سُورَةُ الأَعۡرَافِ
Reading Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Qur'an by Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies
Ayahs 91–100 of 206
فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِى دَارِهِمْ جَٰثِمِينَ
So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.
So a great earthquake took them; and in the morning they were dead in their homes, fallen on their knees and faces.
ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ شُعَيْبًۭا كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْا۟ فِيهَا ۚ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ شُعَيْبًۭا كَانُوا۟ هُمُ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ
Those who denied Shu'ayb - it was as though they had never resided there. Those who denied Shu'ayb - it was they who were the losers.
Those who rejected Shu’ayb were all destroyed, and it was as if they had never lived in their homes or found enjoyment there.Those who rejected Shu’ayb were the losers, losing themselves and their possessions, whereas those who had faith did not fail in the least, contrary to what those who disbelieved claimed.
فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّى وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ ۖ فَكَيْفَ ءَاسَىٰ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍۢ كَٰفِرِينَ
And he turned away from them and said, "O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the messages of my Lord and advised you, so how could I grieve for a disbelieving people?"
Then their prophet Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) turned from them when they were destroyed saying: 'O people! Indeed I had delivered what my Lord had instructed me to deliver to you, and I had given you good advice; but you had not taken my advice, nor followed my guidance, so how then can I grieve for a people who disbelieved in Allah and insisted on disbelief?'
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍۢ مِّن نَّبِىٍّ إِلَّآ أَخَذْنَآ أَهْلَهَا بِٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَضَّرَّعُونَ
And We sent to no city a prophet [who was denied] except that We seized its people with poverty and hardship that they might humble themselves [to Allah].
God did not send a prophet to any city, the people of which denied and rejected the truth, except that He tried them with suffering and poverty and illness so that they might humble themselves before God, and leave their pride and disbelief. This was a warning for Quraysh and for all peoples who disbelieve and reject the way of God.
ثُمَّ بَدَّلْنَا مَكَانَ ٱلسَّيِّئَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةَ حَتَّىٰ عَفَوا۟ وَّقَالُوا۟ قَدْ مَسَّ ءَابَآءَنَا ٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَٱلسَّرَّآءُ فَأَخَذْنَٰهُم بَغْتَةًۭ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
Then We exchanged in place of the bad [condition], good, until they increased [and prospered] and said, "Our fathers [also] were touched with hardship and ease." So We seized them suddenly while they did not perceive.
After trying them with suffering and illness Allah improved their situation and turned their suffering into well-being and safety, until they became many and their wealth increased, and they said that the bad and good that they had experienced was a normal part of life and that the same thing had happened to their ancestors before them. They did not recognise that there was a lesson to be learned in the difficulties that occurred to them and that there was a test for them in the good that they were given. Then Allah overtook them suddenly with the punishment, while they were unaware of it and did not expect it.
وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱتَّقَوْا۟ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَٰكِن كَذَّبُوا۟ فَأَخَذْنَٰهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning."
If the people of the towns and cities which Allah sent His messengers to had believed in what their messengers brought them, and had been mindful of their Lord, leaving their disbelief and disobedience and following His commands, then Allah would have opened the doors of goodness upon them in every way; but they did not believe and were not mindful of Him. Instead they rejected what their prophets came with. So Allah overtook them with the punishment suddenly because of what they had earned through their sins and disobedience.
أَفَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا بَيَٰتًۭا وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ
Then, did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them at night while they were asleep?
So do the people who reject the truth in these cities feel safe from the punishment of Allah overcoming them in the night while they are sleeping?
أَوَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا ضُحًۭى وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ
Or did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them in the morning while they were at play?
Or do they feel safe from the punishment of Allah overcoming them during the day, mid- morning, while they are amusing themselves forgetfully, busy with the life of this world?
أَفَأَمِنُوا۟ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْخَٰسِرُونَ
Then did they feel secure from the plan of Allah? But no one feels secure from the plan of Allah except the losing people.
Look at the blessings Allah has given them of strength and abundance, how He gave them as a means of testing them. Do these people who reject the truth among the people of these cities feel safe from Allah’s plan and His faultless arrangement of things? No one feels safe from Allah’s plan except a people who are lost. Yet those who are successful fear His Planning. They do not become amazed and proud because of what Allah has given to them, but rather see His Generosity to them and are thankful to Him.
أَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لِلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ أَهْلِهَآ أَن لَّوْ نَشَآءُ أَصَبْنَٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ ۚ وَنَطْبَعُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ
Has it not become clear to those who inherited the earth after its [previous] people that if We willed, We could afflict them for their sins? But We seal over their hearts so they do not hear.
Is it not clear to those who inherit the earth after the peoples before them were destroyed because of their sins – a people that they do not learn from, but actually copy in behaviour – that if Allah wanted to overcome them for their disobedience He would do so, as He often does, sealing their hearts so that they do not listen to the lesson and are not benefitted by being reminding of such a warning?
Commentary: Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Qur'an by Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.
