About This Surah
Surah Ghafir (غافر) is the 40th chapter of the Qur'an, with 85 verses revealed in Mecca. Its main themes are theology, spirituality, and eschatology. It prominently features Musa and Nuh.
Topical Breakdown
Verses 1–2020
- 1Disjointed letters (Al-Muqatta'at)
- 2Revelation of the Book from God the Almighty, the All-Knowing
- 3Forgiver of sin, Accepter of repentance, Severe in punishment, Owner of bounty
- 4Disputing God's revelations and deceptive worldly prosperity of disbelievers
- 5Plotting of past nations against messengers to refute truth and their destruction
- 6Realization of the divine decree upon persistent deniers
- 7Bearers of the Throne glorifying God and seeking forgiveness for believers
- 8Angelic supplication for believers and their righteous parents, spouses, and offspring
- 9Angelic supplication for protecting believers from sins and attaining mercy
- 10God's greater aversion toward disbelievers when invited to faith than their self-loathing
- 11Disbelievers confessing two deaths and two lives seeking a way out of Hell
- 12Disbelief when God alone is invoked versus belief when partners are associated
- 13Showing cosmic signs and sending sustenance from heaven for the repentant
- 14Sincere unadulterated worship of God alone
- 15Exalted in rank, Owner of the Throne, casting revelation by His command to warn of Meeting Day
- 16Complete exposure of mankind and exclusive sovereignty of God the One, the Prevailing
- 17Recompense for every soul according to deeds without injustice, God swift in reckoning
- 18Warning of the Approaching Day when hearts choke throats with no loyal friend or intercessor
- 19Divine knowledge of deceitful eyes and secrets concealed within breasts
- 20God judges with absolute truth while false idols have no authority
Verses 21–4016
- 21Traveling the earth to observe the ruin of past mightier civilizations
- 22Destruction of deniers for rejecting clear signs of their messengers
- 23, 24Moses sent with clear signs and manifest authority to Pharaoh, Haman, and Qarun
- 25Pharaoh's conspiracy to kill the sons of believers and futility of disbelievers' plots
- 26Pharaoh's threat to kill Moses and false accusation of causing corruption
- 27Moses seeking refuge in his Lord from every arrogant denier of Judgment Day
- 28The believing man from Pharaoh's folk defending Moses with rational argument
- 29Believer warning Pharaoh's folk against the punishment of God despite worldly power
- 30, 31Believer warning his people of the Day of the Confederates (Aad, Thamud)
- 32, 33Believer warning his people of the Day of Mutual Calling and fleeing from punishment
- 34Past mission of Joseph with clear proofs and persistence in doubt after his death
- 35Disputing divine signs without authority and sealing of tyrannical arrogant hearts
- 36, 37Pharaoh ordering Haman to build a lofty tower to reach the heaven of Moses' God
- 38Believer calling his people to follow the path of true guidance
- 39Worldly life as transient enjoyment and the Hereafter as the permanent abode
- 40Exact recompense for evil deeds and limitless reward in Paradise for believers doing good
Verses 41–6016
- 41, 42Contrast between calling to salvation and calling to disbelief and Hellfire
- 43Futility of false gods possessing no claim in this world or Hereafter and return to God
- 44Entrusting one's affair to God who is All-Seeing of His servants
- 45God protecting the believer and engulfing Pharaoh's folk in evil punishment
- 46Exposing Pharaoh's folk to Fire morning and evening and severe torment on Judgment Day
- 47, 48Mutual recrimination between followers and leaders in Hell
- 49, 50Inmates begging keepers of Hell to supplicate for lightening torment for one day
- 51Divine victory promised to messengers and believers in this life and on the Day of Witnesses
- 52Day when excuses of wrongdoers do not benefit, incurring curse and evil home
- 53, 54Granting Moses guidance and Children of Israel the Scripture as reminder
- 55Command to bear with patience, ask forgiveness, and glorify God evening and morning
- 56Disputing divine signs due to unachievable pride and seeking refuge in God
- 57Creation of heavens and earth greater than creation of mankind
- 58The blind and the seeing are not equal, nor are doers of good and evildoers
- 59The Hour is definitely coming without doubt though most people disbelieve
- 60Divine command to call upon God with promise of response and humiliation of the arrogant
Verses 61–8017
- 61Creation of night for resting and day for seeing, God's grace upon mankind
- 62God, your Lord, Creator of all things, no god but He, turning away from truth
- 63Delusion of those who stubbornly reject the signs of God
- 64Earth as stable resting place, sky a canopy, excellent human forms, and pure sustenance
- 65He is the Ever-Living, no god but He, supplicating Him sincerely, praise to Lord of worlds
- 66Prohibition of worshipping idols upon receiving clear proofs and surrender to Lord of worlds
- 67Biological development from dust, sperm-drop, clot, infancy to maturity and old age
- 68God gives life and causes death, decreeing matters with command: 'Be, and it is'
- 69Disputing divine signs and turning away from manifest truth
- 70Denial of the Book and message sent with messengers, inevitable realization
- 71, 72Shackles and chains around necks, dragged in boiling water and burned in Fire
- 73, 74Confronting deniers about their vanished false partners and their confession of error
- 75Torment in Hell for wrongful exultation and insolent arrogance on earth
- 76Entering the gates of Hell to abide eternally, wretched abode of the arrogant
- 77Command to bear patience, God's promise is true, and final return to Him
- 78Messengers sent before: some recounted and some not, signs only by God's leave
- 79, 80Creation of cattle for riding, eating, transport, and ships at sea
Verses 81–855
- 81Displaying divine signs in creation and warning against denying them
- 82Futility of wealth and monuments of earlier mightier nations against divine destruction
- 83Arrogant pride in worldly knowledge and being engulfed by what they mocked
- 84Declaration of faith only upon seeing divine wrath and rejecting former partners
- 85Established divine law: late faith upon seeing torment does not benefit the lost deniers
Verse Tone Progression
Command
Narrative
Promise
Warning
Consolation
Praise
Neutral
Concept Frequency Cloud
Top Concept Co-Occurrences
Allah↔knowledge350
Allah↔faith306
Allah↔disbelief200
Allah↔messenger188
Allah↔the earth186
disbelief↔faith108
Allah↔worship95
faith↔messenger91
faith↔knowledge84
knowledge↔the earth74
Semantic Opposites Present
disbelief
↔ opposes
faith
Cross-Surah Verse Similarity
Fussilat · 41:1
Ḥā Mīm. The discussion on similar letters has already passed in Sūrah Al-Baqarah.
∿ similarity: 1.00
Ash-Shuraa · 42:1
This sūrah begins with the disconnected letters, the explanation for which has already preceeded in Sūrah Baqarah.
∿ similarity: 1.00
Az-Zukhruf · 43:1
Ḥā Mīm. The discussion on similar letters has already passed in Sūrah Al-Baqarah.
∿ similarity: 1.00
Ad-Dukhan · 44:1
Ḥā Mīm. The discussion on similar letters has already passed in Sūrah Al-Baqarah.
∿ similarity: 1.00
Al-Jathiyah · 45:1
Ḥā Mīm. The discussion on similar letters has already passed in Sūrah Al-Baqarah.
∿ similarity: 1.00
Hud · 11:96
I had sent Moses with My signs that indicated My Oneness and with clear evidence that proved the truth of what he brought.
∿ similarity: 1.00
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Surah Ghafir?
Surah Ghafir (غافر) is the 40th chapter of the Qur'an, comprising 85 verses revealed in Mecca.
What are the main themes of Surah Ghafir?
The main themes of Surah Ghafir are theology, spirituality, and prophethood.
Which key figures are mentioned in Surah Ghafir?
Surah Ghafir prominently features Musa and Nuh.
Is Surah Ghafir Meccan or Medinan?
Surah Ghafir is Meccan; it was revealed in Mecca and contains 85 verses.
Read Ghafir — All 85 Verses
Arabic text · Translation · Tafseer · Audio player · Per-verse concept tags