7. Al-A'raaf

The Heights · Meccan · 206 ayahs

سُورَةُ الأَعۡرَافِ

Reading Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Qur'an by Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies

Ayahs 81–90 of 206

إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ ٱلرِّجَالَ شَهْوَةًۭ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۚ بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌۭ مُّسْرِفُونَ

Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people."

'Do you go to men to satisfy your lust instead of women, who you were supposed to go to?! Then in that case you have not followed sense or any sound report or even what is natural! Rather you have gone beyond the limits of Allah, overstepping the bounds of moderation, good sense and the natural nobility of humankind.

Al-A'raaf 7:81Listen in Qur'an →

وَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓا۟ أَخْرِجُوهُم مِّن قَرْيَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ أُنَاسٌۭ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ

But the answer of his people was only that they said, "Evict them from your city! Indeed, they are men who keep themselves pure."

His people, who committed this shameless wrong which they had been forbidden from doing, only responded by turning away from the truth, saying: 'Drive Lot and his followers out of your city. They are a people who have kept away from this action of ours, so it is not befitting that they stay living here among us.'

Al-A'raaf 7:82Listen in Qur'an →

فَأَنجَيْنَٰهُ وَأَهْلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَهُۥ كَانَتْ مِنَ ٱلْغَٰبِرِينَ

So We saved him and his family, except for his wife; she was of those who remained [with the evildoers].

So Allah saved Lot and his family by instructing them to leave the city by night. His family were saved except for his wife, who remained behind in the city and suffered the same punishment as the rest.

Al-A'raaf 7:83Listen in Qur'an →

وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّطَرًۭا ۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ

And We rained upon them a rain [of stones]. Then see how was the end of the criminals.

Allah brought down upon them a great rain of rocks of baked clay, overturning the city and turning it upside down. So consider what the end of the sinful people of Lot was. Their end was ruin and eternal disgrace.

Al-A'raaf 7:84Listen in Qur'an →

وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًۭا ۗ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ فَأَوْفُوا۟ ٱلْكَيْلَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشْيَآءَهُمْ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَٰحِهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

And to [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. So fulfill the measure and weight and do not deprive people of their due and cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. That is better for you, if you should be believers.

To the tribe of Midian Allah sent their brother Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him). He said: 'O people! Worship Allah alone for you have no God worthy of worship other than Him. A clear proof from Allah has come to you confirming what I bring to you from your Lord is the truth. Give people their rights, by measuring and weighing things correctly, not short-changing people by saying bad things about their goods, or by cheating them, and do not to cause corruption on earth through disbelief and disobedience after things have been set right through the sending of prophets. All of this is better for you and more beneficial if you are believers, because then you would leave disobedience, and draw close to Allah by doing what He has commanded.'

Al-A'raaf 7:85Listen in Qur'an →

وَلَا تَقْعُدُوا۟ بِكُلِّ صِرَٰطٍۢ تُوعِدُونَ وَتَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِهِۦ وَتَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًۭا ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ كُنتُمْ قَلِيلًۭا فَكَثَّرَكُمْ ۖ وَٱنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ

And do not sit on every path, threatening and averting from the way of Allah those who believe in Him, seeking to make it [seem] deviant. And remember when you were few and He increased you. And see how was the end of the corrupters.

'Do not sit in wait on every road, threatening the people travelling there in order to steal their possessions, and preventing those who want to be guided from the path of Allah, wanting the path of Allah to be crooked so that people would not follow it. Remember the blessings of Allah upon you so that you might be thankful, for you had been few in the land and He increased your numbers. Reflect on what had been the end of those who caused corruption in the earth before you, since their end had been destruction and ruin!'

Al-A'raaf 7:86Listen in Qur'an →

وَإِن كَانَ طَآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنكُمْ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱلَّذِىٓ أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِۦ وَطَآئِفَةٌۭ لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ فَٱصْبِرُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَحْكُمَ ٱللَّهُ بَيْنَنَا ۚ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ ٱلْحَٰكِمِينَ

And if there should be a group among you who has believed in that with which I have been sent and a group that has not believed, then be patient until Allah judges between us. And He is the best of judges."

'And if there is a group among you who believe in what I have brought from my Lord, and another group who did not believe in it, then you, O deniers, should wait to see how Allah judges between the two groups. It would then become clear who stood for the truth and who were liars; and that those who stand for the truth will be saved, while those who are liars will be destroyed.'

Al-A'raaf 7:87Listen in Qur'an →

۞ قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكَ يَٰشُعَيْبُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَكَ مِن قَرْيَتِنَآ أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِى مِلَّتِنَا ۚ قَالَ أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَٰرِهِينَ

Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people, "We will surely evict you, O Shu'ayb, and those who have believed with you from our city, or you must return to our religion." He said, "Even if we were unwilling?"

The leaders and important people who were proud among the people of Shu’ayb (peace be upon him) said: 'We will drive you out of our city O Shu'ayb, you and those with you who believe you, unless you and they return back to your old way of life and worship. Shu‘ayb said in astonishment: 'Should we return to a way of life and religion that we hate because we know what falsehood it is based on?!'

Al-A'raaf 7:88Listen in Qur'an →

قَدِ ٱفْتَرَيْنَا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا إِنْ عُدْنَا فِى مِلَّتِكُم بَعْدَ إِذْ نَجَّىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ مِنْهَا ۚ وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَآ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّنَا ۚ وَسِعَ رَبُّنَا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًا ۚ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا ٱفْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْفَٰتِحِينَ

We would have invented against Allah a lie if we returned to your religion after Allah had saved us from it. And it is not for us to return to it except that Allah, our Lord, should will. Our Lord has encompassed all things in knowledge. Upon Allah we have relied. Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give decision."

'If we follow what you believe of disbelief and polytheism after we have been saved from it by Allah’s grace, we would have invented a lie against Him. It would not be appropriate or right for us to return to your false religion unless Allah wills us to do so – as we will do whatever He wills. Allah surrounds everything in knowledge, and so He knows what is right for His slaves. Nothing is hidden from Him. We put our trust in Allah alone, so He will make us firm on the right path and protect us from the ways leading to Hell. O our Lord! Judge between us and these disbelieving people with the truth, and help those who hold to the truth and those who are wronged against those who are wrongdoers. You O Lord are the best of Judges.'.

Al-A'raaf 7:89Listen in Qur'an →

وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتُمْ شُعَيْبًا إِنَّكُمْ إِذًۭا لَّخَٰسِرُونَ

Said the eminent ones who disbelieved among his people, "If you should follow Shu'ayb, indeed, you would then be losers."

The important people and leaders of his people who refused the call to believe in the Oneness of Allah, warned people against Shu’ayb and his faith, saying: 'O people, if you follow Shu’ayb’s path, leaving the way of life of our ancestors, you would certainly find ruin through doing so.'

Al-A'raaf 7:90Listen in Qur'an →

Commentary: Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Qur'an by Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.