سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ

Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 156

The Heights · Meccan · Juz 9 · Page 170

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۞ وَٱكْتُبْ لَنَا فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ عَذَابِىٓ أُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَنْ أَشَآءُ ۖ وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ ۚ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿156﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

"And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter. Certainly we have turned unto You." He said: (As to) My punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My Mercy embraces all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who are the Muttaqûn (the pious - See V.2:2), and give Zakât; and those who believe in Our Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs and revelations, etc.);

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

۞ وَٱكْتُبْ wa-uk'tub And ordain
لَنَا lanā for us
فِى fī in
هَـٰذِهِ hādhihi this
ٱلدُّنْيَا l-dun'yā [the] world
حَسَنَةًۭ ḥasanatan good
وَفِى wafī and in
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ l-ākhirati the Hereafter
إِنَّا innā Indeed, we
هُدْنَآ hud'nā we have turned
إِلَيْكَ ۚ ilayka to You
قَالَ qāla He said
عَذَابِىٓ ʿadhābī My punishment
أُصِيبُ uṣību I afflict
بِهِۦ bihi with it
مَنْ man whom
أَشَآءُ ۖ ashāu I will
وَرَحْمَتِى waraḥmatī but My Mercy
وَسِعَتْ wasiʿat encompasses
كُلَّ kulla every
شَىْءٍۢ ۚ shayin thing
فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا fasa-aktubuhā So I will ordain it
لِلَّذِينَ lilladhīna for those who
يَتَّقُونَ yattaqūna (are) righteous
وَيُؤْتُونَ wayu'tūna and give
ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ l-zakata zakah
وَٱلَّذِينَ wa-alladhīna and those who
هُم hum [they]
بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا biāyātinā in Our Verses
يُؤْمِنُونَ yu'minūna they believe

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 156) ➊ {قَالَ عَذَابِيْۤ اُصِيْبُ بِهٖ مَنْ اَشَآءُ … :} That is, My punishment is only specified for those disbelievers and sinners whom I wish to punish for their disobedience, because giving punishment is not My dominant attribute, rather it is an act of Mine that manifests as a result of the demands of justice. My real and dominant attribute, with which the system of the universe is running, is My mercy, from which everything in the universe is benefiting. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up for prayer and we also stood up with him. Meanwhile, a Bedouin said during the prayer: "O Allah! Have mercy on me and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and do not have mercy on anyone else along with us." When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, he said to that Bedouin: [ لَقَدْ حَجَّرْتَ وَاسِعًا ] "You have limited the vast mercy of Allah." [ بخاری، الأدب، باب رحمۃ الناس والبھائم : ۶۰۱۰ ] If Allah's mercy in this world was also only for the righteous and there was immediate accountability for disbelief and disobedience, then He would not have left any living creature on the face of the earth. See Surah An-Nahl (61) and Fatir (45). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah has one hundred mercies. Out of them, He sent down one mercy among the jinn and mankind, animals, poisonous snakes, and insects. With it, they show compassion to one another and have mercy on each other, and with it, wild animals show affection to their young ones. And ninety-nine mercies Allah has kept back, with which He will have mercy on His servants." [ مسلم، التوبۃ، باب فی سعۃ رحمۃ اللہ تعالٰی… : ۲۷۵۲، ۲۷۵۳، عن أبی ھریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ]

➋ In the words of {فَسَاَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِيْنَ يَتَّقُوْنَ: ’’ وَ رَحْمَتِيْ وَ سِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ ‘‘ }, Iblis and all disbelievers were also included, because in {’’ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ ‘‘} all of these are encompassed. Therefore, to clarify that all these are deprived of My mercy, it was said that I will write My mercy only for those who fear and possess all the qualities mentioned in this verse and the next. It was also clarified that after the advent of the Unlettered Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), only those will be deserving of this mercy who will follow him.

➌ The special mention of zakah in { وَ يُؤْتُوْنَ الزَّكٰوةَ:}, leaving aside other pillars and obligations, is because the Jews had a great love for wealth, due to which they were more negligent in giving zakah than in fulfilling any other obligation, to the extent that this love led them beyond negligence in zakah to indulging in usury. The same is now the case with the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), except for those upon whom my Lord has special mercy.

➍ { وَ الَّذِيْنَ هُمْ بِاٰيٰتِنَا يُؤْمِنُوْنَ:} This verse encompasses all the rulings of Shariah. Taqwa (abstaining from disobedience), zakah (financial rights), and faith in Allah's verses include every kind of recognition. Here, the answer to the supplication of Musa (peace be upon him) is completed. Now, from the next verse, in accordance with the occasion, the Jews and Christians are being invited to follow the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and it is being explained that for attaining Allah's mercy in this world and the Hereafter, along with the above-mentioned qualities, following the "Unlettered Prophet" is also necessary.

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

156. 1. That is, they repent.
156. 2. It is due to the vastness of His mercy that in this world both the righteous and the wicked, and both the believer and the disbeliever, are benefiting from His mercy. It is mentioned in the hadith: "Allah's mercy has one hundred parts. This is one part of His mercy by which the creation shows mercy to one another, and wild animals show affection to their young, and He has kept ninety-nine parts of His mercy with Himself." (Sahih Muslim)

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

156. And write for us goodness in this world and in the Hereafter. We have turned to You.” Allah replied, “I inflict My punishment on whom I will, but My mercy [153] encompasses all things. So I will decree it for those who are righteous, give zakah, and believe in Our signs.”

[153]
Allah’s Mercy is Universal in This World:

Musa (peace be upon him) asked for goodness for his nation in both this world and the Hereafter, so Allah Almighty replied that the real thing upon which the entire system of this universe runs is My mercy, and all creation is benefiting from My mercy. I only punish the one for whom, due to his disobedience, it has been decreed, and even such people often continue to benefit from My mercies in this world. And the goodness and virtue that you are asking for—that this blessing be granted in this world as well as in the Hereafter—is only the share of those who believe in Our verses, adopt the path of piety, and also pay Our due from their wealth, that is, zakat. Such people will be blessed with My mercy in both this world and the Hereafter. Here, the answer to Musa’s (peace be upon him) supplication ends.
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