40:4

مَا يُجَٰدِلُ فِيٓ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَلَا يَغۡرُرۡكَ تَقَلُّبُهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡبِلَٰدِ

Ma yujadilu fee ayati Allahi illa allatheena kafaroo fala yaghrurka taqallubuhum fee albiladi

No one disputes concerning the signs of Allah except those who disbelieve, so be not deceived by their [uninhibited] movement throughout the land.

Word by word
  1. مَاNot
  2. يُجَٰدِلُdispute
  3. فِيٓconcerning
  4. ءَايَٰتِ(the) Verses
  5. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  6. إِلَّاexcept
  7. ٱلَّذِينَthose who
  8. كَفَرُواْdisbelieve
  9. فَلَاso (let) not
  10. يَغۡرُرۡكَdeceive you
  11. تَقَلُّبُهُمۡtheir movement
  12. فِيin
  13. ٱلۡبِلَٰدِthe cities
Ghafir · 40:4Makkah

Their busy, wealthy lives are not proof they are right.

Do not be fooled by how well others seem to do


What the eye sees
those who disputeargue against the signs
move freely
wealth, traveltrade across the land
How to read success
they prosper, sothey must be right
brief enjoymentnot a verdict on truth

In Makkah the deniers raised objection after objection, while their caravans and wealth kept growing. Ibn Kathir says their going about the land means their wealth and luxurious life. Allah tells the Prophet ﷺ: do not let that deceive you.

You scroll past someone who mocks everything you hold sacred, and their life looks perfect. Holidays, a new car, a big following. A small voice says maybe they are the smart ones. Comfort is not a proof.

If they are doing so well, maybe they have it figured out.

How well someone is doing tells me nothing about whether they are right.

Try this

Next time you feel envy scrolling, close the app and thank Allah for one specific thing.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

None disputes in the Ayat of Allah but those who disbelieve. So let not their ability of going about here and there through the land (for their purposes) deceive you (4)The people of Nuh and the groups after them denied before these; and every nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him, and disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth. So I seized them, and how was My punishment (5)Thus has the Word of your Lord been justified against those who disbelieved, that they will be the dwellers of the Fire (6)

One of the Attributes of the Disbelievers is That they dispute the Ayat of Allah - and The Consequences of that

Allah tells us that no one rejects or disputes His signs after clear proof has come,

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا

(but those who disbelieve), i.e., those who reject the signs of Allah and His proof and evidence.

فَلَا يَغْرُرْكَ تَقَلُّبُهُمْ فِي الْبِلَادِ

(So let not their ability of going about here and there through the land deceive you!) means, their wealth and luxurious life. This is like the Ayah:

لَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي الْبِلَادِ - مَتَاعٌ قَلِيلٌ ثُمَّ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۚ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ

(Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you. A brief enjoyment; then, their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest.)(3:196-197)

نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ

(We let them enjoy for a little while, then in the end We shall oblige them to (enter) a great torment.)(31:24).

Then Allah consoles His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for the rejection of his people. He tells him that he has an example in the Prophets who came before him, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them all, for their nations disbelieved them and opposed them, and only a few believed in them.

كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ

(The people of Nuh denied before these;) Nuh was the first Messenger whom Allah sent to denounce and forbid idol worship.

وَالْأَحْزَابُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ

(and the groups after them) means, from every nation.

وَهَمَّتْ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ بِرَسُولِهِمْ لِيَأْخُذُوهُ ۖ 

(and every (disbelieving) nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him,) means, they wanted to kill him by any means possible, and some of them did kill their Messenger.

وَجَادَلُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّ 

(and disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth.) means, they came up with specious arguments with which to dispute the truth which was so plain and clear.

فَأَخَذْتُهُمْ

(So I seized them) means, 'I destroyed them, because of the sins they committed.'

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ

(and how was My punishment!) means, 'how have you heard that My punishment and vengeance was so severe and painful.' Qatadah said, "It was terrible, by Allah."

وَكَذَٰلِكَ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ

(Thus has the Word of your Lord been justified against those who disbelieved, that they will be the dwellers of the Fire.) means, 'just as the Word of punishment was justified against those of the past nations who disbelieved, so too is it justified against these disbelievers who have rejected you and gone against you, O Muhammad, and it is even more justified against them, because if they have disbelieved in you, there is no certainty that they will believe in any other Prophet.' And Allah knows best.