The Forgiver
Ghâfir
غَافِر
Surah Ghâfir for kids content
CALLS FROM HELL
49And those in the Fire will cry out to the keepers of Jahannam, "Pray to your Lord to reduce the punishment for us for just one day!
"
50The keepers will say, "Did your messengers not 'always' come to you with clear proofs?
" They will say, "Yes they did.
" The keepers will say, "Then pray 'all you want!
' The prayer of the disbelievers is just useless.
"
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي ٱلنَّارِ لِخَزَنَةِ جَهَنَّمَ ٱدۡعُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ يُخَفِّفۡ عَنَّا يَوۡمٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ49
قَالُوٓاْ أَوَ لَمۡ تَكُ تَأۡتِيكُمۡ رُسُلُكُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِۖ قَالُواْ بَلَىٰۚ قَالُواْ فَٱدۡعُواْۗ وَمَا دُعَٰٓؤُاْ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَٰلٍ50
ALLAH'S HELP FOR THE BELIEVERS
51We certainly help Our messengers and the believers, 'both' in this life and on the Day the witnesses will come forward 'to testify'—
52the Day the excuses of those who did wrong will not benefit them 'at all'.
They will be doomed and will have the worst end.
'
إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَيَوۡمَ يَقُومُ ٱلۡأَشۡهَٰدُ51
يَوۡمَ لَا يَنفَعُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ مَعۡذِرَتُهُمۡۖ وَلَهُمُ ٱللَّعۡنَةُ وَلَهُمۡ سُوٓءُ ٱلدَّارِ52
WORDS OF WISDOM
- •
Someone may ask, 'If the Prophet (ﷺ) never sinned, why is he asked to pray for Allah's forgiveness?
' Like other prophets, Muhammad (ﷺ) never had any sins.
However, prophets are human beings, so sometimes they would do something by mistake or misjudge a situation, and Allah would correct them.
Verses (like 55 below) refer to these shortcomings and misjudgements.
- •
For example, when the Prophet (ﷺ) forgot to say 'In-sha-Allah' (18:23) and when he didn't give his full attention to the blind man (80:1-10).
- •
In the same way, Yunus (A.
S.
) left his city without Allah's permission (21:87-88), and Musa (A.
S.
) accidentally killed a man by punching him (28:15-16).
- •
The lesson here is: if those prophets prayed for forgiveness, you and I are more in need of praying for forgiveness.
SUPPORTING THE PROPHET
53And surely We gave Musa 'true' guidance and passed on the Book to the Children of Isra'il
54as a guide and a reminder to those who truly understand.
55So be patient 'O Prophet'—Allah's promise is certainly true.
Seek forgiveness for your shortcomings.
And praise the glory of your Lord morning and evening.
56Certainly those who question Allah's signs—with no proof given to them—have nothing in their hearts except greed for authority, which they will never achieve.
So seek protection in Allah.
Surely He alone hears and sees 'everything'.
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَأَوۡرَثۡنَا بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ53
هُدٗى وَذِكۡرَىٰ لِأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ54
فَٱصۡبِرۡ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقّٞ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لِذَنۢبِكَ وَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلۡعَشِيِّ وَٱلۡإِبۡكَٰرِ55
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُجَٰدِلُونَ فِيٓ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ سُلۡطَٰنٍ أَتَىٰهُمۡ إِن فِي صُدُورِهِمۡ إِلَّا كِبۡرٞ مَّا هُم بِبَٰلِغِيهِۚ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡبَصِيرُ56
IT'S ALL EASY FOR ALLAH
57Most definitely, the creation of the heavens and the earth is far greater than the re-creation of human beings, but most people do not know.
لَخَلۡقُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَكۡبَرُ مِنۡ خَلۡقِ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ57
EXAMPLE OF BELIEF AND DISBELIEF
58Those blind 'to the truth' and those who can see are not equal, and those who believe and do good are not 'equal' to those who do evil.
Yet you hardly learn any lesson.
59The Hour 'of Judgment' is certainly coming, there is no doubt about it.
But most people do not believe.
وَمَا يَسۡتَوِي ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ وَٱلۡبَصِيرُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَلَا ٱلۡمُسِيٓءُۚ قَلِيلٗا مَّا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ58
إِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَأٓتِيَةٞ لَّا رَيۡبَ فِيهَا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ59
ALLAH ANSWERS PRAYERS
60Your Lord has declared, "Call upon Me, I will respond to you.
Surely those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Jahannam, fully covered in shame.
"
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدۡعُونِيٓ أَسۡتَجِبۡ لَكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ عَنۡ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدۡخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ60
ALLAH IS KIND TO HIS CREATION
61Allah is the One Who has made the night for you to rest in and the day bright.
Surely Allah is always generous to humanity, but most people are ungrateful.
62That is Allah, your Lord, the Creator of all things.
There is no god 'that deserves worship' except Him.
How can you then be distracted 'from the truth'?
63This is how those who rejected Allah's signs were also distracted.
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيۡلَ لِتَسۡكُنُواْ فِيهِ وَٱلنَّهَارَ مُبۡصِرًاۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَذُو فَضۡلٍ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَشۡكُرُونَ61
ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡ خَٰلِقُ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤۡفَكُونَ62
كَذَٰلِكَ يُؤۡفَكُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانُواْ بَِٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ يَجۡحَدُونَ63
ALLAH PROVIDES FOR ALL
64Allah is the One Who made the earth as your home and the sky as a ceiling.
He shaped you 'in the womb', perfecting your form.
And He has provided you with what is good and lawful.
That is Allah—your Lord.
So Blessed is Allah, Lord of the universe.
65He is the Living.
There is no god 'that deserves worship' except Him.
So call upon Him 'alone', being sincere in faith to Him, 'saying,' "All praise is for Allah—Lord of the universe.
"
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ قَرَارٗا وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءٗ وَصَوَّرَكُمۡ فَأَحۡسَنَ صُوَرَكُمۡ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡۖ فَتَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ64
هُوَ ٱلۡحَيُّ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَٱدۡعُوهُ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَۗ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ65
ALLAH HAS POWER OVER LIFE AND DEATH
66Say, 'O Prophet.
' "I am forbidden to worship those 'idols' you call upon instead of Allah, since clear proofs have come to me from my Lord.
And I have been ordered to 'fully' submit to the Lord of the universe.
"
67He is the One Who created you' from dust, then from a human seed, then developed you into' a tiny thing hanging 'in the womb', then He brings
you out as babies so that you may mature, then become old—even though some of you may die sooner—so each of you reaches their set time, and so
maybe you will understand 'Allah's power'.
68He is the One Who gives life and causes death.
When He decides something, He simply tells it, "Be!
" And it is!
قُلۡ إِنِّي نُهِيتُ أَنۡ أَعۡبُدَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَمَّا جَآءَنِيَ ٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتُ مِن رَّبِّي وَأُمِرۡتُ أَنۡ أُسۡلِمَ لِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ66
هُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابٖ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطۡفَةٖ ثُمَّ مِنۡ عَلَقَةٖ ثُمَّ يُخۡرِجُكُمۡ طِفۡلٗا ثُمَّ لِتَبۡلُغُوٓاْ أَشُدَّكُمۡ ثُمَّ لِتَكُونُواْ شُيُوخٗاۚ وَمِنكُم مَّن يُتَوَفَّىٰ مِن قَبۡلُۖ وَلِتَبۡلُغُوٓاْ أَجَلٗا مُّسَمّٗى وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ67
هُوَ ٱلَّذِي يُحۡيِۦ وَيُمِيتُۖ فَإِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمۡرٗا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ68
PUNISHMENT OF THE DENIERS
69Have you not seen how those who question Allah's signs are turned away?
70'They are' the ones who reject this Book and whatever We sent Our messengers with.
So they will see 'the consequences'
71When leashes will be around their necks and chains 'on their legs'.
They will be dragged
72through boiling water, then burned in the Fire.
73Then they will be asked, "Where are those 'idols' you used to make equal
74to Allah?
" They will cry, "They have 'all' failed us.
In fact, we did not call anything real before.
" This is how Allah leaves the disbelievers to stray.
75'They will be told,' "This punishment' is for being arrogant on earth unjustly and for acting proudly.
76Enter the gates of Jahannam, to stay there forever.
What an evil home for the arrogant!
”
أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُجَٰدِلُونَ فِيٓ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ أَنَّىٰ يُصۡرَفُونَ69
ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَبِمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا بِهِۦ رُسُلَنَاۖ فَسَوۡفَ يَعۡلَمُونَ70
إِذِ ٱلۡأَغۡلَٰلُ فِيٓ أَعۡنَٰقِهِمۡ وَٱلسَّلَٰسِلُ يُسۡحَبُونَ71
فِي ٱلۡحَمِيمِ ثُمَّ فِي ٱلنَّارِ يُسۡجَرُونَ72
ثُمَّ قِيلَ لَهُمۡ أَيۡنَ مَا كُنتُمۡ تُشۡرِكُونَ73
مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۖ قَالُواْ ضَلُّواْ عَنَّا بَل لَّمۡ نَكُن نَّدۡعُواْ مِن قَبۡلُ شَيۡٔٗاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ74
ذَٰلِكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَفۡرَحُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بِغَيۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَبِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَمۡرَحُونَ75
ٱدۡخُلُوٓاْ أَبۡوَٰبَ جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَاۖ فَبِئۡسَ مَثۡوَى ٱلۡمُتَكَبِّرِينَ76
ADVICE TO THE PROPHET
77So be patient 'O Prophet.
' Surely Allah's promise is true.
Whether We show you some of what We threaten them with, or 'cause you to die before that', eventually, they will 'all' be returned to Us.
78We already sent messengers before you—We have already told you the stories of some of them, while others We have not.
It was not possible for any messenger to bring a sign without Allah's permission.
But when Allah's decision came, judgment was passed with fairness.
Then and there, the people of falsehood were in 'total' loss.
فَٱصۡبِرۡ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقّٞۚ فَإِمَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِي نَعِدُهُمۡ أَوۡ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِلَيۡنَا يُرۡجَعُونَ77
وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلٗا مِّن قَبۡلِكَ مِنۡهُم مَّن قَصَصۡنَا عَلَيۡكَ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن لَّمۡ نَقۡصُصۡ عَلَيۡكَۗ وَمَا كَانَ لِرَسُولٍ أَن يَأۡتِيَ بَِٔايَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَمۡرُ ٱللَّهِ قُضِيَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ ٱلۡمُبۡطِلُونَ78
SOME OF ALLAH'S FAVOURS
79Allah is the One Who made animals for you so that you may ride some and eat others.
80You also find other benefits in them.
And with them you can reach any destination you want.
And you are carried upon 'some of them and upon ships.
81And He shows you His signs.
Now, which of Allah's signs will you deny?
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمَ لِتَرۡكَبُواْ مِنۡهَا وَمِنۡهَا تَأۡكُلُونَ79
وَلَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَنَٰفِعُ وَلِتَبۡلُغُواْ عَلَيۡهَا حَاجَةٗ فِي صُدُورِكُمۡ وَعَلَيۡهَا وَعَلَى ٱلۡفُلۡكِ تُحۡمَلُونَ80
وَيُرِيكُمۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ فَأَيَّ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ تُنكِرُونَ81
MORE WARNING TO THE DENIERS
82Have they not travelled throughout the land to see what was the fate of those who were 'destroyed' before them?
They were far greater in numbers, much stronger, and 'left more' landmarks in the land, but their 'useless' gains did not benefit them 'at all'.
83When their messengers came to them with clear proofs, they became arrogant because of whatever knowledge they had, and were 'finally' shocked by what they used to mock.
84When they saw Our punishment, they cried, "'Oh!
Now' we believe in Allah alone and reject whatever 'gods' we have made equal to Him!
"
85But their 'sudden' faith did not benefit them when they saw Our punishment.
This has 'always' been Allah's way 'of dealing' with 'the wicked among' His creation.
Then and there, the disbelievers were in 'total' loss.
أَفَلَمۡ يَسِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ كَانُوٓاْ أَكۡثَرَ مِنۡهُمۡ وَأَشَدَّ قُوَّةٗ وَءَاثَارٗا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَمَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ82
فَلَمَّا جَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ فَرِحُواْ بِمَا عِندَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ83
فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡاْ بَأۡسَنَا قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَحۡدَهُۥ وَكَفَرۡنَا بِمَا كُنَّا بِهِۦ مُشۡرِكِينَ84
فَلَمۡ يَكُ يَنفَعُهُمۡ إِيمَٰنُهُمۡ لَمَّا رَأَوۡاْ بَأۡسَنَاۖ سُنَّتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِي قَدۡ خَلَتۡ فِي عِبَادِهِۦۖ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ85
How to study Surah Ghâfir with children
Use this children's lesson as a guided path: read the short explanation, look at the Arabic verse, listen to related recitation, and return to the full surah when your child is ready for more detail.
Parents can review one section at a time, ask the child to repeat the main idea, and then continue with the next part or a nearby surah. This keeps the lesson connected with Quran reading, audio, and daily practice.