Kafarah comes from the same root as the word Kafir which we discussed earlier. In Arabic, there are multiple patterns to form plurals. The pattern used here contains hyperbole and emphasis to show the severe intensity of their Kufr. Fajarah comes from the root fāʾ jīm rāʾ which means to explode and break out.47 It means people who would impulsively explode into whatever they desired, who would impulsively break Allah’s commands. Again, the plural pattern contains hyperbole to show the intensity of their impulsive behaviour.
On top of this emphasis inside the pattern itself, Allah adds two more layers of
emphasis. First by using the extra pronoun هم , and second by using the definite articles with both words. There is a lot of emphasis here, and I mean a lot.
They, like none other, are the biggest Kafarah and Fajarah. Why? Because they broke the right of Allah, the one to whom they owe the biggest responsibility. It is no coincidence that the same root is used as verse 17. The central point has been to show the ingratitude and arrogance of man despite the ease and facilitation Allah has provided him in both this world and the spiritual realm. These are the people who buried their seed deep within, so deep that revelation despite being poured in torrents, could not seep and penetrate its way through the sins and transgressions that cover it. Fajarah really diagnoses the problem. Why could revelation not affect them? Because of their impulsive sins, that acted as the mud that buried their good deep inside them.
Those! They are the ultimate Kafarah, Fajarah.
Commentary covering verses 41–42
Kafarah comes from the same root as the word Kafir which we discussed earlier. In Arabic, there are multiple patterns to form plurals. The pattern used here contains hyperbole and emphasis to show the severe intensity of their Kufr. Fajarah comes from the root fāʾ jīm rāʾ which means to explode and break out.47 It means people who would impulsively explode into whatever they desired, who would impulsively break Allah’s commands. Again, the plural pattern contains hyperbole to show the intensity of their impulsive behaviour.
On top of this emphasis inside the pattern itself, Allah adds two more layers of
emphasis. First by using the extra pronoun هم , and second by using the definite articles with both words. There is a lot of emphasis here, and I mean a lot.
They, like none other, are the biggest Kafarah and Fajarah. Why? Because they broke the right of Allah, the one to whom they owe the biggest responsibility. It is no coincidence that the same root is used as verse 17. The central point has been to show the ingratitude and arrogance of man despite the ease and facilitation Allah has provided him in both this world and the spiritual realm. These are the people who buried their seed deep within, so deep that revelation despite being poured in torrents, could not seep and penetrate its way through the sins and transgressions that cover it. Fajarah really diagnoses the problem. Why could revelation not affect them? Because of their impulsive sins, that acted as the mud that buried their good deep inside them.
47 Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 3, p. 1634-1635