سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 169
فَخَلَفَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ وَرِثُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْأَدْنَىٰ وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا وَإِن يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِّثْلُهُۥ يَأْخُذُوهُ ۚ أَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِم مِّيثَـٰقُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَن لَّا يَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ وَدَرَسُوا۟ مَا فِيهِ ۗ وَٱلدَّارُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿169﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then after them succeeded an (evil) generation, which inherited the Book, but they chose (for themselves) the goods of this low life (evil pleasures of this world) saying (as an excuse): "(Everything) will be forgiven to us." And if (again) the offer of the like (evil pleasures of this world) came their way, they would (again) seize them (would commit those sins). Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them that they would not say about Allâh anything but the truth? And they have studied what is in it (the Book). And the home of the Hereafter is better for those who are Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - See V.2:2). Do not you then understand?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَخَلَفَ
fakhalafa
Then succeeded
مِنۢ
min
from
بَعْدِهِمْ
baʿdihim
after them
خَلْفٌۭ
khalfun
successors
وَرِثُوا۟
warithū
(who) inherited
ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ
l-kitāba
the Book
يَأْخُذُونَ
yakhudhūna
taking
عَرَضَ
ʿaraḍa
goods
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
(of) this
ٱلْأَدْنَىٰ
l-adnā
the lower (life)
وَيَقُولُونَ
wayaqūlūna
and they say
سَيُغْفَرُ
sayugh'faru
It will be forgiven
لَنَا
lanā
for us
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
يَأْتِهِمْ
yatihim
comes to them
عَرَضٌۭ
ʿaraḍun
goods
مِّثْلُهُۥ
mith'luhu
similar to it
يَأْخُذُوهُ ۚ
yakhudhūhu
they will take it
أَلَمْ
alam
Was not
يُؤْخَذْ
yu'khadh
taken
عَلَيْهِم
ʿalayhim
on them
مِّيثَـٰقُ
mīthāqu
Covenant
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ
l-kitābi
(of) the Book
أَن
an
that
لَّا
lā
not
يَقُولُوا۟
yaqūlū
they will say
عَلَى
ʿalā
about
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلْحَقَّ
l-ḥaqa
the truth
وَدَرَسُوا۟
wadarasū
while they studied
مَا
mā
what
فِيهِ ۗ
fīhi
(is) in it
وَٱلدَّارُ
wal-dāru
And the home
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ
l-ākhiratu
(of) the Hereafter
خَيْرٌۭ
khayrun
(is) better
لِّلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
for those who
يَتَّقُونَ ۗ
yattaqūna
fear Allah
أَفَلَا
afalā
So will not
تَعْقِلُونَ
taʿqilūna
you use intellect
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
169. Then, after them, there succeeded a generation who inherited the Book [171], taking the fleeting gains of this worldly life and saying, "We will be forgiven." But if similar worldly gains came before them again, they would seize them (again). Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them that they would not attribute anything to Allah except the truth? And they have studied what is in it. And the home of the Hereafter is better for those who are mindful of Allah [172]. Do you not understand?
[171] That is, among the ancestors of these Jews there were also some good people and some were sinners, although the majority were of those sinners. But their descendants turned out to be completely unworthy and incompetent; they began to sell Allah’s Book and became dogs of the world. What is worse, they also thought that no matter what deeds they do, Allah will not punish them and will forgive them because they are the children of the Prophets ؑ and beloved to Allah. Instead of feeling remorseful and ashamed after committing sins and repenting before Allah, they would be ready again, so that if someone came to ask for a fatwa or a religious ruling, they would take a bribe from him or extract wealth and riches. Even though they had been firmly pledged that they would not attribute any false or unjust thing to Allah, and they read and taught this in the Book as well, despite this, they attributed this statement to Allah that no matter what deeds they do, Allah will not punish them because they are the children of the Prophets and beloved to Allah. Can they show this statement from the Torah?
[172] This sentence can have two meanings, and both are correct. One is that the home of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah (as has been translated), and for those who do not fear Allah, it is certainly not better; they will have to endure punishment and suffering there. The second meaning is that those who fear Allah always consider the home of the Hereafter to be better and prefer the home of the Hereafter over this world, and they are convinced that their life in the Hereafter will be far better than this world. If only you people could understand this.
[171] That is, among the ancestors of these Jews there were also some good people and some were sinners, although the majority were of those sinners. But their descendants turned out to be completely unworthy and incompetent; they began to sell Allah’s Book and became dogs of the world. What is worse, they also thought that no matter what deeds they do, Allah will not punish them and will forgive them because they are the children of the Prophets ؑ and beloved to Allah. Instead of feeling remorseful and ashamed after committing sins and repenting before Allah, they would be ready again, so that if someone came to ask for a fatwa or a religious ruling, they would take a bribe from him or extract wealth and riches. Even though they had been firmly pledged that they would not attribute any false or unjust thing to Allah, and they read and taught this in the Book as well, despite this, they attributed this statement to Allah that no matter what deeds they do, Allah will not punish them because they are the children of the Prophets and beloved to Allah. Can they show this statement from the Torah?
[172] This sentence can have two meanings, and both are correct. One is that the home of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah (as has been translated), and for those who do not fear Allah, it is certainly not better; they will have to endure punishment and suffering there. The second meaning is that those who fear Allah always consider the home of the Hereafter to be better and prefer the home of the Hereafter over this world, and they are convinced that their life in the Hereafter will be far better than this world. If only you people could understand this.
