7. Al-A'raaf

(And when it was said unto them: Dwell in this township) the town of Jericho (and eat therefrom whence ye will) and whenever you will, (and say �Repentance�) and say: there is no deity except Allah; it is also said that this means: forgive our sins, (and enter the gate) the gate of Jericho (prostrate; We shall forgive you your sins; We shall increase (reward) for the right doers) in their good works.

(But those of them who did wrong) the sinning people (changed the word which had been told them for another saying) they were commanded to say " hittah [there is no deity except Allah; or as in the other meaning: forgive our sins " ] but instead said " hintah [wheat] " , (and We sent down upon them wrath from heaven) We sent upon them the plague from heaven (for their wrong-doing) for changing what they were commanded to say.

(Ask them) the Jews, O Muhammad (of the township) about the story of the township called Aylah (that was by the sea, how they did break the Sabbath) they used to transgress on the Sabbath by taking the fish, (how their big fish came unto them visibly) scores and scores of them, from deep inside up to the shore (upon their Sabbath day and on a day when they did not keep Sabbath came they not unto them. Thus did We try them) test them (for that they were evil-livers) transgressors.

(And when a community) a group (among them said: Why preach ye to a folk whom Allah is about to destroy) by turning them into animals (and punish with an awful doom) with the Fire, (they said: In order to be free from guilt before your Lord) in order to have an argument before your Lord, (and that haply they may ward off (evil)) ward off taking the fish on the Sabbath. These were three people who used to catch fish on the Sabbath and encouraged others to do so too. There was another group of people who did not catch fish on the Sabbath but did not warn others against doing so. And lastly there was another group of people who did not catch the fish on the Sabbath and warned others against doing so. Allah turned those who caught fish on the Sabbath and enjoined others to do so into animals and spared the others.

(And when they forgot that whereof they had been reminded) and when they left what they were commanded to do, (We rescued those who forbade wrong) i.e. catching fish on the Sabbath, (and visited those who did wrong) by catching fish on the Sabbath (with dreadful) a severe (punishment because they were evil-livers) because they were transgressors.

(And (remember) when thy Lord proclaimed that He would raise against them till the Day of Resurrection those who would lay on them a cruel torment) those who would severely torment them by the imposition of the capitation tax and other things, the reference here is to Muhammad (pbuh) and his Community. (Lo! verily your Lord is swift in prosecution) He has a severe punishment for those who do not believe in Him (and lo! verily He is Forgiving, Merciful) vis-�-vis those who believe in Him.

(And We have sundered them) We have divided them (in the earth as (separate) nations) tribes, distinctly from each other. (Some of them are righteous) nine tribes and a half, beyond the River al-Raml, (and some far from that) the rest of the believers from among the Children of Israel; it is also said that this means: and far from that are the disbelievers of the Children of Israel. (And We have tried them with good things) and We have tested them with land fertility, abundance and comfort (and evil things) drought, lack of harvest and hardship (that haply they might return) they might repent of their transgression and disbelief.

(And a generation hath succeeded them) a generation of people succeeded the righteous ones, but their successors, among the Jews, were evil (who inherited the Scriptures) they took the Scripture and concealed the traits and description of Muhammad (pbuh) that is in it. (They grasp the goods of this low life (as the price of evil doing)) they take bribes and other unlawful stuff of this world in exchange for concealing the traits and description of Muhammad (pbuh) (and say: It will be forgiven us) the sins we commit at night shall be forgiven during the day, and the sins we commit in the day shall be forgiven at night. (And if there came to them (again)) today (the offer of the like) similar to the unlawful that had come to them before, (they would accept it) and declaring to be lawful. (Hath not the covenant of the Scripture been taken on their behalf that they should not speak aught concerning Allah save the Truth? And they have studied that which is therein) of the traits and attributes of Muhammad (pbuh); it is also said that this means: they studied what is in it of the lawful and the unlawful but did not act upon it. (And the abode of the Hereafter) i.e. Paradise (is better, for those who ward off (evil)) ward off disbelief, idolatry, indecencies, bribery and changing the traits and description of the Prophet (pbuh) in the Torah. Warding off these is better than the abode of the life of this world. (Have ye then no sense?) do you not realise that the life of this world is vanishing and the Hereafter is everlasting?

(And as for those who make (men) keep the Scripture) those who act upon the Scripture, declaring its lawful to be lawful and its unlawful to be unlawful, and further manifest the traits and description of Muhammad (pbuh) (and establish worship) and perform the five daily prayers (lo! We squander not) We thwart not (the wages of reformers) the reward of those who do good in their works and speech, referring here to 'Abdullah Ibn Salam and his companions.