Author: sftwr2020

Name: The name of this surah is Al-Anfal and it has ten sections and seventy-five verses. The meaning of الانفال is spoils of war or those spoils that come into possession after actual fighting. The central topic of this section is the Battle of Badr. This is the first major battle that took place between the Muslims and the disbelievers, and some spoils and prisoners fell into the hands of the Muslims. The spoils are declared as legitimate. Just at that time, there was a trading caravan of the Quraish belonging to the same disbelievers who were advancing for war that was on its way to Makkah. Some Muslims opined that they should attack the caravan and plunder it. The Quran declares this to be عرض الدنیا (provision of this earth) and holds that such loot is illegitimate. The lesson meant to be conveyed is that spoils obtained after fighting an enemy are legitimate, but the acquisition of spoils is not the purpose of fighting. The purpose of fighting is something else. It is in this context that the surah is named Al-Anfal.

Summary of the section: The main topic of this section is the Battle of Badr and its associated events. Hence the spoils of war are mentioned in the very first verse, but immediately afterwards to manifest that the real purpose of war is not to obtain spoils, attention is drawn to becoming a real believer by making peace with each other, obeying Allah and His Messenger, remembering Allah, keeping up prayer and paying the poor-rate. Following this statement, there is a reversion to the main topic, and it is stated that Allah desired to manifest the truth in the Battle of Badr and to extirpate the enemy that wanted to destroy Islam. In the second section, there is a mention of the success in the battle and the reason for the victory which is only because of Allah’s help. The third section again informs the Muslims about what are the real pathways to success and gives a warning to the Muslims. In the fourth section, the Muslims are told that even after the defeat at Badr, the disbelievers will keep coming out to battle them, but will eventually be vanquished and the Muslims will become the guardians of the Kaba in perpetuity. The fifth section informs that the meeting at Badr took place under the advisability of Allah and the Muslims did not have the strength to come out against such a big army. The sixth section advises the Muslims to persevere in battle so that they may be the recipients of Allah’s mercy. The seventh section mentions the breach of promises by the disbelievers. The eighth section advises the Muslims to remain always ready and prepared for facing the enemy. In the ninth section, the Muslims are given solace that they should not be overawed by the large number of the enemies and that Allah will make them victorious even against double their number and even ten times their number. In this section, it is also stated that taking prisoners and spoils in a war is permissible. In the tenth section, the mutual national relationships among the Muslims are detailed and they are told that if the disbelievers commit excesses against the Muslims on account of their religion, it is the duty of every Muslim to help their brethren, except if there is a covenant with the transgressing party. 

Relation with previous surah: During a discussion about the need for prophethood in the previous chapter, the fate of prior nations, who not only rejected the truth but tried to exterminate it, is disclosed. Towards the end of the last surah, it is stated that the enemies of the Holy Prophet will also be punished progressively. The first step in this progressive punishment is the Battle of Badr in which there is an exemplary admonition, and a manifest testimony to the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet. A Muslim victory, despite their small number, had been prophesied many years earlier at Makkah. Consequently, it becomes imperative, given the narration of Surah Araf, to follow it up with the first step in the progressive punishment of the disbelievers which is the Battle of Badr.

Period of revelation: The period of revelation of this surah is the same as the period of the Battle of Badr., that is the second year after migration. Some verses that mention the repeated breaking of promises by the disbelievers appear to be of a later period. However, those verses that mention the plans of the disbelieves against the Holy Prophet prior to migration are not actually Makkan. The Muslims are merely being reminded by mentioning previous events that even at that time, the Hand of Allah was assisting Islam, as when the Holy Prophet was left alone among his enemies who had decided to kill him. The Muslims are thereby comforted that Allah will always be a Helper of Islam.

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.  

7-163 And ask them about the town which stood by the sea. When they violated the Sabbath, when their fish came to them on their Sabbath day on the surface, and when it was not their Sabbath they came not to them. Thus did We try them because they transgressed.^a

وَاسأَلهُم عَنِ القَريَةِ الَّتي كانَت حاضِرَةَ البَحرِ إِذ يَعدونَ فِي السَّبتِ إِذ تَأتيهِم حيتانُهُم يَومَ سَبتِهِم شُرَّعًا وَيَومَ لا يَسبِتونَ ۙ لا تَأتيهِم ۚ كَذٰلِكَ نَبلوهُم بِما كانوا يَفسُقونَ (۱۶۳)

7-163a: القَريَةِ – Some have called this town Ela which is between Madian and Tur on the shores of the Red Sea. Some consider it to be Madian itself.

حيتان – It is the plural of حوت meaning fish.

 شُرَّعًا – It is the plural of شارع which is derived from شَرۡع . Its meaning has a sense of visibility and manifestation. Hence the meaning of شُرَّعًا is ظاھرۃ علی وجه الماء (visible from the surface of the water).

The fishes coming to the surface of the water on the day of Sabbath but not on other days became a source of temptation for the Jews because they were prohibited from fishing on Sabbath. The fish were able to sense that they were not hunted on that day and felt secure coming to the surface. Animals have a sense whereby they can recognize the times when they will be safe.

This section gives more examples of the disobedience of the Jews. These examples were revealed to the Holy Prophet even before he had close contacts with the Jews so that he may not be saddened when he dealt with them by their obstinacy and insolence and that he should know that this was their national trait. Some people are gravely mistaken who hold that initially the Holy Prophet used to speak well of the Jews but when the Jews opposed him in Madinah then he started speaking ill about them. This surah is definitely of Makkan origin and the character of the Jews that this surah presents is the same as is presented in Surah Baqarah which is of Madinah origin.

7-164 And when a party of them said: Why preach you to a people whom Allah would destroy or whom He would chastise with a severe chastisement? They said: To be free from blame before your Lord, and that haply they may guard against evil.

وَإِذ قالَت أُمَّةٌ مِنهُم لِمَ تَعِظونَ قَومًا ۙ اللَّهُ مُهلِكُهُم أَو مُعَذِّبُهُم عَذابًا شَديدًا ۖ قالوا مَعذِرَةً إِلىٰ رَبِّكُم وَلَعَلَّهُم يَتَّقونَ (۱۶۴)

7-165 So when they neglected that whereof they had been reminded, We delivered those who forbade evil and We overtook those who were iniquitous with an evil chastisement because they transgressed.

 فَلَمّا نَسوا ما ذُكِّروا بِهِ أَنجَينَا الَّذينَ يَنهَونَ عَنِ السّوءِ وَأَخَذنَا الَّذينَ ظَلَموا بِعَذابٍ بَئيسٍ بِما كانوا يَفسُقونَ (۱۶۵)

7-166 So when they revoltingly persisted in that which they had been forbidden, We said to them: Be (as) apes, despised and hated.^a

فَلَمّا عَتَوا عَن ما نُهوا عَنهُ قُلنا لَهُم كونوا قِرَدَةً خاسِئينَ (۱۶۶)

7-166a: The explanation of the Jews being as apes has been given previously in 2-65a. The additional thing worthy of attention here is that along with the mention of making them as apes, it is mentioned in the next verse that Allah will continue raising rulers over them who will torment them severely. Rulers are appointed over humans and not apes and those tormented by rulers are also humans. This goes to show that their faces were not metamorphosed but remained human.

7-167 And when thy Lord declared that He would send against them to the day of Resurrection those who would subject them to severe torment. Surely thy Lord is Quick in requiting; and surely He is Forgiving, Merciful.^a

وَإِذ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبعَثَنَّ عَلَيهِم إِلىٰ يَومِ القِيامَةِ مَن يَسومُهُم سوءَ العَذابِ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَريعُ العِقابِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفورٌ رَحيمٌ (۱۶۷)

7-167a: تَأَذَّنَ – For the meaning of اَذۡن see 2-97a. The meaning of تَأَذَّنَ is اَعۡلَم that is, gave this knowledge or gave this news.

Prophecy about the Jews: The Jews had been divested of governance even before the advent of Islam, and in whichever country they resided, they lived in a state of subjugation and humiliation. Prior to the advent of Islam, the Jewish nation was dispersed in countries near to Arabia. After the advent of Islam, the Jewish population spread to many countries but wherever they lived, they had to suffer many indignities at the hands of the rulers. The Jews were burdened with considerable hardships wherever they lived at the time of the advent of Islam and the Quran predicts that in future too, they will be subjected to similar hardships. However, in إِنَّهُ لَغَفورٌ رَحيمٌ (Surely, He is Forgiving, and Merciful ) there is glad tidings that if the Jewish nation reverts to Allah then He will forgive their faults, that is He will remove their punishment. 

7-168 And We divided them in the earth into parties — some of them are righteous and some of them are otherwise. And We tried them with blessings and misfortunes that they might turn.

وَقَطَّعناهُم فِي الأَرضِ أُمَمًا ۖ مِنهُمُ الصّالِحونَ وَمِنهُم دونَ ذٰلِكَ ۖ وَبَلَوناهُم بِالحَسَناتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ لَعَلَّهُم يَرجِعونَ (۱۶۸)

7-169 Then after them came an evil posterity who inherited the Book, taking the frail goods of this low life and saying: It will be forgiven us. And if the like good came to them, they would take it (too). Was not a promise taken from them in the Book that they would not speak anything about Allah but the truth? And they study what is in it. And the abode of the Hereafter is better for those who keep their duty. Do you not then understand?

فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعدِهِم خَلفٌ وَرِثُوا الكِتابَ يَأخُذونَ عَرَضَ هٰذَا الأَدنىٰ وَيَقولونَ سَيُغفَرُ لَنا وَإِن يَأتِهِم عَرَضٌ مِثلُهُ يَأخُذوهُ ۚ أَلَم يُؤخَذ عَلَيهِم ميثاقُ الكِتابِ أَن لا يَقولوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الحَقَّ وَدَرَسوا ما فيهِ ۗ وَالدّارُ الآخِرَةُ خَيرٌ لِلَّذينَ يَتَّقونَ ۗ أَفَلا تَعقِلونَ (۱۶۹)

7-169a: خَلۡف – Its common meaning is back or rear end, but in particular this word is used in a bad context as compared to خَلَف which is used in a good context. Thus, the meaning of خَلۡف is المتأ خِّرۡ لِقُصُورِ مَنۡزِلته (A successor but of a lesser status) (R).

عَرَضٌ – It means the provisions of the world or goods that are not permanent (R).

يَقولونَ – قول – It is used here in the sense of belief, that is they leave religion to gain the world and then believe that they will be forgiven. The purport is that it is just something that they say with their mouths.

ميثاقُ الكِتابِ – It means the covenant that is in the Book, that is the Torah. Thus, the connection between the two nouns is through فی .

The meaning is that in the earlier generations there were some virtuous people but those who came after them were mostly degenerate. They had no regard for religion or morals when it came to obtaining worldly provisions but believed that God, in any case, would forgive them. They persisted with their sinful ways even though one can only hope for forgiveness when one is truly repentant and stops sinning. Although this principle of forgiveness is given in a narration of the Bani Israel but there is a portrayal in this narration of the Muslims as well.

7-170 And as for those who hold fast by the Book and keep up prayer — surely We waste not the reward of the reformers.

وَالَّذينَ يُمَسِّكونَ بِالكِتابِ وَأَقامُوا الصَّلاةَ إِنّا لا نُضيعُ أَجرَ المُصلِحينَ (۱۷۰)

7-171 And when We shook the mountain over them as if it were a covering, and they thought that it was going to fall down upon them: Hold on firmly that which We have given you, and be mindful of that which is in it, so that you may guard against evil.^a

وَإِذ نَتَقنَا الجَبَلَ فَوقَهُم كَأَنَّهُ ظُلَّةٌ وَظَنّوا أَنَّهُ واقِعٌ بِهِم خُذوا ما آتَيناكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَاذكُروا ما فيهِ لَعَلَّكُم تَتَّقونَ (۱۷۱)

7-171a: نَتَقنَا – نَتۡق – The dictionary meaning of نَتۡق is الزَعۡزَعَةُ و الۡھَزُّ (to bring something into motion and to shake it) (LA). Accordingly, there is a poetic verse: وَنَتَقُوا احلا منا الۡا ثاقِلا باں . Its meaning also includes to pull a thing and uproot it. However, when the meaning of نَتَقۡتُ الشئ in the dictionary is also given as حَرَّکۡتُه (movement; motion) and mention is made a little earlier of رجفة that is earthquake, then the same meaning must be taken here. Further, uprooting the mountain and holding it above the Israelites to get their oath of obedience is against the rule that Allah has kept in His sharia: فَمَن شاءَ فَليُؤمِن وَمَن شاءَ فَليَكفُر (So let him who please believe, and let him who please disbelieve) (18:29).

ظُلَّةٌ – It is a cloud that gives shade and it is generally used in situations that are not likable, as in عَذابُ يَومِ الظُّلَّةِ (chastisement of the day of Covering). Its plural is ظلل as in في ظُلَلٍ مِنَ الغَمامِ (in the shadows of the clouds) (2:210) and وَإِذا غَشِيَهُم مَوجٌ كَالظُّلَلِ (And when a wave like awnings covers them) (31:32) (R).

It is the state of the Israelites that is mentioned here when they were at the base of the mountain and a severe earthquake occurred which made them think that the mountain was going to fall on them.

7-158 Say: O mankind, surely I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, of Him, Whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no god but He; He gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the Ummi Prophet who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him so that you may be guided aright.^a

قُل يا أَيُّهَا النّاسُ إِنّي رَسولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيكُم جَميعًا الَّذي لَهُ مُلكُ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ ۖ لا إِلٰهَ إِلّا هُوَ يُحيي وَيُميتُ ۖ فَآمِنوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ الَّذي يُؤمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَكَلِماتِهِ وَاتَّبِعوهُ لَعَلَّكُم تَهتَدونَ (۱۵۸)

7-158a: A prophet for all nations: The attribute given here of the Arabian Prophet is that he is a prophet to all nations and the prophecies of his advent in the Torah and Gospel are not without significance. The emphasis given to those prophecies is because this Arabian Prophet was to be a Messenger for all nations. All prophets who preceded the Holy Prophet were ordained only for their respective nations as is obvious from the narration of these prophets in this Surah. The prevailing conditions at the time necessitated that their ministries be curtailed but the effect of that was that it resulted in national divisions and differences. Hence in the end, Allah sent a Prophet to gather all nations under his flag and to preach the Oneness of God to all nations. Prior to Islam all the religions were national religions, and all the prophets were national prophets but the religion for all nations and the prophet for the entire humanity has been only one and that is the one who was Divinely commanded to declare: إِنّي رَسولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيكُم جَميعًا (I am the Messenger of Allah to you all).

7-159 And of Moses’ people is a party who guide with truth, and therewith they do justice.^a

وَمِن قَومِ موسىٰ أُمَّةٌ يَهدونَ بِالحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعدِلونَ (۱۵۹)

7-159a: The purport here is that the entire Israelite nation was not disobedient. There were people among them who guided the people with truth. They adhered to the truth and in their affairs, they decided matters equitably and with justice. 

7-160 And We divided them into twelve tribes, as nations. And We revealed to Moses when his people asked him for water: Strike the rock with thy staff; so out flowed from it twelve springs. Each tribe knew its drinking-place. And We made the clouds to give shade over them and We sent to them manna and quails. Eat of the good things We have given you. And they did not do Us any harm, but they wronged themselves.

وَقَطَّعناهُمُ اثنَتَي عَشرَةَ أَسباطًا أُمَمًا ۚ وَأَوحَينا إِلىٰ موسىٰ إِذِ استَسقاهُ قَومُهُ أَنِ اضرِب بِعَصاكَ الحَجَرَ ۖ فَانبَجَسَت مِنهُ اثنَتا عَشرَةَ عَينًا ۖ قَد عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُناسٍ مَشرَبَهُم ۚ وَظَلَّلنا عَلَيهِمُ الغَمامَ وَأَنزَلنا عَلَيهِمُ المَنَّ وَالسَّلوىٰ ۖ كُلوا مِن طَيِّباتِ ما رَزَقناكُم ۚ وَما ظَلَمونا وَلٰكِن كانوا أَنفُسَهُم يَظلِمونَ (۱۶۰)

7-161 And when it was said to them: Dwell in this town and eat from it whence you wish, and make petition for forgiveness, and enter the gate submissively, We shall forgive you your wrongs. We shall give more to the doers of good.

وَإِذ قيلَ لَهُمُ اسكُنوا هٰذِهِ القَريَةَ وَكُلوا مِنها حَيثُ شِئتُم وَقولوا حِطَّةٌ وَادخُلُوا البابَ سُجَّدًا نَغفِر لَكُم خَطيئَاتِكُم ۚ سَنَزيدُ المُحسِنينَ (۱۶۱)

7-162 But those who were unjust among them changed it for a word other than that which they were told, so We sent upon them a pestilence from heaven for their wrongdoing.^a

فَبَدَّلَ الَّذينَ ظَلَموا مِنهُم قَولًا غَيرَ الَّذي قيلَ لَهُم فَأَرسَلنا عَلَيهِم رِجزًا مِنَ السَّماءِ بِما كانوا يَظلِمونَ (۱۶۲)

7-162a: These events are being narrated for the third time. The first time is in Surah Al Baqarah during a narration about Moses, the second time is in Surah Al Nisa during a narration about Jesus and the third time here during a discussion of the Holy Prophet.

7-152 Those who took the calf (for a god) — wrath from their Lord, and disgrace in this world’s life, will surely overtake them. And thus do We recompense those who invent lies.^a

إِنَّ الَّذينَ اتَّخَذُوا العِجلَ سَيَنالُهُم غَضَبٌ مِن رَبِّهِم وَذِلَّةٌ فِي الحَياةِ الدُّنيا ۚ وَكَذٰلِكَ نَجزِي المُفتَرينَ (۱۵۲)

7-152a: These words show that the term فَاقتُلوا أَنفُسَكُم in verse 2:54 does not literally mean kill yourselves because here the punishment is described as wrath from their Lord and disgrace in this world’s life. In the next verse, it is stated that even this punishment will be forgiven if there is sincere repentance.

7-153 And those who do evil deeds, then repent after that and believe — thy Lord after that is surely Forgiving, Merciful.

وَالَّذينَ عَمِلُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ ثُمَّ تابوا مِن بَعدِها وَآمَنوا إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِن بَعدِها لَغَفورٌ رَحيمٌ (۱۵۳)

7-154 And when Moses’ anger calmed down, he took up the tablets; and in the writing thereof was guidance and mercy for those who fear their Lord.

وَلَمّا سَكَتَ عَن موسَى الغَضَبُ أَخَذَ الأَلواحَ ۖ وَفي نُسخَتِها هُدًى وَرَحمَةٌ لِلَّذينَ هُم لِرَبِّهِم يَرهَبونَ (۱۵۴)

7-154a: Exodus 32:19 states that Moses broke the tablets in his wrath, but the Quran contradicts this and neither is such an act befitting a prophet. Showing disdain towards the commandments of God because of anger towards the people cannot be the work of a prophet. This also shows that the Quran does not borrow from the Bible and its source is something else. This is the reason it keeps on correcting errors in the Bible. In this narration alone, three errors of the Bible are corrected. First, the nonparticipation of Aaron in the making of the calf whereas in the Bible, Aaron is the main architect of making the calf. Second, the breaking of the tablets by Moses as stated in the Bible  (Exodus 32:19) is contradicted. Third, burning of the calf, grounding it to powder, strewing it upon the water and making the Bani Israel drink it, as stated in the Bible, is a meaningless action. See Exodus 32:20.

7-155 And Moses chose of his people seventy men for Our appointment.^a So when the earthquake overtook them, he said: My Lord, if Thou hadst pleased, Thou hadst destroyed them before and myself (too). Wilt Thou destroy us for that which the foolish among us have done? It is naught but Thy trial. Thou causest to perish thereby whom Thou pleasest and guidest whom Thou pleasest. Thou art our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy on us, and Thou art the Best of those who forgive.^b

وَاختارَ موسىٰ قَومَهُ سَبعينَ رَجُلًا لِميقاتِنا ۖ فَلَمّا أَخَذَتهُمُ الرَّجفَةُ قالَ رَبِّ لَو شِئتَ أَهلَكتَهُم مِن قَبلُ وَإِيّايَ ۖ أَتُهلِكُنا بِما فَعَلَ السُّفَهاءُ مِنّا ۖ إِن هِيَ إِلّا فِتنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِها مَن تَشاءُ وَتَهدي مَن تَشاءُ ۖ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنا فَاغفِر لَنا وَارحَمنا ۖ وَأَنتَ خَيرُ الغافِرينَ (۱۵۵)

7-155a: After mentioning the incident of the golden calf, the narrative returns to the real event of Moses going to the mountain. It is worth remembering that the Quran has mentioned only one appointed meeting on the mountain while the Torah has Moses going to Mount Sinai twice, the second visit being necessitated because Moses had broken the tablets after the first visit. Thus, according to the Torah, Moses broke the first set of tablets he had brought from the mountain in a fit of rage and so he went again to get the tablets from the mountain. The Quran does not accept that the tablets were broken, hence there is no mention of a second visit to the mountain and nor was it necessary. However, some commentators have tried to justify a second visit. According to one explanation, Allah’s displeasure at the making of the calf necessitated a second visit to the mountain. According to another explanation, the Israelites accused Moses of murdering Aaron and to exonerate himself, Moses took these seventy men to Aaron’s grave. These are mere fables. The seventy men mentioned here are the ones who accompanied Moses when Allah called Moses to the mountain to give him the shariah. These men are the ones who had said: لَن نُؤمِنَ لَكَ حَتّىٰ نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهرَةً (we will not believe in thee till we see Allah manifestly) (2:55). There is also a narration cited in Ibn Jarir to support this. The events of Mount Sinai are mentioned after the incident of the calf because it is intended to draw attention to the prophecy that was revealed to Moses in the Torah which is clearly explained in verse 7:157.

7-155b: For the meaning of الرَّجفَةُ see 7-78a. In 2:55 it is called الصّاعِقَةُ (the punishment) which is here called الرَّجفَةُ (earthquake). In both the places, it is the same event that is being described. فاخَذَتهُمُ الرَّجفَةُ و ھی الصّاعِقَةُ  (IJ). Although الصّاعِقَةُ has several meanings but الرَّجفَةُ has a single meaning, earthquake. Because one of the meaning of الصّاعِقَةُ is a loud noise, the use of this word shows there was a rumbling sound that preceded the severe earthquake.

Some commentators have only taken the incident of fainting here قیل غشی علیہم ثم افاقوا (RM) that is he fainted but then recovered اواصعقہم فسلب افھامہم (IJ) that is they were struck by a thunderbolt so that they were knocked senseless. This interpretation is correct as shown in 2:56a. The statement: which the foolish among us have done, refers to the demand to see Allah manifestly before they would believe.

7-156 And ordain for us good in this world’s life and in the Hereafter, for surely we turn to Thee. He said: I afflict with My chastisement whom I please, and My mercy encompasses all things. So I ordain it for those who keep their duty and pay the poor-rate, and those who believe in Our messages—^a

 وَاكتُب لَنا في هٰذِهِ الدُّنيا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ إِنّا هُدنا إِلَيكَ ۚ قالَ عَذابي أُصيبُ بِهِ مَن أَشاءُ ۖ وَرَحمَتي وَسِعَت كُلَّ شَيءٍ ۚ فَسَأَكتُبُها لِلَّذينَ يَتَّقونَ وَيُؤتونَ الزَّكاةَ وَالَّذينَ هُم بِآياتِنا يُؤمِنونَ (۱۵۶)

7-156a: وَرَحمَتي وَسِعَت كُلَّ شَيءٍ – It is the Holy Prophet who was given knowledge of the expansiveness of Allah’s mercy. It encompasses everything in this world and includes Muslims and disbelievers, obedient and disobedient persons. He is Beneficent and His beneficence operates without the need of any actions. Hence even disbelievers receive benefit, but it is specially confirmed for the believers.

7-157 Those who follow the Messenger-Prophet, the Ummi, whom they find mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel. He enjoins them good and forbids them evil, and makes lawful to them the good things and prohibits for them impure things, and removes from them their burden and the shackles which were on them. So those who believe in him and honor him and help him, and follow the light which has been sent down with him — these are the successful.

 الَّذينَ يَتَّبِعونَ الرَّسولَ النَّبِيَّ الأُمِّيَّ الَّذي يَجِدونَهُ مَكتوبًا عِندَهُم فِي التَّوراةِ وَالإِنجيلِ يَأمُرُهُم بِالمَعروفِ وَيَنهاهُم عَنِ المُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّباتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيهِمُ الخَبائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنهُم إِصرَهُم وَالأَغلالَ الَّتي كانَت عَلَيهِم ۚ فَالَّذينَ آمَنوا بِهِ وَعَزَّروهُ وَنَصَروهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النّورَ الَّذي أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ ۙ أُولٰئِكَ هُمُ المُفلِحونَ (۱۵۷)

7-157a: الأُمِّيَّ – An unlettered person is called امی and the word is also used for a person who is connected with Makkah, that is ام القریٰ . See 2:78a. By النَّبِيَّ الأُمِّيَّ is meant the Arabian Prophet as will be shown later.

إِصرَهُم – For the meaning of اِصۡر see 2:286b. The meaning here is a covenant whose breach will prevent a person from reward and charity like the covenant which is taken through the Companions of the Holy Prophet. Generally, it can be used for any matter which stops one from doing good (R).

أَغلالَ – It is the plural of غُلّ for which see 4:141a. It is an iron clamp with which the hands are tied to the neck. Its meaning is also a thing that will stop a person from working.

عَزَّروهُ – Is assistance blended with respect and reverence. Derived from it is تعزیر which means punishment because that too is assistance that stops a person from injustice (R).

In the narration of how Moses got the Torah, mention is made of the prophecy, and it is necessary to do so, of the advent of the Holy Prophet. In fact, it is for this purpose that Moses is mentioned. In this prophecy, mention is made of the امی Messenger-Prophet. If امی is taken to mean illiterate, then there is no mention in the Torah prophecy of the coming of an uneducated messenger, but if its meaning is taken as connected with ام القریٰ  (the mother of towns), that is Makkah or Arabia, there is mention in the prophecy of the advent of the Arabian prophet. This prophecy of Moses is in Deuteronomy 18: 15-18 where the Bani Israel are addressed by Moses that the Lord God will raise a prophet from their brethren, and it is obvious that the brethren of Bani Israel are the Bani Ishmael. In this way, they are informed that the prophet will be Arabian. There is a further confirmation of this in the Torah statement that he will rise from Faran.

Prophecy of the Holy Prophet’s advent in the Gospel: The second thing revealed about this prophet is that he is mentioned not only in the Torah but in the Gospel as well. The mention in the Gospel is in two ways. First there is a mention of this prophet, the like of Moses, in the Gospel (See John 1:21) which shows that he had not come till the advent of Jesus. Second, there is a prophecy of Jesus about the coming of Paraclete (Comforter) (John14:16). These are manifest prophecies that have not been fulfilled in another except the Holy Prophet.

The attributes of the Promised Prophet: The attributes of the Promised Prophet are mentioned after the prophecies. The purport of removes from them their burden (اصرا )and the shackles (أَغلالَ ) is that he will remove all obstacles that holds a person back from doing good. Thus, he cuts the roots of evil and opens the real paths to goodness. A great sign of the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet for the Ahle Kitab is that a people they had tried to reform unsuccessfully were shedding all their vices and becoming models of purity under the virtuous tutelage of the Holy Prophet and were freeing themselves from centuries old evils and customs. Similarly, the spreading of goodness throughout the world could not be the work of any but a truthful person. Hence when the prophecies were mentioned, it also became necessary to tell that the shackles that the Ahl Kitab were not able to break were broken by an unlettered person from Arabia and this is sufficient proof that He was ordained by God.  

7-148 And Moses’ people made of their ornaments a calf after him — a (lifeless) body, having a lowing sound. Could they not see that it spoke not to them, nor guided them in the way? They took it (for worship) and they were unjust.^a

وَاتَّخَذَ قَومُ موسىٰ مِن بَعدِهِ مِن حُلِيِّهِم عِجلًا جَسَدًا لَهُ خُوارٌ ۚ أَلَم يَرَوا أَنَّهُ لا يُكَلِّمُهُم وَلا يَهديهِم سَبيلًا ۘ اتَّخَذوهُ وَكانوا ظالِمينَ (۱۴۸)

7-148a: حُلِيّ – It is the plural of حَلۡ which means ornaments. Elsewhere this word is used in: يُحَلَّونَ فيها مِن أَساوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ (they are adorned therein with bracelets of gold) (18:31) and وَحُلّوا أَساوِرَ مِن فِضَّةٍ (and they are adorned with bracelets of silver) (76:21). The meaning of حلیة is also jewelry, as in: أَوَمَن يُنَشَّأُ فِي الحِليَةِ (Is one decked in ornaments…) (43:18). In the wilderness, the Israelites probably did not have much wealth and riches, so they gathered their ornaments or they took donations of ornaments from what they possessed, and used it to make the image of a calf.

جَسَدًا – It is either a substitute for عِجلًا or it is its attribute, that is that it was merely a body without life.

خُوارٌ – It is the mooing of a cow.

Allah’s discourse can never be terminated: The argument given against taking the calf as a deity is that it could not speak to them nor give them any guidance. It follows that a deity can only be one who will speak and guide. Those who consider that God has terminated speaking in this period stand guilty of denying His godhood by virtue of this argument.

7-149 And when they repented and saw that they had gone astray, they said: If our Lord have not mercy on us and forgive us, we shall certainly be of the losers.^a

وَلَمّا سُقِطَ في أَيديهِم وَرَأَوا أَنَّهُم قَد ضَلّوا قالوا لَئِن لَم يَرحَمنا رَبُّنا وَيَغفِر لَنا لَنَكونَنَّ مِنَ الخاسِرينَ (۱۴۹)

7-149a: سُقِطَ في أَيديهِم – سُقُوط is falling from a high place to a low place, and سُقِطَ في أَيديهِم is used as a proverb to denote being regretful, ashamed and penitent.

7-150 And when Moses returned to his people, wrathful, grieved, he said: Evil is that which you have done after me!^a Did you hasten on the judgment of your Lord?^b And he threw down the tablets and seized his brother by the head, dragging him towards him. He said: Son of my mother, the people reckoned me weak and had well-nigh slain me. So make not the enemies to rejoice over me and count me not among the unjust people.^c

وَلَمّا رَجَعَ موسىٰ إِلىٰ قَومِهِ غَضبانَ أَسِفًا قالَ بِئسَما خَلَفتُموني مِن بَعدي ۖ أَعَجِلتُم أَمرَ رَبِّكُم ۖ وَأَلقَى الأَلواحَ وَأَخَذَ بِرَأسِ أَخيهِ يَجُرُّهُ إِلَيهِ ۚ قالَ ابنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ القَومَ استَضعَفوني وَكادوا يَقتُلونَني فَلا تُشمِت بِيَ الأَعداءَ وَلا تَجعَلني مَعَ القَومِ الظّالِمينَ (۱۵۰)

150a: أَسِفًا – اَسَف is grief accompanied with anger, but it is also used separately for only grief or only anger (R). Moses had learnt about this lapse through revelation, as stated in: قالَ فَإِنّا قَد فَتَنّا قَومَكَ مِن بَعدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ السّامِرِيُّ (He said: Surely We have tried thy people in thy absence, and the Samiri has led them astray) (20:85). Moses was therefore in a rage at this polytheistic act of his people. Being angry at this kind of an affair is not prohibited. Instead, it is to be commended.

150b: عَجِلتُم أَمرَ رَبِّكُم – Its meaning has been understood in several ways. One interpretation is: عجلتم عما امر کم به ربکم (You made haste with the promise that your Lord had given you). In Kashshaf, the meaning of عجل عن الامر in عَجِلتُم أَمرَ رَبِّكُم is taken as ترکه غیر تام that is left it incomplete. However, its explanation is given in Surah Ta Ha where in verse 20:86 after a similar recounting, it is stated: أَفَطالَ عَلَيكُمُ العَهدُ أَم أَرَدتُم أَن يَحِلَّ عَلَيكُم غَضَبٌ مِن رَبِّكُم (Did the promised time, then seem long to you or did you wish that displeasure from your Lord should come upon you) (20:86). The purport is: Did the compact of forty days seem too long to you or did you want Allah’s wrath to descend on you. So, the meaning of أَمرَ رَبِّكُم is the punishment of your Lord or His wrath. أَمر in the sense of punishment occurs in the Quran. Moses is thus telling the Israelites that punishment befalls a nation much later after its prophet has passed away, but you the Israelites have sought to bring it in my lifetime and before me, and so quickly.

150c: تُشمِت – It is derived from شمت and شَمَاتَة is the happiness occasioned when the enemy is afflicted by a calamity. تَشۡمِیۡت is the blessing called out to a person who sneezes as if to redress the شَمَاتَة (the happiness caused to an enemy by the affliction of sneezing) (R).

The Quran categorically rejects that Aaron had any part in the making of the golden calf and thus contradicts the assertion of the Bible that Aaron was instrumental in making the calf. As it appears here, the only reason Aaron remained quiet was that he if he had commanded the Israelites to desist, they would have killed him. Moses was rightly angered and caught Aaron by the head and pulled him. Probably, he also had in mind that Aaron should have commanded them to desist. However, when Moses heard his brother’s excuse, he included him in his prayer that he rendered to God. Aaron’s referring to Moses as the son of my mother is to attract Moses’ attention to being merciful.

7-151 He said: My Lord, forgive me and my brother, and admit us to Thy mercy, and Thou art the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.

 قالَ رَبِّ اغفِر لي وَلِأَخي وَأَدخِلنا في رَحمَتِكَ ۖ وَأَنتَ أَرحَمُ الرّاحِمينَ (۱۵۱)

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.