Tafseer of The Forgiver · Ghafir · 40:83
And when their messengers came to them with clear proofs, they [merely] rejoiced in what they had of knowledge, but they were enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
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 statement concerning the interpretation of His word, the Exalted: فَلَمَّا جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَرِحُوا بِمَا عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ وَحَاقَ بِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ (83) ("Then when their messengers came to them with the clear proofs, they rejoiced in the knowledge they possessed, and that which they used to mock encompassed them.")
He, exalted is His mention, says: When there came to these communities who lived before the denying Quraysh their messengers — whom Allah sent to them — with the clear proofs, that is to say: with the manifest evidences of the Almighty and Exalted, فَرِحُوا بِمَا عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ — He says: they rejoiced out of ignorance in the knowledge they possessed, and said: We shall never be resurrected, and Allah will never punish us.
And in the spirit of what we have said concerning this, the scholars of interpretation (taʾwīl) have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word: فَرِحُوا بِمَا عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ , he said: their statement: We are more knowledgeable than they, we will not be punished and we will not be resurrected.
Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: فَرِحُوا بِمَا عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ — because of their ignorance.
And His statement: وَحَاقَ بِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ — He says: and that which they used to seek to hasten against their messengers with mockery and derision, namely the punishment (ʿadhāb) of Allah, encompassed them.
And in the spirit of what we have said concerning this, the scholars of interpretation have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word: وَحَاقَ بِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ — that which their messengers of the truth brought to them.
