سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 156
۞ 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.
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.
