Surah Al-A'raf 7:40-47 - Quran Translation Commentary

(7:40) Surely, those who rejected Our revelations and waxed proud against them, the gates of Heaven shall not be opened for them⁶² and they shall not enter Paradise until the camel⁶³ passes through a needle's eye. That is how We recompense the criminals.

(7:41) Jahannum shall be a cradle for them, and from above them covering (of fire). That is how We recompense the wrong doers.

(7:42) As for those who believed and did righteous deeds We do not charge a soul beyond its capacity⁶⁴ they are the companions of Paradise, dwelling therein forever.

(7:43) And We shall have removed from their hearts any hard feeling,⁶⁵ rivers flowing from beneath them. They will say, ‘Praise to Allah for having guided us to this. We would have never found our way if we were not guided by Allah.⁶⁶ Indeed, our Messengers brought the truth.' And (a voice) will call out to them,⁶⁷ ‘This is the Paradise that you have been allowed to inherit⁶⁸ by virtue of what you were doing.'⁶⁹

(7:44) And the people of Paradise will call out to the people of the Fire, ‘We have found what our Lord promised us to be true. Have you also found what your Lord promised to be true?'⁷⁰ They will reply, ‘Yes;' whereupon a herald from their midst will proclaim, ‘Allah's curse be upon the wrong doers.

(7:45) Those who hinder the people from the Way of Allah, and seek to make it crooked, and (in addition), they are disbelievers in the Hereafter.'

(7:46) And between the two will be a partition.⁷¹ And, (yonder over) there on the Heights⁷² will be a people⁷³ who will know each by their mark.⁷⁴ They will call out to the companions of Paradise, ‘Peace be upon you' they will not have entered it yet, although very eager.⁷⁵

(7:47) When their eyes are turned toward the inmates of the Fire they will say, ‘Our Lord! Do not place us among a wrong doing people.'

Commentary

62. Abu Hurayrah has reported the Prophet as having said:

إِنَّ الْمَيِّتَ تَحْضُرُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ فَإِذَا كَانَ الرَّجُلُ الصَّالِحُ قَالُوا اخْرُجِي أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الطَّيِّبَةُ كَانَتْ فِي الْجَسَدِ الطَّيِّبِ اخْرُجِي حَمِيدَةً وَأَبْشِرِي بِرَوْحٍ وَرَيْحَانٍ وَرَبٍّ غَيْرِ غَضْبَانَ قَالَ فَلَا يَزَالُ يُقَالُ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ ثُمَّ يُعْرَجَ بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَيُسْتَفْتَحُ لَهَا فَيُقَالُ مَنْ هَذَا فَيُقَالُ فُلَانٌ فَيَقُولُونَ مَرْحَبًا بِالنَّفْسِ الطَّيِّبَةِ كَانَتْ فِي الْجَسَدِ الطَّيِّبِ ادْخُلِي حَمِيدَةً وَأَبْشِرِي بِرَوْحٍ وَرَيْحَانٍ وَرَبٍّ غَيْرِ غَضْبَانَ قَالَ فَلَا يَزَالُ يُقَالُ لَهَا حَتَّى يُنْتَهَى بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الَّتِي فِيهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَإِذَا كَانَ الرَّجُلُ السَّوْءُ قَالُوا اخْرُجِي أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْخَبِيثَةُ كَانَتْ فِي الْجَسَدِ الْخَبِيثِ اخْرُجِي ذَمِيمَةً وَأَبْشِرِي بِحَمِيمٍ وَغَسَّاقٍ وَآخَرَ مِنْ شَكْلِهِ أَزْوَاجٍ فَلَا يَزَالُ حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ ثُمَّ يُعْرَجَ بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَيُسْتَفْتَحُ لَهَا فَيُقَالُ مَنْ هَذَا فَيُقَالُ فُلَانٌ فَيُقَالُ لَا مَرْحَبًا بِالنَّفْسِ الْخَبِيثَةِ كَانَتْ فِي الْجَسَدِ الْخَبِيثِ ارْجِعِي ذَمِيمَةً فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُفْتَحُ لَكِ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ فَتُرْسَلُ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ تَصِيرُ إِلَى الْقَبْرِ

"When a man is about to die, angels appear before him. If he happens to be a righteous person they say, ‘Come out O clean soul. You were in a clean body. Come out praised. And for you be the glad tidings of fragrance and a Lord not angry with you.' With these words they take it to the heavens. When they knock (at the gates), it is asked, ‘Who is this?' They reply that it is so and so. The guards say, ‘Welcome to the clean soul. You were in a clean body. Come in praised. And for you be the glad tidings of fragrance and a Lord not angry with you.' That is how it is received until it arrives at the heavens where Allah is. But, if it is an evil person the angels of death say, ‘Come out you wicked soul. You were in an unclean body. Come out blameworthy. And receive the glad tidings of boiling water and puss; and other types of punishments.' They repeat these words until they reach the gates of the first heaven. The guards ask, ‘Who is it?' They say it is so and so. They respond, ‘Unwelcome! You are a wicked soul. You were in an unclean body. Go back, blameworthy. The gates of heaven shall not be opened for you.' It is returned to the grave" (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi). Imam Ahmad has preserved a longer version of this tradition. And shorter versions are in Nasa'i and Ibn Majah (Ibn Kathir).

63. Some of the Salaf, such as Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id ibn Jubayr and Mujahid have read the textual word "jamal" as "jummal" meaning "a thick twisted rope," the kind used for anchoring boats or for climbing trees. According to Ibn `Abbas, this meets more with the requirement of rhetoric, since, normally camels do not pass through the needle's eye. However, Ibn Mas`ud, Hasan, Abu al `Aliyyah and Dahhak have said that the word is "jamal” i.e., camel – as it happens to be written in the Qur’an. In fact, that also happens to be a second opinion of Ibn `Abbas himself (Ibn Jarir).

Incidentally, the same usage has been employed in the New Testament. See e.g., Matthew, 19: 24; Mark, 10: 25; and Luke 18: 25, but it is for the rich while the Qur'an has drawn the simile for those who associate with God. The words of Luke are: "For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."

64. This is a parenthetical remark brought in to stress that if some people did not believe, it was not because they were asked something beyond their capacity (Razi, Thanwi).

65. That is, any hard feeling that some of those in Paradise might have for others, would be removed before they enter Paradise so that none will bear grudge against any other. `Ali has been reported as saying that the allusion could also be to what happened between him, `Uthman, Talha and Zubayr. According to another version from him, the allusion is to those who participated in the battle of Badr. And, Suddi and Abu Nadrah have said that when the believers are allowed entry into Paradise, they will find a tree right at the entrance. Two founts would be springing forth from its roots. They will drink from one of them. It will remove any hard feeling they would have had for any other in their breasts. Then they will bathe in the waters of the second spring and that will cleanse them physically, never to be dirty again (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). The report is in Ibn Abi Hatim also (Alusi).

And a hadith in Bukhari says:

يَخْلُصُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ النَّارِ فَيُحْبَسُونَ عَلَى قَنْطَرَةٍ بَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ فَيُقْتَصُّ لِبَعْضِهِمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ مَظَالِمُ كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى إِذَا هُذِّبُوا وَنُقُّوا أُذِنَ لَهُمْ فِي دُخُولِ الْجَنَّةِ

"When the believers would have escaped the Fire, they would be held up on a bridge between Heaven and Hell. There they would settle their accounts with each other for the wrongs they would have done to each other in the life of this world. It is only after they have thus been cleansed and purified that they would be allowed to enter Paradise" (Ibn Kathir).

Zamakhshari and Imam Razi point out that the allusion could also be to the lack of any envy in the hearts of inhabitants of Paradise living at various levels thereof, entirely in contrast to those in various levels of the Fire who will be cursing each other.

Yusuf Ali adds: "A man who may have suffered or been disappointed may have a lurking sense of injury at the back of his mind, which may spoil his enjoyment on account of past memory intruding in the midst of felicity. In such cases memory itself is pain. Even sorrow is intensified by memory."

66. A report has come to the effect that `Ali reported `Umar as saying: When the people will arrive at the gates of Paradise they will find therein a tree from whose roots two springs would be sprouting. They will take a bath in one of them. With that they will feel enwrapped in blessings. After that their hair will never get unruffled again, and their faces never dusty again. Then they will drink from the other spring. That will remove any dirt or impurity they had within them. Then the gates of Paradise will be opened for them and it will be said (39: 73): "Peace upon you. You have done well. So enter herein, to abide forever." (As soon as they enter), the first thing, they would be greeted by children. They will surround them as children surround a dear one when he returns home from a journey. The children will leap back to their spouses and announce to them about their arrival. They will give them their full name and identity tracing their fathers and grandfathers. The women will ask: "Did you see him yourself?" They will be in great joy. The women will hurry up to the doors and wait there for them to arrive. As they enter they will find their abodes built of pearls and jewels of all kinds and colors: raised couches, ranged cups, lined up cushions and spread out carpets. They will hug their spouses and relax on the couches. It is then that they will utter these words: "Praise be to Allah for having guided us to this. We would have never found our way if we were not guided by Allah. Indeed, our Messengers brought the truth" (Ibn Jarir).

67. A hadith (in Muslim: Shawkani) says:

يُنَادِى مُنَادٍ إِنَّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَصِحُّوا فَلاَ تَسْقَمُوا أَبَدًا وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَحْيَوْا فَلاَ تَمُوتُوا أَبَدًا وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَشِبُّوا فَلاَ تَهْرَمُوا أَبَدًا وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَنْعَمُوا فَلاَ تَبْتَئِسُوا أَبَدًا

"A caller will call out in Paradise, ‘Be of good health never to be sick again, be alive never to die again, be young never to be old again, be in blessings never to be in despair again'" (Ibn Jarir).

68. That is, your belief in Prophets, and your good deeds led you to this Paradise (Ibn Jarir). Ibn Kathir adds: That is, your good deeds invoked the mercy by which you entered Paradise since a hadith of the Sahihhayn says,

صحيح البخاري ت - (14 / 287)

لَنْ يُدْخِلَ أَحَدًا عَمَلُهُ الْجَنَّةَ قَالُوا وَلَا أَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ لَا وَلَا أَنَا إِلَّا أَنْ يَتَغَمَّدَنِي اللَّهُ بِفَضْلٍ وَرَحْمَةٍ

"No one will ever enter Paradise on the strength of his deeds." The Companions asked, "Not even you O Messenger of Allah?" He replied, "No. Not even me, unless Allah covers me with His mercy and grace." So, the entry depends upon Allah's mercy. But, it is good deeds that invoke His mercy.

69. Suddi has said that there will be no one in Hellfire who would not be shown his place in Paradise, which he would have obtained if he had been of the righteous. Then his place will be given away to the believers. This is the inheritance the verse is talking about (Ibn Jarir). There is a hadith too in Muslim which saysm

لاَ يَمُوتُ رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ إِلاَّ أَدْخَلَ اللَّهُ مَكَانَهُ النَّارَ يَهُودِيًّا أَوْ نَصْرَانِيًّا

“N no Muslim dies but Allah admits into Hell fire in his place either a Jew or a Christian (Qurtubi).

The hadith of Muslim is numbered 4969 under Kitab al Tawbah (Au.).

70. This is how the Prophet addressed the corpses of the Quraysh at Badr when they had been dumped into a heap in a pit. He asked them,

« يَا أَبَا جَهْلِ بْنَ هِشَامٍ يَا أُمَيَّةَ بْنَ خَلَفٍ يَا عُتْبَةَ بْنَ رَبِيعَةَ يَا شَيْبَةَ بْنَ رَبِيعَةَ أَلَيْسَ قَدْ وَجَدْتُمْ مَا وَعَدَ رَبُّكُمْ حَقًّا فَإِنِّى قَدْ وَجَدْتُ مَا وَعَدَنِى رَبِّى حَقًّا ». فَسَمِعَ عُمَرُ قَوْلَ النَّبِىِّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يَسْمَعُوا وَأَنَّى يُجِيبُوا وَقَدْ جَيَّفُوا قَالَ « وَالَّذِى نَفْسِى بِيَدِهِ مَا أَنْتُمْ بِأَسْمَعَ لِمَا أَقُولُ مِنْهُمْ وَلَكِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَقْدِرُونَ أَنْ يُجِيبُوا »

"O Abu Jahl b. Hisham, O Umayyah b. Khalf, O `Utbah ibn Rabi`ah, and O Shaybah b. Rabi`ah, have you found true the promises of your Lord made to you? I have found true the promises my Lord made to me." `Umar heard him and asked, "Messenger of Allah, how can they hear and how will they answer when they have become corpses?" He replied, "By Him in whose Hands is my life, they hear better than you to what I am saying but are unable to answer" (Ibn Kathir).

71. Mujahid and Suddi have interpreted the "hijab" of the text as a partition or a wall between Paradise and Hell (Ibn Jarir).

72. Ibn `Abbas has said that A`raf is any tall construction or an elevated place. Hence a cock's crown (which is called `Urf). Here, the reference is to a high wall (obviously, wide enough: Au.) between Heaven and Hell (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi). According to another report he said that A`raf is the plural of "tull" (pronounced in the same way as "dull") which is for sand dunes (Ibn Kathir).

Shafi` adds: Tafsir Maz hari states that this would be the end piece of the Bridge (Sirat). Suyuti is also inclined to this opinion.

But the above is not substantiated with a hadith or a statement of the Salaf (Au.).

73. Hudhayfah (b. al Yaman), Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah and Dahhak have said that these are a people whose good and evil deeds weigh equal: deserving neither Paradise nor Hellfire. They would be retained on the high wall for some time but will ultimately enter Paradise by Allah's grace (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). There are several other opinions about the identity of those on the Heights, there being no less than a dozen, such as, angels, Prophets and Messengers, chosen men of Allah, etc. But the above opinion is the most widely accepted one (Qurtubi).

That they could be those who, in the words of Hasan and Zajjaj, are "possessors [or men] of knowledge," is possible. But Asad's extension of that meaning as "those who in their lifetime were able to discern between right and wrong .. but did not definitely incline to either: in brief, the indifferent ones," expresses an opinion that is not found anywhere in the commentary books, nor has Razi adopted it (Au.).

74. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others have said that from those heights they would be able to perceive everyone and know from their faces those of Heaven and those of Hell (Ibn Jarir).

75. That is, the people at the heights would not have entered Paradise, although hoping that they would, by Allah's grace (Ibn Jarir).