Al-A'raf 7:204
The Heights · Juz 9 · Page 176
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ فَٱسۡتَمِعُواْ لَهُۥ وَأَنصِتُواْ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُونَ ٢٠٤
So when the Qur’ān is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy.
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 7:204–206
The Makkans used to ask the Prophet that if he was a Prophet of God why he did not bring miracles from God. It would indeed have been very easy for God to send His messenger with miracles. But if the Prophet had come with miracles, the real purpose of his coming would have been defeated. For instance, let’s suppose he was given a modern car with loudspeakers fixed to it in order to facilitate the communication of his message. One thousand five hundred years ago such a car would surely be a breathtaking miracle. Had this been so, people’s attention would have been diverted from the message. The real purpose of the coming of the prophet was that God’s word should serve to produce deep thinking in the people so that they might use their mental faculties to give deep thought to the words of God in order to purify their souls and establish contact with God. But given miracles, their attention would have been diverted, and they would have been lost in miracles instead of in God. True religion consists of paying attention to the word of God, in order to establish a profound relation with God. The devotee’s heart is softened. He becomes one who always remembers God. His heart and mind are overwhelmed with God’s majesty, making him truly modest and fearful of God. We are told to develop an angelic character in order that we may find the company of angels in the next life. When man frees himself from arrogance, he is so engrossed with God’s marvels expressed in creation that he cannot but remember God always from the innermost recesses of his heart. He attains the level of angels. The highest point for human achievement in his world is that, being a human being, one comes to develop an angelic character.
Page 176
7:196
إِنَّ وَلِـِّۧيَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي نَزَّلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَۖ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ١٩٦
Indeed, my protector is Allāh, who has sent down the Book; and He is an ally to the righteous.
7:197
وَٱلَّذِينَ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ نَصۡرَكُمۡ وَلَآ أَنفُسَهُمۡ يَنصُرُونَ ١٩٧
And those you call upon besides Him are unable to help you, nor can they help themselves."
7:198
وَإِن تَدۡعُوهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ لَا يَسۡمَعُواْۖ وَتَرَىٰهُمۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيۡكَ وَهُمۡ لَا يُبۡصِرُونَ ١٩٨
And if you invite them to guidance, they do not hear; and you see them looking at you while they do not see.
7:199
خُذِ ٱلۡعَفۡوَ وَأۡمُرۡ بِٱلۡعُرۡفِ وَأَعۡرِضۡ عَنِ ٱلۡجَٰهِلِينَ ١٩٩
Take what is given freely,1 enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant.
1 translator’s note
- From the dispositions of men or from their wealth. In other words, be easy in dealing with them and avoid causing them difficulty. ↩
7:200
وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ نَزۡغٞ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّهُۥ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ٢٠٠
And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allāh. Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing.
7:201
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوۡاْ إِذَا مَسَّهُمۡ طَٰٓئِفٞ مِّنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ تَذَكَّرُواْ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبۡصِرُونَ ٢٠١
Indeed, those who fear Allāh - when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight.
7:202
وَإِخۡوَٰنُهُمۡ يَمُدُّونَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡغَيِّ ثُمَّ لَا يُقۡصِرُونَ ٢٠٢
But their brothers1 - they [i.e., the devils] increase them in error; then they do not stop short.
1 translator’s note
- Those among mankind who listen to the devils and obey their orders. ↩
7:203
وَإِذَا لَمۡ تَأۡتِهِم بِـَٔايَةٖ قَالُواْ لَوۡلَا ٱجۡتَبَيۡتَهَاۚ قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَتَّبِعُ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ مِن رَّبِّيۚ هَٰذَا بَصَآئِرُ مِن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَهُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٞ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٢٠٣
And when you, [O Muḥammad], do not bring them a sign [i.e., miracle], they say, "Why have you not contrived it?" Say, "I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord. This [Qur’ān] is enlightenment from your Lord and guidance and mercy for a people who believe."
7:204
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ فَٱسۡتَمِعُواْ لَهُۥ وَأَنصِتُواْ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُونَ ٢٠٤
So when the Qur’ān is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy.
7:205
وَٱذۡكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفۡسِكَ تَضَرُّعٗا وَخِيفَةٗ وَدُونَ ٱلۡجَهۡرِ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡلِ بِٱلۡغُدُوِّ وَٱلۡأٓصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلۡغَٰفِلِينَ ٢٠٥
And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech - in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless.
7:206
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لَا يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ عَنۡ عِبَادَتِهِۦ وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُۥ وَلَهُۥ يَسۡجُدُونَۤ۩ ٢٠٦
Indeed, those who are near your Lord [i.e., the angels] are not prevented by arrogance from His worship, and they exalt Him, and to Him they prostrate.