Al-A'raf 7:45
The Heights · Juz 8 · Page 156
ٱلَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَبۡغُونَهَا عِوَجٗا وَهُم بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ كَٰفِرُونَ ٤٥
Who averted [people] from the way of Allāh and sought to make it [seem] deviant while they were, concerning the Hereafter, disbelievers."
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 7:44–45
The question was asked in early times how with Heaven and Hell being far away from each other—heaven above the skies and Hell at the lowest possible level—it would be possible for the voices of the people in heaven to reach the people in hell. But, in this age of mass communication, this question has become a relative matter. Now, man has come to know that it is possible to see far-away things and to hear voices from far away. What was not clear in ancient times has now become fully understandable in the light of modern experience and observation. This indicates that if any statement of the Quran defies analysis in the light of today’s knowledge, no conclusion should be drawn about it. It is quite possible that, with the increase in knowledge, it may become an accepted fact tomorrow, though today it seems to be strange and unknowable. However, this does not mean that, in the Hereafter, a connection will be established between the respective inmates of heaven and hell by means of modern radio or television. It only means that modern discoveries have shown that, in this universe of God, certain arrangements make it possible for two men situated far away from each other to see and talk to each other without any difficulty. A man can feel the weight of an argument only if he is serious and sincere about it. Those who do not attach significance to the Hereafter, are unable to see the point of arguments about the after-life. The reality of the Hereafter is supported by extremely strong arguments, but with their non-serious minds they can only ferret out defects in it. They produce different types of objections to it and, as a result, not only do they themselves entertain different suspicions and doubts about it, but they incline others towards incredulity. Such people are, in the eyes of God, guilty in the extreme. In the Hereafter, they will suffer the scourge of God, though in this world they may consider themselves entitled to His grace. Howsoever strong and convincing an argument may be, doubt can always be cast upon its veracity by clever utterances. People in general are unable to differentiate between a real argument and sophistry. So, they move away from Truth on hearing such talk. But those who, in spite of being capable of understanding the Truth, alienate people from it by indulging in such clever utterances, will be far removed from God’s grace on the Day of Reckoning.
Page 156
7:44
وَنَادَىٰٓ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلنَّارِ أَن قَدۡ وَجَدۡنَا مَا وَعَدَنَا رَبُّنَا حَقّٗا فَهَلۡ وَجَدتُّم مَّا وَعَدَ رَبُّكُمۡ حَقّٗاۖ قَالُواْ نَعَمۡۚ فَأَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنُۢ بَيۡنَهُمۡ أَن لَّعۡنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٤٤
And the companions of Paradise will call out to the companions of the Fire, "We have already found what our Lord promised us to be true. Have you found what your Lord promised to be true?" They will say, "Yes." Then an announcer will announce among them, "The curse of Allāh shall be upon the wrongdoers
7:45
ٱلَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَبۡغُونَهَا عِوَجٗا وَهُم بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ كَٰفِرُونَ ٤٥
Who averted [people] from the way of Allāh and sought to make it [seem] deviant while they were, concerning the Hereafter, disbelievers."
7:46
وَبَيۡنَهُمَا حِجَابٞۚ وَعَلَى ٱلۡأَعۡرَافِ رِجَالٞ يَعۡرِفُونَ كُلَّۢا بِسِيمَىٰهُمۡۚ وَنَادَوۡاْ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ أَن سَلَٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡۚ لَمۡ يَدۡخُلُوهَا وَهُمۡ يَطۡمَعُونَ ٤٦
And between them will be a partition [i.e., wall], and on [its] elevations are men1 who recognize all2 by their mark. And they call out to the companions of Paradise, "Peace be upon you." They have not [yet] entered it, but they long intensely.
7:47
۞ وَإِذَا صُرِفَتۡ أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ تِلۡقَآءَ أَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلنَّارِ قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا لَا تَجۡعَلۡنَا مَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٤٧
And when their eyes are turned toward the companions of the Fire, they say, "Our Lord, do not place us with the wrongdoing people."
7:48
وَنَادَىٰٓ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡأَعۡرَافِ رِجَالٗا يَعۡرِفُونَهُم بِسِيمَىٰهُمۡ قَالُواْ مَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنكُمۡ جَمۡعُكُمۡ وَمَا كُنتُمۡ تَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ ٤٨
And the companions of the Elevations will call to men [within Hell] whom they recognize by their mark, saying, "Of no avail to you was your gathering1 and [the fact] that you were arrogant."
1 translator’s note
- i.e., great numbers or gathering of wealth. ↩
7:49
أَهَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَقۡسَمۡتُمۡ لَا يَنَالُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِرَحۡمَةٍۚ ٱدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ لَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ تَحۡزَنُونَ ٤٩
[Allāh will say], "Are these1 the ones whom you [inhabitants of Hell] swore that Allāh would never offer them mercy? Enter Paradise, [O people of the Elevations]. No fear will there be concerning you, nor will you grieve."
1 translator’s note
- The humble believers who are now in Paradise. Another interpretation regards them as the people on the elevated partition. ↩
7:50
وَنَادَىٰٓ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ أَنۡ أَفِيضُواْ عَلَيۡنَا مِنَ ٱلۡمَآءِ أَوۡ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُۚ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ حَرَّمَهُمَا عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٥٠
And the companions of the Fire will call to the companions of Paradise, "Pour upon us some water or from whatever Allāh has provided you." They will say, "Indeed, Allāh has forbidden them both to the disbelievers
7:51
ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُواْ دِينَهُمۡ لَهۡوٗا وَلَعِبٗا وَغَرَّتۡهُمُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۚ فَٱلۡيَوۡمَ نَنسَىٰهُمۡ كَمَا نَسُواْ لِقَآءَ يَوۡمِهِمۡ هَٰذَا وَمَا كَانُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يَجۡحَدُونَ ٥١
Who took their religion as distraction and amusement and whom the worldly life deluded." So today We will forget them just as they forgot the meeting of this Day of theirs and for having rejected Our verses.