سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 33
قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّىَ ٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَٱلْإِثْمَ وَٱلْبَغْىَ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِۦ سُلْطَـٰنًا وَأَن تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿33﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "(But) the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al-Fawâhish (great evil sins and every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse) whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in worship) with Allâh for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allâh of which you have no knowledge."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلْ
qul
Say
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
حَرَّمَ
ḥarrama
(had) forbidden
رَبِّىَ
rabbiya
my Lord
ٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ
l-fawāḥisha
the shameful deeds
مَا
mā
what
ظَهَرَ
ẓahara
(is) apparent
مِنْهَا
min'hā
of it
وَمَا
wamā
and what
بَطَنَ
baṭana
is concealed
وَٱلْإِثْمَ
wal-ith'ma
and the sin
وَٱلْبَغْىَ
wal-baghya
and the oppression
بِغَيْرِ
bighayri
without
ٱلْحَقِّ
l-ḥaqi
[the] right
وَأَن
wa-an
and that
تُشْرِكُوا۟
tush'rikū
you associate (others)
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
with Allah
مَا
mā
what
لَمْ
lam
not
يُنَزِّلْ
yunazzil
He (has) sent down
بِهِۦ
bihi
of it
سُلْطَـٰنًۭا
sul'ṭānan
any authority
وَأَن
wa-an
and that
تَقُولُوا۟
taqūlū
you say
عَلَى
ʿalā
about
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
مَا
mā
what
لَا
lā
not
تَعْلَمُونَ
taʿlamūna
you know
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 33) {قُلْ اِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ …… :} In the above verse, it was stated that people had declared many things forbidden on their own accord; now in this verse, the actual forbidden things have been mentioned. (Razi) {’’الْفَوَاحِشَ‘‘} is the plural of {’’فَاحِشَةٌ ‘‘} and refers to an extremely vile act. By {’’الْاِثْمَ‘‘}, all major and minor sins are meant, and wine is also sometimes called {’’اِثْمٌ ‘‘}, and {’’الْبَغْيَ‘‘} means to wrong and oppress people. In short, five types of prohibitions have been mentioned here, and that too with {’’اِنَّمَا‘‘}, the word of restriction. This means that apart from these, nothing else is forbidden, although the prohibition of many other things is mentioned in the Qur'an and Hadith. Imam Razi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that in reality, crimes (offenses, faults, excesses) are of only five types: the first is a crime against lineage, the cause of which is adultery (and similar acts). By {’’ الْفَوَاحِشَ ‘‘}, this is meant. The second is a crime against intellect, which in another sense means drinking wine, and in {’’ الْاِثْمَ ‘‘} this is indicated. The third is a crime against honor, the fourth is a crime against life and property, and in {’’ الْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ‘‘} the prohibition of both is indicated. The fifth is a crime against religion, and this is of two types: (1) To attack monotheism, which is indicated by «وَ اَنْ تُشْرِكُوْا بِاللّٰهِ ». (2) And to attribute something to Allah without proper knowledge and to issue religious verdicts, which is indicated by «اَنْ تَقُوْلُوْا عَلَى اللّٰهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ». In short, these five things are fundamental in all crimes and offenses, and the rest are their branches and things that fall under them. On this basis, restriction with { ’’ اِنَّمَا ‘‘} is correct, and no objection arises on it. (Kabir) Remember that attributing something to Allah also includes attributing something to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), because his (the Messenger's) word is from Allah; that is why whoever deliberately lies about him, his abode is Hell. There is no doubt about the irrefutability of Imam Razi's answer, but a simple answer is that every sin is included in {’’ الْاِثْمَ ‘‘}, so there is no objection to restriction with {’’ اِنَّمَا ‘‘}.
