سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 69
أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَآءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنكُمْ لِيُنذِرَكُمْ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَزَادَكُمْ فِى ٱلْخَلْقِ بَصْۜطَةً ۖ فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿69﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"Do you wonder that there has come to you a Reminder (and an advice) from your Lord through a man from amongst you to warn you? And remember that He made you successors after the people of Nûh (Noah) and increased you amply in stature. So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) from Allâh so that you may be successful."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ
awaʿajib'tum
Do you wonder
أَن
an
that
جَآءَكُمْ
jāakum
has come to you
ذِكْرٌۭ
dhik'run
a reminder
مِّن
min
from
رَّبِّكُمْ
rabbikum
your Lord
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
رَجُلٍۢ
rajulin
a man
مِّنكُمْ
minkum
among you
لِيُنذِرَكُمْ ۚ
liyundhirakum
that he may warn you
وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟
wa-udh'kurū
And remember
إِذْ
idh
when
جَعَلَكُمْ
jaʿalakum
He made you
خُلَفَآءَ
khulafāa
successors
مِنۢ
min
from
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
قَوْمِ
qawmi
(the) people
نُوحٍۢ
nūḥin
(of) Nuh
وَزَادَكُمْ
wazādakum
and increased you
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْخَلْقِ
l-khalqi
the stature
بَصْۜطَةًۭ ۖ
baṣ'ṭatan
extensively
فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟
fa-udh'kurū
So remember
ءَالَآءَ
ālāa
(the) Bounties
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
لَعَلَّكُمْ
laʿallakum
so that you may
تُفْلِحُونَ
tuf'liḥūna
succeed
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 69) {وَ اذْكُرُوْۤا اِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنْۢ بَعْدِ قَوْمِ ……:} means He made you strong and mighty, and after the people of Nuh, He settled you in the land as a powerful nation. Here, {’’ خُلَفَآءَ ‘‘} means this; it does not mean that He made them successors in the homeland of the people of Nuh, Iraq. (Qurtubi) Regarding the stature and build of the people of ‘Ad, Allah Himself has testified, saying: «الَّتِيْ لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلَادِ» [ الفجر : ۸ ] meaning, none like them was created in the cities, and that after the punishment, they were left fallen like the trunks of fallen date palms. See Surah Al-Haqqah (7).
Some scholars of tafsir have narrated strange and wondrous reports about the physical strength and height of the people of ‘Ad, such as that the tallest among them was one hundred cubits tall, and the shortest was sixty cubits, and in some narrations, it is said that one man among them could lift a stone that five hundred men of our time could not lift, and so on. However, Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: “Allah created Adam in his form, his height was sixty cubits... then the creation has continued to decrease since then.” [ بخاری، الاستئذان، باب بدء السلام : ۶۲۲۷ ] Therefore, it is not permissible to rely on such stories about the people of ‘Ad. However, it is correct that the people of ‘Ad possessed extraordinary physical strength and stature, were builders of lofty buildings, and were extremely harsh, as mentioned in Surah Ash-Shu‘ara (123–134) and Ha Mim As-Sajdah (15).
Some scholars of tafsir have narrated strange and wondrous reports about the physical strength and height of the people of ‘Ad, such as that the tallest among them was one hundred cubits tall, and the shortest was sixty cubits, and in some narrations, it is said that one man among them could lift a stone that five hundred men of our time could not lift, and so on. However, Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: “Allah created Adam in his form, his height was sixty cubits... then the creation has continued to decrease since then.” [ بخاری، الاستئذان، باب بدء السلام : ۶۲۲۷ ] Therefore, it is not permissible to rely on such stories about the people of ‘Ad. However, it is correct that the people of ‘Ad possessed extraordinary physical strength and stature, were builders of lofty buildings, and were extremely harsh, as mentioned in Surah Ash-Shu‘ara (123–134) and Ha Mim As-Sajdah (15).
