سورة الأعراف   

Surah Name: Al-A'raf Meaning:The Heights

  • Revealed at Makkah
  • The foundation of Islam is on the transparent belief in the Unity of Allah-SWT . The relationship between man and Allah-SWT is such that the former must present his needs only before Him-SWT display his utter humility and insignificance. The theme of the preceding Surah is further expanded here, with emphasis on the importance of the Prophethood because no one can, on his own, comprehend Allah-SWT's Magnificence. He-SWT is beyond human senses. Allah-SWT's Cognition is a feeling induced into the human heart, and this honour is conferred upon the subtle hearts of His-SWT Prophets-AS through Revelations. They distribute these blessings amongst their followers, through a process known as Tazkiyah. In other words, the heart that receives this light is purified and capacitated to comprehend the Divine Book and the Wisdom. Thus the cognition of the Prophet-AS‘s paves the way to the Cognition of Allah-SWT ’. This Surah discusses the importance of Prophethood, supporting it with both logical and chronicle evidence, in the light of history of the preceding nations and their Prophets"-AS their conduct and the end results thereof. Towards the end is the discussion on the Unity of Allah-SWT ’. Also listed are some of His-SWT ’ Commands to facilitate His-SWT Cognition through obedience

  • Total Number of Rukū / Sections 24
  • Total Number of Āyāt / Parts 206
  • Sūrah / Chapter number 7
  • Rukū / Section 15 contains Āyāt / Parts 3
  • Siparah/ Volume 8 & 9

bismillah

وَقَالَ الْمَلأُ مِن قَوْمِ فِرْعَونَ أَتَذَرُ مُوسَى وَقَوْمَهُ لِيُفْسِدُواْ فِي الأَرْضِ وَيَذَرَكَ وَآلِهَتَكَ قَالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبْنَاءهُمْ وَنَسْتَحْيِـي نِسَاءهُمْ وَإِنَّا فَوْقَهُمْ قَاهِرُونَ

Waqala almalao min qawmi firAAawna atatharu moosa waqawmahu liyufsidoo fee alardi wayatharaka waalihataka qala sanuqattilu abnaahum wanastahyee nisaahum wainna fawqahum qahiroon(a)

And the chiefs of the people of Pharaoh said: will you leave alone Musa--AS and his people to act corruptly in the land and to leave alone you and your gods? Pharaoh said: soon we shall slay their sons and let live their women; we are masters over them.

(7:127)

قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ اسْتَعِينُوا بِاللّهِ وَاصْبِرُواْ إِنَّ الأَرْضَ لِلّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

Qala moosa liqawmihi istaAAeenoo bi(A)llahi wa(i)sbiroo inna alarda lillahi yoorithuha man yashao min AAibadihi wa(a)lAAaqibatu lilmuttaqeen(a)

Musa--AS said to his people: seek help in Allaah-SWT and perseverance; verily the earth is Allah-SWT's; He-SWT makes whomsoever of His-SWT bondmen He-SWT wills inherit it; and the happy end is of the Rabb-SWT -­fearing.

(7:128)

قَالُواْ أُوذِينَا مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَأْتِينَا وَمِن بَعْدِ مَا جِئْتَنَا قَالَ عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ

Qaloo ootheena min qabli an tatiyana wamin baAAdi ma jitana qala AAasarabbukum an yuhlika AAaduwwakum wayastakhlifakum fee alardi fayanthura kayfa taAAmaloon(a)

They said: oppressed we have been before you came to us and since you have come to us. He said: May be your Rabb-SWT will destroy your foe and establish you in their stead in the land , that He-SWT may see how you act.

(7:129)

In The Name of Allah-SWT the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
SECRETS OF REVELATION:

Pharaoh's sly move served to allure his people to a certain extent but inspite of their ignorance they dared ask him as to why he had spared Prophet Musa-AS and his people while the magicians had been severely punished. They also suggested that if he spared the Bani Israil, they, together with Prophet Musa-AS, may prove disastrous for him and may abandon him and his deities. On the other hand the Pharaoh had become aware of the reality and deep in his heart was obsessed by fear, but his arrogance precluded his heart to accept the reality, missing the chance to repent. He told his people that they had been punishing the Bani Israil for the past many years by executing their newborn sons and sparing their daughters for their service. Now their affliction would, of course, be intensified to teach them a lesson; he reassured his chieftains. The Commentators assert that the Pharaoh was so scared and awestruck that he did not for once mention Prophet Musa-AS by name.

 

Solution to Problems

Prophet Musa-AS reviewed the situation and told his people that there was only one solution to their problems. It was to seek Divine Help, possible only by His-SWT Obedience. And obedience demands submission to Divine Commandments even if they are against one's personal choice or temperament. The word Sabr (patience) here means restraining oneself from sin and disobedience and remaining steadfast on piety in the worst of circumstances. So the perfect and simplest solution of problems was to submit to Allah-SWT, seek His-SWT Support and to restrain from His-SWT defiance. It must be remembered that the land belongs to Him-SWT Alone and He-SWT may bless rule and domination over it to whoever He-SWT may please from amongst His-SWT servants. In other words, if a Government is unjust or undesirable, its replacement by unjust ways will indeed enhance mischief. Therefore, the best option is to become truly obedient to Allaah-SWT . Who is indeed capable of dethroning the tyrants and giving control to the oppressed. And as for the eternal bliss, it is decidedly for the righteous; the wrongdoers have nothing to do with it.

 

Telling the Future

The Bani Israil were strange people. Probably unaware of the priceless blessing of the spiritual states, they were only concerned with worldly comforts. They told Prophet Musa-AS that his raising had not made much difference to their lives. While they lived a life of humiliation under the Pharaoh, they were no better off after the deliverance. So in order to reassure his people, that they may remain steadfast on piety, he predicted that Allaah-SWT would soon destroy their enemy and bless them with power over the land, which had once witnessed their miseries. Possessing power over lies land tantamount to being Allah-SWT's deputy, and He-SWT would certainly watch their conduct. And if they chose to disobey Him-SWT , they would certainly invoke disaster.

 

Power-a Great Trial

It is indeed a great test, whereby Allaah-SWT monitors the one blessed with power, whether he enforces the His-SWT Laws over the land or his own fancies and whims guide him. According to the Holy Prophet-SW each one of us is a ruler. The power of some may prevail over a country, while some rule over a clan and some are the masters of at least their own selves. Therefore, everyone will be reckoned in terms of his status and the sphere of his influence. The wrongdoers shall certainly be seized by Divine Wrath.

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