Ghafir · Makki · ayah 20 of 85

Ghafir 40:20

وَٱللَّهُ يَقْضِى بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَقْضُونَ بِشَىْءٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ

“And Allāh judges with truth, while those they invoke[1366] besides Him judge not with anything. Indeed, Allāh - He is the Hearing, the Seeing.”

Saheeh International

Essence

Allah judges with truth, the things people call on besides Him cannot judge anything at all, and He alone hears and sees.

A reflection

A judge who needs nothing

Wa-Allāhu yaqḍī bi-l-ḥaqq: and Allah judges with truth.

Two commentaries give the reason in a single phrase. He judges only with truth and justice because He has no need of injustice. One of them also notes that the ayah names Allah again here in full. The One who judges is the One just described by every attribute in this passage.

That phrase explains almost every human failure of justice. Why does a judge take a bribe? Because he needs money. Why does an official favour his own tribe? Because he needs their support. Why does a parent side with the favourite child? Because she needs that child's love. Injustice nearly always serves a need.

Picture a referee who secretly supports one of the teams. He tells himself he is neutral. But in the ninetieth minute, with his team a goal down, a borderline penalty looks a little more like a foul than it should. He does not need to be corrupt. He only needs to want something.

The ayah says the One who judges on that Day wants nothing from anyone. He gains nothing from your conviction or your acquittal. Nothing can pressure Him, flatter Him or frighten Him. So nothing bends His verdict.

That is humbling for anyone who has ever judged. Most of us like to think we are fair. But our fairness is always quietly negotiating with our needs: to be liked, to be right, to win, to protect our own.

The ego needs; that is why it bends. The ayah invites us to judge, where we must, as near to needing nothing as we can: no favour sought, no fear obeyed. And to know that the final verdict on us will come from One who needs nothing at all.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.