: "Allah will never send to you a messenger after Yūsuf who calls to the truth." كَذَلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ مُرْتَابٌ (Thus does Allah lead astray whoever is excessive and in doubt) means: thus does Allah keep from attaining the truth and from following the straight path the one who is disbelieving in Him, in doubt, and doubting the truthfulness of the reports of His messengers.
