Verses 196–206
7. Al-A'raaf · The Heights
Makkan206 verses
إِنَّ وَلِۦِّىَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى نَزَّلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ ۖ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ
7:196My guardian is indeed Allah who sent down the Book, and He takes care of the righteous.1
وَٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَكُمْ وَلَآ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَنصُرُونَ
7:197Those whom you invoke besides Him can neither help you, nor help themselves.
وَإِن تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ لَا يَسْمَعُوا۟ ۖ وَتَرَىٰهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ
7:198If you call them to guidance, they will not hear. You see them facing you, but they do not see.’
خُذِ ٱلْعَفْوَ وَأْمُرْ بِٱلْعُرْفِ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ ٱلْجَٰهِلِينَ
7:199Adopt [a policy of] excusing [the faults of people], bid what is right, and turn away from the ignorant.
وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ نَزْغٌۭ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
7:200Should a temptation from Satan disturb you, invoke the protection of Allah; indeed He is all-hearing, all-knowing.2
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَٰٓئِفٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ تَذَكَّرُوا۟ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْصِرُونَ
7:201When those who are Godwary are touched by a visitation of Satan, they remember [Allah] and, behold, they perceive.
وَإِخْوَٰنُهُمْ يَمُدُّونَهُمْ فِى ٱلْغَىِّ ثُمَّ لَا يُقْصِرُونَ
7:202But their brethren, they draw them into error, and then they do not spare [any harm].
وَإِذَا لَمْ تَأْتِهِم بِـَٔايَةٍۢ قَالُوا۟ لَوْلَا ٱجْتَبَيْتَهَا ۚ قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَتَّبِعُ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ مِن رَّبِّى ۚ هَٰذَا بَصَآئِرُ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ وَهُدًۭى وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُؤْمِنُونَ
7:203When you do not bring them a sign, they say, ‘Why do you not improvise one?’ Say, ‘I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord; these are insights from your Lord, and a guidance and mercy for a people who have faith.’
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ فَٱسْتَمِعُوا۟ لَهُۥ وَأَنصِتُوا۟ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
7:204When the Quran is recited, listen to it and be silent, maybe you will receive [Allah’s] mercy.3
وَٱذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِى نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًۭا وَخِيفَةًۭ وَدُونَ ٱلْجَهْرِ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ بِٱلْغُدُوِّ وَٱلْءَاصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْغَٰفِلِينَ
7:205And remember your Lord within your heart beseechingly and reverentially, without being loud, morning, and evening, and do not be among the heedless.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِۦ وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُۥ وَلَهُۥ يَسْجُدُونَ ۩
7:206Indeed those who are [stationed] near your Lord do not disdain to worship Him. They glorify Him and prostrate to Him.
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 199
1.Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) said: No statement is more comprehensive about moral values than that man should adopt a way that he does not harm anyone. He should continue to order good so that people do not go astray. If anyone talks in ignorance he should abstain from confrontation and become aloof; and if Shaitan tries to interfere, he should seek the refuge of Allah as there in no protector better than Him.
Verse 203
2.Infidels were acerbic to Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in different ways. One of them was ‘if Allah does not show a miracle according to our desires, you are a prophet yourself. You can yourself select a miracle.’ The Almighty told him to explain to them that the job of the prophet is to follow the divine commands; he does not act of his own accord. Otherwise he would not remain a prophet. Then all kinds of guidance and arguments are present in the Quran. If they want to bring faith, they will bring faith seeing the verses of Quran. Other arguments and miracles are not necessary and if they don’t want to believe, no miracle would be effective.
Verse 206
3.These words are not only for angels. On the contrary they are for all people of Allah who obtain proximity in the court of Allah. Such as it is said about those who became martyrs in the way of Allah.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
This is another warning to the polytheists that our God is the one with the book and He is the helper and supporter of the righteous people. While your idols are useless. This is repeated because immunity from false beliefs is not possible only by uttering two words. It requires repeated warnings and different types of exhortations.
- 2
Shaitan tries to mislead every person and anyone could due to his human nature fall prey to him if divine mercy does not come to his rescue. That is why we have been taught to seek refuge of Allah from satan.
- 3
Listening attentively when Quran is recited is a recommended act. It is obligatory only for followers 10 listen attentively without reciting themselves when the congregation leader is leading the prayers.