سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 157
ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ ٱلْأُمِّىَّ ٱلَّذِى يَجِدُونَهُۥ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَٱلْإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَىٰهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْخَبَـٰٓئِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَٱلْأَغْلَـٰلَ ٱلَّتِى كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ ٱلنُّورَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ مَعَهُۥٓ ۙ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿157﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) whom they find written with them in the Taurât (Torah) (Deut, xviii 15) and the Injeel (Gospel) (John xiv, 16), - he commands them for Al-Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm has ordained); and forbids them from Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islâm has forbidden); he allows them as lawful At-Tayyibât (i.e. all good and lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods), and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khabâ’ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), he releases them from their heavy burdens (of Allâh’s Covenant with the children of Israel), and from the fetters (bindings) that were upon them. So those who believe in him (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), honour him, help him, and follow the light (the Qur’ân) which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
Those who
يَتَّبِعُونَ
yattabiʿūna
follow
ٱلرَّسُولَ
l-rasūla
the Messenger
ٱلنَّبِىَّ
l-nabiya
the Prophet
ٱلْأُمِّىَّ
l-umiya
the unlettered
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
whom
يَجِدُونَهُۥ
yajidūnahu
they find him
مَكْتُوبًا
maktūban
written
عِندَهُمْ
ʿindahum
with them
فِى
fī
in
ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ
l-tawrāti
the Taurat
وَٱلْإِنجِيلِ
wal-injīli
and the Injeel
يَأْمُرُهُم
yamuruhum
He commands them
بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ
bil-maʿrūfi
to the right
وَيَنْهَىٰهُمْ
wayanhāhum
and forbids them
عَنِ
ʿani
from
ٱلْمُنكَرِ
l-munkari
the wrong
وَيُحِلُّ
wayuḥillu
and he makes lawful
لَهُمُ
lahumu
for them
ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ
l-ṭayibāti
the pure things
وَيُحَرِّمُ
wayuḥarrimu
and makes unlawful
عَلَيْهِمُ
ʿalayhimu
for them
ٱلْخَبَـٰٓئِثَ
l-khabāitha
the impure things
وَيَضَعُ
wayaḍaʿu
and he relieves
عَنْهُمْ
ʿanhum
from them
إِصْرَهُمْ
iṣ'rahum
their burden
وَٱلْأَغْلَـٰلَ
wal-aghlāla
and the fetters
ٱلَّتِى
allatī
which
كَانَتْ
kānat
were
عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ
ʿalayhim
upon them
فَٱلَّذِينَ
fa-alladhīna
So those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
بِهِۦ
bihi
in him
وَعَزَّرُوهُ
waʿazzarūhu
and honor him
وَنَصَرُوهُ
wanaṣarūhu
and help him
وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟
wa-ittabaʿū
and follow
ٱلنُّورَ
l-nūra
the light
ٱلَّذِىٓ
alladhī
which
أُنزِلَ
unzila
has been sent down
مَعَهُۥٓ ۙ
maʿahu
with him
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
ulāika
Those (are)
هُمُ
humu
[they]
ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
l-muf'liḥūna
the successful ones
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.
157. 1. This verse also serves as a definitive verse clarifying that salvation in the Hereafter is not possible without faith in the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ, and only that faith is valid whose details have been explained by Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This verse also cuts the root of the concept of 'other religions'.
157. 2. Ma'ruf is that which the Shariah has declared good, and Munkar is that which the Shariah has declared evil.
157. 3. These burdens and shackles are those which were present in the previous Shariah, for example, it was necessary to kill a life for a life (as there was no blood money or pardon). Or if a cloth became impure, it was necessary to cut it off, whereas the Islamic Shariah only commanded it to be washed, just as it permitted blood money and pardon in cases of Qisas, etc. And the Prophet ﷺ said, 'I have been sent with the easy, monotheistic religion (din hanifi).' (دیت یا معافی نہیں تھی۔ یا جس کپڑے کو نجاست لگ جاتی، اسے قطع کرنا ضروری تھا، شریعت اسلامیہ نے اسے صرف دھونے کا حکم دیا ہے۔ جس طرح قصاص میں دیت اور معافی کی اجازت دی وغیرہ۔ اور آپ ﷺ نے فرمایا ہے کہ ' مجھے آسان دین حنیفی کے ساتھ بھیجا گیا ہے۔ 157۔ 4 ان آخری الفاظ سے بھی یہ بات واضح ہوتی ہے کہ کامیاب وہی لوگ ہونگے جو حضرت محمد رسول اللہ ﷺ پر ایمان لانے والے اور ان کی پیروی کرنے والے ہوں گے۔ جو رسالت محمدیہ پر ایمان نہیں لائیں گے، وہ کامیاب نہیں نقصان اٹھانے والے اور ناکام ہونگے۔ علاوہ ازیں کامیابی سے مراد بھی آخرت کی کامیابی ہے۔ یہ ممکن ہے کہ کوئی قوم رسالت محمدیہ پر ایمان نہ رکھتی ہو اور اسے دنیاوی خوش حالی و فروانی حاصل ہو۔ جس طرح اس وقت مغربی اور یورپی اور دیگر بعض قوموں کا حال ہے کہ وہ عیسائی یا یہودی یا کافر مشرک ہونے کے باوجود مادی ترقی اور خوش حالی میں ممتاز ہیں، لیکن ان کی یہ ترقی عارضی بطور امتحان و خلاف معمول ہے۔ یہ انکی اخروی کامیابی کی ضمانت یا علامت نہیں۔ اسی طرح (وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّوْرَ الَّذِيْٓ اُنْزِلَ مَعَهٗٓ) From these last words, it also becomes clear that the successful ones are those who believe in and follow Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Those who do not believe in the prophethood of Muhammad will not be successful but will be losers and failures. Furthermore, success here means success in the Hereafter. It is possible for a nation not to believe in the prophethood of Muhammad and still achieve worldly prosperity and abundance, as is the case with Western, European, and some other nations today. Despite being Christian, Jewish, or disbelieving polytheists, they are distinguished in material progress and prosperity, but this progress is temporary, as a test and an exception, and is not a guarantee or a sign of their success in the Hereafter. Similarly, the verse (And they followed the light which was sent down with him) (7. Al-A'raf:157) makes it clear that in Surah Al-Ma'idah, verse 15, the "light" refers to the Noble Quran itself. Therefore, by this "light," the person of the Prophet ﷺ himself is not meant. However, it is a separate matter that among his attributes, one attribute is also "light," by which the darkness of disbelief and polytheism was dispelled. But from his being described with the attribute of "light," it cannot be proven that his light is from the light of Allah, as the people of innovation try to prove.
157. 2. Ma'ruf is that which the Shariah has declared good, and Munkar is that which the Shariah has declared evil.
157. 3. These burdens and shackles are those which were present in the previous Shariah, for example, it was necessary to kill a life for a life (as there was no blood money or pardon). Or if a cloth became impure, it was necessary to cut it off, whereas the Islamic Shariah only commanded it to be washed, just as it permitted blood money and pardon in cases of Qisas, etc. And the Prophet ﷺ said, 'I have been sent with the easy, monotheistic religion (din hanifi).' (دیت یا معافی نہیں تھی۔ یا جس کپڑے کو نجاست لگ جاتی، اسے قطع کرنا ضروری تھا، شریعت اسلامیہ نے اسے صرف دھونے کا حکم دیا ہے۔ جس طرح قصاص میں دیت اور معافی کی اجازت دی وغیرہ۔ اور آپ ﷺ نے فرمایا ہے کہ ' مجھے آسان دین حنیفی کے ساتھ بھیجا گیا ہے۔ 157۔ 4 ان آخری الفاظ سے بھی یہ بات واضح ہوتی ہے کہ کامیاب وہی لوگ ہونگے جو حضرت محمد رسول اللہ ﷺ پر ایمان لانے والے اور ان کی پیروی کرنے والے ہوں گے۔ جو رسالت محمدیہ پر ایمان نہیں لائیں گے، وہ کامیاب نہیں نقصان اٹھانے والے اور ناکام ہونگے۔ علاوہ ازیں کامیابی سے مراد بھی آخرت کی کامیابی ہے۔ یہ ممکن ہے کہ کوئی قوم رسالت محمدیہ پر ایمان نہ رکھتی ہو اور اسے دنیاوی خوش حالی و فروانی حاصل ہو۔ جس طرح اس وقت مغربی اور یورپی اور دیگر بعض قوموں کا حال ہے کہ وہ عیسائی یا یہودی یا کافر مشرک ہونے کے باوجود مادی ترقی اور خوش حالی میں ممتاز ہیں، لیکن ان کی یہ ترقی عارضی بطور امتحان و خلاف معمول ہے۔ یہ انکی اخروی کامیابی کی ضمانت یا علامت نہیں۔ اسی طرح (وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّوْرَ الَّذِيْٓ اُنْزِلَ مَعَهٗٓ) From these last words, it also becomes clear that the successful ones are those who believe in and follow Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Those who do not believe in the prophethood of Muhammad will not be successful but will be losers and failures. Furthermore, success here means success in the Hereafter. It is possible for a nation not to believe in the prophethood of Muhammad and still achieve worldly prosperity and abundance, as is the case with Western, European, and some other nations today. Despite being Christian, Jewish, or disbelieving polytheists, they are distinguished in material progress and prosperity, but this progress is temporary, as a test and an exception, and is not a guarantee or a sign of their success in the Hereafter. Similarly, the verse (And they followed the light which was sent down with him) (7. Al-A'raf:157) makes it clear that in Surah Al-Ma'idah, verse 15, the "light" refers to the Noble Quran itself. Therefore, by this "light," the person of the Prophet ﷺ himself is not meant. However, it is a separate matter that among his attributes, one attribute is also "light," by which the darkness of disbelief and polytheism was dispelled. But from his being described with the attribute of "light," it cannot be proven that his light is from the light of Allah, as the people of innovation try to prove.
