Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 156–159

7. Al-A'raaf · The Heights

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۞ وَٱكْتُبْ لَنَا فِى هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ عَذَابِىٓ أُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَنْ أَشَآءُ ۖ وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۢ ۚ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

7:156And appoint goodness for us in this world and the Hereafter, for indeed we have come back to You.’ Said He, ‘I visit My punishment on whomever I wish, but My mercy embraces all things. Soon I shall appoint it for those who are Godwary and give the zakat and those who believe in Our signs1

ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ ٱلْأُمِّىَّ ٱلَّذِى يَجِدُونَهُۥ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَٱلْإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَىٰهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْخَبَٰٓئِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَٱلْأَغْلَٰلَ ٱلَّتِى كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ ٱلنُّورَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ مَعَهُۥٓ ۙ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ

7:157—those who follow the Apostle, the untaught prophet, whose mention they find written with them in the Torah and the Evangel, who bids them to do what is right and forbids them from what is wrong, makes lawful to them all the good things and forbids them from all vicious things, and relieves them of their burdens and the shackles that were upon them—those who believe in him, honour him, and help him and follow the light that has been sent down with him, they are the felicitous.’2

قُلْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ ۖ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ٱلنَّبِىِّ ٱلْأُمِّىِّ ٱلَّذِى يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَٱتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

7:158Say, ‘O mankind! I am the Apostle of Allah to you all, [of Him] to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no god except Him. He gives life and brings death.’ So have faith in Allah and His Apostle, the untaught prophet, who has faith in Allah and His words, and follow him so that you may be guided.3

وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰٓ أُمَّةٌۭ يَهْدُونَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَبِهِۦ يَعْدِلُونَ

7:159Among the people of Moses is a nation who guide [the people] by the truth and do justice thereby.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 156

1.Here, Allah has mentioned about the blessings of the hereafter, and under rewards and recompense He has mentioned about faith, fear of God and Zakat; but not mentioned Prayer. While in many places the Holy Quran gives priority to Prayer. Perhaps its secret is that Allah has completed His favours on Jews who can reach to the limit of Prayer easily. but being rich they cannot spend their wealth. That is why Allah drew their attention that only faith is not sufficient; they should be kind towards the people. There is no possibility of salvation and victory without it.

Verse 157

2.Other commands in Bani Israel were very severe. Such as cut the flesh of the filthy part of the body for purity, to kill for taking revenge and there is no possibility of blood money, to slay himself for repentance, no hunting or catching fish on Saturday. After the coming of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) all these commands ended and this severe burden was removed and the people also became free from the customs of the period of ignorance.

After seeing the conditions of the period of the announcement of prophethood when we study about Islamic laws we realize how easy Islamic laws are and how the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has saved people from a number of restrictions.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Divine chastisement is only for those who deserve it and the sphere of mercy is general. Then mercy is also of two kinds. One of it is in this world which is in the share of everything and every person. Another mercy is that of the Hereafter that shall soon be destined for the pious people. That is why the future tense is used.

  2. 2

    It is the specialty of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) that he did not obtain training and education from any individual or any school. The constant repetition of the word ‘Ummi’ (unlettered) is a reply to the al1egation of the enemies of Islam that the Prophet (s.a.) had learnt Islam from a monk.

  3. 3

    This word also clarifies that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) had brought with himself his Islam and his book, and he was never ignorant of the book. It also shows that just as the light of the Quran was revealed on the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), in the same way a light had descended with the Prophet (s.a.).