Al-A'raf: 157

Ayah

Word by Word

ٱلَّذِينَ

Those who

يَتَّبِعُونَ

ٱلرَّسُولَ

the Messenger

ٱلنَّبِيَّ

the Prophet

ٱلۡأُمِّيَّ

the unlettered

ٱلَّذِي

whom

يَجِدُونَهُۥ

they find him

مَكۡتُوبًا

written

عِندَهُمۡ

with them

فِي

ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةِ

the Taurat

وَٱلۡإِنجِيلِ

and the Injeel

يَأۡمُرُهُم

He commands them

بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ

to the right

وَيَنۡهَىٰهُمۡ

and forbids them

عَنِ

from

ٱلۡمُنكَرِ

the wrong

وَيُحِلُّ

and he makes lawful

لَهُمُ

for them

ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ

the pure things

وَيُحَرِّمُ

and makes unlawful

عَلَيۡهِمُ

for them

ٱلۡخَبَٰٓئِثَ

the impure things

وَيَضَعُ

and he relieves

عَنۡهُمۡ

from them

إِصۡرَهُمۡ

their burden

وَٱلۡأَغۡلَٰلَ

and the fetters

ٱلَّتِي

which

كَانَتۡ

were

عَلَيۡهِمۡۚ

upon them

فَٱلَّذِينَ

So those who

ءَامَنُواْ

believe

بِهِۦ

in him

وَعَزَّرُوهُ

and honor him

وَنَصَرُوهُ

and help him

وَٱتَّبَعُواْ

and follow

ٱلنُّورَ

the light

ٱلَّذِيٓ

which

أُنزِلَ

has been sent down

مَعَهُۥٓ

with him

أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ

Those (are)

هُمُ

[they]

ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ

the successful ones

Translation

"Those who follow the messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (scriptures),- in the law and the Gospel;- for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him, honour him, help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him,- it is they who will prosper."

Tafsir

"Seventy Men from the Children of Israel go for the appointed Meeting Place that Allah designated, Allah later on destroys Them

Allah tells;

وَاخۡتَارَ مُوسَى قَوۡمَهُ سَبۡعِينَ رَجُلً لِّمِيقَاتِنَا فَلَمَّا أَخَذَتۡهُمُ الرَّجۡفَةُ

And Musa chose out of his people seventy (of the best) men for Our appointed time and place of meeting, and when they were seized with a violent earthquake,

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas commented;

""Allah commanded Musa to choose seventy men. So he chose them and proceeded with them in order that they supplicate to their Lord. Their supplication included asking Allah,

`O Allah! Give us what you have never given anyone before us and will never give anyone after us!' Allah disliked this supplication and they were seized with a violent earthquake,

قَالَ رَبِّ لَوۡ شِيۡتَ أَهۡلَكۡتَهُم مِّن قَبۡلُ وَإِيَّايَ

He said:""O my Lord, if it had been Your will, You could have destroyed them and me before.""'

As-Suddi said,

""Allah commanded Musa to come with thirty men from the Children of Israel, apologizing for worshipping the calf; and He gave them an appointed time and place.

وَاخۡتَارَ مُوسَى قَوۡمَهُ سَبۡعِينَ رَجُل

(And Musa chose out of his people seventy (of the best) men).

He chose these men and went along with them so that they could apologize. When they reached the appointed place, they said,

لَن نُّوۡمِنَ لَكَ

(We shall never believe in you), (2:55) `O Musa,

حَتَّى نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهۡرَةً

until we see Allah plainly, for you spoke to Him,' they said, `therefore, show Him to us.'

فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ

(but they were struck with a bolt of lightning) (4:153) and they died.

Musa stood up crying, invoking Allah, `O Lord! What should I tell the Children of Israel, when I go back to them after You destroyed their best men!'

رَبِّ لَوۡ شِيۡتَ أَهۡلَكۡتَهُم مِّن قَبۡلُ وَإِيَّايَ

(""O my Lord, if it had been Your will, You could have destroyed them and me before"").""'

Muhammad bin Ishaq said,

""Musa chose seventy of the best men from the Children of Israel. He said to them, `Go to the meeting with Allah and repent for what you committed. Beg His forgiveness for those of your people whom you left behind. Fast, purify yourselves and clean your clothes.'

So, he went with them to Mount Tur in Sinai for the meeting place and time designated by his Lord. He went there only with the leave and knowledge of Allah.

According to what has been mentioned to me, when the seventy did what he ordered them to do, and went with him to the meeting of Musa with his Lord, they said, `Request that we may also hear the words of our Lord.'

So he replied, `I shall.'

When Musa approached the mountain it became completely covered with columns of clouds, Musa approached it and entered in them. He said to the people, `Approach.'

But when Allah spoke to Musa, his cloak was surrounded by a brilliant light which no human could bear to look at, so below him a barrier was placed and the people approached.

When they entered the cloud they fell prostrate and they heard Him while he was speaking to Musa, commanding him and forbidding him, saying what to do and what not to do. When He completed commanding him, and removed the cloud from Musa, he faced the people and they said, `O Musa! We will not believe in you unless we see Allah directly.' So the thunder shook them, their souls were captured and they all died. Musa stood up invoking, begging and supplicating to his Lord,

رَبِّ لَوۡ شِيۡتَ أَهۡلَكۡتَهُم مِّن قَبۡلُ وَإِيَّايَ

(""O my Lord, if it had been Your will, You could have destroyed them and me before).""'

meaning, `They were foolish. Would You destroy anyone who comes after me from the Children of Israel'

Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, Mujahid and Ibn Jarir At-Tabari said,

""They were seized by the tremor or lightning, because they neither shunned nor forbade their people who worshipped the calf.""

This is supported by Musa's statement,

أَتُهۡلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاء مِنَّا

""would You destroy us for the deeds of the fools among us!""

He said next,

إِنۡ هِيَ إِلاَّ فِتۡنَتُكَ

""It is only Your Fitnah!""

According to Ibn Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Al-Aliyah, Ar-Rabi bin Anas and several among the Salaf and latter scholars,

affliction, test and trial,

This is the only plausible meaning, in which Musa says,

تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَن تَشَاء وَتَهۡدِي مَن تَشَاء

by which You lead astray whom You will, and keep guided whom You will.

""The decision is Yours (O Allah), and the judgment, and whatever You will occurs. You misguide whom You will, guide whom You will, and none can guide whom You misguide or misguide whom You guide. There is none who can give what You deprive or avert what You give. The sovereignty is all Yours, and Yours is the judgment, the creation and the decision.""

The Ayah,

أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَارۡحَمۡنَا

وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ الۡغَافِرِينَ

""You are our protector, so forgive us and have mercy on us:for You are the best of those who forgive.""

pertains to (Allah's) covering the mistake and not punishing for the sin.

Whenever mercy is mentioned along with forgiveness (such as in Musa's supplication to Allah), it includes the hope that Allah does not permit one to fall into that act again.

وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ الۡغَافِرِينَ

(""for You are the best of those who forgive),""

for none except You can forgive the sin

وَاكۡتُبۡ لَنَا فِي هَـذِهِ الدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الاخِرَةِ

""And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter.""

The first part of Musa's supplication was to fend off what should be avoided, while this part is a request for what is sought.

The meaning of this Ayah is,

`ordain for us and grant us all that is good in both lives.

We mentioned the meaning of `good' before in Surah Al-Baqarah.

إِنَّا هُدۡنَـا إِلَيۡكَ

""We have Hudna unto You.""

According to the meaning of, `Hudna', given by Ibn Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Mujahid, Abu Al-Aliyah, Ad-Dahhak, Ibrahim At-Taymi, As-Suddi, Qatadah and several others,

`we repent, go back and return unto You,'

Allah's Mercy is for Those Who have Taqwa and believe in Allah's Ayat and His Messenger

Allah answers the statement,

إِنۡ هِيَ إِلاَّ فِتۡنَتُكَ

(It is only Your trial...) (7:155), by saying,

قَالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنۡ أَشَاء وَرَحۡمَتِي وَسِعَتۡ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ

He said:(As to) My punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My mercy embraces all things.

Allah says here, `I do what I will, decide what I will and I have wisdom and justice in all matters.' Certainly, there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. Allah's statement,

وَرَحۡمَتِي وَسِعَتۡ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ

(and My mercy embraces all things) testifies to His encompassing mercy.

Allah said that the angels who carry His Throne and those around the Throne supplicate,

رَبَّنَا وَسِعۡتَ كُـلَّ شَىۡءٍ رَّحۡمَةً وَعِلۡماً

""Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge."" (40:7)

Imam Ahmad recorded that Jundub bin Abdullah Al-Bajali said,

""A Bedouin man came, he made his camel kneel and he tied it. Then he prayed behind the Messenger of Allah. When the Messenger of Allah finished the prayer, that man untied his camel mounted it and supplicated aloud, `O Allah! Grant Your mercy to me and to Muhammad, and do not give a share in it to anyone else.'

The Messenger of Allah commented (to his Companions),

أَتَقُولُونَ هَذَا أَضَلُّ أَمۡ بَعِيرُهُ أَلَمۡ تَسۡمَعُوا مَا قَالَ

Do you think that this man is more misguided or his camel! Did you not hear what this man has said?

They said, `Yes.'

He said,

لَقَدۡ حَظَّرۡتَ رَحۡمَةً وَاسِعَةً إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَ مِايَةَ رَحۡمَةٍ فَأَنۡزَلَ رَحۡمَةً يَتَعَاطَفُ بِهَا الخَلۡقُ جِنُّهَا وَإِنۡسُهَا وَبَهَايِمُهَا وَأَخَّرَ عِنۡدَهُ تِسۡعًا وَتِسۡعِينَ رَحۡمَةً أَتَقُولُونَ هُوَ أَضَلُّ أَمۡ بَعِيرُهُ

You (the Bedouin man) have restricted a vast mercy! Allah, the Exalted, the most Honored has created a hundred mercies and sent down one of them by which the creation, men, Jinn and animals, show mercy to each other. He left with Him ninety-nine mercies, so do you say that this man is more misguided or his camel?

Ahmad and Abu Dawud collected this Hadith.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Salman narrated that the Prophet said,

إِنَّ للهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِايَةَ رَحۡمَةٍ فَمِنۡهَا رَحۡمَةٌ يَتَرَاحَمُ بِهَا الۡخَلۡقُ وَبِهَا تَعۡطِفُ الۡوُحُوشُ عَلَى أَوۡلَادِهَا وَأَخَّرَ تِسۡعَةً وَتِسۡعِينَ إِلَى يَوۡمِ الۡقِيَامَة

Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, has a hundred mercies. With one of them, the creations show mercy to each other, and even the beasts show kindness to their offspring. He has kept ninety-nine mercies with Him for the Day of Resurrection.

Muslim recorded it.

Allah said next,

فَسَأَكۡتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ

That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who have Taqwa,

meaning, I will ordain My mercy for them, as a favor and kindness from Me to them. Allah said in a similar Ayah,

كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمۡ عَلَى نَفۡسِهِ الرَّحۡمَةَ

He has prescribed mercy for Himself. (6:12)

Allah's statement,

لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ

(for those who have Taqwa),

means, `I will ordain My mercy for those who possess these qualities, and they are the Ummah of Muhammad,'

لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ

(for those who have Taqwa), who avoid Shirk and major sins,

وَيُوۡتُونَ الزَّكَـاةَ

and give Zakah;

purify themselves, according to one opinion.

It was also said that,

`the Zakah', here pertains to wealth.

It is possible that both meanings are included here, for this Ayah was revealed in Makkah (before Zakah in fixed shares was ordained),

وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِأيَاتِنَا يُوۡمِنُونَ

and those who believe in Our Ayat.

those who have faith in them

The Description of that Messenger

Allah tells;

الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الاُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكۡتُوبًا عِندَهُمۡ فِي التَّوۡرَاةِ وَالاِنۡجِيلِ

Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write whom they find written of with them in the Tawrah and the Injil,

This is the description of the Prophet Muhammad in the Books of the Prophets. They delivered the good news of his advent to their nations and commanded them to follow him. His descriptions were still apparent in their Books, as the rabbis and the priests well know.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sakhr Al-Uqayli said that a Bedouin man said to him,

""I brought a milk-producing camel to Al-Madinah during the life time of Allah's Messenger. After I sold it, I said to myself, `I will meet that man (Muhammad) and hear from him.' So I passed by him while he was walking between Abu Bakr and Umar, and I followed them until they went by a Jewish man, who was reading from an open copy of the Tawrah. He was mourning a son of his who was dying and who was one of the most handsome boys. The Messenger of Allah asked him (the father),

أَنۡشُدُكَ بِالَّذِي أَنۡزَلَ التَّوۡرَاةَ هَلۡ تَجِدُ فِي كِتَابِكَ هَذَا صِفَتِي وَمَخۡرَجِي

I ask you by He Who has sent down the Tawrah, do you not find the description of me and my advent in your Book?

He nodded his head in the negative.

His son said, `Rather, yes, by He Who has sent down the Tawrah! We find the description of you and your advent in our Book. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah.'

The Prophet said (to the Companions),

أَقِيمُوا الۡيَهُودِيَّ عَنۡ أَخِيكُم

Stop the Jew (the father) from (taking care of) your brother (in Islam).

The Prophet then personally took care of the son's funeral and led the funeral prayer on him.""'

This Hadith is sound and is supported by a similar Hadith in the Sahih narrated from Anas.

Ibn Jarir recorded that Al-Muthanna said that Ata' bin Yasar said,

""I met Abdullah bin `Amr and asked him, `Tell me about the description of Allah's Messenger in the Tawrah.'

He said, `Yes, by Allah! He is described in the Tawrah, just as he is described in the Qur'an,

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَرۡسَلۡنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا

O Prophet! Verily, We have sent you as a witness, and a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner. (33:45) as a safe refuge for the unlettered ones. `You are My servant and Messenger. I have called you `Al-Mutawakkil' (who trusts in Allah), not hard or harsh.' Neither uttering foul speech in the markets nor returning evil deed with one in kind. Rather, he forgives and forgoes. Allah will not end his life until He straightens through him the crooked religion, so that they might proclaim, `There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.' He will open through him sealed hearts, deaf ears and blind eyes.""'

Ata' then said,

""I also met Ka`b and asked him the same question, and his answer did not differ from Abdullah's answer, even concerning one letter.""

Al-Bukhari recorded it from Abdullah bin `Amr. It was also recorded by Al-Bukhari (up to the word) forgoes. And he mentioned the narration of Abdullah bin `Amr then he said; ""It was common in the speech of our Salaf that they describe the Books of the People of the Two Scriptures as the Tawrah, as some Hadiths concur. Allah knows best.""

Allah's statement,

يَأۡمُرُهُم بِالۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَيَنۡهَاهُمۡ عَنِ الۡمُنكَرِ

He commands them to do good; and forbids them from evil;

This is the description of the Messenger of Allah in previous Books. These were the true qualities of our Messenger, as well, for he only ordained good and forbade evil.

We should mention here that Abdullah bin Mas`ud said,

""When you hear Allah's statement,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ اَمَنُوا

(O you who believe!), then pay it your full attention, for it is a good that you are being commanded, or an evil that you are being forbidden.""

And the most important and greatest of these commands and prohibitions, is that Allah has sent the Messenger to order worshipping Him Alone without partners and forbid worshipping others besides Him. This is the Message that Allah has sent all Messengers with before Muhammad, just as Allah said,

وَلَقَدۡ بَعَثۡنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعۡبُدُواۡ اللَّهَ وَاجۡتَنِبُواۡ الۡطَّـغُوتَ

And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming):""Worship Allah, and avoid the Taghut (false deities)."" (16:36)

Allah's statement,

وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيۡهِمُ الۡخَبَأيِثَ

He makes lawful for them the good things, and forbids them from the evil things,

meaning, he makes the Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham, etc., lawful. They were prohibitions that they invented which were only hard for themselves. He also forbids them from evil things, such as the flesh of the pig, Riba, and foods that were treated as lawful although Allah the Exalted had forbidden them.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported this from Ibn Abbas.

Allah's statement,

وَيَضَعُ عَنۡهُمۡ إِصۡرَهُمۡ وَالَاغۡلَلَ الَّتِي كَانَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ

He (Muhammad) releases them from their heavy burdens, and from the fetters that were upon them.

indicates that Muhammad came with leniency and an easy religion.

As mentioned in the Hadith recorded from many routes that Allah's Messenger said,

بُعِثۡتُ بِالۡحَنِيفِيَّةِ السَّمۡحَة

I was sent with the easy way of Hanifiyyah (monotheism).

The Prophet said to the two Commanders he appointed, Mu`adh and Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari, when he sent them to Yemen,

بَشِّرَا وَلَا تُنَفِّرَا وَيَسِّرَا وَلَا تُعَسِّرَا وَتَطَاوَعَا وَلَا تَخۡتَلِفَا

Bring glad tidings and do not drive people away, make things easy and do not make them difficult, obey each other and do not differ among yourselves.

Abu Barzah Al-Aslami, the Prophet's Companion, said,

""I accompanied the Messenger of Allah and ﷺ how easy he was. The nations that were before us had things made difficult for them in their laws. Allah made the law encompassing and easy for this Ummah. Hence the statement of the Messenger of Allah,

إِنَّ اللهَ تَجَاوَزَ لاُِمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتۡ بِهِ أَنۡفُسُهَا مَا لَمۡ تَقُلۡ أَوۡ تَعۡمَل

Allah has forgiven my Ummah for what occurs in themselves, as long as they do not utter it or act upon it.

The Prophet said,

رُفِعَ عَنۡ أُمَّتِي الۡخَطَأُ وَالنِّسۡيَانُ وَمَا اسُتُكۡرِهُوا عَلَيۡه

My Ummah was forgiven (by Allah) unintentional errors, forgetfulness and what they are forced to do.""

This is why Allah has guided this Ummah to proclaim,

رَبَّنَا لَا تُوَاخِذۡنَأ إِن نَّسِينَأ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَا

""Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error,

رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَأ إِصۡرًا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَا

our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians);

رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ

our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear.

وَاعۡفُ عَنَّا وَاغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَارۡحَمۡنَأ

Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us.

أَنتَ مَوۡلَـنَا فَانۡصُرۡنَا عَلَى الۡقَوۡمِ الۡكَـفِرِينَ

You are our Mawla (Patron, Supporter and Protector) and give us victory over the disbelieving people.

(2:286)

It is recorded in Sahih Muslim that (the Prophet said that);

Allah the Exalted said after every one of these supplications, ""I shall accept (your supplication).""

Allah's statement,

فَالَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ

So those who believe in him, honor him, help him.

refers to respecting and honoring Muhammad,

وَاتَّبَعُواۡ النُّورَ الَّذِيَ أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ

and follow the light which has been sent down with him,

the Qur'an and the revelation (Sunnah) that the Prophet delivered to mankind,

أُوۡلَـيِكَ هُمُ الۡمُفۡلِحُونَ

it is they who will be successful.

in this life and the Hereafter."