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 Surah Al-A'raf 7:152-157 [19/24] ↕
  
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Verse Summary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
إِنَّIndeed,
ٱلَّذِينَthose who
ٱتَّخَذُواْtook
ٱلْعِجْلَthe calf,
سَيَنَالُهُمْwill reach them
غَضَبٌwrath
مِّنfrom
رَّبِّهِمْtheir Lord,
وَذِلَّةٌand humiliation
فِىin
ٱلْحَيَوٲةِthe life
ٱلدُّنْيَا‌ۚ(of) the world.
وَكَذَٲلِكَAnd thus
نَجْزِىWe recompense
ٱلْمُفْتَرِينَthe ones who invent (falsehood).
﴿١٥٢﴾
وَٱلَّذِينَAnd those who
عَمِلُواْdo
ٱلسَّيِّـَٔـاتِthe evil deeds
ثُمَّthen
تَابُواْrepented
مِنۢ بَعْدِهَاafter that
وَءَامَنُوٓاْand believed,
إِنَّindeed,
رَبَّكَyour Lord
مِنۢ بَعْدِهَاafter that
لَغَفُورٌ(is) surely Oft-Forgiving,
رَّحِيمٌMost Merciful.
﴿١٥٣﴾
وَلَمَّاAnd when
سَكَتَwas calmed
عَنfrom
مُّوسَىMusa
ٱلْغَضَبُthe anger,
أَخَذَhe took (up)
ٱلْأَلْوَاحَ‌ۖthe tablets
وَفِىand in
نُسْخَتِهَاtheir inscription
هُدًى(was) guidance
وَرَحْمَةٌand mercy
لِّلَّذِينَfor those who
هُمْ[they]
لِرَبِّهِمْ يَرْهَبُونَ(are) fearful of their Lord.
﴿١٥٤﴾
وَٱخْتَارَAnd chose
مُوسَىٰMusa
قَوْمَهُۥ(from) his people
سَبْعِينَseventy
رَجُلاًmen
لِّمِيقَـٰتِنَا‌ۖfor Our appointment.
فَلَمَّآThen when
أَخَذَتْهُمُseized them
ٱلرَّجْفَةُthe earthquake
قَالَhe said,
رَبِّ`O my Lord!
لَوْ شِئْتَIf You (had) willed,
أَهْلَكْتَهُمYou (could) have destroyed them
مِّن قَبْلُbefore
وَإِيَّـٰىَ‌ۖand me.
أَتُهْلِكُنَاWould You destroy us
بِمَاfor what
فَعَلَdid
ٱلسُّفَهَآءُthe foolish
مِنَّآ‌ۖamong us?
إِنْNot
هِىَit (was)
إِلَّاbut
فِتْنَتُكَYour trial,
تُضِلُّYou let go astray
بِهَاby it
مَنwhom
تَشَآءُYou will
وَتَهْدِىand You guide
مَنwhom
تَشَآءُ‌ۖYou will.
أَنتَYou
وَلِيُّنَا(are) our Protector,
فَٱغْفِرْso forgive
لَنَاus
وَٱرْحَمْنَا‌ۖand have mercy upon us,
وَأَنتَand You
خَيْرُ(are) Best
ٱلْغَـٰفِرِينَ(of) Forgivers.
﴿١٥٥﴾
۞ وَٱكْتُبْAnd ordain
لَنَاfor us
فِىin
هَـٰذِهِthis
ٱلدُّنْيَا[the] world,
حَسَنَةًgood
وَفِىand in
ٱلْأَخِرَةِthe Hereafter.
إِنَّاIndeed, we
هُدْنَآwe have turned
إِلَيْكَ‌ۚto You.`
قَالَHe said,
عَذَابِىٓ`My punishment -
أُصِيبُI afflict
بِهِۦwith it
مَنْwhom
أَشَآءُ‌ۖI will,
وَرَحْمَتِىbut My Mercy
وَسِعَتْencompasses
كُلَّevery
شَىْءٍ‌ۚthing.
فَسَأَكْتُبُهَاSo I will ordain it
لِلَّذِينَfor those who
يَتَّقُونَ(are) righteous
وَيُؤْتُونَand give
ٱلزَّكَوٲةَzakah
وَٱلَّذِينَand those who
هُم[they]
بِـَٔـايَـٰتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَbelieve in Our Verses.
﴿١٥٦﴾
ٱلَّذِينَThose who
يَتَّبِعُونَfollow
ٱلرَّسُولَthe Messenger,
ٱلنَّبِىَّ ٱلْأُمِّىَّthe unlettered Prophet,
ٱلَّذِىwhom
يَجِدُونَهُۥthey find him
مَكْتُوبًاwritten
عِندَهُمْwith them
فِىin
ٱلتَّوْرَٮٰةِthe Taurat
وَٱلْإِنجِيلِand the Injeel.
يَأْمُرُهُمHe commands them
بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِto the right
وَيَنْهَـٰهُمْand forbids them
عَنِfrom
ٱلْمُنكَرِthe wrong,
وَيُحِلُّand he makes lawful
لَهُمُfor them
ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِthe pure things
وَيُحَرِّمُand makes unlawful
عَلَيْهِمُfor them
ٱلْخَبَـٰٓئِثَthe impure things
وَيَضَعُand he relieves
عَنْهُمْfrom them
إِصْرَهُمْtheir burden
وَٱلْأَغْلَـٰلَand the fetters
ٱلَّتِىwhich
كَانَتْwere
عَلَيْهِمْ‌ۚupon them.
فَٱلَّذِينَSo those who
ءَامَنُواْbelieve
بِهِۦin him
وَعَزَّرُوهُand honor him,
وَنَصَرُوهُand help him
وَٱتَّبَعُواْand follow
ٱلنُّورَthe light
ٱلَّذِىٓwhich
أُنزِلَhas been sent down
مَعَهُۥٓ‌ۙwith him.
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَThose (are)
هُمُ[they]
ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَthe successful ones.`
﴿١٥٧﴾

اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ اتَّخَذُوا الۡعِجۡلَ سَيَنَالُهُمۡ غَضَبٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّهِمۡ وَذِلَّـةٌ فِى الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا​ ؕ وَكَذٰلِكَ نَجۡزِىۡ الۡمُفۡتَرِيۡنَ‏  وَالَّذِيۡنَ عَمِلُوا السَّيِّاٰتِ ثُمَّ تَابُوۡا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهَا وَاٰمَنُوۡۤا اِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهَا لَغَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ‏  وَلَـمَّا سَكَتَ عَنۡ مُّوۡسَى الۡغَضَبُ اَخَذَ الۡاَلۡوَاحَ ​ۖ  وَفِىۡ نُسۡخَتِهَا هُدًى وَّرَحۡمَةٌ لِّـلَّذِيۡنَ هُمۡ لِرَبِّهِمۡ يَرۡهَبُوۡنَ‏  وَاخۡتَارَ مُوۡسٰى قَوۡمَهٗ سَبۡعِيۡنَ رَجُلًا لِّمِيۡقَاتِنَا​ ۚ فَلَمَّاۤ اَخَذَتۡهُمُ الرَّجۡفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوۡ شِئۡتَ اَهۡلَـكۡتَهُمۡ مِّنۡ قَبۡلُ وَاِيَّاىَ​ ؕ اَ تُهۡلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَآءُ مِنَّا ۚ اِنۡ هِىَ اِلَّا فِتۡنَـتُكَ ؕ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَنۡ تَشَآءُ وَتَهۡدِىۡ مَنۡ تَشَآءُ ​ؕ اَنۡتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغۡفِرۡ لَـنَا وَارۡحَمۡنَا​ وَاَنۡتَ خَيۡرُ الۡغَافِرِيۡنَ‏  وَاكۡتُبۡ لَـنَا فِىۡ هٰذِهِ الدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةً وَّفِى الۡاٰخِرَةِ اِنَّا هُدۡنَاۤ اِلَيۡكَ ​ؕ قَالَ عَذَابِىۡۤ اُصِيۡبُ بِهٖ مَنۡ اَشَآءُ​ ۚ وَرَحۡمَتِىۡ وَسِعَتۡ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ​ ؕ فَسَاَكۡتُبُهَا لِلَّذِيۡنَ يَتَّقُوۡنَ وَيُؤۡتُوۡنَ الزَّكٰوةَ وَالَّذِيۡنَ هُمۡ بِاٰيٰتِنَا يُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ ​ۚ‏  اَ لَّذِيۡنَ يَتَّبِعُوۡنَ الرَّسُوۡلَ النَّبِىَّ الۡاُمِّىَّ الَّذِىۡ يَجِدُوۡنَهٗ مَكۡتُوۡبًا عِنۡدَهُمۡ فِى التَّوۡرٰٮةِ وَالۡاِنۡجِيۡلِ يَاۡمُرُهُمۡ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِ وَيَنۡهٰٮهُمۡ عَنِ الۡمُنۡكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبٰتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيۡهِمُ الۡخَبٰۤـئِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنۡهُمۡ اِصۡرَهُمۡ وَالۡاَغۡلٰلَ الَّتِىۡ كَانَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ​ ؕ فَالَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا بِهٖ وَعَزَّرُوۡهُ وَنَصَرُوۡهُ وَ اتَّبَـعُوا النُّوۡرَ الَّذِىۡۤ اُنۡزِلَ مَعَهٗ ۤ​ ۙ اُولٰۤـئِكَ هُمُ الۡمُفۡلِحُوۡنَ‏ 
Translation
(7:152) In reply they were told: 'Verily those who worshipped the calf will certainly incur indignation from their Lord, and will be abased in the life of this world. Thus do We reward those who fabricate lies. (7:153) As for those who do evil, and later repent and have faith, such shall find their Lord All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate after (they repent and believe) (7:154) And when the anger of Moses was stilled, he took up the Tablets again, the text of which comprised guidance and mercy to those who fear their Lord. (7:155) And out of his people Moses singled out seventy men for Our appointment. 109 Then, when violent shaking seized them, he addressed his Lord: 'Had You willed, O my Lord, You could have destroyed them and me long ago. Will You destroy us for what the fools amongst us did? That was nothing but a trial from You whereby You mislead whom You will and guide whom You will. 110 You alone are our guardian. Forgive us, then, and have mercy upon us. You are the best of those who forgive. (7:156) And ordain for us what is good in this world and in the World to Come for to You have we turned.'He replied: 'I afflict whomsoever I wish with My chastisement. As for My mercy, it encompasses everything.111 will show mercy to those who abstain from evil, pay Zakat and have faith in Our signs.' (7:157) [To-day this mercy is for] those who follow the ummi Prophet, 112 whom they find mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel with them.113 He enjoins upon them what is good and forbids them what is evil. He makes the clean things lawful to them and prohibits all corrupt things,114 and removes from them their burdens and the shackles that were upon them.115 So those who believe in him and assist him, and succour him and follow the Light which has been sent down with him, it is they who shall prosper.
Commentary

109. Moses was summoned for the second time to Mount Sinai along with seventy chiefs of the nation in order that they might seek pardon for their calf-worship and renew their covenant with God. Reference to this event is not found in the Bible and Talmud. They simply mention that Moses was summoned to receive new tablets as replacements for the ones he had thrown down and broken. (Cf. Exodus 34.)

110. When a people are put to the test it is an occasion of crucial importance for it helps to distinguish the righteous from the wicked. Like a winnow, it separates out of the mass the useful from the useless. Hence in his wisdom God subjects people to tests. Those who successfully pass through them, owe their success to the support and guidance they receive from God. As for those who are unsuccessful, their failure is the result of their not receiving that support and guidance. This does not detract from the fact that men neither arbitrarily receive or are denied God's support and guidance. Both extending and withholding support and guidance follow a rule which is based on wisdom and justice. The fact, however, remains that man can succeed in the test to which he is put only if God supports and guides him.

111. It is false to assume that the general rule underlying God's governance of His realm is that of wrath which is occasionally tempered with mercy and benevolence. On the contrary, the general rule is that of mercy and benevolence and wrath is the exception which is aroused when man's transgression and rebellion exceed all reasonable limits.

112. The preceding verse concludes God's response to Moses' prayer. This was the appropriate moment to invite the Israelites to follow the Message preached by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). The upshot of what is being said here is that people can even now attain God's mercy exactly as they could in the past. These conditions require that people should now follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), since refusal to follow a Prophet after his advent amounts to gross disobedience to God. Those who do not commit themselves to follow the Prophet (peace be on him) cannot attain the essence of piety, no matter how hard they try to make a pretence of it by observing the minor details of religious rituals generally associated with piety.

Likewise, the Israelites had been told that paying Zakah was essential to win God's mercy. However, payment of Zakah is meaningless unless one supports the struggle to establish the hegemony of truth which was being carried on under the leadership of the Prophet (peace be on him). For unless one spends money to exalt the word of God, the very foundation of Zakah are lacking, even if a person spends huge amounts in the way of charity. They were also reminded that they had been told in the past that God's mercy was exclusively for those who believed in His Revelation. Now those who rejected the Revelation received by Muhammad (peace be on him) could never be considered believers in Revelation no matter how zealously they claim to believe in the Torah.

Reference to the Prophet (peace be on him) in this verse as umimi is significant as the Israelites branded all other nations as Gentiles (ummis). Steeped in racial prejudice, they did not consider members of other nations as their equals, let alone accept any person not belonging to them as a Prophet. The Qur'an also states the Jewish belief that they would not be taken to ask for whatever they might do to non-Jews. See (Al'Imran 3: 75). Employing the same term which they themselves had used, the Qur'an tells them that their destiny was linked with the ummi Prophet. By obeying him they would become deserving of God's mercy. As for disobedience to the Prophet (peace be on him). it would continue to arouse God's wrath which had been afflicted upon them for centuries.

113. Pointed and repeated reference to the coming of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) is made in the Bible. (See Deuteronomy 18: 19; Matthew 21: 33-46; John 1: 19-25; 14: 15-17, 25-30; 15: 25-26; 16: 7-15.)

114. The Prophet declares the pure things which they had forbidden as lawful, and the impure things which they had legitimized as unlawful.

115. The Israelites had fettered their lives by undue restrictions which had been placed on them by the legal hair-splitting of their jurists, the pietistic exaggerations of their spiritual leaders, the introduction of superstitions and self-contrived laws and regulations by, their masses. The Prophet, by relieving them of every unnecessary burden and releasing them from every unjustified restriction, in fact liberated their shackled lives.