Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 7 Al-A'raf, Ayat 66-70

قَالَ الۡمَلَاُ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا مِنۡ قَوۡمِهٖۤ اِنَّا لَـنَرٰٮكَ فِىۡ سَفَاهَةٍ وَّاِنَّا لَـنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ الۡـكٰذِبِيۡنَ‏ ﴿7:66﴾ قَالَ يٰقَوۡمِ لَـيۡسَ بِىۡ سَفَاهَةٌ وَّلٰـكِنِّىۡ رَسُوۡلٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ‏ ﴿7:67﴾ اُبَلِّغُكُمۡ رِسٰلٰتِ رَبِّىۡ وَاَنَا لَـكُمۡ نَاصِحٌ اَمِيۡنٌ‏ ﴿7:68﴾ اَوَعَجِبۡتُمۡ اَنۡ جَآءَكُمۡ ذِكۡرٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّكُمۡ عَلٰى رَجُلٍ مِّنۡكُمۡ لِيُنۡذِرَكُمۡ​ ؕ وَاذۡكُرُوۡۤا اِذۡ جَعَلَـكُمۡ ۚ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ قَوۡمِ نُوۡحٍ وَّزَادَكُمۡ فِى الۡخَـلۡقِ بَصۜۡطَةً​​ فَاذۡكُرُوۡۤا اٰ لَۤاءَ اللّٰهِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ‏ ﴿7:69﴾ قَالُـوۡۤا اَجِئۡتَنَا لِنَعۡبُدَ اللّٰهَ وَحۡدَهٗ وَنَذَرَ مَا كَانَ يَعۡبُدُ اٰبَآؤُنَا​ ۚ فَاۡتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَاۤ اِنۡ كُنۡتَ مِنَ الصّٰدِقِيۡنَ‏ ﴿7:70﴾

(7:66) The unbelievers among the leading men of his people said: 'Indeed we see you in folly, and consider you to be liars.' (7:67) He said: '0 my people! There is no folly in me; rather I am a Messenger from the Lord of the universe. (7:68) I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I give you sincere advice. (7:69) Do you wonder that an exhortation should come to you from your Lord through a man from amongst yourselves that he may warn you? And do call to mind when He made you successors after the people of Noah and amply increased you in stature. Remember then the wondrous bounties52 of Allah, that you may prosper.' (7:70) They said: 'Have you come to us that we should worship none other than Allah and forsake all whom our forefathers were wont to worship?53 Then bring upon us the scourge with which you have threatened us if you are truthful?'


Notes

52. The word ala' used in the above verse stands for bounties, wondrous works of nature, and praiseworthy qualities. The purpose of the verse is to impress upon man to gratefully, recognize the favours God has lavished upon him, bearing in mind that God also has the Power to take them away.

53. It is worth noting that the people of 'Ad neither disbelieved in God nor refused to worship Him. They did not, however, follow, the teachings of Hud who proclaimed God alone should he worshipped, and that none other may be associated in servitude to Him.