Translation of the meanings Ayah 40 Surah Al-An‘ām - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - The Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia

Ayah: 40

قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتَكُمۡ إِنۡ أَتَىٰكُمۡ عَذَابُ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡ أَتَتۡكُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ أَغَيۡرَ ٱللَّهِ تَدۡعُونَ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ

(40) ^[1353]Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Would you not see that when Allah’s Punishment comes to you or the Hour comes upon you, would you pray to any besides ‘Allah’ if only you are truthful?”

[1353] Then, people might have had many gods whom they Associated with God, but when they were touched by affliction or hit by disaster they quickly turned to the One and only God, the ‘Allah’ they knew for sure as All-Able, All-Dominant. At those times their recalcitrance evaded them (cf. al-Rāzī): “He is the One Who enables you to travel through land and sea. And it so happens that you are on ships, sailing with a favourable wind, to the passengers’ delight. Suddenly, the ships are overcome by a gale wind and those on board are overwhelmed by waves from every side, and they assume they are doomed. They cry out to Allah ˹alone˺ in sincere devotion: “If You save us from this, we will certainly be grateful”” (10: 22).