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 Surah Al-A'raf 7:40-51 [5/24] ↕
  
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Verse Summary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
إِنَّIndeed,
ٱلَّذِينَthose who
كَذَّبُواْdenied
بِـَٔـايَـٰتِنَاOur Verses
وَٱسْتَكْبَرُواْand (were) arrogant
عَنْهَاtowards them,
لَا(will) not
تُفَتَّحُbe opened
لَهُمْfor them
أَبْوَٲبُ(the) doors
ٱلسَّمَآءِ(of) the heaven,
وَلَاand not
يَدْخُلُونَthey will enter
ٱلْجَنَّةَParadise
حَتَّىٰuntil
يَلِجَpasses
ٱلْجَمَلُthe camel
فِىthrough
سَمِّ(the) eye
ٱلْخِيَاطِ‌ۚ(of) the needle.
وَكَذَٲلِكَAnd thus
نَجْزِىWe recompense
ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَthe criminals.
﴿٤٠﴾
لَهُمFor them
مِّنof
جَهَنَّمَ(the) Hell
مِهَادٌ(is) a bed
وَمِن فَوْقِهِمْand over them
غَوَاشٍ‌ۚcoverings.
وَكَذَٲلِكَAnd thus
نَجْزِىWe recompense
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَthe wrongdoers.
﴿٤١﴾
وَٱلَّذِينَBut those who
ءَامَنُواْbelieve
وَعَمِلُواْand do
ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ[the] righteous deeds
لَاnot
نُكَلِّفُWe burden
نَفْسًاany soul
إِلَّاexcept
وُسْعَهَآ(to) its capacity.
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَThose
أَصْحَـٰبُ(are the) companions
ٱلْجَنَّةِ‌ۖ(of) Paradise,
هُمْthey
فِيهَاin it
خَـٰلِدُونَ(will) abide forever.
﴿٤٢﴾
وَنَزَعْنَاAnd We will remove
مَاwhatever
فِى(is) in
صُدُورِهِمtheir breasts
مِّنْof
غِلٍّmalice.
تَجْرِىFlows
مِنfrom
تَحْتِهِمُunderneath them
ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ‌ۖthe rivers.
وَقَالُواْAnd they will say,
ٱلْحَمْدُ`All the praise
لِلَّهِ(is) for Allah,
ٱلَّذِىthe One Who
هَدَٮٰنَاguided us
لِهَـٰذَاto this,
وَمَاand not
كُنَّاwe were
لِنَهْتَدِىَto receive guidance
لَوْلَآif not
أَنْ[that]
هَدَٮٰنَا ٱللَّهُ‌ۖAllah (had) guided us.
لَقَدْCertainly,
جَآءَتْcame
رُسُلُMessengers
رَبِّنَا(of) our Lord
بِٱلْحَقِّ‌ۖwith the truth.`
وَنُودُوٓاْAnd they will be addressed,
أَن[that]
تِلْكُمُ`This
ٱلْجَنَّةُ(is) Paradise,
أُورِثْتُمُوهَاyou have been made to inherit it
بِمَاfor what
كُنتُمْyou used to
تَعْمَلُونَdo.`
﴿٤٣﴾
وَنَادَىٰٓAnd will call out
أَصْحَـٰبُ(the) companions
ٱلْجَنَّةِ(of) Paradise
أَصْحَـٰبَ(to the) companions
ٱلنَّارِ(of) the Fire
أَنthat,
قَدْ`Indeed,
وَجَدْنَاwe found
مَاwhat
وَعَدَنَا رَبُّنَاour Lord had promised us
حَقًّاtrue.
فَهَلْSo have
وَجَدتُّمyou found
مَّاwhat
وَعَدَ رَبُّكُمْyour Lord promised
حَقًّا‌ۖ(to be) true?`
قَالُواْThey will say,
نَعَمْ‌ۚ`Yes.`
فَأَذَّنَThen will announce
مُؤَذِّنُۢan announcer
بَيْنَهُمْamong them,
أَن[that]
لَّعْنَةُ`(The) curse
ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
عَلَى(is) on
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَthe wrongdoers,
﴿٤٤﴾
ٱلَّذِينَThose who
يَصُدُّونَhinder
عَنfrom
سَبِيلِ(the) way
ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
وَيَبْغُونَهَاand seek in it
عِوَجًاcrookedness
وَهُمwhile they (are)
بِٱلْأَخِرَةِconcerning the Hereafter,
كَـٰفِرُونَdisbelievers.`
﴿٤٥﴾
وَبَيْنَهُمَاAnd between them
حِجَابٌ‌ۚ(will be) a partition,
وَعَلَىand on
ٱلْأَعْرَافِthe heights
رِجَالٌ(will be) men
يَعْرِفُونَrecognizing
كُلاَّۢall
بِسِيمَـٰهُمْ‌ۚby their marks.
وَنَادَوْاْAnd they will call out
أَصْحَـٰبَ(to the) companions
ٱلْجَنَّةِ(of) Paradise
أَنthat
سَلَـٰمٌ`Peace
عَلَيْكُمْ‌ۚ(be) upon you.`
لَمْNot
يَدْخُلُوهَاthey have entered it
وَهُمْbut they
يَطْمَعُونَhope.
﴿٤٦﴾
۞ وَإِذَاAnd when
صُرِفَتْare turned
أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْtheir eyes
تِلْقَآءَtowards
أَصْحَـٰبِ(the) companions
ٱلنَّارِ(of) the Fire,
قَالُواْthey (will) say,
رَبَّنَا`Our Lord!
لَا(Do) not
تَجْعَلْنَاplace us
مَعَwith
ٱلْقَوْمِthe people -
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَthe wrongdoers.`
﴿٤٧﴾
وَنَادَىٰٓAnd (will) call out
أَصْحَـٰبُ(the) companions
ٱلْأَعْرَافِ(of) the heights
رِجَالاً(to) men
يَعْرِفُونَهُمwhom they recognize
بِسِيمَـٰهُمْby their marks
قَالُواْsaying,
مَآ`Not
أَغْنَىٰ(has) availed
عَنكُمْ[to] you
جَمْعُكُمْyour gathering
وَمَاand what
كُنتُمْyou were
تَسْتَكْبِرُونَarrogant (about).`
﴿٤٨﴾
أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِAre these
ٱلَّذِينَthe ones whom
أَقْسَمْتُمْyou had sworn
لَا يَنَالُهُمُ ٱللَّهُthat Allah (will) not grant them
بِرَحْمَةٍ‌ۚMercy?
ٱدْخُلُواْ`Enter
ٱلْجَنَّةَParadise
لَا(There will be) no
خَوْفٌfear
عَلَيْكُمْupon you
وَلَآand not
أَنتُمْyou
تَحْزَنُونَwill grieve.`
﴿٤٩﴾
وَنَادَىٰٓAnd (will) call out
أَصْحَـٰبُ(the) companions
ٱلنَّارِ(of) the Fire
أَصْحَـٰبَ(to the) companions
ٱلْجَنَّةِ(of) Paradise
أَنْ[that],
أَفِيضُواْ`Pour
عَلَيْنَاupon us
مِنَ[of]
ٱلْمَآءِ(some) water
أَوْor
مِمَّاof what
رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ‌ۚAllah has provided you.`
قَالُوٓاْThey (will) say,
إِنَّ`Indeed,
ٱللَّهَAllah
حَرَّمَهُمَاhas forbidden both
عَلَىto
ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَthe disbelievers,
﴿٥٠﴾
ٱلَّذِينَThose who
ٱتَّخَذُواْtook
دِينَهُمْtheir religion
لَهْوًا(as) an amusement
وَلَعِبًاand play
وَغَرَّتْهُمُand deluded them
ٱلْحَيَوٲةُthe life
ٱلدُّنْيَا‌ۚ(of) the world.`
فَٱلْيَوْمَSo today
نَنسَـٰهُمْWe forget them
كَمَاas
نَسُواْthey forgot
لِقَآءَ(the) meeting
يَوْمِهِمْ هَـٰذَا(of) this Day of theirs,
وَمَاand [what]
كَانُواْ(as) they used to
بِـَٔـايَـٰتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَreject Our Verses.
﴿٥١﴾

اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ كَذَّبُوۡا بِاٰيٰتِنَا وَاسۡتَكۡبَرُوۡا عَنۡهَا لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمۡ اَبۡوَابُ السَّمَآءِ وَلَا يَدۡخُلُوۡنَ الۡجَـنَّةَ حَتّٰى يَلِجَ الۡجَمَلُ فِىۡ سَمِّ الۡخِيَاطِ​ ؕ وَكَذٰلِكَ نَجۡزِى الۡمُجۡرِمِيۡنَ‏  لَهُمۡ مِّنۡ جَهَـنَّمَ مِهَادٌ وَّمِنۡ فَوۡقِهِمۡ غَوَاشٍ​ ؕ وَكَذٰلِكَ نَجۡزِى الظّٰلِمِيۡنَ‏  وَالَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ لَا نُـكَلِّفُ نَفۡسًا اِلَّا وُسۡعَهَاۤ  اُولٰۤـئِكَ اَصۡحٰبُ الۡجَـنَّةِ​ۚ هُمۡ فِيۡهَا خٰلِدُوۡنَ‏  وَنَزَعۡنَا مَا فِىۡ صُدُوۡرِهِمۡ مِّنۡ غِلٍّ تَجۡرِىۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِهِمُ الۡاَنۡهٰرُ​ۚ وَقَالُوا الۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىۡ هَدٰٮنَا لِهٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهۡتَدِىَ لَوۡلَاۤ اَنۡ هَدٰٮنَا اللّٰهُ​ ​ۚ لَقَدۡ جَآءَتۡ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالۡحَـقِّ​ ؕ وَنُوۡدُوۡۤا اَنۡ تِلۡكُمُ الۡجَـنَّةُ اُوۡرِثۡتُمُوۡهَا بِمَا كُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ‏   وَنَادٰٓى اَصۡحٰبُ الۡجَـنَّةِ اَصۡحٰبَ النَّارِ اَنۡ قَدۡ وَجَدۡنَا مَا وَعَدَنَا رَبُّنَا حَقًّا فَهَلۡ وَجَدْتُّمۡ مَّا وَعَدَ رَبُّكُمۡ حَقًّا​ ؕ قَالُوۡا نَـعَمۡ​ ۚ فَاَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌۢ بَيۡنَهُمۡ اَنۡ لَّـعۡنَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَى الظّٰلِمِيۡنَۙ‏   الَّذِيۡنَ يَصُدُّوۡنَ عَنۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ وَيَـبۡـغُوۡنَهَا عِوَجًا​ ۚ وَهُمۡ بِالۡاٰخِرَةِ كٰفِرُوۡنَ​ۘ‏  وَبَيۡنَهُمَا حِجَابٌ​ۚ وَعَلَى الۡاَعۡرَافِ رِجَالٌ يَّعۡرِفُوۡنَ كُلًّاۢ بِسِيۡمٰٮهُمۡ​ ۚ وَنَادَوۡا اَصۡحٰبَ الۡجَـنَّةِ اَنۡ سَلٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ​ لَمۡ يَدۡخُلُوۡهَا وَهُمۡ يَطۡمَعُوۡنَ‏  وَاِذَا صُرِفَتۡ اَبۡصَارُهُمۡ تِلۡقَآءَ اَصۡحٰبِ النَّارِۙ قَالُوۡا رَبَّنَا لَا تَجۡعَلۡنَا مَعَ الۡقَوۡمِ الظّٰلِمِيۡنَ‏  وَنَادٰٓى اَصۡحٰبُ الۡاَعۡرَافِ رِجَالًا يَّعۡرِفُوۡنَهُمۡ بِسِيۡمٰٮهُمۡ قَالُوۡا مَاۤ اَغۡنٰى عَنۡكُمۡ جَمۡعُكُمۡ وَمَا كُنۡتُمۡ تَسۡتَكۡبِرُوۡنَ‏  اَهٰٓؤُلَۤاءِ الَّذِيۡنَ اَقۡسَمۡتُمۡ لَا يَنَالُهُمُ اللّٰهُ بِرَحۡمَةٍ ​ؕ اُدۡخُلُوا الۡجَـنَّةَ لَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَلَاۤ اَنۡتُمۡ تَحۡزَنُوۡنَ‏  وَنَادٰٓى اَصۡحٰبُ النَّارِ اَصۡحٰبَ الۡجَـنَّةِ اَنۡ اَفِيۡضُوۡا عَلَيۡنَا مِنَ الۡمَآءِ اَوۡ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللّٰهُ ​ؕ قَالُـوۡۤا اِنَّ اللّٰهَ حَرَّمَهُمَا عَلَى الۡـكٰفِرِيۡنَ ۙ‏  الَّذِيۡنَ اتَّخَذُوۡا دِيۡنَهُمۡ لَهۡوًا وَّلَعِبًا وَّغَرَّتۡهُمُ الۡحَيٰوةُ الدُّنۡيَا​​ ۚ فَالۡيَوۡمَ نَنۡسٰٮهُمۡ كَمَا نَسُوۡا لِقَآءَ يَوۡمِهِمۡ هٰذَا ۙ وَمَا كَانُوۡا بِاٰيٰتِنَا يَجۡحَدُوۡنَ‏ 
Translation
(7:40) Surely the gates of Heaven shall not be opened for those who reject Our signs as false and turn away ' from them in arrogance; nor shall they enter Paradise until a camel passes through the eye of a needle. Thus do We reward the guilty ones. (7:41) Hell shall be their bed, and also above them their covering. Thus do We reward the wrong-doers. (7:42) And those who believe and do good - We do not impose upon any of them a burden beyond his capacity. They are the people of Paradise. And there they shall abide. (7:43) We shall strip away all rancour from their hearts,32 and rivers shall flow beneath them, and they shall say: 'All praise be to Allah Who has guided us on to this. Had it not been for Allah Who granted us guidance, we would not be on the Right Path. Surely the Messengers of our Lord did indeed come down with truth.' Then a voice will cry out to them: 'This is the Paradise which you are made to inherit as a reward for your deeds.' 33 (7:44) And the people of Paradise shall cry to the people of Hell: 'Surely we have found our Lord's promise to us to be true. have you also found true what your Lord has promised you?' 'Yes', they shall answer; and a herald shall cry out among them: 'Allah's curse be upon the wrong-doers'; (7:45) upon those who hinder men from the path of Allah and seek to make it crooked; and disbelieve in the Hereafter.' (7:46) And between the two there will be a barrier, and on the Heights will be men who will recognize each person by his mark and will cry, out to the people of Paradise: 'Peace be to you.'These will be the ones who had not yet joined them in Paradise, though they long to do so.34 (7:47) And when the eyes of the people of the Heights will be turned towards the people of Hell they will say: 'Our Lord! Do not cast us among the wrongdoing people.' (7:48) And the people of the Heights will cry out to the men whom they would recognize by their marks. saving: 'Neither your numbers nor the riches of which you were proud availed you. (7:49) Are these not the ones of whom you swore that Allah shall grant them nothing of His mercy?' To such it will be said: 'Enter Paradise. You have no cause to fear, nor shall you grieve.' (7:50) And the people of the Fire will cry out to the people of Paradise: 'Pour out some water on us or throw at us something of what Allah has bestowed upon you.' They will reply: 'Allah has forbidden them to the deniers of the truth, (7:51) who have made their religion a sport and play. and whom the life of the world has beguiled. So on that Day We shall forget them in the manner they forget their meeting of this Day with Us and persist in denying Our revelations.'35
Commentary

32. If there develops any rancour or ill-will among good people during the course of their worldly lives, such rancour and will be removed in the Hereafter. Their hearts will be purged of all hostile feelings and they will enter Paradise as cordial friends. They will not feel envious towards those who had formerly been opposed or hostile to them that they share with them the bounties of Paradise. Significantly, 'Ali once recited this very verse and remarked: 'I wish that I and 'Uthman and Talhah and al-Zubayr will be among those about whom God has said: "And We shall take away all rancour from their hearts" ' (verse 43). (See Qurtubi's comments on verse 43 - Ed.)

Reflection on the verse leads one to conclude that out of His mercy, God will first purge the righteous of their blemishes. This will be done before admitting them to Paradise. Thus they will enter Paradise in a state of untainted purity.

33. This refers to something of a fine and delicate character that will take place in Paradise. Instead of boasting about their virtuous deeds which led them to Paradise, the righteous will thank and praise God profusely and acknowledge His grace and mercy without which they could never have entered Paradise. On the other hand, God will not impress His bounty upon the righteous; He will rather emphasize that Paradise is granted to them by way of compensation for their righteous conduct, that it is the fruit of their hard labour; that it is not like the crumbs of charity but a fair recompense for their striving. The subtlety involved here is further brought into relief by the fact that the above response will not be made by God. It will rather be just announced to them.

What is said above about the Hereafter may be discerned in the attitude of the righteous in the world itself. The wicked and arrogant ones take great pride in their worldly attainments and ascribe them to their own efforts. They firmly, believe that what they have achieved is the fruit of their labour. Swaved by such notions, they continue to act even more haughtily. Conversely the righteous look upon all the bounties which they receive as favours from God. Accordingly, they thank and praise Him out of gratitude. The more they are lavished with worldly favours, the more humble and generous they become. Moreover, they do not suffer from the illusion that their righteousness will certainly earn them their salvation. On the contrary, they consistently repent over their lapses and earnestly turn to God in the hope that He will pardon them out of His grace and mercy. They are always fearful of God's reckoning lest their evil deeds are found to outweigh their good deeds. According to a tradition the Prophet (peace he on him) said: 'Know well that none will he able to enter Paradise by dint of his good deeds.' When asked if that would apply to him as well, the Prophet (peace he on him) replied: 'Yes, in my case as well; unless God covers me with His mercy and favour.' (Bukhari, Kitab al-Riqaq, 'Bab al-Qasd wa a Mudawamah ala al-Amal' - Ed.)

34. The people of A'raf (Heights) will be the people who are neither righteous enough to enter Paradise nor wicked enough to he cast into Hell. They will, therefore, dwell at a place situated between the two.

35. The trialogue between the People of Paradise, the People of the Fire. and the People of the Heights gives some indication of the tremendous range of human faculties in the Next World. These faculties would increase to such an extent that the People of Paradise, the People of the Fire and the People of the Heights will be able to see, hear and talk to one another. Other Qur'anic statements about the Hereafter enable us to realize that the laws operating in the Next World will be altogether different from those in the present. Notwithstanding this, men's personalities will not undergo any such change.

Those who cannot perceive any thing beyond the present limited world and who are incapable of imagining scales bigger than the ones relating to the present world, make fun of the statements in the Qur'an and Hadith about life in the Hereafter. This only betrays their poverty of understanding and imagination. The fact, however, is that the possibilities for life are not as narrow and limited as their minds.