The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 854
CHAPTER 40 AL-MU'MIN (Revealed before Hijrah) Title, Date of Revelation and Context With this chapter begins a group of Surahs, all of which have the same abbreviated letters, viz. (Ḥā Mīm) affixed to them and which open with the subject of the revelation of the Quran. Being similar in style and contents, they belong to the same period. According to Ibn 'Abbās and ‘Ikrimah, they were revealed at Mecca at a time when opposition to Islam had become persistent, organized and bitter (vv. 56 & 78) and the Holy Prophet's enemies were even seeking to kill him (v. 29). The Surah seems to derive its title from v. 29 where a "believing man" from among the people of Pharaoh is represented as giving a speech, full of pathos and sound reasoning, in support of Moses. The Surah is also known as Ghafir after the Divine attribute i. e. the Forgiver of sins (v. 4). It has 86 verses including Bismillah. Towards the close of the last Surah, the Holy Prophet was comforted with the assurance that very soon Divine judgement will issue forth between him and his enemies. The forces of darkness will be routed; idolatry will disappear from Arabia, and the whole country will reverberate with the praises of God, the Lord of all the worlds Who has not confined His guidance to any one particular people, but has blessed all with it. The present Surah opens with the most welcome declaration that the Great and Mighty God has revealed the Quran to preach truth to all nations of the world, and that God's majesty and holiness demand that righteousness should be established in the world and disbelief obliterated from it. Subject Matter As mentioned above, the Surah opens with a firm declaration that the time has come when truth will triumph over falsehood and righteousness over evil, and the praises of God will be sung in the land where idolatry had been rampant. This great consummation will be brought about by means of the Quran. The enemies of truth will strain every nerve to retard the progress of Islam and will put all sorts of obstacles in the way of its propagation and expansion. They will also use their influence and powerful resources to nip its tender plant in the bud. But they will fail in their evil designs and endeavours. The Holy Prophet is told not to be deceived and overawed by the glamour of power and great material resources of disbelievers. They are destined to come to a sad end. The Holy Prophet is further told that his opponents are not the only people to oppose truth. There have been before them people who also 2768