Author: sftwr2020

7-142 And We appointed for Moses thirty nights, and completed them with ten, so the appointed time of his Lord was complete forty nights.^a And Moses said to his brother Aaron: Take my place among my people, and act well and follow not the way of the mischief-makers.^b

وَواعَدنا موسىٰ ثَلاثينَ لَيلَةً وَأَتمَمناها بِعَشرٍ فَتَمَّ ميقاتُ رَبِّهِ أَربَعينَ لَيلَةً ۚ وَقالَ موسىٰ لِأَخيهِ هارونَ اخلُفني في قَومي وَأَصلِح وَلا تَتَّبِع سَبيلَ المُفسِدينَ (۱۴۲)

7-142a: In Surah Baqarah (2:51) it is clearly stated that the appointed time was forty nights and here too the appointed time of forty nights is called ميقاتُ رَبِّهِ (the appointed time of his Lord). Hence it is not correct to say that the appointed time was thirty nights and when this time elapsed another ten nights were added. The purport here is to show that the time was one month and ten days because the thirty nights constitute a month. The division into thirty nights and ten nights seems to be because, following the tradition of the prophets, Allah has appointed forty nights of intense worship for the Muslims comprising the thirty nights of Ramadan and the ten nights of Zil Haj.

7-142b: اخلُفني – خَلَفَ فلانٌ فلانا means took over governance on his behalf. قام بالامرعنه (R).

What is the purport of Aaron’s caliphate: Both Moses and Aaron were prophets, but the office of governance and being the chief belonged to Moses. Hence the purport of اخلُفني is only that the duties of governance that Moses was performing are to be performed by Aaron in his absence, and not that Aaron should take over the prophethood during this time because Aaron was a prophet in his own right.

7-143 And when Moses came at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said: My Lord, show me (Thyself) so that I may look at Thee. He said: Thou canst not see Me; but look at the mountain; if it remains firm in its place, then wilt thou see Me. So when his Lord manifested His glory to the mountain, He made it crumble and Moses fell down in a swoon. Then when he recovered, he said: Glory be to Thee! I turn to Thee, and I am the first of the believers.^a

وَلَمّا جاءَ موسىٰ لِميقاتِنا وَكَلَّمَهُ رَبُّهُ قالَ رَبِّ أَرِني أَنظُر إِلَيكَ ۚ قالَ لَن تَراني وَلٰكِنِ انظُر إِلَى الجَبَلِ فَإِنِ استَقَرَّ مَكانَهُ فَسَوفَ تَراني ۚ فَلَمّا تَجَلّىٰ رَبُّهُ لِلجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ موسىٰ صَعِقًا ۚ فَلَمّا أَفاقَ قالَ سُبحانَكَ تُبتُ إِلَيكَ وَأَنا أَوَّلُ المُؤمِنينَ (۱۴۳)

7-143a: تَجَلّىٰ –جَلۡو means for a thing to become clearly manifest or separated. Derived from it is جَلَاء which means expelled from the nation as in: لَولا أَن كَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيهِمُ الجَلاءَ (had it not been that Allah had decreed for them the exile) (59:3). Also derived from it is جَلۡوَۃ , and تَجَلّىٰ can be intrinsic as in: وَالنَّهارِ إِذا تَجَلّىٰ (And the day when it shines!) and sometimes it can be by command and action as in the present case (R).

صَعِقًا – The meaning of صَعِقَ الانسان is he fainted, and a person who has fainted is called صَعِق (LA).

Moses’ asking to see Allah: As shown in 7:78 the actual demand to see Allah had originated with the companions of Moses: لَن نُؤمِنَ لَكَ حَتّىٰ نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهرَةً (we will not believe in thee till we see Allah manifestly) (2:55). It is for their sake that Moses had asked God to show Himself. This is like the situation with Jesus when he presented the request of his disciples to Allah: أَنزِل عَلَينا مائِدَةً مِنَ السَّماءِ (send down to us food from heaven…) (5:114) although earlier he had disapproved of making such a request. Moses made the request on his own behalf because the chiefs of Bani Israel were far removed from God and hence if it was possible for any person to see God with the physical eyes, it could only be a prophet of God with whom God communicates. The reply given is that Allah cannot be seen by the physical eye and instead He can only be seen by the manifestation of His glory. What is the manifestation of His glory? All the works of nature are part of the manifestation of His glory, but some manifestations are more glorious than others. So, Allah showed a great example of His glory by making the mountain shatter into pieces. This is the way in which the powerful Hand of God is seen working in this world. Great nations and eminent persons who appear to be stronger than mountains are broken into bits by the powerful Hands of God as if they were nothing. Perhaps in manifesting this glory, there is an indication that even if there are mountains of difficulties they will disappear as if blown away when the help of Allah comes.

There appears to be another indication as well in this manifestation of God’s glory, namely that the perfect manifestation of Allah’s attributes was not decreed for Moses. Instead, its manifestation was decreed for the Holy Prophet. For this reason, in comparison with this shattered mountain of Moses, the station of the manifestation of glory decreed for the Holy Prophet is called البَلَدِ الأَمينِ as in: وَطورِ سينينَ وَهٰذَا البَلَدِ الأَمينِ (And mount Sinai and this City made secure) (95:2-3). 

It does not follow from the inability of Moses to see Allah by the physical eye that the believers will not be able to see Allah in the Hereafter because the senses given in the next world will be different.

7-144 He said: O Moses, surely I have chosen thee above the people by My messages and My words. So take hold of what I give thee and be of the grateful.^a

قالَ يا موسىٰ إِنِّي اصطَفَيتُكَ عَلَى النّاسِ بِرِسالاتي وَبِكَلامي فَخُذ ما آتَيتُكَ وَكُن مِنَ الشّاكِرينَ (۱۴۴)

7-144a: God’s words and Messengership: Here messengership and God’s words have been separated because Allah also discourses with persons who are not given the duties of messengership, as is the case with the Mujaddids of the Muslim nation. Messengership is a message that is generally in the form of a command and God’s words include prophecies etcetera.

7-145 And We ordained for him in the tablets admonition of every kind and clear explanation of all things. So take hold of them with firmness and enjoin thy people to take hold of what is best thereof. I shall show you the abode of the transgressors.

وَكَتَبنا لَهُ فِي الأَلواحِ مِن كُلِّ شَيءٍ مَوعِظَةً وَتَفصيلًا لِكُلِّ شَيءٍ فَخُذها بِقُوَّةٍ وَأمُر قَومَكَ يَأخُذوا بِأَحسَنِها ۚ سَأُريكُم دارَ الفاسِقينَ (۱۴۵)

7-145a: كَتَبنا – کتاب also occurs in the sense of affirmation, acceptance, and obligation (R). The meaning here is made obligatory because Allah, whom the eyes cannot see, cannot have a writing like human writing. His writing is making something obligatory, as in: كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَأَغلِبَنَّ أَنا وَرُسُلي (Allah has written down: I shall certainly prevail, I and My messengers) (58:21). The meaning here is also that Allah has made it obligatory, as is also the case in the following verses: كُتِبَ عَلَيكُم إِذا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ المَوتُ (It is prescribed for you, when death approaches one of you…) (2:180) and كُتِبَ عَلَيكُمُ الصِّيامُ (fasting is prescribed for you) (2:183).

What is meant by Allah writing the Torah: In all the places, the action of writing is attributed to Allah. So, if the Torah was written on the tablets by Allah, then the same commandments in the Quran are also written by Allah. To say that the Torah was written with God’s hand and the Quran was not so written is a meaningless distinction. There is no authentic hadith to support this. If there is a scripture among world scriptures that is specially distinguished, it is the Quran. The knowledge in the Quran is like a sea before the tiny rivulet of knowledge in the Torah.

What is meant by clear explanation of all things in the Torah: By لِكُلِّ شَيءٍ is meant clear explanation of all things that were needed by the Israelites at that time because despite the explanation in the Torah, the Israelite prophets who came after Moses were given Books, as for example Psalm of David, and the Gospel of Jesus. These scriptures contained explanations that were needed by the Israelites in the time of these prophets. 

بِأَحسَنِها – All the knowledge that comes from God is the best but because the intent is to attain a high spiritual station, it is specially commanded to take hold of what is the best thereof. If the first disciples of a prophet do not reach an elevated spiritual status, then those who follow later on would fall far short of the status achieved by the former. There is an indication of this in the use of the word الفاسِقينَ (transgressors), that is the condition of this nation will become one of disobedience at some time in the future and then they will see the consequence of this transgression. This is what is meant by دارَ الفاسِقينَ or that the Israelites will be shown what is the result of transgressors.

7-146 I shall turn away from My messages those who are unjustly proud in the earth. And if they see every sign, they will not believe in it; and if they see the way of rectitude, they take it not for a way; and if they see the way of error, they take it for a way. This is because they reject Our messages and are heedless of them.^a

سَأَصرِفُ عَن آياتِيَ الَّذينَ يَتَكَبَّرونَ فِي الأَرضِ بِغَيرِ الحَقِّ وَإِن يَرَوا كُلَّ آيَةٍ لا يُؤمِنوا بِها وَإِن يَرَوا سَبيلَ الرُّشدِ لا يَتَّخِذوهُ سَبيلًا وَإِن يَرَوا سَبيلَ الغَيِّ يَتَّخِذوهُ سَبيلًا ۚ ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُم كَذَّبوا بِآياتِنا وَكانوا عَنها غافِلينَ (۱۴۶)

7-146a: It is possible that this verse is directed at the disbelievers of Makkah, and it is also possible that the address is to the Israelites. Pride drives a person away from what is just and true until his faults appear as virtues, and he shows complete disregard for reason and signs. Pride is the root of all mischief.

7-147 And those who reject Our messages and the meeting of the Hereafter — their deeds are fruitless. Can they be rewarded except for what they do?

وَالَّذينَ كَذَّبوا بِآياتِنا وَلِقاءِ الآخِرَةِ حَبِطَت أَعمالُهُم ۚ هَل يُجزَونَ إِلّا ما كانوا يَعمَلونَ (۱۴۷)

7-130 And certainly We overtook Pharaoh’s people with droughts and diminution of fruits that they might be mindful.^a

وَلَقَد أَخَذنا آلَ فِرعَونَ بِالسِّنينَ وَنَقصٍ مِنَ الثَّمَراتِ لَعَلَّهُم يَذَّكَّرونَ (۱۳۰)

7-130a: سِنين – It is the plural of سنة which means years, but it is mostly used for years of famine (R) and ultimately, the word got so associated with famine that it became the primary meaning of the word.

7-131 But when good befell them they said: This is due to us. And when evil afflicted them, they attributed it to the ill-luck of Moses and those with him. Surely their evil fortune is only from Allah, but most of them know not.^a

فَإِذا جاءَتهُمُ الحَسَنَةُ قالوا لَنا هٰذِهِ ۖ وَإِن تُصِبهُم سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّروا بِموسىٰ وَمَن مَعَهُ ۗ أَلا إِنَّما طائِرُهُم عِندَ اللَّهِ وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَهُم لا يَعلَمونَ (۱۳۱)

7-131a:  يَطَّيَّروا – طائرہ – It is from طیر meaning a bird and تَطَیَّر and طَبَّر means taking an omen from birds. Then its use has become common for all kinds of ill-omens and bad predictions based on occult (R). If the birds flew off to the left, Arabs considered it an ill omen (T). The طائر in طائرھم stands for their ill luck that they were trying to avoid by following the omen. طائر is actually a person’s action, good or bad because it flies away from him once done, as in: كُلَّ إِنسانٍ أَلزَمناهُ طائِرَهُ في عُنُقِهِ (And We have made every man’s actions to cling to his neck) (17:13). Abu Ubaida says that this word applies to whatever one gets in his fortune (T). The meaning of طائِرُهُم عِندَ اللَّهِ is that whatever misfortune has befallen them is from Allah, that is it is a punishment for their evil actions.

The tribulations of Muslims and the Reformer of the fourteenth century: When a righteous person comes to the world and calls people to a goodly path and stops them from their wicked ways, people generally reject him and consequently get embroiled in tribulations. Instead of reforming themselves and accepting the path of truth, people begin to say that the calamities that befall them are because of that person. Attention is drawn in this verse that the afflictions are not because of the caller to the truth but because of their own actions. The Muslims today are in a similar situation. When a Mujaddid came at the beginning of the fourteenth century hijra and informed the Muslims that their success lay in reforming themselves and propagating Islam, instead of accepting the genuine advice they started opposing him and persisted in their ways. When their adversities increased, they started saying that their misfortunes increased even more because of his coming. Would that the Muslims learn some lessons from the Quran. 

7-132 And they said: Whatever sign thou mayest bring to us to charm us therewith — we shall not believe in thee.^a

وَقالوا مَهما تَأتِنا بِهِ مِن آيَةٍ لِتَسحَرَنا بِها فَما نَحنُ لَكَ بِمُؤمِنينَ (۱۳۲)

7-132a: مَهما – It is comprised of مه and ما and مَه is a verbal noun with the meaning of refrain and ما is a conditional particle, or it is comprised of ما ما where the first ما is conditional and the second ما is for generalization or universalization. The purport is that your miracles are merely a deception and that we will not believe even after seeing them.

7-133 So We sent upon them widespread death, and the locusts and the lice and the frogs and the blood — clear signs. But they behaved haughtily and they were a guilty people.^a

فَأَرسَلنا عَلَيهِمُ الطّوفانَ وَالجَرادَ وَالقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفادِعَ وَالدَّمَ آياتٍ مُفَصَّلاتٍ فَاستَكبَروا وَكانوا قَومًا مُجرِمينَ (۱۳۳)

7-133a: طوفان – It is derived from طوف which means to revolve around something, and طوفان is any calamity that surrounds a person from all sides (R). This is the reason why the word is used to mean a big flood. The meaning of طوفان given in Bukhari is widespread death.

جَرادَ – It means a locust because it deprives the earth of greenery (R). جَرَدَ means to peel something.

قُمَّلَ – It means, lice, fleas, tics and similar vermin. 

ضَّفادِعَ – It is the plural of ضَفۡدَعۡ which means a frog.

The signs shown by Moses: The following signs are mentioned in the Bible: River water turning into blood, the calamities of frogs, lice, gnats, death of livestock, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness. The calamities mentioned in the Quran are seven. Five are mentioned here and two more in verse 7:130 which are famine and diminution of fruit. If with these seven signs, the two signs of the staff and white hand are added then that makes nine signs as is mentioned elsewhere in verse17:101.

7-134 And when the plague fell upon them, they said: O Moses, pray for us to thy Lord as He has made promise with thee. If thou remove the plague from us, we will certainly believe in thee and will let the Children of Israel go with thee.

وَلَمّا وَقَعَ عَلَيهِمُ الرِّجزُ قالوا يا موسَى ادعُ لَنا رَبَّكَ بِما عَهِدَ عِندَكَ ۖ لَئِن كَشَفتَ عَنَّا الرِّجزَ لَنُؤمِنَنَّ لَكَ وَلَنُرسِلَنَّ مَعَكَ بَني إِسرائيلَ (۱۳۴)

7-135 But when We removed the plague from them till a term which they should attain, lo! they broke (their promise).^a

فَلَمّا كَشَفنا عَنهُمُ الرِّجزَ إِلىٰ أَجَلٍ هُم بالِغوهُ إِذا هُم يَنكُثونَ (۱۳۵)

7-135a: يَنكُثونَ – نکۡث means to beak something that is spun or knitted and metaphorically for breach of covenant (R). Exodus chapters 8 to 11 gives a detailed account of the signs and the promises made by Pharaoh and their breach by him.

7-136 So We exacted retribution from them and drowned them in the sea, because they rejected Our signs and were heedless of them.

فَانتَقَمنا مِنهُم فَأَغرَقناهُم فِي اليَمِّ بِأَنَّهُم كَذَّبوا بِآياتِنا وَكانوا عَنها غافِلينَ (۱۳۶)

7-137 And We made the people who were deemed weak to inherit the eastern lands and the western ones which We had blessed. And the good word of thy Lord was fulfilled in the Children of Israel — because of their patience. And We destroyed what Pharaoh and his people had wrought and what they had built.^a

وَأَورَثنَا القَومَ الَّذينَ كانوا يُستَضعَفونَ مَشارِقَ الأَرضِ وَمَغارِبَهَا الَّتي بارَكنا فيها ۖ وَتَمَّت كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ الحُسنىٰ عَلىٰ بَني إِسرائيلَ بِما صَبَروا ۖ وَدَمَّرنا ما كانَ يَصنَعُ فِرعَونُ وَقَومُهُ وَما كانوا يَعرِشونَ (۱۳۷)

7-137a: الأَرضِ – By الأَرضِ is meant the Holy Land, that is the land of Syria, and the Israelites were made the masters of its east and west, that is they were made inheritors of the whole of the Holy Land. This, however, happened much later. 

تَمَّت كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ الحُسنىٰ – تمام or to reach its climax means fulfilment, and كَلِمَتُ الحُسنىٰ or the good word is the promise that was given to them that they would inherit the Holy Land; or the indication is to the promise stated above عَسىٰ رَبُّكُم أَن يُهلِكَ عَدُوَّكُم (It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy) (7:129).

يَعرِشونَ – Abu Ubaida has given its meaning as یبنون that is the buildings they constructed (R), or the meaning could be gardens.

The success of the Muslims is not going to be by the sword: The success of the Bani Israel is credited to their patience. Hassan has narrated that if people are patient and pray for help when some difficulty afflicts them from their king, it will not be long before Allah removes that difficulty. However, if they become alarmed and take recourse to the sword, then those who live by the sword will die by the sword. In another narration, he states that whatever the Bani Israel got was because of their patience, and if the Muslim nation runs for the sword, the result will not be good (RM). After citing these narrations, the authors of Ruh al-Maani state that they had studied people over the past 1248 years and found that whenever people took recourse to the sword, they did not gain anything. They neither had any benefit nor was their wish fulfilled, nor did they accomplish any praiseworthy act.

7-138 And We took the Children of Israel across the sea. Then they came to a people who were devoted to their idols. They said: O Moses, make for us a god as they have gods. He said: Surely you are an ignorant people!^a

 وَجاوَزنا بِبَني إِسرائيلَ البَحرَ فَأَتَوا عَلىٰ قَومٍ يَعكُفونَ عَلىٰ أَصنامٍ لَهُم ۚ قالوا يا موسَى اجعَل لَنا إِلٰهًا كَما لَهُم آلِهَةٌ ۚ قالَ إِنَّكُم قَومٌ تَجهَلونَ (۱۳۸)

7-138a: أَصنامٍ – It is the plural of صنم and is defined as a body made out of silver, brass, wood etcetera. The image so created was worshipped because of a belief that that this brought them closer to God. Some have taken صنم to mean everything that is taken من دون اللّٰه (other than Allah) to be worshipped. In fact, anything that takes one away from Allah (R). 

The influence of the Egyptians on Bani Israel: The Egyptians worshipped everything. Having stayed in proximity with such an idol worshipping nation, idol worshipping had permeated the customs and manners of Bani Israel as well. That is why, time and again they would incline towards idol worship. In India too, under the influence of their neighboring nation, polytheistic practices such as grave worship, worship of pirs etcetera have spread among them, and all kinds of polytheistic customs and traditions have taken hold among the Muslims.

7-139 (As to) these, that wherein they are engaged shall be destroyed and that which they do is vain.^a

 إِنَّ هٰؤُلاءِ مُتَبَّرٌ ما هُم فيهِ وَباطِلٌ ما كانوا يَعمَلونَ (۱۳۹)

7-139a: مُتَبَّرٌ – تِبۡر is gold or other mineral occurring as particles mixed with dirt, and the meaning of تَبَرَّہٗ is broke and destroyed a thing. So the meaning of مُتَبَّرٌ is it will be broken and destroyed, and تبار is destruction, as in: وَلا تَزِدِ الظّالِمينَ إِلّا تَبارًا (And increase not the wrongdoers in aught but destruction) (71:28) وَكُلًّا تَبَّرنا تَتبيرًا (and each did We destroy with utter destruction) (25:39).

ما هُم فيهِ – It means the matter in which they are engaged, that is idol worship, or their thinking that these idols are a way to bring them closer to God. The purport is that idol worshipping will ultimately get erased from the world. The testimony of world history so far shows that with the spread of education, belief in idol worshipping has been weakening. The time is definitely coming when idol worship will get completely eliminated and the worship of the One God will be established throughout the world.

7-140 He said: Shall I seek for you a god other than Allah, while He has made you excel (all) created things?^a

قالَ أَغَيرَ اللَّهِ أَبغيكُم إِلٰهًا وَهُوَ فَضَّلَكُم عَلَى العالَمينَ (۱۴۰)

7-140a: This verse provides testimony that appeals to human nature against polytheism. It is stated that God has made humans to excel everything He has created. Then should something be selected for worship from this creation and human nature made to humble itself before a thing over which it excels.

7-141 And when We delivered you from Pharaoh’s people, who subjected you to severe torment, killing your sons and sparing your women. And therein was a great trial from your Lord.

وَإِذ أَنجَيناكُم مِن آلِ فِرعَونَ يَسومونَكُم سوءَ العَذابِ ۖ يُقَتِّلونَ أَبناءَكُم وَيَستَحيونَ نِساءَكُم ۚ وَفي ذٰلِكُم بَلاءٌ مِن رَبِّكُم عَظيمٌ (۱۴۱)

7-127 And the chiefs of Pharaoh’s people said: Wilt thou leave Moses and his people to make mischief in the land and forsake thee and thy gods? He said: We will slay their sons and spare their women, and surely we are dominant over them.

 وَقالَ المَلَأُ مِن قَومِ فِرعَونَ أَتَذَرُ موسىٰ وَقَومَهُ لِيُفسِدوا فِي الأَرضِ وَيَذَرَكَ وَآلِهَتَكَ ۚ قالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبناءَهُم وَنَستَحيي نِساءَهُم وَإِنّا فَوقَهُم قاهِرونَ (۱۲۷)

7-128 Moses said to his people: Ask help from Allah and be patient. Surely the land is Allah’s — He gives it for an inheritance to such of His servants as He pleases. And the end is for those who keep their duty.^a

قالَ موسىٰ لِقَومِهِ استَعينوا بِاللَّهِ وَاصبِروا ۖ إِنَّ الأَرضَ لِلَّهِ يورِثُها مَن يَشاءُ مِن عِبادِهِ ۖ وَالعاقِبَةُ لِلمُتَّقينَ (۱۲۸)

7-128a: The remedy for the difficulties of Muslims from the history of Israelites: The past events that have been narrated in the Quran, and in particular the events that befell the Israelites, there is a prophecy about the history of Islam. All the circumstances faced by the Israelites were to be faced by the Muslims as well. Accordingly, after narrating the events of the Israelites, the prescription given to them through Moses is also the remedy for the difficulties of the Muslims. Bani Israel was in the bondage of another nation who were their masters. The ruling nation was progressively making the Israelites weaker by pursuing strategies that were eroding their cultural identity. They were forced to perform menial labor. Their sons were killed, and the daughters were allowed to live so that this nation may slowly become extinct. This was the situation with the Muslim nation at the turn of the nineteenth century with minor differences created by the progress of civilization since those ancient times. The Muslims in the world generally, but particularly in India, were subservient to another nation. This other nation was their ruler, and its plan of action to keep them down was so firm that the subservient nation was helpless before it. The best virtues of the subservient nation were slowly getting erased. They were selling their religion and belief to satisfy their greed for worldly goods. The virtue of bravery and manliness became seriously eroded. Love of Islam and a sense of honor for their religion was progressively getting worn down. Their worldly grandeur and glory had departed since long, but whatever was left was finally finished by the First World War. If in the time of Pharaoh, the Israelite boys were killed, there was a metaphorical killing of the Muslim boys by the steady erosion of the important virtues of bravery and manliness which amounts to the killing of the sons of the nation. Physical adornment and decoration, worldly wealth and riches, infatuation with worldly entertainments are those feminine attributes which were inculcated in Muslim youth and are the metaphorical equivalent of نستحی نساءھم  (sparing the women to live).

The question is what was the remedy for these difficulties? If it is true that the conditions faced by Muslims was similar to the ones faced by Bani Israel under Pharaoh then the remedy that Allah had prescribed through the tongue of Moses was also the most efficacious remedy for the Muslim nation. This remedy was استَعينوا بِاللَّهِ وَاصبِروا (Ask help from Allah and be patient). The leaders of the time considered this to be an absurd and nonsensical suggestion and paid no attention to it. They relied instead on the strength of their biceps to overcome the master nation with noncooperation, and if that did not work then by taking up arms. Going against the clear words of God is purposely putting the nation on the path of destruction. Despite the excesses of Pharaoh, despite the killing of the male children of Bani Israel, despite stopping them from worshipping God, Bani Israel, a nation in bondage, was not given a command by God to wage war against Pharaoh. Instead, the command that was given was to ask help from Allah and to be patient. This is the remedy for Muslims when they are in a similar condition. Like the Bani Israel, the Muslims were in a state of bondage at the turn of the nineteenth century. It was not possible for them to fight and free themselves from the ruling nation. Instead by turning to God, humbly prostrating before Him, and considering the power of Allah as the remedy for their weakness, the Muslims could have freed themselves. Not a single word of the Quran can be presented in support of giving permission to a subservient nation to fight the governing nation. In reality, this will not be a fight but suicide. National leaders and Islamic religious scholars should find the solution from the Quran given the objective conditions that prevail at the time. It is by seeking assistance from Allah and being patient that the virtues will be created which will allow the nation to stay alive. As far as those people are concerned who today appear to us to be the enemies of Islam, Allah has the power to create conditions to destroy them and He also has the power to take them out of the circle of Islam’s enemies and enter them in the circle of friends عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَجعَلَ بَينَكُم وَبَينَ الَّذينَ عادَيتُم مِنهُم مَوَدَّةً (It may be that Allah will bring about friendship between you and those of them whom you hold as enemies) (60:7). Our duty is to reform ourselves and present the beauty and goodness of Islam openly before others. This is the way that the Quran has clearly given us. Muslims cannot come out of their condition of humiliation and tribulations if they do not look to the Quran for solutions.  

7-129 They said: We were persecuted before thou camest to us and since thou hast come to us. He said: It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you rulers in the land, then He will see how you act.^a

قالوا أوذينا مِن قَبلِ أَن تَأتِيَنا وَمِن بَعدِ ما جِئتَنا ۚ قالَ عَسىٰ رَبُّكُم أَن يُهلِكَ عَدُوَّكُم وَيَستَخلِفَكُم فِي الأَرضِ فَيَنظُرَ كَيفَ تَعمَلونَ (۱۲۹)

7-129a: The way to attain a kingdom: What is informed in this entire statement is that when a nation subjects a people to extreme cruelty, the kingdom is taken from it and given to another nation. In spite of all the persecution that the Bani Israel was suffering, and despite the fact that the Bani Israel were in a state of severe subservience and their masters were very powerful and the Bani Israel were fewer and were forced to perform menial labor and had no influence in the government, the faith of Moses was so strong that he stated that their enemy would certainly be destroyed and they would become rulers, but then Allah will also see how they act. If they resorted to being cruel to the people, the kingdom will be taken away from them. In the tribulation of the companions of Moses, a sketch of what was to befall the Muslims is portrayed and the two conditions are very similar with only minor variations. 

7-109 The chiefs of Pharaoh’s people said: Surely this is a skilful enchanter!^a

قالَ المَلَأُ مِن قَومِ فِرعَونَ إِنَّ هٰذا لَساحِرٌ عَليمٌ (۱۰۹)

7-109a: ساحِر – One who does سِحر and for سِحر see 2:102c. According to Lisan al Arab, سِحر is a spell that possesses the eyes so that it appears that the actual matter is as the person is seeing it although in reality it is not. Further it is stated that سِحر is enchantment and everything whose source or origin is subtle and abstruse is enchantment. It is also stated that سِحر requires a high degree of intelligence and the hadith اِنَّ من البیان لسحرا is presented as an example, explained by Abu Ubaidah as a person who praises somebody to the extent that people believe him to be true and then censures that person to the extent that again people believe him to be true. Ibn Kathir has given its meaning as someone who captures the hearts of the audience with his speech even if what he is saying is not true (LA). Another definition of ساحِر is الساحر العالم الفطن (A very intelligent scholar is called ساحِر ) (T).

The prophets’ opponents often called the prophets as ساحِر because their preaching had an impact on the hearts and minds of people who then became their followers.

7-110 He intends to turn you out of your land. What do you advise?

يُريدُ أَن يُخرِجَكُم مِن أَرضِكُم ۖ فَماذا تَأمُرونَ (۱۱۰)

7-110a: تَأمُرونَ – It is derived from امر  andائتمار  means advise. Here تَأمُرونَ is in the sense of advice. As is apparent from the context, فَماذا تَأمُرونَ ( What do you advise) is the statement of Pharaoh which is in response to the comment of his chiefs: He intends to turn you out of your land. 

7-111 They said: Put him off and his brother, and send summoners into the cities,

قالوا أَرجِه وَأَخاهُ وَأَرسِل فِي المَدائِنِ حاشِرينَ (۱۱۱)

7-112 To bring to thee every skilful enchanter.^a

يَأتوكَ بِكُلِّ ساحِرٍ عَليمٍ (۱۱۲)

7-112a: أَرجِه – This takes the place of ارجئه , and ارجاء means to delay or postpone an affair. The purport is that the matter should not be decided immediately and those who are expert in this knowledge should be gathered to hold a competition.

7-113 And the enchanters came to Pharaoh, saying: We must surely have a reward if we prevail.

وَجاءَ السَّحَرَةُ فِرعَونَ قالوا إِنَّ لَنا لَأَجرًا إِن كُنّا نَحنُ الغالِبينَ (۱۱۳)

7-114 He said: Yes, and you shall certainly be of those who are near (to me).

 قالَ نَعَم وَإِنَّكُم لَمِنَ المُقَرَّبينَ (۱۱۴)

7-115 They said: O Moses, wilt thou cast, or shall we (be the first to) cast?

قالوا يا موسىٰ إِمّا أَن تُلقِيَ وَإِمّا أَن نَكونَ نَحنُ المُلقينَ (۱۱۵)

7-116 He said: Cast. So when they cast, they deceived the people’s eyes and overawed them, and they produced a mighty enchantment.^a

قالَ أَلقوا ۖ فَلَمّا أَلقَوا سَحَروا أَعيُنَ النّاسِ وَاستَرهَبوهُم وَجاءوا بِسِحرٍ عَظيمٍ (۱۱۶)

7-116a: Moses’ competition with enchanters and the enchanter’s cords and rods: What was it that the enchanters cast? In another place, it is stated that they were حِبالَهُم وَعِصِيَّهُم (cords and their rods) (26:44). Were they actual cords and rods? Every means and recourse is called جل and so the purport by it may only be whatever they could do. عصا is often used in a metaphorical sense, as in: قرعه بعصا الملامة which literally means he was beaten with the rod of rebuke, but the actual meaning is he was strongly rebuked. Similarly, the literal meaning of قشرت له العصا is to peel the rod, but the actual meaning is that I spoke what was in my heart. In Taj al-Arus the meaning of العصا is also given as اللسان (language). So, it is possible that the enchanters may have brought with them some cords and rods which they cast, or the meaning could be that they gave false speeches and showed materials in support of falsehood. What comes after ما يَأفِكونَ (up their lies) (7:117) supports the second supposition. In another place, the same events are described in the following words: فَحَشَرَ فَنادىٰ فَقالَ أَنا رَبُّكُمُ الأَعلىٰ (So he gathered and called out. Then he said: I am your Lord, the most High) (79:23-24). This statement is of the same period immediately after the contest. It appears that Pharaoh got the enchanters to declare that he was the biggest deity and there is no other deity besides Pharaoh ما عَلِمتُ لَكُم مِن إِلٰهٍ غَيري (I know no god for you besides myself) (28:38). In contrast, Moses says as follows: فَلَمّا أَلقَوا قالَ موسىٰ ما جِئتُم بِهِ السِّحرُ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيُبطِلُهُ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُصلِحُ عَمَلَ المُفسِدينَ وَيُحِقُّ اللَّهُ الحَقَّ بِكَلِماتِهِ وَلَو كَرِهَ المُجرِمونَ (So when they had cast down, Moses said: What you have brought is deception. Surely Allah will make it naught. Surely Allah allows not the work of mischief-makers to thrive. And Allah will establish the truth by His words, though the guilty be averse) (10:81-82). All these events reinforce the strategy of the two sides, on the one hand there is great emphasis on the divinity of Pharaoh and on the other side the emphasis of Moses is on expounding rational arguments for the existence of God. Even if a literal interpretation is made and Pharaoh had gotten some crafty men to impress the masses with the idea that there is some divinity in Pharaoh, then this idea is also entirely conceivable because the eastern nations are often impressed by charlatans. It is easy to attract people who are willing to bow before wind, lightning, rain, fire, trees, stones, and animals with this kind of fraudulent acts. So, Pharaoh gathered some wise men and made them perform some fraudulent act. They probably chose this way because the miracle of the serpent Moses had performed before Pharaoh had garnered a lot of publicity. The party of Pharaoh thought this was some trickery and they would be able to accomplish their end with trickery as well. However, Moses exposed them, the details of which are in the next verse. 

7-117 And We revealed to Moses: Cast thy rod. Then lo! it swallowed up their lies.^a

وَأَوحَينا إِلىٰ موسىٰ أَن أَلقِ عَصاكَ ۖ فَإِذا هِيَ تَلقَفُ ما يَأفِكونَ (۱۱۷)

7-117a: تَلقَفُ – The meaning of لقف is to take a thing intelligently whether by speech or by hand (R).

يَأفِكونَ – اِفۡك is to turn someone from truth to falsehood. Hence anything that is not in the condition it should be is called اِفۡك. For this reason, an absolute lie is called اِفۡك as in إِنَّ الَّذينَ جاءوا بِالإِفكِ (Surel those who concocted the lie) (24:11).

The rods of the enchanters and the staff of Moses: It is seen from here that the staff of Moses did not have the attribute of turning into a serpent every time it was thrown, and Moses never undertook the initiative himself to throw the staff until he received revelation from God. What was the result of throwing the staff. Whatever lies the enchanters had concocted or however they had turned the truth into falsehood, the staff negated it completely and left no confusion behind. How was this done. The Quran does not give any details of how this was done. There is no mention anywhere either that the staff became a serpent or that the enchanter’s sticks had become snakes. There is only mention that the enchantment made it appear that the cords and rods were running but when Moses threw his staff, it ate up the lies of the enchanters and the truth became apparent. The idea that the staff became a serpent and swallowed the enchanter’s rods is just a conjecture. This same staff when it came time to cross the sea did not become a serpent. The consequence of what happened at the contest was that the enchanters believed in Moses and their saying: آمَنّا بِآياتِ رَبِّنا (we believed in the message of our Lord) (7:126) shows that it was not just the miracle of the staff that convinced them because that would have been only one message or act. Further, one is called not to believe in a miracle but to believe in the commandments of God. It is conceivable that the hearts of an idol-worshipping nation may have become convinced of the Oneness of Allah.

7-118 So the truth was established, and that which they did became null.

فَوَقَعَ الحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ ما كانوا يَعمَلونَ (۱۱۸)

7-119 There they were vanquished, and they went back abased.

فَغُلِبوا هُنالِكَ وَانقَلَبوا صاغِرينَ (۱۱۹)

7-120 And the enchanters fell down prostrate —

وَأُلقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ ساجِدينَ (۱۲۰)

7-121 They said: We believe in the Lord of the worlds,

قالوا آمَنّا بِرَبِّ العالَمينَ (۱۲۱)

7-122 The Lord of Moses and Aaron.^a

رَبِّ موسىٰ وَهارونَ (۱۲۲)

7-122a: The Bible and the enchanters’ belief: The Bible does not mention, where it narrates the contest, that the enchanters believed. However, it is mentioned in the Jewish tradition. This is also supported by Exodus 12:38 where the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt is mentioned: And a mixed multitude went up also with them. This shows that besides the Israelites, some other people had also believed in the message of Moses. Further it is stated in the Jewish Encyclopedia: For the Egyptians, when the time fixed for Moses descent from the mountain had expired, came in a body, forty thousand of them, accompanied by two Egyptian magicians, Yanos and Yambros, the same who imitated Moses in producing the signs and the plagues in Egypt. These are the same two magicians who had competed with Moses as is mentioned in 2. Timothy 3:8.

7-123 Pharaoh said: You believe in Him before I give you permission! Surely this is a plot which you have plotted in the city, to turn out of it its people, but you shall know!

قالَ فِرعَونُ آمَنتُم بِهِ قَبلَ أَن آذَنَ لَكُم ۖ إِنَّ هٰذا لَمَكرٌ مَكَرتُموهُ فِي المَدينَةِ لِتُخرِجوا مِنها أَهلَها ۖ فَسَوفَ تَعلَمونَ (۱۲۳)

7-124 I shall certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, then I shall crucify you all together!

 أُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيدِيَكُم وَأَرجُلَكُم مِن خِلافٍ ثُمَّ لَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُم أَجمَعينَ (۱۲۴)

7-125 They said: Surely to our Lord do we return.

قالوا إِنّا إِلىٰ رَبِّنا مُنقَلِبونَ (۱۲۵)

7-126 And thou takest revenge on us only because we believed in the messages of our Lord when they came to us. Our Lord, pour out on us patience and cause us to die in submission (to Thee)!^a

وَما تَنقِمُ مِنّا إِلّا أَن آمَنّا بِآياتِ رَبِّنا لَمّا جاءَتنا ۚ رَبَّنا أَفرِغ عَلَينا صَبرًا وَتَوَفَّنا مُسلِمينَ (۱۲۶)

7-126a: The difference between a believer and a disbeliever is shown here. When the enchanters were in a state of disbelief, they were craving a monetary gift from Pharaoh but now they do not even care about losing their life because they have found God.

7-100 Is it not clear to those who inherit the earth after its (former) residents that, if We please, We would afflict them for their sins, and seal their hearts so they would not hear?

أَوَلَم يَهدِ لِلَّذينَ يَرِثونَ الأَرضَ مِن بَعدِ أَهلِها أَن لَو نَشاءُ أَصَبناهُم بِذُنوبِهِم ۚ وَنَطبَعُ عَلىٰ قُلوبِهِم فَهُم لا يَسمَعونَ (۱۰۰)

7-101 Such were the towns some of whose news We have related to thee. And certainly their messengers came to them with clear arguments, but they would not believe what they had rejected before. Thus does Allah seal the hearts of the disbelievers.

تِلكَ القُرىٰ نَقُصُّ عَلَيكَ مِن أَنبائِها ۚ وَلَقَد جاءَتهُم رُسُلُهُم بِالبَيِّناتِ فَما كانوا لِيُؤمِنوا بِما كَذَّبوا مِن قَبلُ ۚ كَذٰلِكَ يَطبَعُ اللَّهُ عَلىٰ قُلوبِ الكافِرينَ (۱۰۱)

7-101a: یہد – The meaning of ھَدَیۡتُ لَكَ is بَیَّنۡتُ لَكَ that is the matter was clarified (LA) and its use here is in place of necessary.

يَطبَعُ – The literal meaning of طَبۡع is to mold something and give it another shape. It is more common than خَتۡمٌ (seal, stamp, impress) and more specific than نَقۡشٌ (engrave, sculpt, inscribe) and طَبِیۡعَةٌ is metaphorically a stamp or seal on the heart. More generally it is a mark whether a birthmark or created by habit. Most commonly the word is used for a birthmark. طَبۡع and خَتۡمٌ are similar in meaning. Some have taken the meaning of طَبۡع to be دَنَّس that is rusted it, as in بَل ۜ رانَ عَلىٰ قُلوبِهِم (Nay, rather, what they earned is rust upon their hearts) (83:14) (R).

What is meant by sealing: It is very clearly stated here that first a person sins and then the seal is affixed in accordance with the rules of God. The use of the word طَبۡع gives further credence to this because it is the imprinting of a special condition. Just as a habit becomes second nature, the same is true with sin. When a person repeatedly commits sin, its imprint on the heart keeps intensifying until, because of the repeated recurrence, it becomes a habit and part of the person’s nature. The sealing of the heart is only that Divine help to believe is not received when one falsifies. Falsifying is standing up to oppose the truth. The consequence of opposition is that one fails to notice any good aspect and all the energy is focused on destroying the truth. As a result, the condition of the heart becomes such that it just does not incline towards belief. This is what is meant by God sealing the heart.

7-102 And We found not in most of them (faithfulness to) covenant; and We found most of them to be transgressors.^a

وَما وَجَدنا لِأَكثَرِهِم مِن عَهدٍ ۖ وَإِن وَجَدنا أَكثَرَهُم لَفاسِقينَ (۱۰۲)

7-102a: عَهدٍ – It is used here either in a generic sense meaning that whenever they make a compact, they do not abide by it, and a person who does not fulfill his covenants cannot achieve the great goals of humanity, or it means the compact of nature, that is they do not abide by what is implanted in their nature. The result is that the guiding light of their nature gets extinguished. The second meaning is preferable.

7-103 Then, after them, We sent Moses with Our messages to Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they disbelieved them. See, then, what was the end of the mischief-makers!^a

ثُمَّ بَعَثنا مِن بَعدِهِم موسىٰ بِآياتِنا إِلىٰ فِرعَونَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَظَلَموا بِها ۖ فَانظُر كَيفَ كانَ عاقِبَةُ المُفسِدينَ (۱۰۳)

7-103a: Skipping over many prophets in the intervening period, mention is made of Moses and the narration goes into a lot of explanations and details. The reason for this is the great similarity between the Holy Prophet and Moses in many matters because the Holy Prophet is the fulfilment of the prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:18. Moses is mentioned in the Quran in the following places: 2:49-71, 4:153, 5:20-26, 7:103-156, 10:75-92, 11:96-99, 17:101-104, 18:6-82, 19:51-53, 20:9-98, 23:45-49, 26:10-68, 27:7-14, 28:3-48, 37:114-122, 40:23-55, 43:46-56, 44:17-33, 51:38-40, 61:5, 79:15-26.

7-104 And Moses said: O Pharaoh, surely I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds,

وَقالَ موسىٰ يا فِرعَونُ إِنّي رَسولٌ مِن رَبِّ العالَمينَ (۱۰۴)

7-105 Worthy of not saying anything about Allah except the truth. I have come to you indeed with clear proof from your Lord, so let the Children of Israel go with me.^a

حَقيقٌ عَلىٰ أَن لا أَقولَ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الحَقَّ ۚ قَد جِئتُكُم بِبَيِّنَةٍ مِن رَبِّكُم فَأَرسِل مَعِيَ بَني إِسرائيلَ (۱۰۵)

7-105a: حَقيقٌ – It is used here in the sense of جدیر (worthy, deserving, meriting).

عَلىٰ – It is used in the sense of ب meaning I am capable.

The real mission of Moses was not to preach to Pharaoh but to get the release of Bani Israel from bondage because Moses was ordained only for his own people, as is stated elsewhere: أَخرِج قَومَكَ مِنَ الظُّلُماتِ إِلَى النّورِ (Bring forth thy people from darkness into light) (14:5). For this reason, the first demand he made to Pharaoh was to allow Bani Israel to go with him. However, as it was required for him to interact with Pharaoh, it became necessary to advise him as well, which he did.

7-106 He said: If thou hast come with a sign, produce it, if thou art truthful.

قالَ إِن كُنتَ جِئتَ بِآيَةٍ فَأتِ بِها إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصّادِقينَ (۱۰۶)

7-107 So he threw his rod, then lo! it was a serpent manifest.

فَأَلقىٰ عَصاهُ فَإِذا هِيَ ثُعبانٌ مُبينٌ (۱۰۷)

7-108 And he drew forth his hand, and lo! it was white to the beholders.^a

وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُ فَإِذا هِيَ بَيضاءُ لِلنّاظِرينَ (۱۰۸)

7-108a: Both these miracles are reported in the Bible as well and both were performed twice as stated in both scriptures, once when Moses was conferred prophethood and second time in the presence of Pharaoh in their first meeting. However, in the Bible the miracle of the white hand is not reported as having been performed before Pharaoh and this is clearly because of alteration as there is a clear God’s command to Moses in Exodus 4:8, “And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.” In addition, there was no need of giving Moses a second miracle if it was not to be performed before Moses.

Under what circumstances did the first manifestation of the miracles of Moses take place: It is worth remembering that the manifestation of miracles generally takes place before the opponents of the truth and the purpose is to humble them. However, Moses is shown these miracles when he is alone in the presence of God and when he is in a state in which Allah communicates with prophets. As testified by a hadith in Bukhari, this is a special state in which the prophet hears and sees things that those sitting near him neither hear nor see. Accordingly, it is clear from the hadith that on occasions, the Holy Prophet would be sitting with his Companions when his condition would change, and he would enter the state in which revelation is received and the angel would come to communicate with him. The companions sitting next to the Holy Prophet however neither saw nor heard the angel, but the Holy Prophet saw and heard him. So, in this state when Moses was in communication with Allah, the manifestation of miracles was in a vision. It is true that the manifestation of these signs also took place before Pharaoh. However sometimes Allah with His supernatural powers allows others to participate in what is a visionary scene. This is what makes it a miracle. Otherwise, the staff of Moses did not possess the property of converting into a serpent whenever thrown on the ground. There is also no mention of such a transformation taking place even when confronted by an enemy except on these two occasions. It was an ordinary staff as described by Moses. He stated that sometimes he leans on it, sometimes he uses it to pull down leaves for his goats and he puts it to other miscellaneous uses as well. There is no authentic source that describes where that staff came from.

There is also another meaning of the staff becoming a serpent and the hand becoming white. The word عَصا has a secondary meaning of party for which see 2-60a. The first miracle was to show that the party of Moses would overcome their opponents and the second miracle of the white hand was an indication of the clear and convincing arguments of Moses. Accordingly, the drowning of Pharaoh and the conversion of the enchanters shows the actual reality fo these two miracles.   

7-94 And We did not send a prophet to a town but We seized its people with distress and affliction that they might humble themselves.^a

 وَما أَرسَلنا في قَريَةٍ مِن نَبِيٍّ إِلّا أَخَذنا أَهلَها بِالبَأساءِ وَالضَّرّاءِ لَعَلَّهُم يَضَّرَّعونَ (۹۴)

7-94a: يَضَّرَّعونَ – It is derived from یتضرعون . The meaning of ضرع is the udder of a she camel, goat etcetera. ضرع البُہم means a baby quadruped has taken the mother’s teat in its mouth. The meaning of ضرع الرجُل is that he became helpless or powerless (R), and in that state of helplessness seeks power from another. Thus تضرع is when a person stands in a totally humble state before God and seeks power from Him. After presenting several examples of prophets and their opponents, the Quran now describes the rationale of Allah’s law of punishment. Under this law, people are put through distress and difficulties so that they may humble themselves and turn to Allah. Thus, the whole process is designed for the benefit of man. This also proves that any calamity that comes from God is not only a punishment but is also meant for the reformation of people. Hence, the torment of hell can also be for rectification and treatment and not just for punishment.

7-95 Then We changed the evil for good, till they became affluent and said: Distress and happiness did indeed touch our fathers. So We took them by surprise while they perceived not.^a

ثُمَّ بَدَّلنا مَكانَ السَّيِّئَةِ الحَسَنَةَ حَتّىٰ عَفَوا وَقالوا قَد مَسَّ آباءَنَا الضَّرّاءُ وَالسَّرّاءُ فَأَخَذناهُم بَغتَةً وَهُم لا يَشعُرونَ (۹۵)

7-95a: عَفَوا – عَفَی is used in the sense of erasing a mark and also for increase or growth, as in عَفَا النَّبۡتُ (the vegetation grew) (R). This is the meaning here. When distress afflicts a nation and it does not benefit from it and on the contrary grows in its hostility towards the truth, the consequence of this is its destruction so that some other nation should take its place.

7-96 And if the people of the towns had believed and kept their duty, We would certainly have opened for them blessings from the heavens and the earth. But they rejected, so We seized them for what they earned.

وَلَو أَنَّ أَهلَ القُرىٰ آمَنوا وَاتَّقَوا لَفَتَحنا عَلَيهِم بَرَكاتٍ مِنَ السَّماءِ وَالأَرضِ وَلٰكِن كَذَّبوا فَأَخَذناهُم بِما كانوا يَكسِبونَ (۹۶)

7-97 Are the people of the towns, then, secure from Our punishment coming to them by night while they sleep?

أَفَأَمِنَ أَهلُ القُرىٰ أَن يَأتِيَهُم بَأسُنا بَياتًا وَهُم نائِمونَ (۹۷)

7-98 Or, are the people of the towns secure from Our punishment coming to them in the morning while they play?^a

أَوَأَمِنَ أَهلُ القُرىٰ أَن يَأتِيَهُم بَأسُنا ضُحًى وَهُم يَلعَبونَ (۹۸)

7-98a: In the previous verse, mention is made of نائِم or those who sleep and in the present verse of those who take this life as a play and the purport is those who are so absorbed in worldly activities and are oblivious of the real purpose of life. This is a clear warning to the Arabs.

7-99 Are they secure from Allah’s plan? But none feels secure from Allah’s plan except the people who perish.

أَفَأَمِنوا مَكرَ اللَّهِ ۚ فَلا يَأمَنُ مَكرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا القَومُ الخاسِرونَ (۹۹)

7-85 And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shu‘aib. He said: O my people, serve Allah, you have no god other than Him. Clear proof indeed has come to you from your Lord,^a so give full measure and weight and diminish not to men their things, and make not mischief in the land after its reform. This is better for you, if you are believers.^b

وَإِلىٰ مَديَنَ أَخاهُم شُعَيبًا ۗ قالَ يا قَومِ اعبُدُوا اللَّهَ ما لَكُم مِن إِلٰهٍ غَيرُهُ ۖ قَد جاءَتكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِن رَبِّكُم ۖ فَأَوفُوا الكَيلَ وَالميزانَ وَلا تَبخَسُوا النّاسَ أَشياءَهُم وَلا تُفسِدوا فِي الأَرضِ بَعدَ إِصلاحِها ۚ ذٰلِكُم خَيرٌ لَكُم إِن كُنتُم مُؤمِنينَ (۸۵)

7-85a: Shuaib was a descendant of Abraham in the fifth generation and so chronologically his mention comes after Lot. According to the Bible, Midian was the name of a son of Abraham from his third wife Ketura. There is a city of this name on the Red Sea where the progeny of Midian settled. Besides this section, Shuaib is mentioned in the following places in the Quran: 11:84-95, 15:78-79, 26:176-191, 29:36-37.

7-85b: كَيۡل – Its past tense is کَالَ and كَيۡل means to measure grain. The meaning of اکتَلۡتُ عَلَیۡهِ is I measured it with that. الَّذينَ إِذَا اكتالوا عَلَى النّاسِ يَستَوفونَ وَإِذا كالوهُم (Who when they take the measure from men, take it fully, and when they measure out…) (83:2-3). Although كَيۡل is specific to measure but metaphorically it means to act justly in all transactions. The meaning of كَيلَ بَعيرٍ (12:65) is مقداَر حَمۡل بَعیر (the measure of a camel load). فَأَرسِل مَعَنا أَخانا نَكتَل (so send with us our brother that we may get the measure (12:63) (R).

ميزانَ – See note 7:8a. The term ميزانَ meaning to weigh or keep a balance is used in a generic sense and it indicates that both in speech and actions one must consider what is just and proper (R).

تَبخَسُوا – بَخۡس means something that is a little defective, as in وَشَرَوهُ بِثَمَنٍ بَخسٍ (And they sold him for a small price) (12:20) and it is used to reduce the worth of something unjustly (R).

7-86 And lie not in wait on every road, threatening and turning away from Allah’s way him who believes in Him and seeking to make it crooked. And remember when you were few, then He multiplied you, and see what was the end of the mischief-makers!^a

وَلا تَقعُدوا بِكُلِّ صِراطٍ توعِدونَ وَتَصُدّونَ عَن سَبيلِ اللَّهِ مَن آمَنَ بِهِ وَتَبغونَها عِوَجًا ۚ وَاذكُروا إِذ كُنتُم قَليلًا فَكَثَّرَكُم ۖ وَانظُروا كَيفَ كانَ عاقِبَةُ المُفسِدينَ (۸۶)

7-86a: The statement lie not in wait on every road can be literal and used in the sense of committing highway robbery as is the normal way to commit such crimes, but its use could also be metaphorical and بِكُلِّ صِراطٍ may mean waylay people on every path of truth. The opponents of the Holy Prophet acted in this manner as well and it is to point to them that this behavior of Saleh’s enemies is recounted.

7-87 And if there is a party of you who believe in that wherewith I am sent and another party who believe not, then wait patiently till Allah judges between us; and He is the Best of Judges.

وَإِن كانَ طائِفَةٌ مِنكُم آمَنوا بِالَّذي أُرسِلتُ بِهِ وَطائِفَةٌ لَم يُؤمِنوا فَاصبِروا حَتّىٰ يَحكُمَ اللَّهُ بَينَنا ۚ وَهُوَ خَيرُ الحاكِمينَ (۸۷)

7-88 The arrogant chiefs of his people said: We will certainly turn thee out, O Shu‘aib, and those who believe with thee from our town, or you shall come back to our religion. He said: Even though we dislike (it)?^a

قالَ المَلَأُ الَّذينَ استَكبَروا مِن قَومِهِ لَنُخرِجَنَّكَ يا شُعَيبُ وَالَّذينَ آمَنوا مَعَكَ مِن قَريَتِنا أَو لَتَعودُنَّ في مِلَّتِنا ۚ قالَ أَوَلَو كُنّا كارِهينَ (۸۸)

7-88a: لَتَعودُنَّ – The literal meaning of عود is to turn away from a thing and then to return to it whether physically, or verbally or by determination (R). Some linguists have taken عاد to mean صار (reach a stage where). Prophets do not digress even from the right path leave alone attributing any sinful act to them. The word عود is used because the condition of the nation was generally one of disbelief or because it was the national religion. This is the reason why the arrogant chiefs use the word مِلَّتِنا , that is call this religion their religion and Shuaib in reply calls it مِلَّتِكُم  that is, your religion. Another reason why the use of the word عود is permissible is because the mention here is not only of Shuaib but also of وَالَّذينَ آمَنوا (those who believe) and without a doubt these people had left disbelief to come over to Islam. The argument espoused here that how can people come to a religion that they dislike is worthy of reflection by those who believe that the Mehdi will force the people under the threat of sword to become Muslims even though in their hearts they dislike the beliefs.

7-89 Indeed we should have forged a lie against Allah, if we go back to your religion after Allah has delivered us from it. And it is not for us to go back to it, unless Allah our Lord please.^a Our Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge. In Allah do we trust. Our Lord, decide between us and our people with truth, and Thou art the Best of Deciders.^b

قَدِ افتَرَينا عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا إِن عُدنا في مِلَّتِكُم بَعدَ إِذ نَجّانَا اللَّهُ مِنها ۚ وَما يَكونُ لَنا أَن نَعودَ فيها إِلّا أَن يَشاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنا ۚ وَسِعَ رَبُّنا كُلَّ شَيءٍ عِلمًا ۚ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلنا ۚ رَبَّنَا افتَح بَينَنا وَبَينَ قَومِنا بِالحَقِّ وَأَنتَ خَيرُ الفاتِحينَ (۸۹)

7-89a: إِلّا أَن يَشاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنا – On the one hand the believers forcefully assert that how can they go back to a state of disbelief but on the other hand, they create an exception that if Allah pleases then whatever he pleases may occur. There is no doubt that the moral fiber of everyone is not equally strong and even the belief of prophets is subject to fear and optimism because they too are humans. However, the reality to which attention is drawn here is that the disbelievers wanted to forcibly convert Shuaib and his companions to unbelief. All believers are not alike, and some cannot keep company with the prophet under compulsion and coercion. Hence it is stated that if Allah wills that some of these believers revert then it would be so but that they will not revert under their free will. There is an indication in this tactic of compulsion and coercion to similar tactics employed against Muslims. It is also made known through the narration of Shuaib and his companions that no person after becoming Muslim can revert to unbelief. History bears testimony that apart from the hypocrites who converted for ulterior motives while being inimical to Islam, no Muslim apostatized.

7:89b: افتَح – فاتح – The literal meaning of فتح is to remove chains and shackles. This can be physical chains so that the process is visible, as in فتح الباب etcetera and in وَلَمّا فَتَحوا مَتاعَهُم (And when they opened their goods) (12:65), or mental chains that can only be discerned by the intellect. This includes for example removing anxiety and sorrow by giving wealth and riches as in: فَتَحنا عَلَيهِم أَبوابَ كُلِّ شَيءٍ (We opened for them the gates of all things) (6:44), لَفَتَحنا عَلَيهِم بَرَكاتٍ مِنَ السَّماءِ وَالأَرضِ (We would certainly have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth) (7:96) or the grant of knowledge as in إِنّا فَتَحنا لَكَ فَتحًا مُبينًا (Surely We have granted thee a clear victory) (48:1) where some people have taken the purport to be the grant of knowledge and guidance. This knowledge and guidance is the means of being rewarded and reaching a position of great glory and also for achieving protection from sins. The meaning of فتح or فتح قضیتہ between two persons is to settle their mutual disagreement or strife and this is the meaning implied here.

7-90 And the chiefs of his people, who disbelieved, said: If you follow Shu‘aib, you are surely losers.

وَقالَ المَلَأُ الَّذينَ كَفَروا مِن قَومِهِ لَئِنِ اتَّبَعتُم شُعَيبًا إِنَّكُم إِذًا لَخاسِرونَ (۹۰)

7-91 So the earthquake overtook them, and they were motionless bodies in their abode—

فَأَخَذَتهُمُ الرَّجفَةُ فَأَصبَحوا في دارِهِم جاثِمينَ (۹۱)

7-92 Those who called Shu‘aib a liar were as though they had never dwelt therein — those who called Shu‘aib a liar, they were the losers.

الَّذينَ كَذَّبوا شُعَيبًا كَأَن لَم يَغنَوا فيهَا ۚ الَّذينَ كَذَّبوا شُعَيبًا كانوا هُمُ الخاسِرينَ (۹۲)

7-93 So he turned away from them and said: O my people, indeed I delivered to you the messages of my Lord and I gave you good advice; how, then, should I be sorry for a disbelieving people?^a

فَتَوَلّىٰ عَنهُم وَقالَ يا قَومِ لَقَد أَبلَغتُكُم رِسالاتِ رَبّي وَنَصَحتُ لَكُم ۖ فَكَيفَ آسىٰ عَلىٰ قَومٍ كافِرينَ (۹۳)

7-93a: Prophets are full of human kindness but after they have fully discharged their duty of preaching to the disbelievers, there is no room left for regret at what befalls them. As far as humanly possible, prophets try to reform the disbelievers but when they do not accept them or listen to them, the prophets accept the decree of Allah. Being sorry now is of no use. However when there is time to effect reform, they pay no heed to the strongest opposition in order to save the disbelievers from the consequences of their actions. There is so much sympathy for the disbelievers in their heart that in the case of the Holy Prophet, Allah says in the Quran: لَعَلَّكَ باخِعٌ نَفسَكَ أَلّا يَكونوا مُؤمِنينَ (Perhaps thou wilt kill thyself with grief because they believe not) (26:3).

7-73 And to Thamud (We sent) their brother Salih.^a He said: O my people, serve Allah, you have no god other than Him. Clear proof has indeed come to you from your Lord. This is Allah’s she-camel — a sign for you — so leave her alone to pasture in Allah’s earth, and do her no harm, lest painful chastisement overtake you.^b

وَإِلىٰ ثَمودَ أَخاهُم صالِحًا ۗ قالَ يا قَومِ اعبُدُوا اللَّهَ ما لَكُم مِن إِلٰهٍ غَيرُهُ ۖ قَد جاءَتكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِن رَبِّكُم ۖ هٰذِهِ ناقَةُ اللَّهِ لَكُم آيَةً ۖ فَذَروها تَأكُل في أَرضِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَلا تَمَسّوها بِسوءٍ فَيَأخُذَكُم عَذابٌ أَليمٌ (۷۳)

7-73a: The tribe of Thamud, the progeny of another grandson of Aram, was closely related to the tribe of Ad, but the tribe reached its zenith about two hundred years after Ad. This tribe was settled north of Madinah in the area of Al Hijar which is a mountainous area. Some have said that their name Thamud is derived from ثَمَد which means a small collection of water that does not flow (R). They lived in a mountainous terrain, and it appears that they survived by collecting rainwater as springs were very scarce. Mention of this tribe besides the present section is to be found in 11:61-68, 14:9, 15:80-84, 25:38, 26:141-159, 27:45-53, 29:38, 41:13-14,17-18, 51:43-45, 53:51, 54:23-31, 69:4-5, 89:9, 91:11-15.

7-73b: ناقَةُ اللَّه – The extension of Allah is for reverence, just as the extension is in بیت اللَّه. The extension is to show a trivial attachment because the camel was fixed as a sign by God that whoever kills it will be destroyed. Other things attributed to the camel, that it was born from stone or that it alone drank up the water of the entire tribe are mere fables that have no reality. The sign of the camel was given after the tribe had rejected Divine guidance and given the lie to it. The camel was a mere sign for the coming punishment as is manifest from: جاءَتكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِن رَبِّكُم (Clear proof has come to you from your Lord), that is the evidence proving the truth had come to them, but they did not care for it and so now the punishment must come. This narration with more details appears in Surah Hud (Chapter 11) and Surah Al Shuara (Chapter 26). In the last-mentioned surah, after a lengthy discussion, the opponents themselves ask for a sign: فَأتِ بِآيَةٍ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصّادِقينَ (so bring a sign if thou art truthful) (26:152). Further the killing of the camel appears to have been a prelude to their plan to kill Salih. Mention of this conspiracy to kill Salih and his companions is made in Surah Namal 27:48-49 where it is stated لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُ وَأَهلَهُ (we shall attack him and his family by night) (27:49). Thus, the killing of the camel was a sign to put the next part of the plan to kill Salih into action. Salih had told his opponents to let the camel graze and drink water, and this was meant to convey to them that their enmity was with him and not with the camel and they should not hurt the harmless animal on that score.

7-74 And remember when He made you successors after ‘Ad and settled you in the land — you make mansions on its plains and hew out houses in the mountains. So remember Allah’s bounties and act not corruptly in the land, making mischief.^a

وَاذكُروا إِذ جَعَلَكُم خُلَفاءَ مِن بَعدِ عادٍ وَبَوَّأَكُم فِي الأَرضِ تَتَّخِذونَ مِن سُهولِها قُصورًا وَتَنحِتونَ الجِبالَ بُيوتًا ۖ فَاذكُروا آلاءَ اللَّهِ وَلا تَعثَوا فِي الأَرضِ مُفسِدينَ (۷۴)

7-74a: سُهولِ – It is plural of سَہۡل which means facile or easy.  Smooth and flat land is called سَھۡل which is the opposite of حَزۡن (rugged and hard ground) (R).

آلاءَ – Its root is الیٰ and its meaning is blessings or bounties. The singular is اَلًی or اِلًی (R).

تَنحِتونَ – نحت is sculpting, chiseling, carving or hewing wood, stone or other hard material. 

7-75 The arrogant chiefs of his people said to those who were weak, to those who believed from among them: Do you know that Salih is one sent by his Lord? They said: Surely we are believers in that wherewith he has been sent.

قالَ المَلَأُ الَّذينَ استَكبَروا مِن قَومِهِ لِلَّذينَ استُضعِفوا لِمَن آمَنَ مِنهُم أَتَعلَمونَ أَنَّ صالِحًا مُرسَلٌ مِن رَبِّهِ ۚ قالوا إِنّا بِما أُرسِلَ بِهِ مُؤمِنونَ (۷۵)

7-76 Those who were haughty said: Surely we are disbelievers in that which you believe.

قالَ الَّذينَ استَكبَروا إِنّا بِالَّذي آمَنتُم بِهِ كافِرونَ (۷۶)

7-77 Then they hamstrung the she-camel and revolted against their Lord’s commandment, and said; O Salih, bring us that with which thou threatenest us, if thou art of the messengers.^a

فَعَقَرُوا النّاقَةَ وَعَتَوا عَن أَمرِ رَبِّهِم وَقالوا يا صالِحُ ائتِنا بِما تَعِدُنا إِن كُنتَ مِنَ المُرسَلينَ (ٔ۷۷)

7-77a: عَقَرُوا – عَقُر is the reality of a thing and عَقَرۡتهٗ is to sever the reality or head of a thing. The عَقُر of a date tree is to cut it and the عَقُر of a camel is to slaughter or kill it (R).

7-78 So the earthquake seized them, and they were motionless bodies in their abodes.^a

فَأَخَذَتهُمُ الرَّجفَةُ فَأَصبَحوا في دارِهِم جاثِمينَ (۷۸)

7-78a: الرَّجفَةُ – رجف means extreme agitation as in: يَومَ تَرجُفُ الأَرضُ وَالجِبالُ (On the day when the earth and mountain quake) (73:14), يَومَ تَرجُفُ الرّاجِفَةُ (The day when the quaking one shall quake) (79:6). The meaning of ارجاف is to put into severe agitation whether by speech or action, as in: وَالمُرجِفونَ فِي المَدينَةِ (the agitators in Madinah) (33:60). رجفة is earthquake.

جاثِمينَ – جَثۡم is spoken of a bird that has landed and hugs the ground. So, the meaning of جاثِمينَ is that they stayed where they were (R), just as people are who get buried under the rubble after an earthquake. The use of the word الرَّجفَةُ shows clearly that the punishment of Thamud was by an earthquake. Other words used for earthquake are صیحة , صاعقة etcetera because earthquakes are frequently accompanied by a rumbling noise.

7-79 So he turned away from them and said: O my people, I delivered to you the message of my Lord and gave you good advice, but you love not good advisers.^a

 فَتَوَلّىٰ عَنهُم وَقالَ يا قَومِ لَقَد أَبلَغتُكُم رِسالَةَ رَبّي وَنَصَحتُ لَكُم وَلٰكِن لا تُحِبّونَ النّاصِحينَ (۷۹)

7-79a: The aorist tense is used to show the continuity of the habit under which the opponents of truth do not like good advice. This habit prevailed among the enemies of truth at the time of Salih as well. 

7-80 And (We sent) Lot, when he said to his people: Do you commit an abomination which no one in the world did before you?^a

وَلوطًا إِذ قالَ لِقَومِهِ أَتَأتونَ الفاحِشَةَ ما سَبَقَكُم بِها مِن أَحَدٍ مِنَ العالَمينَ (۸۰)

7-80a: According to the chronological order, Abraham should have been mentioned next but instead he is completely skipped and the incident with Lot is taken up. There are two reasons for this. First, Abraham has already been mentioned separately in Surah Al Anam. Second, this separate mention is not without reason. The purpose of mentioning the prophets here is to show that their opponents were destroyed. So, only those prophets are mentioned whose opponents opposed the truth and were destroyed. As there is no mention of a punishment overtaking the opponents of Abraham, he is mentioned separately. The treatment of the opponents of the Holy Prophet was like that of the opponents of Abraham, and they were not destroyed. However, their power was broken, and they were eradicated and in that respect, they are included with the opponents of the other prophets.

Noah and the alterations in the Bible: Lot is Abraham’s nephew but was Divinely ordained as a prophet to another nation, the Sodomites. The Bible narrative of Lot portrays him guilty of the worst sinful conduct, namely that he was guilty of incest with his daughters, and I seek Allah’s protection for this statement. Just as there are alterations about several prophets in the Bible and many wrong things about them have found their way into the Bible, the conduct narrated about Lot is another such example and provides additional evidence of Bible tampering. Sale has admitted that Lot was a prophet and although the Christians may want to refute this to save the Bible from the charge of tampering, they cannot do so in light of the clear evidence present in Peter II, 2:7,8 “ And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)” Can someone who is guilty of such sinful behavior, that is have an incestuous relationship with his daughters, be called righteous? And why would he be vexed with similar sinful behavior of others? Thus, the Bible itself gives the lie to the Bible. The right decision is of the Quran that Lot was a prophet.

Apart from here, Lot is mentioned at the following places in the Quran: 6:86, 11:74-83, 15:58-76, 21:71-74,75, 26:160-174, 27:54-58, 29:32-35, 37:133-138, 51:32-37, 53:53-54, 54:33-39, 66:10

7-81 Surely you come to males with lust instead of females. Nay, you are a people exceeding bounds.

إِنَّكُم لَتَأتونَ الرِّجالَ شَهوَةً مِن دونِ النِّساءِ ۚ بَل أَنتُم قَومٌ مُسرِفونَ (۸۱)

7-82 And the answer of his people was no other than that they said: Turn them out of your town; surely they are a people who aspire to purity!^a

وَما كانَ جَوابَ قَومِهِ إِلّا أَن قالوا أَخرِجوهُم مِن قَريَتِكُم ۖ إِنَّهُم أُناسٌ يَتَطَهَّرونَ (۸۲)

7-82a: Lot had come from the outside and settled with the Sodomites to try and reform them. He had done this under Divine instructions.

7-83 So We delivered him and his followers, except his wife — she was of those who remained behind.^a

فَأَنجَيناهُ وَأَهلَهُ إِلَّا امرَأَتَهُ كانَت مِنَ الغابِرينَ (۸۳)

 7-83a: أَهل – All those people are included in the أَهل of a person who relate to each other by sharing the same house, or the same objective, or the same town, or the same religion (R). The أَهل here are followers of Lot (IJ). Without a doubt, the people who are saved with the prophet are his followers and the reference in أُناسٌ يَتَطَهَّرونَ (people who aspire purity) in the previous verse is to Lot’s followers.

غابِرينَ – غَابِر are those who are left after their companions have departed, and غُبار is the dust left in the atmosphere after a dust storm. Derived from it is غَیَرَۃ as in عَلَيها غَبَرَةٌ (will have dust on them) (80:40) which is a metaphor to indicate the change in facial expression because of sorrow.

7-84 And We rained upon them a rain. See, then, what was the end of the guilty!^a

وَأَمطَرنا عَلَيهِم مَطَرًا ۖ فَانظُر كَيفَ كانَ عاقِبَةُ المُجرِمينَ (۸۴)

7-84a: مَطَرًا – مطر only means rain, but مَطَرَ is used for rain in a beneficial sense and اَمۡطَرَ is used for rain when it comes as a punishment (R).

The nature of this rain is described elsewhere as a rain of stones (11:82 and 15:74) which indicates a volcanic eruption.

7-65 And to ‘Ad (We sent) their brother Hud. He said: O my people, serve Allah, you have no god other than Him. Will you not then guard against evil?^a

وَإِلىٰ عادٍ أَخاهُم هودًا ۗ قالَ يا قَومِ اعبُدُوا اللَّهَ ما لَكُم مِن إِلٰهٍ غَيرُهُ ۚ أَفَلا تَتَّقونَ (۶۵)

7-65a: In accordance with the chronological order, the nation of Ad is mentioned after the people of Noah. This was a powerful nation that was settled in the south of Arabia in the area of Al Ahqaf. It is a historical fact that this nation at its zenith broke out of Arabia and conquered several countries. The national name of Ad is taken from the name of the grandson of Aram who is the grandson of Noah. This nation is also sometimes called the First Ad while Thamud which is its branch is sometimes called the Second Ad. Some historical relics of this nation have been discovered in the form of ruins and tablets. The tribe had built fortifications around its city. They chiefly worshipped four deities, Saqiyah, Hafizah, Raziqah, and Salimah, the first, as they imagined, supplying them with rain, the second preserving them from all dangers abroad, the third providing food for their sustenance and the fourth restoring them to health when afflicted with sickness. Hud who was Divinely ordained as a prophet for them is called their brother because he belonged to this tribe.

Besides this verse, Ad is mentioned in the Quran in the following places: 11:50-60, 14:9, 25:38, 26:123-140, 29:38, 41:13-16, 46:21-26, 51:41-42, 52:50, 54:18-21, 69:4, 6-8, and 89:6-8.

7-66 The chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said: Certainly we see thee in folly, and we certainly think thee to be of the liars.

 قالَ المَلَأُ الَّذينَ كَفَروا مِن قَومِهِ إِنّا لَنَراكَ في سَفاهَةٍ وَإِنّا لَنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ الكاذِبينَ (۶۶)

7-67 He said: O my people, there is no folly in me, but I am a messenger of the Lord of the worlds.

 قالَ يا قَومِ لَيسَ بي سَفاهَةٌ وَلٰكِنّي رَسولٌ مِن رَبِّ العالَمينَ (۶۷)

7-68 I deliver to you the messages of my Lord and I am a faithful adviser to you.^a

أُبَلِّغُكُم رِسالاتِ رَبّي وَأَنا لَكُم ناصِحٌ أَمينٌ (۶۹)

7-68a: أَمينٌ – امن means peace and tranquility of soul and أَمينٌ is someone who puts one’s mind at peace about his personality (R). So أَمينٌ is someone who has such qualities of character that everyone considers him trustworthy and because the word امانة is used to describe all the duties that Allah has prescribed for humans (LA), hence أَمينٌ is someone who fulfills all the duties that Allah has prescribed for humans. By declaring one messenger as أَمينٌ that is honest, truthful, and sincere, the rule is established that all prophets are sinless. The meaning is certainly not that Hud is the only righteous prophet while Jesus is not because this word has not been used in the Quran for him.

7-69 Do you wonder that a reminder has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you that he may warn you? And remember when He made you successors after Noah’s people and increased you in excellence of make. So remember the bounties of Allah, that you may be successful.^a

أَوَعَجِبتُم أَن جاءَكُم ذِكرٌ مِن رَبِّكُم عَلىٰ رَجُلٍ مِنكُم لِيُنذِرَكُم ۚ وَاذكُروا إِذ جَعَلَكُم خُلَفاءَ مِن بَعدِ قَومِ نوحٍ وَزادَكُم فِي الخَلقِ بَسطَةً ۖ فَاذكُروا آلاءَ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُم تُفلِحونَ (۶۹)

7-69a: بَسطَةً – It is derived from بَسۡط which means abundance (R), as in: وَزادَهُ بَسطَةً فِي العِلمِ وَالجِسمِ (and increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique) (2:247), and by بَسطَة  or بَصطَة is meant abundance of power and physique.

الخَلقِ – The purport can be creation, that is birth or make and could also be people.

The nation of Ad in its power, and probably also in their strong physique, were superior to their contemporaries and had brought a large section of the world under their influence through their power.

7-70 They said: Hast thou come to us that we may serve Allah alone, and give up that which our fathers used to serve? Then bring to us what thou threatenest us with, if thou art of the truthful.

قالوا أَجِئتَنا لِنَعبُدَ اللَّهَ وَحدَهُ وَنَذَرَ ما كانَ يَعبُدُ آباؤُنا ۖ فَأتِنا بِما تَعِدُنا إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصّادِقينَ (۷۰)

7-71 He said: Indeed uncleanness and wrath from your Lord have lighted upon you. Do you dispute with me about names which you and your fathers have named? Allah has not sent any authority for them. Wait, then; I too with you am of those who wait.^a

 قالَ قَد وَقَعَ عَلَيكُم مِن رَبِّكُم رِجسٌ وَغَضَبٌ ۖ أَتُجادِلونَني في أَسماءٍ سَمَّيتُموها أَنتُم وَآباؤُكُم ما نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ بِها مِن سُلطانٍ ۚ فَانتَظِروا إِنّي مَعَكُم مِنَ المُنتَظِرينَ (۷۱)

7-71a: أَسماءٍ (names) – The indication in this word is to the deities which they had appointed for themselves. See 7-65a. They are called just names because the names indicated attributes but in fact, these attributes had no reality.

7-72 So We delivered him and those with him by mercy from Us, and We cut off the roots of those who rejected Our messages and were not believers.

فَأَنجَيناهُ وَالَّذينَ مَعَهُ بِرَحمَةٍ مِنّا وَقَطَعنا دابِرَ الَّذينَ كَذَّبوا بِآياتِنا ۖ وَما كانوا مُؤمِنينَ (۷۲)

7-59 Certainly We sent Noah to his people, so he said: O my people, serve Allah, you have no god other than Him. Indeed I fear for you the chastisement of a grievous day.^a

لَقَد أَرسَلنا نوحًا إِلىٰ قَومِهِ فَقالَ يا قَومِ اعبُدُوا اللَّهَ ما لَكُم مِن إِلٰهٍ غَيرُهُ إِنّي أَخافُ عَلَيكُم عَذابَ يَومٍ عَظيمٍ (۵۹)

7-59a: نوحً – It is the name of a prophet, and its meaning is to lament or mourn over the dead (R).

The need for mentioning the prophets: After informing the Quraish and the opponents of Islam about the dangerous consequences of belying the Divine revelation, now some examples are presented from history to show what befell previous nations that were inimical to prophets and tried to destroy them. It should be remembered that the mention of previous prophets in the Quran is not in the form of a narrative and hence all the details are not given but only those affairs are mentioned that are necessary to warn the opponents of Islam. For example, if the subject under discussion is the teachings of prophets, the basic principles that are common to the teachings of all the prophets are taken, that is that there is one God, He should be worshipped, shun evil, do good to others. How the prophets were treated by their nations is generally left out. If the discussion is about how the prophets were received, the commonalities are they were called liars, efforts were made to destroy them, and the people rose to oppose them, and it is these aspects that are described. In the end it is explained that the opponents were destroyed, and the truth prevailed. Most commonly these themes are found in the Makkan chapters which were revealed at a time when no one could imagine that the Holy Prophet would succeed, and the opponents would be destroyed. The mention of these prophets is in reality a prophecy that just as the opponents of previous prophets were destroyed, the opponents of the Holy Prophet will also meet the same fate.

The prophets mentioned here are in chronological order and only a few well-known prophets are mentioned. Adam has already been mentioned in the discussion about the need for revelation. Now the first prophet mentioned is Noah. One way of understanding this is that out of all the prophets that arose around Arabia who have not been mentioned so far, Noah is the most ancient prophet. Hence, he is mentioned first. Apart from here, Noah is mentioned in the following places in the Quran 3:33, 6:84, 10:71-73, 11:25-48, 14:9, 17:3, 21:76-77, 23:23-29, 25:37, 26:105-122, 29:14-15, 37:75-82, 51:46, 53:52, 54:9-16, 66:10, 29:11-12 and Surah Noah.

7-60 The chiefs of his people said: Surely we see thee in clear error.

قالَ المَلَأُ مِن قَومِهِ إِنّا لَنَراكَ في ضَلالٍ مُبينٍ (۶۰)

7-61 He said: O my people, there is no error in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds.

قالَ يا قَومِ لَيسَ بي ضَلالَةٌ وَلٰكِنّي رَسولٌ مِن رَبِّ العالَمينَ (۶۱)

7-61a: It is stated that a prophet can never digress from the right path. This testimony of the Quran is sufficient about the sinlessness of prophets.

7-62 I deliver to you the messages of my Lord, and I offer you good advice, and I know from Allah what you know not.^a

أُبَلِّغُكُم رِسالاتِ رَبّي وَأَنصَحُ لَكُم وَأَعلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ ما لا تَعلَمونَ (۶۲)

7-62a: أَنصَحُ – نُصۡح is a word or act whose purpose is to benefit another. ناصِح is derived from it, and the meaning of نَصَح is to purify and from it is تَوبَةً نَصوحًا (sincere repentance).

7-63 Do you wonder that a reminder has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you, that he may warn you and that you may guard against evil, and that mercy may be shown to you?

أَوَعَجِبتُم أَن جاءَكُم ذِكرٌ مِن رَبِّكُم عَلىٰ رَجُلٍ مِنكُم لِيُنذِرَكُم وَلِتَتَّقوا وَلَعَلَّكُم تُرحَمونَ (۶۳)

7-64 But they called him a liar, so We delivered him and those with him in the ark, and We drowned those who rejected Our messages. Surely they were a blind people!^a

فَكَذَّبوهُ فَأَنجَيناهُ وَالَّذينَ مَعَهُ فِي الفُلكِ وَأَغرَقنَا الَّذينَ كَذَّبوا بِآياتِنا ۚ إِنَّهُم كانوا قَومًا عَمينَ (۶۴)

7-64a: Deluge of Noah: Details of the deluge will come later but the words of the Quran: وَأَغرَقنَا الَّذينَ كَذَّبوا بِآياتِنا (We drowned those who rejected Our messages) shows clearly that only those people were drowned to whom Noah brought the message and who rejected the message and opposed Noah. As is clear from verse 7:59 Noah’s message was only for his nation and not for the whole world. This negates a worldwide deluge.