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 94-99وَ مَاۤAnd notاَرْسَلْنَاWe sentفِیْinقَرْیَةٍa cityمِّنْ[of]نَّبِیٍّany ProphetاِلَّاۤexceptاَخَذْنَاۤWe seizedاَهْلَهَاits peopleبِالْبَاْسَآءِwith adversityوَ الضَّرَّآءِand hardshipلَعَلَّهُمْso that they mayیَضَّرَّعُوْنَ (become) humble ثُمَّThenبَدَّلْنَاWe changedمَكَانَ(in) placeالسَّیِّئَةِ(of) the badالْحَسَنَةَthe goodحَتّٰیuntilعَفَوْاthey increasedوَّ قَالُوْاand saidقَدْVerilyمَسَّ(had) touchedاٰبَآءَنَاour forefathersالضَّرَّآءُthe adversityوَ السَّرَّآءُand the easeفَاَخَذْنٰهُمْSo We seized themبَغْتَةًsuddenlyوَّ هُمْwhile theyلَا(did) notیَشْعُرُوْنَ perceive 7. Al-A'raf Page 163وَ لَوْAnd ifاَنَّ[that]اَهْلَpeopleالْقُرٰۤی(of) the citiesاٰمَنُوْا(had) believedوَ اتَّقَوْاand feared Allahلَفَتَحْنَاsurely We (would have) openedعَلَیْهِمْupon themبَرَكٰتٍblessingsمِّنَfromالسَّمَآءِthe heavenوَ الْاَرْضِand the earthوَ لٰكِنْbutكَذَّبُوْاthey deniedفَاَخَذْنٰهُمْSo We seized themبِمَاfor whatكَانُوْاthey used toیَكْسِبُوْنَ earn اَفَاَمِنَThen did feel secureاَهْلُ(the) peopleالْقُرٰۤی(of) the citiesاَنْthatیَّاْتِیَهُمْcomes to themبَاْسُنَاOur punishmentبَیَاتًا(at) nightوَّ هُمْwhile theyنَآىِٕمُوْنَؕ(were) asleep اَوَ اَمِنَOr felt secureاَهْلُ(the) peopleالْقُرٰۤی(of) the citiesاَنْthatیَّاْتِیَهُمْcomes to themبَاْسُنَاOur punishmentضُحًی(in) daylightوَّ هُمْwhile theyیَلْعَبُوْنَ (were) playing اَفَاَمِنُوْاThen did they feel secureمَكْرَ(from the) planاللّٰهِ ۚ(of) AllahفَلَاBut notیَاْمَنُfeel secureمَكْرَ(from the) planاللّٰهِ(of) Allahاِلَّاexceptالْقَوْمُthe peopleالْخٰسِرُوْنَ۠(who are) the losers

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Translation of Verse 94-99

(7:94) And We sent no Prophet to a city but We seized its inhabitants with suffering and adversity, that haply they might learn to be humble.

(7:95) Then We substituted evil with good, till they multiplied (in numbers)¹³⁹ and said, ‘Surely, adversity and happiness visited our forefathers (too).'¹⁴⁰ So We seized them on a sudden,¹⁴¹ unawares.¹⁴²

(7:96) Yet, had the inhabitants of the cities believed and feared (Allah), surely, We would have opened blessings of the heaven and earth upon them; but they cried lies, so We seized them for what they were earning.¹⁴³

(7:97) Do the inhabitants of the city feel secure that Our punishment shall come upon them at night, while they are asleep?

(7:98) Do the people of the city feel secure that Our punishment shall come upon them in broad daylight while they are in their playful activities?¹⁴⁴

(7:99) Do they feel secure against Allah's devising?¹⁴⁵ Lo, none feels secure against Allah's devising but a people (destined to be) the losers.¹⁴⁶

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Commentary

139. The rendering of the word "`afaw" herewith is based on the understanding of Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Suddi and others as in Ibn Jarir.

140. This is in contrast to a believer's attitude about whom the Prophet said:

عَجَبًا لأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لأَحَدٍ إِلاَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ

"It is delightfully amazing of a Muslim that all his affairs turn out to be good for him – and this is for none but a true believer. If he is bestowed with good he gives thanks and it proves good for him. If he is struck with adversities, he observes patience and it proves good for him." (Ibn Kathir).

The hadith is in Muslim (Hussain b. Ibrahim).

141. A hadith says:

موت الفجأة رحمة للمؤمن وأخذة أسف للكافر

"Sudden death is mercy for the believer and a grievous seizing for the unbeliever" (Ibn Kathir).

The hadith is in Abu Da'ud and Ahmad (Hussain b. Ibrahim).

142. That is, they were totally unaware of the measures that Allah (swt) takes against the corrupt (Alusi, modified).

Mawdudi adds: "It should be noted that the above rule (of ease and adversity: Au.) which was applied to the nations of the previous Prophets, was also applied in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). When this surah was revealed the Quraysh displayed exactly the same characteristics and attitudes as those nations which had earlier been destroyed. According to a tradition narrated by both `Abd Allah b. Mas`ud and `Abd Allah b. `Abbas (Bukhari), as the Quraysh grew in defiance to the Prophet's call, he prayed to God that he might be assisted by inflicting famine on the Quraysh, as in the days of the Prophet Joseph. Accordingly, God subjected the Quraysh to such a severe famine that they took to subsisting on carcasses, the skins of animals, bones , and wool. Unnerved by this the Quraysh, led by Abu Sufyan, implored the Prophet (peace on him) to pray to God on their behalf. But when the Prophet's prayer helped to improve the situation somewhat, the Quraysh reverted to their arrogant and ignorant ways."

143. The verse proves by implication that obedience to Allah's commands has a say in the descending down of worldly blessings and, conversely, sinning against Him, has a say in the descending down of worldly tragedies (Thanwi).

144. Their engagement in useless pursuits has been equated with playful acts (Zamakhshari).

Sayyid Qutb writes: "Allah's scourge is too harsh to make any difference, whether it took the people while they were awake or asleep, playing or in useful activities. But the Qur'an presents it in a manner as to touch upon the soul, in order that the warning reaches home."

145. "’Makrallah’ signifies God's granting a man respite or delay, and enabling him to accomplish his worldly aims ... or His taking men little by little, so that they do not reckon upon it (LL)" Majid.

Hasan al-Busri has said: "A believer devotes himself to good deeds but is fearful that they might not be accepted of him. In contrast, a corrupt person commits sins but feels himself secure" (Ibn Kathir).

According to the Shafe`iyyah, to feel secure from Allah's makr and to be despondent of His mercy are both major sins (Alusi). Thanwi adds: Some others have said that the two are kufr (and not simply major sins). Perhaps what is meant is, taking them in the sense of believing Allah incapable of punishment on a sudden, or sending down His mercy at will. That would amount to kufr (Au.).

146. In addition to the opinions in the above note, a hadith in Bazzar and Ibn Abi Hatim counts "feeling of security from Allah's devising" as the greatest of the great sins. The explanation is, if one feels secure because he thinks that Allah is incapable of punishing him, then that is the greatest of the Great Sins (Alusi).

Rashid Rida laments the contemporary Muslim situation: "With the Book of Allah in their hands, it would have been proper for the Muslims to fear Him in the manner deserving of Him and give some thought to the reasons of destruction of nations and their empires before them. That would have led them to the point that as against the transgressions of a few individuals, those of nations are not so easily forgiven. But, unfortunately, Muslims do not, to start with, accord these kind of verses, dealing with these kind of truths, the right interpretation. Their another failure is to draw proper inferences and lessons from the rules laid down in such verses. If they read them at all, they indulge its grammar, or syntax, or use them as a platform for debating the superiority of this or that school of law. Alternatively, they believe that these verses are specifically dealing with the unbelievers. They denounce those who tell them that these verses are equally applicable to Muslims. That is what the people of the Book used to say about other nations of their time. They thought that Allah would defend some nations simply because He had raised Prophets among them and that He would bestow upon them successes of this as well as the next world because of their special "position" among the nations, and not because of their obedience to their Prophets. This belief is now strongly saddled in the psyche of the Muslims too. Have these Muslims not given any thought to our Prophet's words, ‘(Surah) Hud and its sisters have hastened old age on me.'"

The following appears in the footnote of Al Manar: The hadith referred to above is a Sahih report that can be found in Tabarani, Tirmidhi and Hakim. Ibn `Asakir has the Prophet's additional words, "And what was done to the nations before me."

That is, the thought that his nation could be punished in a manner similar to the nation of Hud and other Prophets, weighed so heavily on the Prophet that it hastened old age on him. How fearful not then, should his Ummah be (Au.)?