يَمْحُو اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ ﴿۳۹﴾ وَإِنْ مَا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ الَّذِي نَعِدُهُمْ أَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ ﴿۴۰﴾ أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا نَأْتِي الْأَرْضَ نَنْقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَا وَاللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ لَا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِ وَهُوَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ ﴿۴۱﴾

﴾39﴿ Yamhul laahu maa yashaaa'u wa yusbitu wa 'indahooo ummul Kitaab
﴾40﴿ Wa im maa nurriyannaka ba'dal lazee na'iduhum aw nata waffayannaka fa innamaa 'alaikal balaaghu wa 'alainal hisaab
﴾41﴿ Awalam yaraw annaa na'til arda nanqusuhaa min atraafihaa; wallaahu yahkumu laa mu'aqqiba lihukmih; wa Huwa saree'ul hisaab

﴾39﴿ Allah eliminates whatever He wills and establishes (whatever He wills), and with Him is the original of the Book
﴾40﴿ And if We show you some of what We have promised them (of punishment) or We cause you to die, then your duty is only to convey, and upon Us is the reckoning
﴾41﴿ Do they not see that We are advancing upon the land, reducing it from its borders, And Allah decides; there is no adjuster of His decision, and He is swift in reckoning

[39] This verse is the answer to the fourth objection raised by the disbelievers. Their objection was: “If punishment has already been decreed for us, then what benefit is there in believing now?”
The response is: “Allah erases whatever He wills and confirms (what He wills).” Meaning: if you believe, Allah can erase the punishment written for you—nothing is final in the Book of Decree except by His will.
Interpretations of “يَمْحُو اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ”:
1. First meaning: There are two types of divine records: One is “Kitāb al-Maḥw wa’l-Ithbāt” (The Book of Erasure and Confirmation), which is with the angels and reflects knowledge relative to events and changes, where things may be erased or affirmed. The second is “Umm al-Kitāb” (the Mother of the Book), i.e., al-Lawh al-Maḥfūẓ, which is fixed and unchanging. This distinction corresponds to: “Taqdīr mu‘allaq” (conditional destiny) for the first, “Taqdīr mubram” (absolute destiny) for the second.
2. Second meaning: Allah may abrogate (naskh) certain revealed rulings, replacing them with others.
3. Third meaning: Allah forgives certain sins through repentance, and in their place, records good deeds.
4. Fourth meaning: Allah forgives some sins even without repentance, while others He does not forgive unless one repents.
All of these meanings affirm that nothing is beyond Allah’s power, and that repentance and faith can change one’s fate, even if punishment seems already written.
[40] In this verse, after addressing and refuting the objections of the disbelievers, there is a message of consolation to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace).
The essence of the message is: The punishment for these rejecters will surely come — either during your lifetime, and you will witness it, or after your passing.
But your responsibility is only to convey the message (بلاغ); the punishment will come at its appointed time, so do not concern yourself with it.
This same theme is found in: Surah Yunus (10:42) Surah Az-Zukhruf (43:41–42)
The apodosis (جزا) of “إن” is omitted, understood as: “do not preoccupy yourself with their punishment.” The mention of “death (وفات)” in contrast to “نُرِيَنَّكَ” (We may show you) suggests that after the Prophet’s passing, he would no longer witness worldly events, affirming that worldly matters cease to concern him after death.
This verse gently reassures the Prophet that he has fulfilled his duty, and that the outcome lies with Allah.
[41] In this verse, there is a worldly warning (تخویف دنیوی), which continues from the theme mentioned in the previous verse.
The phrase “نَنقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَا” (We reduce it from its edges) has multiple interpretations: 1. First interpretation: It refers to the believers gaining victory over certain regions of the disbelievers, or some among the disbelievers accepting Islam — a gradual territorial or ideological decline of disbelief. Objection: This surah is Makki (revealed in Makkah), while the military victories of Islam occurred in Madinah. Response: Although the surah is Makki, this particular verse is Madani, as stated by some scholars, so the mention of victory aligns with historical context.
2. Second interpretation: It refers to material and agricultural loss — that Allah decreases blessings, fruits, or brings natural disasters like floods and storms as a punishment for shirk and sin.
3. Third (broader) interpretation: It includes even the passing away of scholars and righteous people, which spiritually weakens the edges of the community, symbolizing loss from within the ummah.
Overall, the verse conveys that Allah’s punishment may come subtly and gradually, through various forms of worldly loss, whether physical, economic, spiritual, or territorial — all serving as warnings and calls to return to truth.