Surah 7. Al-A'raf

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-25 [2], 26-31 [3], 32-39 [4], 40-47 [5], 48-53 [6], 54-58 [7], 59-64 [8], 65-72 [9], 73-84 [10], 85-93 [11], 94-99 [12], 100-108 [13], 109-126 [14], 127-129 [15], 130-141 [16], 142-147 [17], 148-151 [18], 152-157 [19], 158-162 [20], 163-171 [21], 172-181 [22], 182-188 [23], 189-206 [24]

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Quran Text of Verse 11-25وَ لَقَدْAnd certainlyخَلَقْنٰكُمْWe created youثُمَّthenصَوَّرْنٰكُمْWe fashioned youثُمَّThenقُلْنَاWe saidلِلْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةِto the AngelsاسْجُدُوْاProstrateلِاٰدَمَ ۖۗto AdamفَسَجَدُوْۤاSo they prostratedاِلَّاۤexceptاِبْلِیْسَ ؕIbleesلَمْNotیَكُنْhe wasمِّنَofالسّٰجِدِیْنَ those who prostrated 7. Al-A'raf Page 152قَالَ(Allah) saidمَاWhatمَنَعَكَprevented youاَلَّاthat notتَسْجُدَyou prostrateاِذْwhenاَمَرْتُكَ ؕI commanded youقَالَ(Shaitaan) saidاَنَاI amخَیْرٌbetterمِّنْهُ ۚthan himخَلَقْتَنِیْYou created meمِنْfromنَّارٍfireوَّ خَلَقْتَهٗand You created himمِنْfromطِیْنٍ clay قَالَ(Allah) saidفَاهْبِطْThen go downمِنْهَاfrom itفَمَاfor notیَكُوْنُit isلَكَfor youاَنْthatتَتَكَبَّرَyou be arrogantفِیْهَاin itفَاخْرُجْSo get outاِنَّكَindeed youمِنَ(are) ofالصّٰغِرِیْنَ the disgraced ones قَالَ(Shaitaan) saidاَنْظِرْنِیْۤGive me respiteاِلٰیtillیَوْمِ(the) Dayیُبْعَثُوْنَ they are raised up قَالَ(Allah) saidاِنَّكَIndeed youمِنَ(are) ofالْمُنْظَرِیْنَ the ones given respite قَالَ(Shaitaan) saidفَبِمَاۤBecauseاَغْوَیْتَنِیْYou have sent me astrayلَاَقْعُدَنَّsurely I will sitلَهُمْfor themصِرَاطَكَ(on) Your pathالْمُسْتَقِیْمَۙthe straight ثُمَّThenلَاٰتِیَنَّهُمْsurely, I will come to themمِّنْۢfromبَیْنِbeforeاَیْدِیْهِمْthemوَ مِنْand fromخَلْفِهِمْbehind themوَ عَنْand fromاَیْمَانِهِمْtheir rightوَ عَنْand fromشَمَآىِٕلِهِمْ ؕtheir leftوَ لَاand notتَجِدُYou (will) findاَكْثَرَهُمْmost of themشٰكِرِیْنَ grateful قَالَ(Allah) saidاخْرُجْGet outمِنْهَاof itمَذْءُوْمًاdisgracedمَّدْحُوْرًا ؕand expelledلَمَنْCertainly whoeverتَبِعَكَfollows youمِنْهُمْamong themلَاَمْلَـَٔنَّsurely I will fillجَهَنَّمَHellمِنْكُمْwith youاَجْمَعِیْنَ all وَ یٰۤاٰدَمُAnd O Adam!اسْكُنْDwellاَنْتَyouوَ زَوْجُكَand your wifeالْجَنَّةَ(in) the Gardenفَكُلَاand you both eatمِنْfromحَیْثُwhereverشِئْتُمَاyou both wishوَ لَاbut (do) notتَقْرَبَاapproach [you both]هٰذِهِthisالشَّجَرَةَ[the] treeفَتَكُوْنَاlest you both beمِنَamongالظّٰلِمِیْنَ the wrongdoers فَوَسْوَسَThen whisperedلَهُمَاto both of themالشَّیْطٰنُthe Shaitaanلِیُبْدِیَto make apparentلَهُمَاto both of themمَاwhatوٗرِیَwas concealedعَنْهُمَاfrom both of themمِنْofسَوْاٰتِهِمَاtheir shameوَ قَالَAnd he saidمَا(Did) notنَهٰىكُمَاforbid you bothرَبُّكُمَاyour Lordعَنْfromهٰذِهِthisالشَّجَرَةِ[the] treeاِلَّاۤexceptاَنْthatتَكُوْنَاyou two becomeمَلَكَیْنِAngelsاَوْorتَكُوْنَاyou two becomeمِنَofالْخٰلِدِیْنَ the immortals وَ قَاسَمَهُمَاۤAnd he swore (to) both of themاِنِّیْIndeed I amلَكُمَاto both of youلَمِنَamongالنّٰصِحِیْنَۙthe sincere advisers فَدَلّٰىهُمَاSo he made both of them fallبِغُرُوْرٍ ۚby deceptionفَلَمَّاThen whenذَاقَاthey both tastedالشَّجَرَةَthe treeبَدَتْbecame apparentلَهُمَاto both of themسَوْاٰتُهُمَاtheir shameوَ طَفِقَاand they beganیَخْصِفٰنِ(to) fastenعَلَیْهِمَاover themselvesمِنْfromوَّرَقِ(the) leavesالْجَنَّةِ ؕ(of) the Gardenوَ نَادٰىهُمَاAnd called them bothرَبُّهُمَاۤtheir LordاَلَمْDid notاَنْهَكُمَاI forbid you bothعَنْfromتِلْكُمَاthisالشَّجَرَةِ[the] treeوَ اَقُلْand [I] sayلَّكُمَاۤto both of youاِنَّthatالشَّیْطٰنَ[the] Shaitaanلَكُمَاto both of youعَدُوٌّ(is) an enemyمُّبِیْنٌ open 7. Al-A'raf Page 153قَالَاBoth of them saidرَبَّنَاOur Lordظَلَمْنَاۤwe have wrongedاَنْفُسَنَا ٚourselvesوَ اِنْand ifلَّمْnotتَغْفِرْYou forgiveلَنَا[for] usوَ تَرْحَمْنَاand have mercy (on) usلَنَكُوْنَنَّsurely we will beمِنَamongالْخٰسِرِیْنَ the losers قَالَ(Allah) saidاهْبِطُوْاGet downبَعْضُكُمْsome of youلِبَعْضٍto some othersعَدُوٌّ ۚ(as) enemyوَ لَكُمْAnd for youفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthمُسْتَقَرٌّ(is) a dwelling placeوَّ مَتَاعٌand livelihoodاِلٰیforحِیْنٍ a time قَالَHe saidفِیْهَاIn itتَحْیَوْنَyou will liveوَ فِیْهَاand in itتَمُوْتُوْنَyou will dieوَ مِنْهَاand from itتُخْرَجُوْنَ۠you will be brought forth

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Translation of Verse 11-25

11. And We created you and gave you form.¹³ Then we said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves before Adam’’: and they all prostrated themselves¹⁴ except Iblees¹⁵; he was not of those who prostrate themselves.

12. (Allah) asked: “what prevented you from prostrating yourself when I had commanded you?” He replied: “I am better than him, You created me from fire and created him from clay.”¹⁶

13. (Allah) said: “Then go down from here; it is not for you to show pride here, so get out, you are indeed of the meanest ones.’’¹⁷

14. He said: “Reprieve me till the Day of Resurrection.”

15. (Allah) said: ‘‘You are reprieved.”¹⁸

16. He said: “Since you have sent me astray,¹⁹ verily I will lurk in ambush for them on your Right path.²⁰

17. “Then I will spring upon them from the front and from the rear, from their right and from their left²¹ And you’shall not find most of them grateful.”

18. (Allah) said: Get out from here, degraded and banished. with all-those, that follow you and you–I will fill the Hell.²²

19. “And O Adam ! Dwell you and your wife in paradise,²³ and eat from wherever you like, but never approach this tree²⁴ lest you should become wrong-doers.’’

20. Then Satan instilled evil thoughts in their hearts²⁵ so that their shameful (private) parts which were hidden from them might be made manifest to them,²⁶ and he said: “Your Lord has forbidden you to approach this tree only to prevent you from becoming angels or immortals.”

21. And he swore to them that he was their well- wisher.²⁷

22. Thus he cunningly seduced them²⁸ And when they tasted the tree, their shameful (private) parts became manifest to them,²⁹ and they both covered themselves with the leaves of the garden.³⁰ And their Lord called out to them: “Did I not forbid you to approach that tree, and did I not warn you that Satan was your open enemy?”

23. They replied:“Our Lord ! we have wronged our souls, and if you would not forgive us and would not bestow upon us your mercy, we shall surely be among the lost.’’³¹

24. He said: “Go down³² (from here); You are enemies to one another .³³ There will be on earth a habitation and provision for a time.’’³⁴

25. He said: “There you shall live, and there you shall die, and from there you shall be taken out. ’’³⁵

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Commentary

13. In the beginning when man was first created. first a rough frame was prepared and then it was given shape .

Here the creation of mankind is described, whose first member was prophet Adam, and who was created from clay.

14. This has been explained in Note No.47, Surah Baqarah.

15. This has been explained in Note. No. 48 Surah Baqarah.

16. Fire is finer than clay. Since Iblees (Satan) was from amongst the Jinns and since Jinns are created from fire, he was under the wrong impression that he was better than Adam. And when Allah commanded hint to prostrate himself before Adam, he refused to obey God under the influence of this wrong thinking. Neither his reasoning was correct, nor is there any room for indulging into any reasoning when the command is given by God. The duty of a slave is merely to obey the command of the Lord, and not to argue in His presence. Accordingly the angels unhesitatingly obeyed the Divine command. It shows that the path of sincere obedience to Allah is the one which was adopted by the angels. As for the Devil’s suffering from the superiority complex on account of his source of creation, it was his shortsightedness, as it is obvious that compared to Jinns man is a much higher being, having nobler characteristics. It is in the fitness of things that the crown of the vicegerency of the earth has been placed on the head of man and not on that of Jinn.

17. As Iblees did not obey the Divine command, he was asked to get out of the paradise. It has brought forth this principle that whoever would refuse to obey Allah’s command and would adopt the attitude of vanity and pride instead of humility and meekness would not deserve to go to a noble place like Paradise. He is destined to lowness.

18. Iblees has been given this reprieve or respite till the day of Resurrection, and it is quite in keeping with the plan under which Allah has made man the’vicegerent of this earth. ( Please see Note No.46, Surah Baqarah).

19. Iblees placed the blame of his going astray on Allah, although in reality Allah made him go astray as a punishment for his rebellion. Therefore. although Iblees went astray under the Divine law of misguidance, the responsibility of his going astray falls on him only.

20. By the Right Path is meant the path of monotheism and of the true religion. Since Satan had become jealous of man and he was also reprieved to enable him to misguide mankind. he threw a challenge that he would leave no stone unturned in deviating mankind from the path of monotheism to the path of polytheism and to misguide them away from the true religion.

21. That is: The assault of Satan on man would be from all sides. To influence man from false ideas and thoughts, to induce him to wickedness and to cause mischief and corruption in the world, he would undertake every kind of trick and would formulate every kind of conspiracy. In other words, man will have to fight Satan on all sides or on every front.

22. This is Allah’s reply to Satan’s challenge that let him use all his might to misguide man, and whoever would follow him – and however large their numbers be – they would all, along with Satan himself, be sent to Hell. Since man is sent in this world for being tested. there is an opportunity for Satan to lead him up the garden path, and man would also have the liberty to follow him or turn away from him. But let men remember that their final fate is in the hands of Allah only, and on the Final Day of Judgement He will definitely award the punishment of Hell to Satan and all his followers.

23. This has been explained in Note No. 50, Surah Baqarah.

24. This has been explained in Note No.51, Surah Baqarah.

25. Satan is another name of Iblees, which has been mentioned above. Although he had been externed from Paradise, but since Adam was to be tested to see whether he would fall a prey to the seduction of Iblees, he was given the power of offering temptations and misguiding Adam even while remaining outside the Paradise. when in the present times thousands of miles away men and things can appear to other men on the television screen, it is not, therefore, difficult to imagine or visualise Satan appearing before Adam or to communicate with him. This communication of Satan takes place very clandestinely. Therefore, the proper expression for his communication is instilling evil thoughts.

26. In Paradise, Adam and his wife were made to wear such raiment that they were never conscious of their nakedness. But after being seduced by Satan, this raiment separated from them, and they became conscious of their nudity.

27. The point for consideration is how Satan comes as an adviser and a well-wisher, and how he leads man up the garden path.

28. The sin that was committed by Adam and Hawwa (Eve) was the result of misguidance of the Devil. As against this the sin committed by Satan was the result of his vanity and pride.

It may be noted that both Adam and Hawwa had fallen a prey to the seduction of Satan, and therefore, the commonly believed story that Satan first seduced Hawwa, who in her turn seduced Adam to eat the forbidden fruit is not correct.

29. That is: The raiment of Paradise fell away from their bodies and they became conscious of their nakedness.

30. It shows that modesty is the natural characteristic of man and covering the private parts is the very demand of nature.

31. Please see Note No.54, Surah Baqarah.

32. Its explanation has been given in Note No. 55, Surah Baqarah.

33. That is: Man and Satan are enemies to one another. Man’s being a foe of the Devil is obvious. As for Satan’s being a foe of man’s, the event that took place in the beginning of man’s history fixes Satan as a confirmed enemy of mankind. For this reason man recites curses against Satan. Only those persons, who cannot distinguish between. good and evil, try to establish friendship with him, when he had taken a pledge to misguide man.

34. Earth has been chosen as a place for habitation for’ man, and all the necessities of human life have been provided on this globe. Man’s flight to space or to any other planet is a temporary and exceptional matter. Human habitation will remain on the earth till the Day of Resurrection.

35. That is: On the Day of Resurrection when man will be resurrected, he will be taken out from the earth, and this very earth will become the arena for the court of Allah’s Judgment.