سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 168
وَقَطَّعْنَـٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أُمَمًا ۖ مِّنْهُمُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ وَمِنْهُمْ دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَبَلَوْنَـٰهُم بِٱلْحَسَنَـٰتِ وَٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ﴿168﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We have broken them (i.e. the Jews) up into various separate groups on the earth: some of them are righteous and some are away from that. And We tried them with good (blessings) and evil (calamities) in order that they might turn (to Allâh’s Obedience).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَقَطَّعْنَـٰهُمْ
waqaṭṭaʿnāhum
And We divided them
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
أُمَمًۭا ۖ
umaman
(as) nations
مِّنْهُمُ
min'humu
Among them
ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ
l-ṣāliḥūna
(are) the righteous
وَمِنْهُمْ
wamin'hum
and among them
دُونَ
dūna
(are) other than
ذَٰلِكَ ۖ
dhālika
that
وَبَلَوْنَـٰهُم
wabalawnāhum
And We tested them
بِٱلْحَسَنَـٰتِ
bil-ḥasanāti
with the good
وَٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ
wal-sayiāti
and the bad
لَعَلَّهُمْ
laʿallahum
so that they may
يَرْجِعُونَ
yarjiʿūna
return
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 168) ➊ { وَ قَطَّعْنٰهُمْ فِي الْاَرْضِ اُمَمًا:} So that no collective strength could come into existence for them. That is why the Jews are scattered throughout the world in fragments, and wherever they live, due to their usury and activities and espionage against that country, they become the target of hatred. Then, their desire for superiority and their schemes to seize the wealth and government of the world have come before the world in the form of the Jewish Protocols. They have been expelled and massacred from Britain, France, Germany, and many other countries. Now, although as a reward for betrayal against Germany, with the support of Britain and America, they have been embedded in the heart of the Arabs in the form of the dagger of Israel, yet their real strength is still America, Britain, and others. Even after gathering here, instead of refraining from oppression and tyranny, they are inflicting indescribable atrocities upon the Palestinian Arabs. Allah Almighty knows best what will be the outcome of this delay in their reckoning, for there is delay, but not injustice.
➋ { مِنْهُمُ الصّٰلِحُوْنَ وَ مِنْهُمْ دُوْنَ ذٰلِكَ:} Some of them are righteous, that is, those who believed in the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), or like those who refrained from fishing on the Sabbath. See Al-Imran (113 to 115). And some are other than them, that is, not righteous but wicked and evil-doers, such as those who consume unlawful wealth through usury, bribery, and other means, and those who even killed the Prophets, and those who, despite recognizing the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), opposed him.
➌ { وَ بَلَوْنٰهُمْ بِالْحَسَنٰتِ وَ السَّيِّاٰتِ … : } Sometimes He gave them comfort and ease, and sometimes afflicted them with hardship; likewise, sometimes He granted prosperity, sometimes subjected them to poverty and hunger, so that they might desist, that is, seek forgiveness for their sins and act upon the commandments of the Torah. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “When the wealth of the Jews was disrupted, due to mutual opposition they dispersed everywhere and various sects emerged. These conditions are narrated to this Ummah so that all this will also happen to them. In the hadith it is stated that some in this Ummah will become monkeys and pigs. May Allah protect from misguidance.” (Mawdhih) This hadith is in Bukhari, it is stated: [ وَ يَمْسَخُ آخَرِيْنَ قِرَدَةً وَ خَنَازِيْرَ إِلٰی يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ] [ بخاری، الأشربہ، باب ما جاء فیمن یستحل الخمر… : ۵۵۹۰ ] “And He will transform many of them into monkeys and pigs until the Day of Resurrection.”
➋ { مِنْهُمُ الصّٰلِحُوْنَ وَ مِنْهُمْ دُوْنَ ذٰلِكَ:} Some of them are righteous, that is, those who believed in the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), or like those who refrained from fishing on the Sabbath. See Al-Imran (113 to 115). And some are other than them, that is, not righteous but wicked and evil-doers, such as those who consume unlawful wealth through usury, bribery, and other means, and those who even killed the Prophets, and those who, despite recognizing the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), opposed him.
➌ { وَ بَلَوْنٰهُمْ بِالْحَسَنٰتِ وَ السَّيِّاٰتِ … : } Sometimes He gave them comfort and ease, and sometimes afflicted them with hardship; likewise, sometimes He granted prosperity, sometimes subjected them to poverty and hunger, so that they might desist, that is, seek forgiveness for their sins and act upon the commandments of the Torah. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “When the wealth of the Jews was disrupted, due to mutual opposition they dispersed everywhere and various sects emerged. These conditions are narrated to this Ummah so that all this will also happen to them. In the hadith it is stated that some in this Ummah will become monkeys and pigs. May Allah protect from misguidance.” (Mawdhih) This hadith is in Bukhari, it is stated: [ وَ يَمْسَخُ آخَرِيْنَ قِرَدَةً وَ خَنَازِيْرَ إِلٰی يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ] [ بخاری، الأشربہ، باب ما جاء فیمن یستحل الخمر… : ۵۵۹۰ ] “And He will transform many of them into monkeys and pigs until the Day of Resurrection.”
