Tuesday, 25 May 2021

Selected Verses [40-47] of Holy Quran Surah Al-A'raf 7 - Towards Understanding the Quran

 

Selected Verses [40-47] of Holy Quran Surah Al-A'raf 7

Towards Understanding the Quran

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Tuesday 13 Shawwal 1442 AH and 25 May 2021 CE

Reminder after Ramadaan No 11

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum WA-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu.

Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad () is His slave and Messenger.

Help us Answer the Ummah! Every second, everywhere someone needs an answer. The Prophet () said: “A person who leads others to doing what is good will earn the same reward as those who do it.” (Muslim, 1893).

وَلَا تَهِنُواْ وَلَا تَحۡزَنُواْ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَوۡنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ (١٣٩)

“Do not lose hope, nor be sad. You will surely be victorious if you are true in Faith.” And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].” [Holy Quran Chapter Al Imran Ayah 139]

 

إِن يَنصُرۡكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمۡ‌ۖ وَإِن يَخۡذُلۡكُمۡ فَمَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَنصُرُكُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ‌ۗ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ (١٦٠)

“If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely.”

[Holy Quran Chapter Imran Ayah 160]

Preamble

This Surah Al Aaraf (The Heights) chapter seven [7] of the Holy Quran takes its name from Verses 46-47 in which mention of A'araf occurs.

We extracted from works of Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur’an [The Meaning of the Qur'an], body of commentary and explication, aimed at explaining the meanings of the Qur'an, the central religious text of Islam. Tafsir can broadly be categorized by its affiliated Islamic schools and branches and the era it was published, classic or modern for clear understanding and conviction of God's will. Principally, a Tafsir deals with the issues of linguistics, jurisprudence, and theology.

In this article we will provide Holy Quran Surah Al-A'raf 7: Verses [40-47] commentary of Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. 

However, The more I try to know, to research, to learn and develop, the more I discover my pathetic level of ignorance...
And Allah’s Aid sought against all forms of ignorance! There's no better remedy to the development of Man than his readiness to embrace knowledge. We ask Allaah to ease our affairs. Aameen.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ عَنۡہَا لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمۡ أَبۡوَٲبُ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَا يَدۡخُلُونَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ حَتَّىٰ يَلِجَ ٱلۡجَمَلُ فِى سَمِّ ٱلۡخِيَاطِ‌ۚ وَڪَذَٲلِكَ نَجۡزِى ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ (٤٠)

(7:40) Surely the gates of Heaven shall not be opened for those who reject Our signs as false and turn away ' from them in arrogance; nor shall they enter Paradise until a camel passes through the eye of a needle. Thus do We reward the guilty ones.

لَهُم مِّن جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ۬ وَمِن فَوۡقِهِمۡ غَوَاشٍ۬‌ۚ وَكَذَٲلِكَ نَجۡزِى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (٤١)

(7:41) Hell shall be their bed, and also above them their covering. Thus do We reward the wrong-doers.

وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَآ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ‌ۖ هُمۡ فِيہَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (٤٢)

(7:42) And those who believe and do good - We do not impose upon any of them a burden beyond his capacity. They are the people of Paradise. And there they shall abide.

وَنَزَعۡنَا مَا فِى صُدُورِهِم مِّنۡ غِلٍّ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِہِمُ ٱلۡأَنۡہَـٰرُ‌ۖ وَقَالُواْ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى هَدَٮٰنَا لِهَـٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَہۡتَدِىَ لَوۡلَآ أَنۡ هَدَٮٰنَا ٱللَّهُ‌ۖ لَقَدۡ جَآءَتۡ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۖ وَنُودُوٓاْ أَن تِلۡكُمُ ٱلۡجَنَّةُ أُورِثۡتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ (٤٣)

(7:43) We shall strip away all rancour from their hearts,32 and rivers shall flow beneath them, and they shall say: 'All praise be to Allah Who has guided us on to this. Had it not been for Allah Who granted us guidance, we would not be on the Right Path. Surely the Messengers of our Lord did indeed come down with truth.' Then a voice will cry out to them: 'This is the Paradise which you are made to inherit as a reward for your deeds.' 33

32. If there develops any rancour or ill-will among good people during the course of their worldly lives, such rancour and will be removed in the Hereafter. Their hearts will be purged of all hostile feelings and they will enter Paradise as cordial friends. They will not feel envious towards those who had formerly been opposed or hostile to them that they share with them the bounties of Paradise. Significantly, 'Ali once recited this very verse and remarked: 'I wish that I and 'Uthman and Talhah and al-Zubayr will be among those about whom God has said: "And We shall take away all rancour from their hearts" ' (verse 43). (See Qurtubi's comments on verse 43 - Ed.)

Reflection on the verse leads one to conclude that out of His mercy, God will first purge the righteous of their blemishes. This will be done before admitting them to Paradise. Thus they will enter Paradise in a state of untainted purity.

33. This refers to something of a fine and delicate character that will take place in Paradise. Instead of boasting about their virtuous deeds which led them to Paradise, the righteous will thank and praise God profusely and acknowledge His grace and mercy without which they could never have entered Paradise. On the other hand, God will not impress His bounty upon the righteous; He will rather emphasize that Paradise is granted to them by way of compensation for their righteous conduct, that it is the fruit of their hard labour; that it is not like the crumbs of charity but a fair recompense for their striving. The subtlety involved here is further brought into relief by the fact that the above response will not be made by God. It will rather be just announced to them.

What is said above about the Hereafter may be discerned in the attitude of the righteous in the world itself. The wicked and arrogant ones take great pride in their worldly attainments and ascribe them to their own efforts. They firmly, believe that what they have achieved is the fruit of their labour. Swaved by such notions, they continue to act even more haughtily. Conversely the righteous look upon all the bounties which they receive as favours from God. Accordingly, they thank and praise Him out of gratitude. The more they are lavished with worldly favours, the more humble and generous they become. Moreover, they do not suffer from the illusion that their righteousness will certainly earn them their salvation. On the contrary, they consistently repent over their lapses and earnestly turn to God in the hope that He will pardon them out of His grace and mercy. They are always fearful of God's reckoning lest their evil deeds are found to outweigh their good deeds. According to a tradition the Prophet (peace he on him) said: 'Know well that none will he able to enter Paradise by dint of his good deeds.' When asked if that would apply to him as well, the Prophet (peace he on him) replied: 'Yes, in my case as well; unless God covers me with His mercy and favour.' (Bukhari, Kitab al-Riqaq, 'Bab al-Qasd wa a Mudawamah ala al-Amal' - Ed.)

وَنَادَىٰٓ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ أَصۡحَـٰبَ ٱلنَّارِ أَن قَدۡ وَجَدۡنَا مَا وَعَدَنَا رَبُّنَا حَقًّ۬ا فَهَلۡ وَجَدتُّم مَّا وَعَدَ رَبُّكُمۡ حَقًّ۬ا‌ۖ قَالُواْ نَعَمۡ‌ۚ فَأَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنُۢ بَيۡنَہُمۡ أَن لَّعۡنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (٤٤)

(7:44) And the people of Paradise shall cry to the people of Hell: 'Surely we have found our Lord's promise to us to be true. have you also found true what your Lord has promised you?' 'Yes', they shall answer; and a herald shall cry out among them: 'Allah's curse be upon the wrong-doers';

ٱلَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَبۡغُونَہَا عِوَجً۬ا وَهُم بِٱلۡأَخِرَةِ كَـٰفِرُونَ (٤٥)

(7:45) upon those who hinder men from the path of Allah and seek to make it crooked; and disbelieve in the Hereafter.'

وَبَيۡنَہُمَا حِجَابٌ۬‌ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلۡأَعۡرَافِ رِجَالٌ۬ يَعۡرِفُونَ كُلاَّۢ بِسِيمَٮٰهُمۡ‌ۚ وَنَادَوۡاْ أَصۡحَـٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ أَن سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ‌ۚ لَمۡ يَدۡخُلُوهَا وَهُمۡ يَطۡمَعُونَ (٤٦) ۞

(7:46) And between the two there will be a barrier, and on the Heights will be men who will recognize each person by his mark and will cry, out to the people of Paradise: 'Peace be to you.'These will be the ones who had not yet joined them in Paradise, though they long to do so.[34]

[34]. The people of A'raf (Heights) will be the people who are neither righteous enough to enter Paradise nor wicked enough to he cast into Hell. They will, therefore, dwell at a place situated between the two.

وَإِذَا صُرِفَتۡ أَبۡصَـٰرُهُمۡ تِلۡقَآءَ أَصۡحَـٰبِ ٱلنَّارِ قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا لَا تَجۡعَلۡنَا مَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (٤٧)

 (7:47) And when the eyes of the people of the Heights will be turned towards the people of Hell they will say: 'Our Lord! Do not cast us among the wrongdoing people.'

 

End of Quran Surah Al-A'raf 7: 40-47 commentaries on:

Verses [40-41] Gates of heaven shall not be opened for the disbelievers

Verses [42-43] Only believers shall enter paradise

Verses [44-47] Dialogue between the residents of paradise and the inmates of hell

 

This surah has 39 major sections [condensed to 24] out of which verses [40-47] are selected here for us to understand Quranic teachings and explanations.

 

To be continued Reminder 12 In Shaa Allah on Verses [[48-58]:

Verses [48-53] Dialogue between the people of A'raf and the inmates of hell and Inmates of hell shall beg for water and food from the residents of paradise

Verses [54-58] Allah is the One Who created this universe and Pray to Allah with fear and hope

https://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=7&verse=48

Sources

Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an [The Meaning of the Qur'an] - https://www.searchtruth.com/tafsir/tafsir.php

https://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=7&verse=48

Tafsir ibn Kathir (The Ibn Kathir Interpretation) by Ibn Kathir Ash-Shafi'i (1301—1373 CE/ 774 AH). A summary of the earlier interpretation by al-Tabari.

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