Surah 7. Al-A'raf

---

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]

---

Quran Text of Verse 172-181وَ اِذْAnd whenاَخَذَ(was) takenرَبُّكَ(by) your Lordمِنْۢfromبَنِیْۤ(the) Childrenاٰدَمَ(of) Adamمِنْfromظُهُوْرِهِمْtheir loinsذُرِّیَّتَهُمْtheir descendantsوَ اَشْهَدَهُمْand made them testifyعَلٰۤیoverاَنْفُسِهِمْthemselvesاَلَسْتُAm I notبِرَبِّكُمْ ؕyour LordقَالُوْاThey saidبَلٰی ۛۚYesشَهِدْنَا ۛۚwe have testifiedاَنْLestتَقُوْلُوْاyou sayیَوْمَ(on the) Dayالْقِیٰمَةِ(of) the ResurrectionاِنَّاIndeedكُنَّاwe wereعَنْaboutهٰذَاthisغٰفِلِیْنَۙunaware اَوْOrتَقُوْلُوْۤاyou sayاِنَّمَاۤOnlyاَشْرَكَpartners (were) associated (with Allah)اٰبَآؤُنَا(by) our forefathersمِنْfromقَبْلُbefore (us)وَ كُنَّاand we areذُرِّیَّةًdescendantsمِّنْۢfromبَعْدِهِمْ ۚafter themاَفَتُهْلِكُنَاSo will You destroy usبِمَاfor whatفَعَلَdidالْمُبْطِلُوْنَ the falsifiers وَ كَذٰلِكَAnd thusنُفَصِّلُWe explainالْاٰیٰتِthe Versesوَ لَعَلَّهُمْso that they mayیَرْجِعُوْنَ return وَ اتْلُAnd reciteعَلَیْهِمْto themنَبَاَ(the) storyالَّذِیْۤ(of the) one whomاٰتَیْنٰهُWe gave [him]اٰیٰتِنَاOur Versesفَانْسَلَخَbut he detachedمِنْهَا[from] themفَاَتْبَعَهُso followed himالشَّیْطٰنُthe Shaitaanفَكَانَand he becameمِنَofالْغٰوِیْنَ those gone astray وَ لَوْAnd ifشِئْنَاWe willedلَرَفَعْنٰهُsurely We (could) have raised himبِهَاwith theseوَ لٰكِنَّهٗۤ[and] but heاَخْلَدَadheredاِلَیtoالْاَرْضِthe earthوَ اتَّبَعَand followedهَوٰىهُ ۚhis (vain) desiresفَمَثَلُهٗSo his exampleكَمَثَلِ(is) like (the) exampleالْكَلْبِ ۚ(of) the dogاِنْifتَحْمِلْyou attackعَلَیْهِ[on] himیَلْهَثْhe lolls out his tongueاَوْorتَتْرُكْهُif you leave himیَلْهَثْ ؕhe lolls out his tongueذٰلِكَThatمَثَلُ(is the) exampleالْقَوْمِ(of) the peopleالَّذِیْنَwhoكَذَّبُوْاdeniedبِاٰیٰتِنَا ۚ[in] Our SignsفَاقْصُصِSo relateالْقَصَصَthe storyلَعَلَّهُمْso that they mayیَتَفَكَّرُوْنَ reflect سَآءَEvilمَثَلَا(as) an exampleلْقَوْمُ(are) the peopleالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَذَّبُوْاdeniedبِاٰیٰتِنَاOur Signsوَ اَنْفُسَهُمْand themselvesكَانُوْاthey used toیَظْلِمُوْنَ wrong مَنْWhoeverیَّهْدِ(is) guidedاللّٰهُ(by) Allahفَهُوَthen heالْمُهْتَدِیْ ۚ(is) the guided oneوَ مَنْwhile whoeverیُّضْلِلْHe lets go astrayفَاُولٰٓىِٕكَthen thoseهُمُ[they]الْخٰسِرُوْنَ (are) the losers 7. Al-A'raf Page 174وَ لَقَدْAnd certainlyذَرَاْنَاWe have createdلِجَهَنَّمَfor Hellكَثِیْرًاmanyمِّنَofالْجِنِّthe jinnوَ الْاِنْسِ ۖؗand menلَهُمْFor themقُلُوْبٌ(are) heartsلَّا(but) notیَفْقَهُوْنَthey understandبِهَا ؗwith themوَ لَهُمْand for themاَعْیُنٌ(are) eyesلَّا(but) notیُبْصِرُوْنَthey seeبِهَا ؗwith themوَ لَهُمْand for themاٰذَانٌ(are) earsلَّا(but) notیَسْمَعُوْنَthey hearبِهَا ؕwith themاُولٰٓىِٕكَThoseكَالْاَنْعَامِ(are) like cattleبَلْnayهُمْtheyاَضَلُّ ؕ(are) more astrayاُولٰٓىِٕكَThoseهُمُtheyالْغٰفِلُوْنَ (are) the heedless وَ لِلّٰهِAnd for Allahالْاَسْمَآءُ(are) the namesالْحُسْنٰیthe most beautifulفَادْعُوْهُso invoke Himبِهَا ۪by themوَ ذَرُواAnd leaveالَّذِیْنَthose whoیُلْحِدُوْنَdeviateفِیْۤconcerningاَسْمَآىِٕهٖ ؕHis namesسَیُجْزَوْنَThey will be recompensedمَاfor whatكَانُوْاthey used toیَعْمَلُوْنَ do وَ مِمَّنْAnd of (those) whomخَلَقْنَاۤWe have createdاُمَّةٌ(is) a nationیَّهْدُوْنَwho guidesبِالْحَقِّwith the truthوَ بِهٖand therebyیَعْدِلُوْنَ۠they establish justice

---

Translation of Verse 172-181

172. And when your Lord took a covenant from the descendants brought forth from the loins of Adam’s children, and made them testify against themselves²⁶⁴, and had asked them: “Am I not your Lord?” They had said: “Yes, surely, we bear witness²⁶⁵”. (This testimony was taken) lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: “we were unaware of that”.

173. Or lest you should say: “Our forefathers before us had ascribed partners to God, but we are their descendants; will you then destroy us for what the followers of falsehood did²⁶⁶?”

174. Thus do We explain Our signs in detail,²⁶⁷ so that they may return (from the wrong path).

175. Recite to them the tale of the person whom we gave Our revelations; but he turned away from them, then Satan pursued him and he became one of those who are led astray.²⁶⁸

176. And had we willed, we would have exalted²⁶⁹ him through the revelations, but he inclined towards the earth²⁷⁰ and followed his desires. Therefore, his likeness is that of a dog, if you scold it, it lolls out its tongue, or if you leave it alone²⁷¹ it lolls out its tongue. This is the example of those who belie our revelations. So narrate these chronicles²⁷² so that they may reflect²⁷³.

177. Evil is the example of those who belied our revelations, and they wronged only themselves.

178. He, whom Allah guides, is on the right path; and he, who is led astray by Him, – such are indeed losers.

179. And we have created many jinns and human beings for Hell²⁷⁴. They have hearts but therewith they understand not, they have eyes but there with they see not²⁷⁵, and they have ears but there with they hear not. They are like cattle, nay, they are more misguided²⁷⁶. These are the people who are neglectful²⁷⁷.

180. For Allah are the excellent names²⁷⁸. So invoke Him by those names²⁷⁹. And leave alone those who pervert them²⁸⁰. They will soon be requited for what they do.

181. Among those whom we created is a group that gives true guidance and dispenses justice therewith²⁸¹.

---

Commentary

264. This event had taken place after the birth of Prophet Adam and before the appearance of his descendants. Allah had gathered the souls of all the humans that were to be born till the Day of Resurrection at one place and had granted them consciousness. and had taken a covenant from them which has been mentioned in this verse. This was the gathering of the human souls that had taken place in the world of the Unseen. Therefore, we can neither understand its nature nor do we have any means of knowing its details. Therefore, the safe stand is to be satisfied with whatever Quran has stated.

As for the doubts and disbeliefs of the rejectors of faith, there is nothing impossible or preternatural in this event. On the contrary, in view of the modern discoveries of science it strengthens our belief that such an event must have taken place. In connection with the birth of human beings the science of Biology has disclosed that there are crores of spermatozoa in the semen discharged at one time by the male partner during the intercourse, that is, a few drops have the ability of giving birth to such a large number of humans. Then in every cell of the sperm, there are 23 pairs of chromosomes., which possess the hereditary characteristics of the father, which means that hereditary characteristics of the father are transferred to the child through these bodies. If it is ‘possible to cram such a big world of humans in one drop of semen, then why is it impossible to instill the entire quantity of the life-germs in a single man, the father of the human race? And why should it not be possible to have blessed them with the faculty of consciousness at some time’? What is unnatural in this that the Creator of these living cells might have brought them forth from the body of Adam, might have given them consciousness and then returned them to Adam’s body, so that from this store the human race, with its basic characteristics, may continue to come into the world?

It should be noted that in the text the words denoting Adam’s loins’ and Adam’s descendants have not been used, The words used in the verse denote loins of Adam’s children and their descendants, because the image of a generation after generation, may be presented. Since the covenant was taken from the entire race of mankind, the words from Adam’s children or the human race appear to be appropriate.

The event when the names of distinguished personalities from amongst his descendants were taught to Adam might have taken place at this time. (See Surah Baqarah Note No.44). However, Allah only knows the secrets of His own words.

265. This was the covenant of Allah’s Lordship which was taken from human souls before bestowing on them physical existence, so that the points might be fixed in their consciousness that they had not been born by themselves, that they are not independent and free in their own rights, and that there is one Creator of theirs, their Lord, Master and Ruler, and that is Allah. The admission of this reality essentially meant that they had accepted this position that they are Allah’s slaves, only His worshippers and obedient to Him alone.

Now man cannot deny having agreed to this covenant are concerned, like place of occurrence, it was taken and where it was taken. The fact is that since the purpose is to test man in this worldly life, therefore, so far as the external aspects of this covenant are concerned, like place of occurance, they have been removed from his memory or consciousness. If that memory would have been allowed to remain, then the very purpose of the test would have been defeated. But its internal aspect has been instilled in man’s nature, therefore. every man recognises his Creator by nature. His consciousness, his inner self bears witness to Allah’s being one and the only God, and his conscience prevents him from disobeying Him and admonishes him. In short, it is a covenant of nature which is inscribed on the tablet of the heart. Therefore, it is not correct to say that man is unaware of this covenant. Can anybody say who taught him speech when he was a child? It is obvious that nobody remembers this, but he cannot deny the fact that his parents, or relatives, or those who nursed him, someone from amongst these must have taught him the names of things primarily, to speak words one by one, and after all this he became able to speak. All these details are removed from his memory, but the very fact that he speaks is the proof of the fact that in his childhood someone has taught him to speak. Then, is not the voice of nature, however low it may be, about man’s Creator and Lord, a proof of the fact that the first lesson of the recognition of his Lord was taught to him before his coming into the world.

This reality has been expressed by the prophet (Peace be upon him) in the following hadith: “Every child is born on nature (i.e. monotheism). then his parents make him a Jew, or a Christian or a polytheist”. (Muslim-Kitabul Qadr)

And this very lesson is reminded (repeated) by the prophets (peace be upon them), and that is why their teachings are termed. as ‘Tazkeer’, that is, reminding.

266. This verse makes it clear that in the matter of monotheism (tawheed) every individual member of mankind is responsible for himself, and on the Day of Resurrection he will have to answer for his attitude and belief in this connection, whether the detailed message of the prophets might have reached him or not. The covenant of nature in itself is a proof of receipt of the message, and to the extent of the fundamental belief of monotheism no opportunity has been left to anyone to proffer the excuse that he was unaware of it and therefore he had taken the path or unbelief or that he followed the polytheistic practices because he received his polytheistic religion as an inheritance from his forefathers and he had not decided on his own to follow it.

267. Means that this covenant of nature is the sign of tawheed, which is in man’s soul and Quran has explained it in details like other signs of God.

268. Does not denote any definite persons, but it is applicable to any person who fits the picture. However, it particularly refers to those learned men of Bani Israil whose chronicle has been narrated in the above lines.

‘Gave Our revelations’ means gave them the knowledge of the Divine Book. But these learned men also fell a prey to the machinations of the Devil.

269. Allah’s revelations do surely exalt men of faith, provided they act on them. About the Quran, the prophet (peace be upon him) has said:

“Allah will exalt, by means of this Book, a number of nations, and will reduce them to the low depths by it.”

(Muslim-Kitab Fazailul Quran)

270. That is: He turned towards low moral acts and conduct, and it is not the way of Allah that He would lift a man to exaltation by force if he himself is inclined towards lowness.

271. Dog is a very greedy animal. It is always sniffing the road so that it may find a piece of bone. It always lolls it tongue whether you chase it away or leave it alone. In the same manner, people who run away from the restrictions of Allah’s revelations for the sake of worldly benefits are the dogs of the world. Their greed for the world never ends. They are always found panting and lolling their tongues. You may admonish them or rebuke them for their greed for the world, they are not influenced by it.

272. Means those chronicles of the nations which have been narrated in this Surah. The directions is to recite and let the people know these chronicles with a view to their reform and conveying Allah’s messages to them. But today the conditions of Muslims is such that they do not care to arrange for these Quranic chronicles being recited and their message conveyed to people. However, the professional preachers of Muslims, narrate fictitious stories to entertain their audiences who enjoy them immensely. Some one. should point out to these learned preachers as to what they are supposed to do and what they are actually doing?

273. That is: Those who reflect on these chronicles also take moral lessons from them. It would be beneficial to recite such chronicles to these people.

The tales of Quran are not for story-telling purposes but for reflection and moral lessons, and this benefit can be derived only if Quran is read with understanding Reading it without understanding would not give this benefit.

274. It does not mean that many jinns and many humans were not granted by Allah the faculty or the capability of understanding and thinking and that they were not free to choose for themselves the paths of guidance or straying according to their sweet will. and that they were compelled to follow the path of rejection and misguidance and were destined to be sent to Hell. But it means that when they lost their faculty and capability of understanding and thinking and opted to follow the path of straying, then eventually they had to go to Hell for receiving the eternal punishment. In this way their purpose of creation had become burning in Hell. It is like a teacher uttering similar words to his pupil who has proved to be a failure. on account of his negligence that he taught him to become a failure. It is obvious that the meaning of what the teacher said is not at all this that he taught him so that he might fail. but it is an expression of the teacher’s anger and disgust against the taught. What he actually means is that he failed because he did not study and could not. therefore, derive the benefit of his teaching. what has been stated in this verse is in view of the result that accrues. and not to connote that they were forced to go to Hell unjustifiably.

275. Heart here means minds. In Arabic the word:

‘Qalb’ (Heart) is used to denote ‘Aql’ (Mind). (Vide Lisanul Arab. Vol. 1. page 687).

276. So far as the physical eyes. ears and hearts are concerned. both the animals and humans have them. but the same faculty of sight. hearing and understanding as granted to humans is not possessed by the animals. This is a great distinguishing feature between the two and because of this man is superior to animals. But those humans who do not use these faculties, bring themselves to the level of the animals, nay– -even to a lower level, because to the animals these higher faculties have not been granted. The humans who possess these faculties and yet do not use them correctly and throw themselves to a level lower than that of the animals. are worse than the animals.

277. They do not know who has sent them to this world, why have they been sent and where are they to go. How astonishing is this neglect of the great thinkers of the world about their own existence and the purpose of their life:

278. That is: There are such beautiful and excellent names” according to their sound and meaning, for Allah as reflect on His Being Pure, and Perfect and point to His Greatness. In Quran the word ‘Allah’ is used as a name of the Being and the words “Ar-Rahman,” “Ar -Rahim-,” “Al-Khaliq,” “Al-Malik,” “Ar-Razzaq,” “Al- Aziz”- “Al-Alim,” etc., have been used as the names of His attributes, These words possess the beauty of the meanings to perfection.

279. In other words, do not invoke or call him by names which would express any kind of defect in His Being or attributes, or which may be disrespectful. In Arabic the Quranic names of Allah are sufficient for invoking or remembering Him. As for other languages, the directive principle mentioned in this verse must be kept in mind. It is very necessary to be extra cautious in this respect, or else there is a great danger of straying into the paths of polytheism.

280. There can be various forms of being perverse in calling names of Allah.

One form would be to suggest such names for Allah which may express some aspect of defect in His Being or attributes. To call Him by names which are meant for His creatures can be counted among such names, e.g. Father.

Another form is to consider separate attributes of God as separate gods and goddess and to name them as such. The polytheists of India are misguided in this case and they presume every attribute of God as a separate god and goddess, for example they presume the attribute of knowledge of God as a goddess itself and have named it Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge:

“and the one in whom such knowledge is sustained is Sarasvati” - Rigveda Samhita Vol. I P. 170).

Similarly they have invented a dev for the attribute of the overlordship of Allah and gave him the name of Vishnu, and to the attribute of Allah of giving punishment, they invented another god and gave him the name of Shiva. Besides, they have divided the attribute of Allah of being the Sustainer of the world into different gods, and one of them is the goddess of wealth, whom they have named as Lakshmi. The third form is: to admit the oneness of God but to interpret it philosophically in such a way that the possibility of inventing more gods may present itself, e.g. three gods in one (trinity) or the argument of the polytheist philosophers that although Hindus apparently worship many gods, but actually they worship only one God:

“The Hindu, it is true, bows his head before many, a form of the Deity on that account, however, he is not to be dubbed polytheist, what the Hindu adores is the one God in the many gods”. (Outlines of Hinduism -T.M.P. Mahadevan p.24).

To indulge into philosophical discussion about the Being and attributes of Allah is useless. The correct way of achieving recognition of Allah is that which has been taught by Quran. i.e. avoiding the aimless philosophical discussion and to accept in a simple way the attributes of Allah. These are clearly stated in the holy Quran. Quran has also directed that in the matter of Allah’s names we should not enter into disputation with those who have adopted the path of perversion. In other words. it is not necessary to dispute with those who have started the philosophical discussion, because it opens up the gates of misguidance.

And as for those who belie our revelations, we are gradually leading them to ruin, in a way they do not know. I am giving them respite, for indeed My stratagem is firm. Has it not occurred to them that their companion is not a madman? He is but an open warner. (Al-Quran)

281. That is: Among the creatures of Allah, all are not interested in leading the people astray: “there are some who lead the people to the right path, with truth, and fulfil the demands of justice and truth.