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 158-162قُلْSayیٰۤاَیُّهَاOالنَّاسُmankindاِنِّیْIndeed I amرَسُوْلُ(the) Messengerاللّٰهِ(of) Allahاِلَیْكُمْto youجَمِیْعَاallلَّذِیْthe Oneلَهٗfor Whomمُلْكُ(is the) dominionالسَّمٰوٰتِ(of) the heavensوَ الْاَرْضِ ۚand the earthلَاۤ(There is) noاِلٰهَgodاِلَّاexceptهُوَHimیُحْیٖHe gives lifeوَ یُمِیْتُ ۪and causes deathفَاٰمِنُوْاSo believeبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ رَسُوْلِهِand His Messengerالنَّبِیِّthe Prophetالْاُمِّیِّthe unletteredالَّذِیْthe one whoیُؤْمِنُbelievesبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ كَلِمٰتِهٖand His Wordsوَ اتَّبِعُوْهُand follow himلَعَلَّكُمْso that you mayتَهْتَدُوْنَ (be) guided وَ مِنْAnd amongقَوْمِ(the) peopleمُوْسٰۤی(of) Musaاُمَّةٌ(is) a communityیَّهْدُوْنَ(which) guidesبِالْحَقِّwith truthوَ بِهٖand by itیَعْدِلُوْنَ establishes justice 7. Al-A'raf Page 171وَ قَطَّعْنٰهُمُAnd We divided themاثْنَتَیْ(into) twoعَشْرَةَ(and) ten [i.e. twelve]اَسْبَاطًاtribesاُمَمًا ؕ(as) communitiesوَ اَوْحَیْنَاۤAnd We inspiredاِلٰیtoمُوْسٰۤیMusaاِذِwhenاسْتَسْقٰىهُasked him for waterقَوْمُهٗۤhis peopleاَنِ[that]اضْرِبْStrikeبِّعَصَاكَwith your staffالْحَجَرَ ۚthe stoneفَانْۢبَجَسَتْThen gushed forthمِنْهُfrom itاثْنَتَاtwoعَشْرَةَ(and) ten [i.e. twelve]عَیْنًا ؕspringsقَدْCertainlyعَلِمَknewكُلُّeachاُنَاسٍpeopleمَّشْرَبَهُمْ ؕtheir drinking placeوَ ظَلَّلْنَاAnd We shadedعَلَیْهِمُ[on] themالْغَمَامَ(with) the cloudsوَ اَنْزَلْنَاand We sent downعَلَیْهِمُupon themالْمَنَّthe mannaوَالسَّلْوٰی ؕand the quailsكُلُوْاEatمِنْfromطَیِّبٰتِ(the) good thingsمَاwhichرَزَقْنٰكُمْ ؕWe have provided youوَ مَاAnd notظَلَمُوْنَاthey wronged Usوَ لٰكِنْbutكَانُوْۤاthey wereاَنْفُسَهُمْ(to) themselvesیَظْلِمُوْنَ doing wrong وَ اِذْAnd whenقِیْلَit was saidلَهُمُto themاسْكُنُوْاLiveهٰذِهِ(in) thisالْقَرْیَةَcityوَ كُلُوْاand eatمِنْهَاfrom itحَیْثُwhereverشِئْتُمْyou wishوَ قُوْلُوْاand sayحِطَّةٌRepentanceوَّ ادْخُلُواand enterالْبَابَthe gateسُجَّدًاprostratingنَّغْفِرْWe will forgiveلَكُمْfor youخَطِیْٓـٰٔتِكُمْ ؕyour sinsسَنَزِیْدُWe will increase (reward)الْمُحْسِنِیْنَ (of) the good-doers فَبَدَّلَBut changedالَّذِیْنَthose whoظَلَمُوْاwrongedمِنْهُمْamong themقَوْلًاwordغَیْرَother thanالَّذِیْ(that) whichقِیْلَwas saidلَهُمْto themفَاَرْسَلْنَاSo We sentعَلَیْهِمْupon themرِجْزًاtormentمِّنَfromالسَّمَآءِthe skyبِمَاbecauseكَانُوْاthey wereیَظْلِمُوْنَ۠doing wrong

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Translation of Verse 158-162

158. Say: “O Mankind! Verily, I am the messenger²³⁹ of Allah to you all, (Allah) to whom the kingdoms of heavens and earth belong. There is no god but He. It is He who gives life and who gives death. Therefore, believe in Allah and His messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him so that you may be rightly guided.”

159. And among the people of Moosa²⁴⁰ there was a section guiding with the truth and judging therewith.²⁴¹

160. And we divided them into twelve tribes, as communities.²⁴² And we revealed to Moosa when his people asked him for water; “Strike the rock with your staff.” So there gushed forth from there twelve springs, and each tribe knew their drinking place.²⁴³ And we caused the clouds to draw their shadows over them, and sent down for them manna and salwa²⁴⁴ (saying): “Eat of the clean things we have given you.” (But) they did us no wrong (by being ungrateful), they only wronged themselves.

161. And when It was said to them: “Dwell in this township ²⁴⁵ and eat from wherever you please and say’Hittatun’²⁴⁶ -(forgiveness), and enter the gate prostrating yourselves,²⁴⁷ we will forgive you your sins and will increase the rewards of the right doers.”

162. But those who were wrong-doers among them changed the word that was said to them for another saying²⁴⁸. Finally, we sent down upon them scourge from heaven for their wrongdoing.

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Commentary

239. That is: Whether it is Bani Israil or Bani Ismail, Arabs or Non-Arabs, irrespective of race, colour, country, nation and religion, to all mankind, he has been sent as Allah’s Messenger. In view of this reality, the Last prophet of Arabia is as much a Messenger for the people of India as he is for the people of Arabia.

240. The subject matter reverts to Bani Israil again.

241. The idea is to clarify that the crimes of Bani Israil and their follies which have been mentioned here are definitely their national crimes and follies, but that does not mean that there was no section or group of truth loving people among them at all. In fact, there was a group of truth loving people among them, although it was small in number. This section of the Jews has been fulfilling the demands of truth and justice, has been giving guidance to the people and has been dispensing justice according to their Shariah.

242. Prophet Moosa had organised the Jewish community in the Sinai Desert and had appointed twelve chieftains over the twelve tribes, as is mentioned in Surah Maidah, Verse No. 12. For explanation, Note No.61, Surah Maidah may be referred to. In the Bible also its details have been mentioned in Numbers, Chapter I.

243. Its explanation has been given in Note No.81, Surah Baqarah.

244. Its explanation has been given in Note No.76, Surah Baqarah.

245. For explanation, please refer to Note No 77, Surah Baqarah.

246. For explanation, please refer to Note No. 79, Surah Baqarah.

247. For explanation, please refer to Note No 78, Surah Baqarah.

248. That is: when entering the city as victors, instead of uttering words of praying forgiveness from the Lord, they were haughty and used words of ridicule and scorn.