7. Al-A'raaf

(And when We shook the Mount) when We extracted, raised and fixed the Mount (above them) above their heads (as it were a covering) for comfort, (and they supposed) they knew and were certain (that it was going to fall upon them) if they did not accept the Scripture ((and We said): Hold fast that which We have given you) act according to it seriously and diligently, (and remember that which is therein) of reward and punishment; it is also said that this means: recall what is therein of commands and prohibitions; and it is also said that this means: act upon that which is therein of the lawful and the unlawful, (that ye may ward off (evil)) that you may ward off Allah's wrath and torment and that you may believe in Allah.

(And (remember) when thy Lord) O Muhammad (brought forth) on the Day of the Covenant (from the Children of Adam, from their reins, their seed) He brought forth the seeds from their reins, (and made them testify of themselves, (saying): Am I not your Lord? They said: Yea, verily We testify) we know and acknowledge that You are our Lord. Allah then said to the angels: be witnesses over them; and let you be witnesses over one another. ((That was) lest ye should say) so that you do not say (at the Day of Resurrection: Lo! of this) covenant (we were unaware) we were not made to make pledge;

(Or lest ye should say) and so that you do not say: ((It is) only (that) our fathers ascribed partners to Allah of old) before us, and it is them who broke the covenant and pledge before us (and we were (their) seed) small and weak (after them) and we just emulated them. (Wilt Thou destroy us) will you punish us (on account of that which those who follow falsehood did?) on account of what the idolaters did before us in terms of breaking the covenant?

(Recite unto them) O Muhammad (the tale of him to whom We gave Our revelations) the greatest divine name, (but he sloughed them off) the reference here is to Bal'am Ibn Ba'ura' whom Allah honoured with His greatest name but he used to pray against Moses and so Allah took it away from him. It is also said that the reference here is to Umayyah Ibn al-Salt whom Allah honoured with knowledge and good speech but when he did not believe, Allah took this away from him, (so Satan overtook him) Satan deluded him (and he became of those who lead astray) he became of the erring disbelievers.

(And had We willed We could have raised him by their means) We could have raised him by means of the greatest name to heaven and made him sovereign over the people of this world, (but he clung to the earth) he inclined to the wealth of this world (and followed his own lust) the lust of leadership; it is also said that this means: the lust of his ego by engaging in evil things. (Therefore his likeness) the likeness of Bal'am; and it is said: the likeness of Umayyah Ibn al-Salt (is as the likeness of a dog; if thou attackest him) and drive him away from you (he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him) and do not drive him away (he panteth with his tongue out) such is the case with Bal'am and Umayyah, when they were admonished they did not take any heed and when they were left alone, they did not understand anything. (Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations) Muhammad (pbuh) and the Qur'an. These people are the Jews. (Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old)) recite to them the Qur'an, (that haply they may take thought) that haply they may reflect on the similes of the Qur'an.

(Evil as an example are the folk who denied Our revelations) Muhammad (pbuh) and the Qur'an, if their example is as that of a dog, (and were wont to wrong themselves) to harm themselves by being tortured.

(He who Allah leadeth) guides to His religion, (he indeed is led aright) to His religion, (while he whom Allah sendeth astray) from His religion (they indeed are losers) because of being punished.

(Already have We urged unto) We created for (hell many of the jinn and humankind, having hearts wherewith they understand not) the Truth, (and having eyes wherewith they see not) the Truth, (and having ears wherewith they hear not) the Truth. (These are as the cattle) in relation to understanding the Truth (nay, but they are worse!) because they are disbelievers (These are the neglectful) those who are oblivious to the matter of the Hereafter, deniers of it.

(Allah's are the fairest names) the loftiest attributes: knowledge, power, hearing, sight, and the like. (Invoke Him by them) recite by them. (And leave the company of those who blaspheme His names) those who deny His names and attributes; and according to a different reading this means: those who are disinclined to acknowledge His names; and it is also said that this means: those who liken His names to al-Lat, al-'Uzza, and Manat. (They will be requited) in the Hereafter for (what they do) and say in the life of this world.