7-189 He it is Who created you from a single soul, and of the same did He make his mate, that he might find comfort in her. So when he covers her she bears a light burden, then moves about with it. Then when it grows heavy, they both call upon Allah, their Lord: If Thou givest us a good one, we shall certainly be of the grateful.a
هُوَ الَّذي خَلَقَكُم مِن نَفسٍ واحِدَةٍ وَجَعَلَ مِنها زَوجَها لِيَسكُنَ إِلَيها ۖ فَلَمّا تَغَشّاها حَمَلَت حَملًا خَفيفًا فَمَرَّت بِهِ ۖ فَلَمّا أَثقَلَت دَعَوَا اللَّهَ رَبَّهُما لَئِن آتَيتَنا صالِحًا لَنَكونَنَّ مِنَ الشّاكِرينَ (۱۸۹)
7-189a: تَغَشّا – The literal meaning of غَشِیَ is سِتۡر that is to cover or to veil or screen, as in وَإِذا غَشِيَهُم مَوجٌ (And when a wave like awnings cover them) (31:32); فَغَشِيَهُم مِنَ اليَمِّ ما غَشِيَهُم (then there covered them of the sea that which covered them) (20:78); إِذ يَغشَى السِّدرَةَ ما يَغشىٰ (When that which covers covered the lote tree) (53:16). It is also used as a metaphor for sexual intercourse (R).
صالِحًا – صلاح – It is the opposite of quarrel. صالح can also be in respect of an action, that is there is no mischief in his actions, and also in respect of the body, that is there is no defect in the body. The last mentioned is the meaning here because a baby’s description can only be in respect of the body.
This section provides information about what strategy to follow during an opposition, but first it describes how a person develops ungratefulness. When a person is in pain and difficulties, he calls on God but when ease and plentifulness are achieved, he sets up partners with Allah.
Attributing this section to Adam is incorrect: Although the wordings of the verse are general but the reference to نَفسٍ واحِدَةٍ (one soul) has made some to suggest that the mention here is to Adam and Eve, although there is no supporting hadith, and there is no reason not to adopt a generic interpretation. Every person who is born is born from a single soul and the creation of the spouse from the same soul is not just specific to Eve but to all humans, who are told that their spouses are created from the same soul: وَمِن آياتِهِ أَن خَلَقَ لَكُم مِن أَنفُسِكُم أَزواجًا لِتَسكُنوا إِلَيها (And of His signs is this, that He created mates for you from yourselves that you might find quite of mind in them) (30:21). All the words in this citation are the same as in this verse. So, to attribute this verse to Adam and Eve is not correct. Furthermore, a fable has been attached to this verse that the children of Adam and Eve kept dying while young, and so they named one of their child Abdul Harris and Harris is the name of the devil. These are stories with no foundation, and responsible researchers have rejected these stories. It is also clear that in these verses there is a mention of idol worshipping polytheism as is manifested in verse 7:195 and this is a charge that has never been made against Adam.
7-190 But when He gives them a good one, they set up with Him associates in that which He has given them. High is Allah above what they associate (with Him).
فَلَمّا آتاهُما صالِحًا جَعَلا لَهُ شُرَكاءَ فيما آتاهُما ۚ فَتَعالَى اللَّهُ عَمّا يُشرِكونَ (۱۹۰)
7-191 Do they associate (with Him) that which has created naught, while they are themselves created?
أَيُشرِكونَ ما لا يَخلُقُ شَيئًا وَهُم يُخلَقونَ (۱۹۱)
7-192 And they cannot give them help, nor can they help themselves.
وَلا يَستَطيعونَ لَهُم نَصرًا وَلا أَنفُسَهُم يَنصُرونَ (۱۹۲)
7-193 And if you invite them to guidance, they will not follow you. It is the same to you whether you invite them or you are silent.
وَإِن تَدعوهُم إِلَى الهُدىٰ لا يَتَّبِعوكُم ۚ سَواءٌ عَلَيكُم أَدَعَوتُموهُم أَم أَنتُم صامِتونَ (۱۹۳)
7-193a: This verse is addressed to the polytheists as is apparent from the next verse and their attention is drawn to the helplessness of idols. By هُدىٰ is meant the path of success, and by not follow you is meant that they will not receive help in achieving their desired objective. سَواءٌ عَلَيكُم makes this evident that those addressed are the polytheists and not the Muslims because if the addresses were Muslims, then it will not be said that it is the same whether you call them or not. In any case there is benefit for the one who calls to the truth.
7-194 Those whom you call on besides Allah are slaves like yourselves; so call on them, then let them answer you, if you are truthful.a
إِنَّ الَّذينَ تَدعونَ مِن دونِ اللَّهِ عِبادٌ أَمثالُكُم ۖ فَادعوهُم فَليَستَجيبوا لَكُم إِن كُنتُم صادِقينَ (۱۹۴)
7-194a: Idols as slaves: The idols are called عِبادٌ أَمثالُكُم (slaves like yourselves) because like humans they are in a state of subjugation, that is they are helpless. They, like every created thing, are subservient and acquiescent to the Creator. Another reason could be that idols were made in the shape of humans or in memory of humans. So, the purport is that at the most they are servants like humans.
The statement that when you call them, they should answer you (or accept your prayer) goes to show that God accepts prayers and in fact replies to them. The difference between a monotheist and polytheist is that a monotheist calls upon a Being that responds but a polytheist calls upon things that do not respond.
7-195 Have they feet with which they walk, or have they hands with which they hold, or have they eyes with which they see, or have they ears with which they hear? Say: Call upon your associate-gods then plot against me and give me no respite.a
أَلَهُم أَرجُلٌ يَمشونَ بِها ۖ أَم لَهُم أَيدٍ يَبطِشونَ بِها ۖ أَم لَهُم أَعيُنٌ يُبصِرونَ بِها ۖ أَم لَهُم آذانٌ يَسمَعونَ بِها ۗ قُلِ ادعوا شُرَكاءَكُم ثُمَّ كيدونِ فَلا تُنظِرونِ (۱۹۵)
7-195a: The purport is that the opposition by polytheists and their made-up gods cannot harm the truth. Surah Araf was revealed during the middle Makkan period when the opposition against the Holy Prophet was intense. His companions at the time were few and dispersed. Later he had to leave his native town and become a refugee himself. Nevertheless, he challenges his opponents to use all their strength against him and to prepare whatever plans they want to kill him and to give him no respite. A helpless man who is being oppressed from every side, whose life is in grave danger, who is surrounded by enemies cannot utter these words. This magnificent prophecy can only be the words of the All Powerful God before Whom the opposition of men is of no consequence. Even if the whole world was to strive against Him, the world would fail. This challenge of inviting the whole world to oppose him is proof that the words of the revelation are not formulated by the Holy Prophet, nor are they the voice of his inner self, but that this is an external thing which is revelation descending at a time of great helplessness to be a source of strength. If today the Muslims had full faith in this revelation, they would not be so despondent about their present situation. Muslims today feel that the supremacy of Islam is a hopeless cause and are more despondent about that than any aspect of not getting governance. This is why they take no steps towards the grand objective of propagating Islam. When there is weakness and despair in the heart, it is small wonder that they make no initiative in that direction.
7-196 Surely my Friend is Allah, Who revealed the Book, and He befriends the righteous.
إِنَّ وَلِيِّيَ اللَّهُ الَّذي نَزَّلَ الكِتابَ ۖ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى الصّالِحينَ (۱۹۶)
7-197 And those whom you call upon besides Him are not able to help you, nor can they help themselves.a
وَالَّذينَ تَدعونَ مِن دونِهِ لا يَستَطيعونَ نَصرَكُم وَلا أَنفُسَهُم يَنصُرونَ (۱۹۷)
7-197a: In the preceding verses, it is stated that the opponents will not be able to harm the Holy Prophet despite exerting their maximum strength. This verse takes the promise to another level and states that when the polytheists are defeated, their idols will not be able to save them. Leave alone helping their votaries, the idols will not be able to save themselves from destruction. Thus, it is clearly communicated that in the end the polytheists will be defeated, and their idols will be destroyed. It was the fulfillment of this prophecy in every detail made by the Holy Prophet in a state of complete helplessness and the defeat of the polytheists despite all their power and strength that finally convinced Abu Suffian and other residents of Makkah about the Prophet’s truth.
7-198 And if you invite them to guidance, they hear not; and thou seest them looking towards thee, yet they see not.a
وَإِن تَدعوهُم إِلَى الهُدىٰ لا يَسمَعوا ۖ وَتَراهُم يَنظُرونَ إِلَيكَ وَهُم لا يُبصِرونَ (۱۹۸)
7-198a: In this verse, the addressee is changed, and it is addressed to the Muslims. It is stated that even if you try to guide the disbelievers, they do not hear you. By hear is here meant that they do not accept. Similarly, they turn their sight towards the caller but do not see him.
7-199 Take to forgiveness and enjoin good and turn away from the ignorant.a
خُذِ العَفوَ وَأمُر بِالعُرفِ وَأَعرِض عَنِ الجاهِلينَ (۱۹۹)
7-199a: The meaning of عفو here, according to narrations by the Lady Ayesha and Mujahid, is: ما عفا و سھل وتیسر من اخلاق الناس (Accept whatever you can obtain and get easily from the morals and virtues of people; be satisfied by it and do not put them under a burden). However, the mention here is of the opponents and the purport clearly is that those who oppose you and give you sorrow keep on praying for their forgiveness. The Holy Prophet followed this instruction so meticulously that even at the time of the conquest of Makkah, which would normally have been a time for a worldly conqueror to seek vengeance, he exhibited extreme forgiveness. He ordered that the Makkans be treated with forgiveness for their opposition. Accordingly, this meaning is narrated by Salaf and in fact according to a narration by Shabbi, this meaning is stated by the Holy Prophet when he said: ان تعفوا عن ظلمك (Be forgiving to one who is unjust to you). One should keep preaching goodness and ignore the behavior of the ignorant towards one.
7-200 And if a false imputation from the devil afflict thee, seek refuge in Allah. Surely He is Hearing, Knowing.a
وَإِمّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ الشَّيطانِ نَزغٌ فَاستَعِذ بِاللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ سَميعٌ عَليمٌ (۲۰۰)
7-200a: ینزغن – The literal meaning of نَزغٌ is a needle or other pointed thing puncturing the skin. Another meaning derived from this is: دخول فے الامر لا فساد (To intervene in a matter with the object of sowing dissension). Accordingly, elsewhere in the Quran this word is used clearly in this sense: نَزَغَ الشَّيطانُ بَيني وَبَينَ إِخوَتي (the devil had sown dissensions between me and my brethren) (12:100). Lisan al Arab gives the meaning of نَزغٌ as speech that sows dissension among people, and the meaning of نَزَغ الرجل is ذکرہ بقبیح (spoke ill of him). The word نَوازِغ appears in a hadith which is derived from نزغ and means to taunt and create mischief. Another hadith states: فنزغه انسان من اھل المسجد نزیغة which means: رماہ بکلمة سیئة that is, spoke ill of him (N). نزغ also metaphorically means an evil suggestion but this meaning is metaphorical and cannot be the meaning here because a hadith states clearly that the Holy Prophet said: اعاننی علیه فاسلم فلا یامرنی الّا بخیر (Muslim) that his associate jinn has become a Muslim and it tells him nothing but good things. So نزغ or devil is used here in its literal meaning and the purport is that if the devil tries to spoil your work or spreads defamatory news about you, the remedy given by the verse is to seek protection in Allah. By devils here are meant devils in human form who were engaged day and night to neutralize and distort the mission of the Holy Prophet. They were stopping people from listening to the Holy Prophet by spreading false rumors about him. Verse 7:202 also provides testimony that the devils mentioned here are human devils.
7-201 Those who guard against evil, when a visitation from the devil afflicts them, they become mindful, then lo! they see.a
إِنَّ الَّذينَ اتَّقَوا إِذا مَسَّهُم طائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّيطانِ تَذَكَّروا فَإِذا هُم مُبصِرونَ (۲۰۱)
7-201a: طائِفٌ – It means one who circumambulates or goes around, as in: طَهِّرا بَيتِيَ لِلطّائِفينَ (Purify My House for those who visit (it)) (2:125). It also applies to thoughts, evil suggestion by the devil, as in this verse, or to a mishap as in: فَطافَ عَلَيها طائِفٌ (But a visitation came on it) (68:19). According to Ibn Abbas and Mujahid what is meant here is wrath or anger (IJ) because that too is a devilish suggestion. Some have said that طائِفٌ is lunacy or frenzy and since wrath has a coloration of lunacy hence the word is used for wrath.
The remedy for anger: In the last verse, mention is made of the lies that the mischievous people were spreading about the Holy Prophet, and he is commanded to be forgiving towards them and seek protection from God. This command is now made general, and all Muslims are told that if they feel angry on hearing such defamatory talk, they should not channel their natural inclination towards seeking revenge but instead they should remember Allah much and their anger will dissipate. The meaning here of طائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّيطانِ is anger as stated by Mujahid. The context also shows that this is the meaning. When the opposition is composed of people with devilish temperament, it is natural that one would feel angry at times. Anger makes a person rationally blind, and the remedy prescribed for it is to remember Allah. This will cause the anger to dissipate and restore rational thinking. Those who call to the truth and those who propagate Islam should never forget this golden rule. They should never get angry and if conditions arise that provoke anger, they should turn to Allah. If in their anger they use harsh words, the result will be that the audience’s hatred of the truth will only increase. If to the contrary one adopts an attitude of gentleness, then Allah will show them the way to rebut the lies with rational arguments. This strategy is also indicated by the word مُبصِرونَ (they see). Unfortunately, the condition of our clergy is such that leave alone with people of other faith, even if some Muslim voices an opinion contrary to theirs, they immediately fly into a rage.
7-202 And their brethren increase them in error, then they cease not.
وَإِخوانُهُم يَمُدّونَهُم فِي الغَيِّ ثُمَّ لا يُقصِرونَ (۲۰۲)
7-202a: إِخوانُهُم – The pronoun their stands for the fiendish people.
يَمُدّونَهُم – مَدّ means to extend, stretch out, spread, or to give respite. To extend somebody in misguidance means to increase his misguidance. Raghib has stated that مَدَّ is used in a negative context while امداد is used in a positive context, as in: وَأَمدَدناهُم بِفاكِهَةٍ (And We shall aid them with fruit) (52:22); يُمدِدكُم رَبُّكُم بِخَمسَةِ آلافٍ (your Lord will assist you with five thousand…) (3:125).
يُقصِرونَ – قَصۡر means to shorten, and the meaning of اَقۡصر عنی is کَفَّ مَعَ الۡقُدۡرَۃِ علیه that is, he restrained himself although he had the strength to do otherwise in the matter (R).
Brothers of the devil: One learns from here that there are devils and then there are their brothers who increase them in misguidance. Hence by devils is not meant those devils that make evil suggestions because those who follow them cannot increase them in misguidance. So, by devils here is meant the leaders of the disbelievers who are mentioned in: وَإِذا خَلَوا إِلىٰ شَياطينِهِم (and when they are alone with their devils) (2:14). When leaders get a following, they increase in their misguidance because they get helpers and assistants. If they did not have helpers, their mischief would have come to an end.
7-203 And when thou bringest them not a sign, they say: Why dost thou not demand it? Say: I follow only that which is revealed to me from my Lord. These are clear proofs from your Lord and a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe.a
وَإِذا لَم تَأتِهِم بِآيَةٍ قالوا لَولَا اجتَبَيتَها ۚ قُل إِنَّما أَتَّبِعُ ما يوحىٰ إِلَيَّ مِن رَبّي ۚ هٰذا بَصائِرُ مِن رَبِّكُم وَهُدًى وَرَحمَةٌ لِقَومٍ يُؤمِنونَ (۲۰۳)
7-203a: اجتَبَيتَها – جبی means to gather, as in يُجبىٰ إِلَيهِ ثَمَراتُ كُلِّ شَيءٍ (to which fruits of every kind are drawn) (28:57). For this reason a big tank in which water is accumulated is called جابیة whose plural is جواب , as in وَجِفانٍ كَالجَوابِ (and (large) bowls as watering troughs). The way chosen by Allah for his servants is to gather them on a platform of purity. The meaning of اجتباء here is that why does the Holy Prophet not bring signs by gathering them himself. Thus, this is a kind of a cynical objection implying that the Holy Prophet innovates such things himself (R). This is rebutted by saying that he, the Holy Prophet, only follows revelation and he has no authority to innovate signs by himself.
7-204 And when the Qur’an is recited, listen to it and remain silent, that mercy may be shown to you.
وَإِذا قُرِئَ القُرآنُ فَاستَمِعوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتوا لَعَلَّكُم تُرحَمونَ (۲۰۴)
7-204a: Reading Al-Fatihah behind the Imam: It is obvious that the addressees of this verse are the polytheists who are recorded elsewhere as saying: لا تَسمَعوا لِهٰذَا القُرآنِ وَالغَوا فيهِ لَعَلَّكُم تَغلِبونَ (Listen not to this Quran but make noise therein, perhaps you may overcome) (41:26). However, this verse is also used to argue that when the Imam is reciting the Al-Fatihah loudly in prayer, the congregants should listen and not follow with silent recitation. However, there is a clear hadith on this point which states that without the Fatihah there is no prayer. Hence, this argument is not correct. First, the silent recitation of the Fatihah by members of the congregation does not imply that they do not hear the recitation by the Imam because when the Imam takes a pause at the end of each verse, the follower can repeat that verse in the pause. The verses of the Fatihah are so short that it is not difficult to recite them in the pause. So, even if it is taken that the Muslims are addressed by فَاستَمِعوا لَهُ (listen to it), the silent recitation by the followers does not violate this command. Second, the total rakahs of the obligatory prayer are seventeen, out of which only six rakahs have a loud recitation by the Imam and the rest have a silent recitation. So, in almost one third of the rakahs, the Fatihah is recited aloud and in almost two-third of the rakahs the Fatihah is recited silently. Thus, in two thirds of the rakahs, the congregants are not listening to anything and the command of فَاستَمِعوا لَهُ does not apply. To say that the congregant knows what the Imam is silently reciting is an unconvincing argument. Such knowledge does not create sound. If a single rule is applied to all the rakahs, the preference will be for what is applicable to the majority of the rakahs and in the majority of the rakahs there is nothing preventing the recitation of the Fatihah. Some folks who do not recite the Fatihah even when the Fatihah is not being recited aloud recite other chants. If it is said: then why should the congregant not recite the rest of the recitation that follows the Fatihah? The answer is that the Holy Prophet’s command is only for the Fatihah and not for the rest of the recitation. The truth is that a wise person like the Holy Prophet could not give such a command because all the congregants know the Fatihah, but the recitation that follows the Fatihah by the Imam would probably not be memorized by most of the congregants, and this is particularly so for the longer surahs. For this reason, the command for the Fatihah and the rest of the Quranic recitation is not the same. Fatihah is a special prayer that must be recited in every rakah. No other portion of the Quran has this distinction.
7-205 And remember thy Lord within thyself humbly and fearing, and in a voice not loud, in the morning and the evening, and be not of the heedless.
وَاذكُر رَبَّكَ في نَفسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخيفَةً وَدونَ الجَهرِ مِنَ القَولِ بِالغُدُوِّ وَالآصالِ وَلا تَكُن مِنَ الغافِلينَ (۲۰۵)
7-205a: What is meant by في نَفسِكَ (within thyself): The mention of loud speech comes later. The remembrance here is one in which the heart is engaged in remembrance, that is one feels awe in his heart from the effect of Allah’s greatness, and majesty.
خيفَةً – The original is خوفة . Supplication engenders humility and submissiveness, and the greatness of Allah engenders awe.
دونَ الجَهرِ – The demand of submissiveness and fear is that a person should not create too much noise. The purport of دونَ الجَهرِ is not that the voice should not be loud but only that a din should not be created and there should be moderation in the pitch of the voice.
غُدُوِّ – According to Al-Qamus, this is the plural of غُدۡوَۃ or this is a verbal noun meaning the morning time. Al Mufradat points out that in the Quran غُدُوّ appears opposite اٰصال as here and غداۃ opposite عَشِی , as in بِالغَداةِ وَالعَشِيِّ (morning and evening) (6:52).
آصالِ – It is the plural of اصل or اصیل . It is the time between late afternoon and sunset. The purport is the whole evening.
There is a mention here of the remembrance of Allah, and it is in two ways – one is in the heart and the other is loudly but in a voice not too loud, that is الجَهرِ مِنَ القَولِ. The real meaning is that when remembering Allah in prayer or otherwise, and the greatest remembrance of Allah is in prayer, it should not be the case that the tongue is doing the ritual recitation, but the mind is somewhere else. Hence it is stated that when one is remembering with the tongue, the heart should also be in the same state and in awe of the greatness and glory of Allah so that the real purpose of the remembrance is fulfilled. The timings of the prayers are also included in بِالغُدُوِّ وَالآصالِ , on the one hand the morning or fajr prayer and on the other the afternoon or zuhur prayer to the night or isha prayer.
7-206 Surely those who are with thy Lord are not too proud to serve Him, and they glorify Him and prostrate themselves before Him.
إِنَّ الَّذينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لا يَستَكبِرونَ عَن عِبادَتِهِ وَيُسَبِّحونَهُ وَلَهُ يَسجُدونَ (۲۰۶)
7-206a: عِندَ رَبِّكَ – This includes all those who are near to Allah.
In the arrangement of the Quran, this is the first place where there is prostration in the recitation. Prostration is prescribed by the Holy Prophet at certain places during the recitation of the Quran. Sometimes prostration follows the recitation of a command for prostration in the Quran and sometimes because of a mention of prostration in some other way. There are different supplications that the Holy Prophet made in this prostration. Some of these are:
۱۔ اللّٰھم لك سجد سوادی و بك اٰمن فوادی
۲۔ اللّٰھم ارزقنی علماً ینفعنی و عملا یرفعنی
۳۔ سجد وجہی للذی خلقه و شق سمعه و بصرہ بحولہ و قوته فتبارك اللّٰه احسن الخلقین
(My face has prostrated for the Being who caused it to be born and made its ears and eyes).
The last listed is from a hadith. The prostration during recitation is a testimony to how fast a Muslim or one who believes in the Quran should submit to the command of God.
Bayan-ul-Quran 