Transliteration:( Yaaa ayyuhan naasu inna wa'dal laahi haqqun falaa taghurrannakumul hayaatud dunyaa; wa laa yaghurran nakum billaahil gharoor )
"O mankind! Surely, the promise [16] of Allah is true. Therefore, let not the life [17] of this world deceive you and let not the arch deceiver [18] deceive you, regarding the respect of Allah."
In this verse is a subtle refutation of the notion of Allah speaking a lie, which is impossible. It also implies that censure can be withdrawn, but that withholding punishment is not falsehood—it is forgiveness. Moreover, censure is dependent on the will of Allah Almighty.
Allah Almighty says: "And whatever is less than shirk, He forgives whomsoever He wills" (Surah Ibrahim, Verse 48). So if Allah chooses not to punish someone, it does not mean He spoke a lie (Allah forbid). Rather, it means that punishment was never intended, and thus was not carried out.
This is a warning: do not become so engrossed in worldly pleasures that you forget the Hereafter. Never allow yourself to be misled by the delay in divine punishment—this is only Allah’s patience and respite, not neglect.
Gharoor refers to the devil, meaning the great deceiver and fraudulent one. The great Sufi sages say: any wealth, position, or status that leads a person to rebel against Allah Almighty is pure deception.
The tafsir of Surah Fatir verse 5 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Fatir ayat 4 which provides the complete commentary from verse 4 through 6.
(35:5) O people, assuredly Allah’s promise is true.[10] So let the life of the world not delude you,[11] and let not the Deluder delude you concerning Allah.[12]
10. “The promise” implies the promise of the Hereafter to which allusion was made in the preceding sentence, saying: “And to Allah return all matters.”
11. “Let not deceive you”: Deceive you that the world is an end in itself: that there is no Hereafter when one will have to render an account of one’s deeds: or that even if there is the Hereafter, the one who is enjoying life here will enjoy life there, too.
12. “Great deceiver”: Satan, as is evident from the next sentence. And “deceive you concerning Allah” means:
(1) That he should make some people believe that Allah does not exist at all.
(2) Involve others in the misunderstanding that Allah after having once created the world, has retired and has now practically nothing to do with the universe any more.
(3) Delude others into believing that Allah no doubt is running the universe, but He has taken no responsibility of providing guidance to man: therefore, revelation and prophethood are a mere deception.
(4) Give still others the false hope that since Allah is All- Forgiving and All-Merciful. He will forgive one whatever sins one might have committed, and that He has some beloved ones too: if one remains attached to them, success and salvation are assured.
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