سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 94
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّبِىٍّ إِلَّآ أَخَذْنَآ أَهْلَهَا بِٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَضَّرَّعُونَ ﴿94﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We sent no Prophet unto any town (and they denied him), but We seized its people with suffering from extreme poverty (or loss in wealth) and loss of health (and calamities), so that they might humiliate themselves (and repent to Allâh).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَآ
wamā
And not
أَرْسَلْنَا
arsalnā
We sent
فِى
fī
in
قَرْيَةٍۢ
qaryatin
a city
مِّن
min
any
نَّبِىٍّ
nabiyyin
Prophet
إِلَّآ
illā
except
أَخَذْنَآ
akhadhnā
We seized
أَهْلَهَا
ahlahā
its people
بِٱلْبَأْسَآءِ
bil-basāi
with adversity
وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ
wal-ḍarāi
and hardship
لَعَلَّهُمْ
laʿallahum
so that they may
يَضَّرَّعُونَ
yaḍḍarraʿūna
(become) humble
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 94) ➊ { وَ مَاۤ اَرْسَلْنَا فِيْ قَرْيَةٍ مِّنْ نَّبِيٍّ …:} After mentioning some incidents of previous prophets—Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut, and Shu‘ayb (peace be upon them) with their nations, and before the detailed incidents of Musa (peace be upon him) with Pharaoh and the Children of Israel, here in between, all the prophets and their nations are mentioned briefly. The purpose is to console the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and to warn the disbelievers.
➋ By {بِالْبَاْسَآءِ وَ الضَّرَّآءِ: ’’ بِالْبَاْسَآءِ ‘‘} is meant calamities affecting wealth, such as poverty, famine, etc., and by { ’’ الضَّرَّآءِ ‘‘ } is meant things that harm the human body, such as illness, hardships, and war, etc.
➌ {لَعَلَّهُمْ يَضَّرَّعُوْنَ:} That is, whenever We sent a prophet to any town and they did not believe in him, We sent them, for their admonition, lesser punishments before the greater punishment, which came in the form of war, hardship, famine, illness, and other calamities. The purpose was that, realizing the consequences of their deeds, they would humble themselves before Us and come to the straight path, as Allah Almighty has said: «{ وَ لَنُذِيْقَنَّهُمْ مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ الْاَدْنٰى دُوْنَ الْعَذَابِ الْاَكْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُوْنَ }» [ السجدۃ : ۲۱] “And surely We will make them taste the nearer punishment before the greater punishment, so that they may return.”
➋ By {بِالْبَاْسَآءِ وَ الضَّرَّآءِ: ’’ بِالْبَاْسَآءِ ‘‘} is meant calamities affecting wealth, such as poverty, famine, etc., and by { ’’ الضَّرَّآءِ ‘‘ } is meant things that harm the human body, such as illness, hardships, and war, etc.
➌ {لَعَلَّهُمْ يَضَّرَّعُوْنَ:} That is, whenever We sent a prophet to any town and they did not believe in him, We sent them, for their admonition, lesser punishments before the greater punishment, which came in the form of war, hardship, famine, illness, and other calamities. The purpose was that, realizing the consequences of their deeds, they would humble themselves before Us and come to the straight path, as Allah Almighty has said: «{ وَ لَنُذِيْقَنَّهُمْ مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ الْاَدْنٰى دُوْنَ الْعَذَابِ الْاَكْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُوْنَ }» [ السجدۃ : ۲۱] “And surely We will make them taste the nearer punishment before the greater punishment, so that they may return.”
