Surah 7. Al-A'raf

And ordain Thou for us what is good in this world as well as in the life to come: behold, unto Thee have we turned in repentance!" [God] answered: "With My chastisement do I afflict whom I will - but My grace overspreads everything:¹²³ and so I shall confer it on those who are conscious of Me and spend in charity, and who believe in Our messages -

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 6:12 (and the corresponding note [10]), as well as 6:54 .

O Allah ordain for us what is good in this life and in the Hereafter, surely we have turned to You." He replied: "I will inflict My punishment upon whom I please; yet My mercy encompasses everything. I will ordain special mercy for those who do righteous deeds, pay Zakah and believe in Our revelations."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Ordain for us what is good in this life and the next. Indeed, we have turned to You 'in repentance'.' Allah replied, 'I will inflict My torment on whoever I will. But My mercy encompasses everything. I will ordain mercy for those who shun evil, pay alms-tax, and believe in Our revelations.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And ordain for us in, this world that which is good, and in the Hereafter (that which is good), Lo! We have turned unto Thee. He said: I smite with My punishment whom I will, and My mercy embraceth all things, therefore I shall ordain It for those who ward off (evil) and pay the poor due, and those who believe Our revelations;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"And ordain for us that which is good in this life and in the hereafter: for we have turned unto Thee." He said: "with My punishment I visit whom I will; but My mercy extendeth to all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who do right and practice regular charity and those who believe in Our signs; ^{1125 1126}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah's mercy is in and for all things. All nature subserves a common purpose, which is for the good of all His creatures. Our faculties and our understandings are all instances of His grace and mercy. Each unit or factor among his creatures benefits from the others and receives them as Allah's mercy to itself: and in its turn, each contributes to the benefit of the others and is thus an instance of Allah's mercy to them. His mercy is universal and all-pervasive; while His justice and punishment are reserved for those who swerve from His plan and (to use a mediaeval juridicial formula) go out of His Peace.

The personal grace and mercy-and their opposite-are referred to the singular pronoun "I" while the impersonal Law, by which Allah's Signs operate in His universe, is referred to the plural pronoun of authority and dignity, "We".

those who shall follow the [last] Apostle, the unlettered Prophet whom they shall find described in the Torah that is with them, and [later on] in the Gospel:¹²⁴ [the Prophet] who will enjoin upon them the doing of what is right and forbid them the doing of what is wrong, and make lawful to them the good things of life and forbid them the bad things, and lift from them their burdens and the shackles that were upon them [aforetime].¹²⁵ Those, therefore, who shall believe in him, and honour him, and succour him, and follow the light that has been bestowed from on high through him - it is they that shall attain to a happy state."

  - Mohammad Asad

The interpolation of the words "later on" before the reference to the Gospel is necessitated by the fact that the whole of this passage is addressed to Moses and the children of Israel, that is, long before the Gospel (in the Qur'anic sense of this term - cf. surah {3}, note [4]) was revealed to Jesus. The stories of some of the earlier prophets given in this surah - beginning with the story of Noah and ending with that of Moses and the children of Israel - constitute a kind of introduction to this command to follow the "unlettered Prophet", Muhammad. The stress on his having been "unlettered" (ummi), i.e., unable to read and write, serves to bring out the fact that all his knowledge of the earlier prophets and of the messages transmitted by them was due to divine inspiration alone, and not to a familiarity with the Bible as such. For the Old Testament predictions of the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (especially in Deuteronomy xviii, 15 and 18), see surah {2}, note [33]; for the New Testament prophecies to the same effect, see 61:6 and the corresponding note [6].

A reference to the many severe rituals and obligations laid down in Mosaic Law, as well as to the tendency towards asceticism evident in the teachings of the Gospels. Thus the Qur'an implies that those "burdens and shackles", intended as means of spiritual discipline for particular communities and particular stages of man's development, will become unnecessary as soon as God's message to man shall have achieved its final, universal character in the teachings of the Last Prophet, Muhammad.

Now, special mercy is assigned to those who follow the Rasool, the unlettered Prophet (Muhammad) - whom they shall find described in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel). Who enjoins them what is good and forbids what is evil; makes pure things Halal (lawful) for them and impure things Haram (unlawful); relieves them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that were around their necks. Therefore, those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the Light which is sent down with him will be the ones who will be successful in this life and the hereafter".

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

''They are' the ones who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whose description they find in their Torah and the Gospel.¹ He commands them to do good and forbids them from evil, permits for them what is lawful and forbids to them what is impure, and relieves them from their burdens and the shackles that bound them. 'Only' those who believe in him, honour and support him, and follow the light sent down to him will be successful.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Some Muslim scholars cite Deuteronomy 18:15-18 and 33:2, Isaiah 42, and John 14:16 as examples of the description of Prophet Muḥammad in the Bible. However, Bible scholars interpret these verses differently. The name of Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) appears several times in the Gospel of Barnabas, which is deemed apocryphal by Christian authorities.

Those who follow the messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write, whom they will find described in the Torah and the Gospel (which are) with them. He will enjoin on them that which is right and forbid them that which is wrong. He will make lawful for them all good things and prohibit for them only the foul; and he will relieve them of their burden and the fetters that they used to wear. Then those who believe in him, and honor him and help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him: they are the successful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Those who follow the apostle the unlettered prophet whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures); in the law and the Gospel; for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil: he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him honor him help him and follow the light which is sent down with him it is they who will prosper." ^{1127 1128 1129 1130}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In this verse is a prefiguring, to Moses, of the Arabian Messenger, the last and greatest of the messengers of Allah. Prophecies about him will be found in the Taurat and the Injil. In the reflex of the Taurat as now accepted by the Jews, Moses says: "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me" (Deut. xviii. 15): the only Prophet who brought a Shari'at like that of Moses was Muhammad Al- Mustafa, and he came of the house of Ismail the brother of Isaac the father of Israel. In the reflex of the Gospel as now accepted by the Christians, Christ promised another Comforter (John xiv. 16): the Greek word Paraclete which the Christians interpret as referring to the Holy Spirit is by our Doctors taken to be Periclyte, which would be the Greek form of Ahmad. See Q. lxi. 6.

Aglal: plural of gullun, a yoke, an iron collar. In the formalism and exclusiveness of the Jews there were many restrictions which were removed by Islam, a religion of freedom in the faith of Allah, of universality in the variety of races, languages, manners and customs.

Light which is sent down with him: the words are "with him", not "to him", emphasizing the fact that the Light which he brought illumines every one who has the privilege of joining his great and universal Fellowship.

Falah = prosperity in its general sense as well as in its spiritual sense. In the general sense it means that right conduct is the only door to happiness and well-being. In the spiritual sense it means that Faith and its fruits (right conduct) are the only gates to salvation.

Say [O Muhammad]: "O mankind! Verily, I am an apostle of God to all of you,¹²⁶ [sent by Him] unto whom the dominion over the heavens and the earth belongs! There is no deity save Him; He [alone] grants life and deals death!" Believe, then, in God and His Apostle - the unlettered Prophet who believes in God and His words - and follow him, so that you might find guidance!

  - Mohammad Asad

This verse, placed parenthetically in the midst of the story of Moses and the children of Israel, is meant to elucidate the preceding passage. Each of the earlier prophets was sent to his, and only his, community: thus, the Old Testament addresses itself only to the children of Israel; and even Jesus, whose message had a wider bearing, speaks of himself as "sent only unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew xv, 24). In contrast, the message of the Qur'an is universal - that is, addressed to mankind as a whole - and is neither time-bound nor confined to any particular cultural environment. It is for this reason that Muhammad, through whom this message was revealed, is described in the Qur'an 21:107 as an evidence of "[God's] grace towards all the worlds" (i.e. towards all mankind), and as "the Seal of all Prophets" ( 33:40 ) - in other words, the last of them.

O Muhammad, say: "O mankind! I am the Rasool of Allah towards all of you from He to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity but Him. He brings to life and causes to die. Therefore, believe in Allah and His Rasool, the unlettered Prophet (Muhammad) who believes in Allah and His Word. Follow him so that you may be rightly guided."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Say, 'O Prophet,' 'O humanity! I am Allah's Messenger to you all. To Him 'alone' belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no god 'worthy of worship' except Him. He gives life and causes death.' So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allah and His revelations. And follow him, so you may be 'rightly' guided.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Say (O Muhammad): O mankind! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah to you all--(the messenger of) Him unto whom belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. There is no God save Him. He quickeneth and He giveth death. So believe in Allah and His messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write, who believeth in Allah and in His words and follow him that haply ye may be led aright.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Say: "O men! I am sent unto you all as the apostle of Allah to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He: it is He that giveth both life and death. So believe in Allah and His apostle the unlettered Prophet who believed in Allah and His words: follow him that (so) ye may be guided." ^{1131 1132}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Our attention having been directed to various prophets, who were sent with missions to their several peoples, and in each of whose careers there is some prefigurement of the life of the last and greatest of them, we are now asked to listen to the proclamation of Muhammad's universal mission. We contemplate no longer, after this, partial truths. It is not now a question of saving Israel from the bondage of Egypt, nor teaching Midian the ethics of business, nor reclaiming the people of Lot from sexual sin or Thamud from the sin of oppression in power, or 'Ad from arrogance and ancestorworship. Now are set forth plainly the issues of Life and Death, the Message of Allah, the One Universal God to all mankind.

"Unlettered," as applied to the Prophet here and in verse 157 above, has three special significations. (1) He was not versed in human learning: yet he was full of the highest wisdom, and had a most wonderful knowledge of the previous Scriptures. This was a proof of his inspiration. It was a miracle of the highest kind, a "Sign", which every one could test then, and every one can test now. (2) All organised human knowledge tends to be crystallized, to acquire a partial bias or flavour of some "school" of thought. The highest Teacher had to be free from any such taint, just as a clean slate is necessary if a perfectly clear and bold message has to be written on it. (3) In iii.20 and lxii. 2, the epithet is applied to the Pagan Arabs, because, before the advent of Islam, they were unlearned.

AND AMONG the folk of Moses there have been people who would guide [others] in the way of the truth and act justly in its light.¹²⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., people like those spoken of in {3:113-115}. With this verse, the discourse returns to the moral history of the children of Israel. The stress on the fact that there have always been righteous people among them is meant to contrast this righteousness with the rebellious sinfulness which most of them displayed throughout their Biblical history. It provides, at the same time, an indication that, although the wrongdoing of some of its members may sometimes plunge whole communities into suffering, God judges men individually, and not in groups.

In the nation of Musa (Moses) there were some who guided others with the truth and thereby established justice.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

There are some among the people of Moses who guide with the truth and establish justice accordingly.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And of Moses' folk there is a community who lead with truth and establish justice therewith.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Of the people of Moses there is a section who guide and do justice in the light of truth.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And We divided them into twelve tribes, [or] communities. And when his people asked Moses for water, We inspired him, "Strike the rock with thy staff!" - whereupon twelve springs gushed forth from it, so that all the people knew whence to drink. And We caused the clouds to comfort them with their shade, and We sent down unto them manna and quails, [saying:] "Partake of the good things which We have provided for you as sustenance." And [by all their sinning] they did no harm unto Us - but [only] against their own selves did they sin.

  - Mohammad Asad

We divided them into twelve tribes, as nations; and when his thirsty people asked him for water, We revealed to Musa: "Strike the rock with your staff." Thereupon twelve springs gushed out from the rock, each tribe was specified its drinking place. We caused the clouds to cast shadow over them and sent down to them manna and salva for their food, saying: "Eat of the pure things We have provided for you," but they rebelled and by doing so they did not harm Us but they did injustice to their own souls.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We divided them into twelve tribes- each as a community. And We revealed to Moses, when his people asked for water, 'Strike the rock with your staff.' Then twelve springs gushed out. Each tribe knew its drinking place. We shaded them with clouds and sent down to them manna and quails,¹ 'saying', 'Eat from the good things We have provided for you.' They 'certainly' did not wrong Us, but wronged themselves.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Manna (heavenly bread) and quails (chicken-like birds) sustained the children of Israel in the wilderness after they left Egypt.

We divided them into twelve tribes, nations; and We inspired Moses, when his people asked him for water, saying: Smite with thy staff the rock! And there gushed forth therefrom twelve springs, so that each tribe knew their drinking place. And we caused the white cloud to overshadow them and sent down for them the manna and the quails (saying): Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you. They wronged Us not, but they were wont to wrong themselves.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We divided them into twelve tribes or nations. We directed Moses by inspiration when his (thirsty) people asked him for water: "Strike the rock with thy staff": out of it there gushed forth twelve springs: each group knew its own place for water. We gave them the shade of clouds and sent down to them manna and quails (saying): "Eat of the good things We have provided for you": (but they rebelled): to Us they did no harm but they harmed their own souls. ^{1133 1134}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We now come to some incidents in Jewish history, which have been referred to in ii. 57-60. Here they have special reference to their bearing on the times when early Islam was preached. The Twelve Tribes and the parable drawn from them have been explained in n. 73 to ii. 60.

Cf. ii. 57 and n. 71.

And [remember] when you were told: "Dwell in this land and eat of its food as you may desire; but say, 'Remove Thou from us the burden of our sins,' and enter the gate humbly - [whereupon] We shall forgive you your sins [and] shall amply reward the doers of good."

  - Mohammad Asad

When it was said to them: "Reside in this town and eat therein whatever you please and say 'Hittatun' (forgive us) and enter the gate in a posture of humility; We will forgive you your sins and increase all the more the reward for such righteous people."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And 'remember' when it was said to them, 'Enter this city 'of Jerusalem' and eat from wherever you please. Say, 'Absolve us,' and enter the gate with humility. We will forgive your sins, 'and' We will multiply the reward for the good-doers.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And when it was said unto them: Dwell in this township and eat therefrom whence ye will, and say "Repentance," and enter the gate prostrate; We shall forgive you your sins; We shall increase (reward) for the right-doers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And remember it was said to them: "Dwell in this town and eat therein as ye wish but say the word of humility and enter the gate in a posture of humility; We shall forgive you your faults; We shall increase (the portion of) those who do good." ¹¹³⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

As in vii. 19, we may construe "eat" here to mean not only eating literally, but enjoying the good things of life.

But those among them who were bent on wrongdoing substituted another saying for that which they had been given: and so We let loose against them a plague from heaven in requital of all their evil doings¹²⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

For an explanation of this and the preceding verse, see {2:58-59}, and the corresponding notes.

But the wicked among them changed that word which was said to them, as a result We sent down a scourge upon them from heaven for their wrong doings.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But the wrongdoers among them changed the words they were commanded to say. So We sent down a punishment from the heavens upon them for their wrongdoing.

  - Mustafa Khattab

But those of them who did wrong changed the word which had been told them for another saying, and We sent down upon them wrath from heaven for their wrongdoing.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But the transgressors among them changed the word from that which had been given them; so We sent on them a plague from heaven for that they repeatedly transgressed. ¹¹³⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. ii, 58-59, and n. 72. The story is here told by way of parable for the times of Islam. Hence we have a few verbal changes: e.g., "dwell in this town" instead of "enter this town." etc.

And ask them about that town which stood by the sea: how its people would profane the Sabbath whenever their fish came to them, breaking the water's surface, on a day on which they ought to have kept Sabbath - because they would not come to them on other than Sabbath-days!¹²⁹ Thus did We try them by means of their [own] iniquitous doings.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "on a day when they did not keep Sabbath". Under Mosaic Law, they were obliged to refrain from all work - and, therefore, also from fishing - on Sabbath-days, with the result that the fish were more plentiful and would come closer to the shore on those days: and the inhabitants of the town took this as an excuse to break the Sabbath-law. Since the Qur'an does not mention the name of the town nor give any indication as to the historical period in which those offences were committed, it may be assumed that the story of the Sabbath-breakers (alluded to in several places in the Qur'an) is a general illustration of the tendency, so often manifested by the children of Israel, to offend against their religious laws in pursuit of their passions or for the sake of worldly gain. Although, according to the teachings of Islam, the Mosaic dispensation has since been abrogated, the Qur'an frequently points out its great role in the history of man's monotheistic beliefs, and stresses again and again its (time-bound) importance as a means of enforcing spiritual discipline on the children of Israel. Their repeated, deliberate breaches of the Mosaic Law are shown as evidence of their rebellious attitude towards that discipline and, thus, towards God's commandments in general.

Ask them, about the town which was situated on the sea shore, what happened when they transgressed in the matter of Sabbath. On the day of their Sabbath the fish appeared before them on the surface of the water but on the days other than their Sabbath they never came near them; thus did We tempt them because they transgressed.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Ask them 'O Prophet' about 'the people of' the town which was by the sea, who broke the Sabbath.¹ During the Sabbath, 'abundant' fish would come to them clearly visible, but on other days the fish were never seen. In this way We tested them for their rebelliousness.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 The people of Aylah, an ancient town by the Red Sea, were forbidden to catch fish on the Sabbath. However, on Saturdays fish were everywhere, whereas on weekdays no fish were seen. To get around the prohibition, some decided to lay their nets on Fridays and collect the fish caught in their nets on Sundays. Those opposed to this practice were divided into two groups: one group tried to convince the offenders to honour the Sabbath, but soon gave up when their advice was not taken seriously. The second group was persistent in giving advice to the Sabbath-breakers. Eventually, the Sabbath-breakers were punished whereas the other two groups were saved.

Ask them (O Muhammad) of the township that was by the sea, how they did break the sabbath, how their big fish came unto them visibly upon their sabbath day and on a day when they did not keep sabbath came they not unto them. Thus did We try them for that they were evil-livers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Ask them concerning the town standing close by the sea. Behold! they transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath. For on the day of their Sabbath their fish did come to them openly holding up their heads but on the day they had no Sabbath they came not: thus did We make a trial of them for they were given to transgression. ¹¹³⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. ii. 65 and n. 79. Fishing, like every other activity, was prohibited to Israel on the Sabbath day. As this practice was usually observed, the fish used to come up with a sense of security to their water channels or pools openly on the Sabbath day, but not on other days when fishing was open. This was a great temptation to the law-breakers, which they could not resist. Some of their men of piety protested, but it had no effect. When their transgressions, which we may suppose, extended to other commandments, passed beyond bounds, the punishment came.

And whenever some people¹³⁰ among them asked [those who tried to restrain the Sabbath-breakers], "Why do you preach to people whom God is about to destroy or [at least] to chastise with suffering severe?" - the pious ones¹³¹ would answer, "In order to be free from blame before your Sustainer, and that these [transgressors, too,] might become conscious of Him."

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "a community" - obviously people who, while not actively protesting against the impiety of their environment, did not themselves participate in this profanation of the Sabbath.

Lit., "they" - an allusion to the really pious among them, such as are described in verse {159} above.

Also remind them about the conversation among some of them, when some of them asked: "Why do you admonish a people whom Allah will destroy or sternly punish?" They replied: "To be able to offer an excuse before our Rabb, that we did discharge our duty, and also in the hope that they may refrain from His disobedience."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

When some of 'the righteous among' them questioned 'their fellow Sabbath-keepers', 'Why do you 'bother to' warn those 'Sabbath-breakers' who will either be destroyed or severely punished by Allah?' They replied, 'Just to be free from your Lord's blame, and so perhaps they may abstain.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And when a community among them said: Why preach ye to a folk whom Allah is about to destroy and punish with an awful doom, they said: In order to be free from guilt before your Lord, and that haply they may ward off (evil).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

When some of them said: "why do ye preach to a people whom Allah will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?" Said the preachers: "to discharge our duty to your Lord and perchance they may fear him." ¹¹³⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

There are always people who wonder, no doubt sincerely, what good it is to preach to the wicked. The answer is given to them here: (1) every man who sees evil must speak out against it; it is his duty and responsibility to Allah; (2) there is always a chance that the warning may have effect and save a precious soul. This passage has a special meaning for the times when our Holy Prophet was preaching in Makkah, apparently without results. But it applies to all times.

And thereupon, when those [sinners] had forgotten all that they had been told to take to heart, We saved those who had tried to prevent the doing of evil,¹³² and overwhelmed those who had been bent on evildoing with dreadful suffering for all their iniquity;

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "who were forbidding the evil".

However, when they disregarded the reminder, We delivered those who forbade evil and We overtook those who were wrongdoers with stern punishment because of their transgression.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

When they ignored the warning they were given, We rescued those who used to warn against evil and overtook the wrongdoers with a dreadful punishment for their rebelliousness.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And when they forgot that whereof they had been reminded, We rescued those who forbade wrong, and visited those who did wrong with dreadful punishment because they were evil livers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

When they disregarded the warnings that had been given them We rescued those who forbade evil; but We visited the wrong-doers with a grievous punishment because they were given to transgression.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and then, when they disdainfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said unto them: "Be as apes despicable!"¹³³

  - Mohammad Asad

According to Zamakhshari and Razi, the expression "We said unto them" is here synonymous with "We decreed with regard to them" - God's "saying" being in this case a metonym for a manifestation of His will. As for the substance of God's decree, "Be as apes despicable", the famous tabi'i Mujahid explain it thus: "[Only] their hearts were transformed, that is, they were not [really] transformed into apes: this is but a metaphor (mathal) coined by God with regard to them, similar to the metaphor of 'the ass carrying books' [ 62:5 ]" (Tabari, in his commentary on 2:65 ; also Manar I, 343; VI, 448; and IX, 379). A similar explanation is given by Raghib. It should be borne in mind that the expression "like an ape" is often used in classical Arabic to describe a person who is unable to restrain his gross appetites or passions.

But when after that they persisted in their forbidden ways, We said to them: "Be detested apes."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But when they stubbornly persisted in violation, We said to them, 'Be disgraced apes!'¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Literally or metaphorically. See footnote for 2:65.

So when they took pride in that which they had been forbidden, We said unto them: Be ye apes despised and loathed!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

When in their insolence they transgressed (all) prohibition We said to them: "Be ye apes despised and rejected." ¹¹³⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. ii. 65, n. 79.

And lo! Thy Sustainer made it known that most certainly He would rouse against them, unto Resurrection Day, people who would afflict them with cruel suffering: verily, thy Sustainer is swift in retribution - yet, verily, He is [also] much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

  - Mohammad Asad

Also remind them when your Rabb declared that He would raise against them others who would afflict them with severe torment till the Day of Resurrection. Swift is the retribution of your Rabb, yet He is also the Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And 'remember, O Prophet,' when your Lord declared that He would send against them others who would make them suffer terribly until the Day of Judgment. Indeed, your Lord is swift in punishment, but He is certainly All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And (remember) when thy Lord proclaimed that He would raise against them till the Day of Resurrection those who would lay on them a cruel torment. Lo! verily thy Lord is swift in prosecution and lo! verify He is Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Behold! thy Lord did declare that He would send against them to the Day of Judgment those who would afflict them with grievous penalty. Thy Lord is quick in retribution but he is also Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. ¹¹⁴⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See Deut, xi. 28: "A curse if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day": also Deut, xxviii. 49; "The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth: a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand"; and many other passages.

And We dispersed them as [separate] communities all over the earth; some of them were righteous, and some of them less than that: and the latter We tried with blessings as well as with afflictions, so that they might mend their ways.¹³⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "so that they might return [to righteousness]".

We broke their unity as a nation and dispersed them into different communities all over the earth - some of them are righteous and others are the opposite - We tested them with both blessings and misfortunes so that they might turn to the Right Way.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We dispersed them through the land in groups- some were righteous, others were less so. We tested them with prosperity and adversity, so perhaps they would return 'to the Right Path'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We have sundered them in the earth as (separate) nations. Some of them are righteous, and some far from that. And We have tried them with good things and evil things that haply they might return.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We broke them up into sections on this earth. There are among them some that are the righteous and some that are the opposite. We have tried them with both prosperity and adversity: in order that they might turn (to us). ¹¹⁴¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The dispersal of the Jews is a great fact in the world's history. Nor has their persecution ended yet, nor is it likely to end as far as we can foresee.

And they have been succeeded by [new] generations who - [in spite of] having inherited the divine writ - clutch but at the fleeting good of this lower world and say, "We shall be forgiven,"¹³⁵ the while they are ready, if another such fleeting good should come their way, to clutch at it [and sin again]. Have they not been solemnly pledged through the divine writ not to attribute unto God aught but what is true,¹³⁶ and [have they not] read again and again all that is therein? Since the life in the hereafter is the better [of the two] for all who are conscious of God - will you not, then, use your reason?

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., for breaking God's commandments in their pursuit of worldly gain: an allusion to their persistent belief that they are "God's chosen people" and that, no matter what they do, His forgiveness and grace are assured to them by virtue of their being Abraham's descendants.

A reference to their erroneous idea that God's forgiveness could be obtained without sincere repentance. The divine writ mentioned twice in this passage is obviously the Bible.

Then they were succeeded by an evil generation. Who inherited the Book, they indulged in the vanities of this nether life, saying: "We expect to be forgiven" assuming that they are favorites of Allah and somehow He will spare them. Yet if similar vanities come their way they would again seize them. Was not a covenant taken from them in the Book that they would not speak anything about Allah except the truth? And they have studied what is in the Book. Best for the righteous is the home of the hereafter, don't you understand?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then they were succeeded by other generations who inherited the Scripture. They indulged in unlawful gains, claiming, 'We will be forgiven 'after all'.' And if similar gain came their way, they would seize it. Was a covenant not taken from them in the Scripture that they would not say anything about Allah except the truth? And they were already well-versed in its teachings. But the 'eternal' Home of the Hereafter is far better for those mindful 'of Allah'. Will you not then understand?

  - Mustafa Khattab

And a generation hath succeeded them who inherited the Scriptures. They grasp the goods of this low life (as the price of evil doing) and say: It will be forgiven us. And if there came to them (again) the offer of the like, they would accept it (and would sin again). Hath not the covenant of the Scripture been taken on their behalf that they should not speak aught concerning Allah save the truth? And they have studied that which is therein. And the abode of the Hereafter is better, for those who ward off (evil). Have ye then no sense?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

After them succeeded an (evil) generation: they inherited the Book but they chose (for themselves) the vanities of this world saying (for excuse): "(everything) will be forgiven us." (Even so) if similar vanities came their way they would (again) seize them. Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them that they would not ascribe to Allah anything but the truth? And they study what is in the Book. But best for the righteous is the home in the hereafter: will ye not understand? ^{1142 1143}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Merely inheriting a Book, or doing lip service to it, does not make a nation righteous. If they succumb to the temptations of the world, their hypocrisy becomes all the more glaring. "High finance" is one of these temptations. Cf. also ii. 80: "the Fire shall not touch us except for a few numbered days": and ii. 88, about their blasphemous self-sufficiency.

Cf- Exod. xix. 5-8; xxiv 3; xxxiv. 27; and many other passages.

For [We shall requite] all those who hold fast to the divine writ and are constant in prayer: verily, We shall not fail to requite those who enjoin the doing of what is right!

  - Mohammad Asad

As for those who strictly observe the Book and establish Salah; surely We never let the reward of such righteous people go waste.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

As for those who firmly abide by the Scripture and establish prayer- surely We never discount the reward of those acting righteously.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And as for those who make (men) keep the Scripture, and establish worship--lo! We squander not the wages of reformers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

As to those who hold fast by the Book and establish regular prayer; never shall We suffer the reward of the righteous to perish.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali