سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 74
وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ عَادٍ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِن سُهُولِهَا قُصُورًا وَتَنْحِتُونَ ٱلْجِبَالَ بُيُوتًا ۖ فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ ﴿74﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And remember when He made you successors after ‘Âd (people) and gave you habitations in the land, you build for yourselves palaces in plains, and carve out homes in the mountains. So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) from Allâh, and do not go about making mischief on the earth."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟
wa-udh'kurū
And remember
إِذْ
idh
when
جَعَلَكُمْ
jaʿalakum
He made you
خُلَفَآءَ
khulafāa
successors
مِنۢ
min
from
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
عَادٍۢ
ʿādin
Aad
وَبَوَّأَكُمْ
wabawwa-akum
and settled you
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
تَتَّخِذُونَ
tattakhidhūna
You take
مِن
min
from
سُهُولِهَا
suhūlihā
its plains
قُصُورًۭا
quṣūran
palaces
وَتَنْحِتُونَ
watanḥitūna
and you carve out
ٱلْجِبَالَ
l-jibāla
the mountains
بُيُوتًۭا ۖ
buyūtan
(as) homes
فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟
fa-udh'kurū
So remember
ءَالَآءَ
ālāa
(the) Bounties
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَلَا
walā
and (do) not
تَعْثَوْا۟
taʿthaw
act wickedly
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
(the) earth
مُفْسِدِينَ
muf'sidīna
spreading corruption
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 74) ➊ { تَتَّخِذُوْنَ مِنْ سُهُوْلِهَا قُصُوْرًا …… :} That is, if it is a plain area, you build grand palaces with bricks, and if there are mountains, you dig and carve them to make dwellings that protect you from cold, heat, and storms.
➋ {’’ اٰلَآءَ ‘‘} This is the plural of {’’ اِلًي‘‘}, which was originally {’’اِلَيٌ ‘‘}, just as { اَمْعَاءٌ} (intestines) is the plural of {’’مِعًي‘‘}. {’’ وَ لَا تَعْثَوْا ‘‘} This is the prohibitive form from {’’عَثِيَ يَعْثَي‘‘} (s), its meaning is to cause severe corruption, {’’ مُفْسِدِيْنَ ‘‘} is a circumstantial adverb for emphasis, therefore in the translation, { ’’ وَ لَا تَعْثَوْا ‘‘} means "do not cause chaos" and {’’ مُفْسِدِيْنَ ‘‘} means "while committing corruption."
➋ {’’ اٰلَآءَ ‘‘} This is the plural of {’’ اِلًي‘‘}, which was originally {’’اِلَيٌ ‘‘}, just as { اَمْعَاءٌ} (intestines) is the plural of {’’مِعًي‘‘}. {’’ وَ لَا تَعْثَوْا ‘‘} This is the prohibitive form from {’’عَثِيَ يَعْثَي‘‘} (s), its meaning is to cause severe corruption, {’’ مُفْسِدِيْنَ ‘‘} is a circumstantial adverb for emphasis, therefore in the translation, { ’’ وَ لَا تَعْثَوْا ‘‘} means "do not cause chaos" and {’’ مُفْسِدِيْنَ ‘‘} means "while committing corruption."
