النص المفهرس

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 28 - 31
Moderation in Eating and Drinking is Always Beneficial
Sayyidna Faruq al-A'zam as Ul », said: 'Avoid eating and drinking
too much because it spoils the body, generates diseases and slackens
activity. Instead, take to moderation in eating and drinking for it is
good for the health of the body, and is far removed from extravagance
(Israf) in it.' He also said: 'Allah Ta'ala does not like an obese 'Alim'
(that is, a scholar of religion who has become fat and heavy as a result
of eating excessively by choice). Then, he further said: 'A person does
not get destroyed until he starts preferring his personal desires over
his Faith.' (Ruh A-Ma'ani from Abu Nu'aym)
Righteous elders of the early period have said that to keep busy
with the business of eating and drinking all the time, or to prefer it
over other matters of importance giving the impression that one has
no other worthy purpose left in life but eating and drinking, is includ-
ed under Israf (extravagance). Also well-known is their saying that
one should eat to live, not live to eat.
In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has included the atti-
tude of compulsively satiating every desire as and when it emerges as
included under Israf (extravagance). The words of the Hadith are: 3, 51
-It is also an Israf that one eats everything one de) الْإِسْرَافِ أَنْ تَأْكُلَ كُلَّ مَا اسْتَهَيْتَ
sires). (Ibn Majah from Sayyidna Anas)
As reported by Al-Baihaqi, The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم once saw
Sayyidah 'A'ishah 4 dl+, eating twice on a day and he said: 'Ya
'A'ishah, would you like that eating becomes your only pastime?'
And this command for moderation in eating and drinking men-
tioned in this verse is not restricted to eating and drinking alone. The
truth of the matter is that the course of moderation is very desirable
in wearing what one wears and living where one lives, in almost every-
thing. Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas as Mla, said: Eat and drink
what you wish and wear what you like. But, take care of two things:
One, that there be no Israf (excess from the measure of need) in it.
Two, that there be no pride and arrogance about it.
Eight Rulings from One Ayah
In short, eight rulings of the Shari'ah come out from the statement:
Eat and drink and do not be extravagant): (1) Eating) كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 28 - 31
and drinking is obligatory as needed, (2) unless the unlawfulness of
something stands proved as based on an evidence admitted by the
Shari'ah, everything is Halal, (3) the use of things prohibited by Allah
and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم is Israf and is impermissible, (4) tak-
ing as Haram what Allah has made Halal is also Israf, and a grave sin,
(5) once one has eaten his fill, eating anymore is impermissible, (6)
eating so little that one becomes weak and is rendered unable to fulfill
his obligations is also Israf, (7) to keep thinking of eating and drinking
all the time is also Israf and (8) It is not necessary that one must have
what one wishes for at a given time.
The rules recounted above which emerge from this verse have their
religious benefits. If one looks at it medically, a better prescription for
health and well-being will be difficult to find. The key is: Moderation
in eating and drinking. That is your sanctuary from all diseases.
According to Tafsir Ruh al-Ma'ani and Mazhari, Khalifah Harun Al-
Rashid had a personal physician who was a Christian. He said to 'Ali
ibn Husayn ibn al-Wagidi: 'Your Book (the Qur'an) has nothing about
medicine in it, although there are only two fields of knowledge in our
time, the knowledge of religion and the knowledge of bodies called
Medicine.' 'Ali ibn Husayn said: Allah Ta'ala has put the whole science
of medicine in half a verse of the Qur'an. He says: كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوْا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا (Eat
and drink and do not be extravagant) (Tafsir Ibn Kathir reports this
saying also with reference to some other righteous elders of the earlier
times). Then, the Court physician asked: All right, is there something
in the sayings of your prophet about Medicine?' 'Ali ibn Husayn re-
plied: 'The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has reduced the whole science of
medicine in a few sayings of his when he said that 'the stomach is the
nursery of diseases' and 'abstinance from harmful things is the root of
all medicine' and 'give every body what it can take (as a matter of hab-
it)' (Kashshaf & Ruh al-Ma'ani) . After hearing this, the Christian physician
said: 'Your Book and your Prophet have left no Medicine for Galen
(Jālinus).'
Based on a narration from Sayyidna Abi Hurairahas dy», in
Shu'ab al-'Iman, Al-Baihaqi has reported that the Holy Prophet Jul
duy ale said: 'The stomatch is the reservoir of the body. All arteries and
nerves of the body get satiated from this reservoir. If the stomach is in

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Surah Al-A‘raf : 7: 32 - 34
proper order, all veins will return with healthy food from here. And if
it is not in proper order, all veins will spread out in the body as car-
riers of diseases.'
Muhaddithin (experts in the discipline of Hadith) have expressed
doubts about the use of some words in these narrations of Hadith. But,
all of them agree to the emphasis laid on eating moderately and ob-
serving precaution present in countless Ahadith. (Ruh al-Ma'ani)
Verses 32 - 34
قُلُ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِيْنَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِى أَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِ وَالَّطَِّّبْتِ مِنَ
الرِّزْقِ ﴿ قُلُ هِىَ لِلَّذِيْنَ امَنُوْا فِى الْحُبُوةِ الدُّنْيَا خَالِصَةٌ يَوْمَ
الْقِيْمَةِ، كَذَلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْأَيْتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَّعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٢) قُلُ إِنَّاَ حَرَّمَ
رَبِّىَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَاظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْىَ
بِغَيْرِالْحَقِّ وَأَنْ تُشْرِكُوْا بِاللَّهِ مَالَمْ يُنُِّ بِهِ سُلْطَنًا وَانٌ تَقُوُلُوْا
عَلَى اللَّهِ مَالَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾ وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ فَإِذَا جَآءَ
أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةٌ وَّلَا يَسْتَقُدِمُونَ ﴿٣٤﴾
Say, "Who has prohibited the adornment Allah has
brought forth for His servants, and the wholesome
things of sustenance?"
Say, "They are for the believers during this worldly life
(though shared by others), while they are purely for
them on the day of Resurrection. This is how We elabo-
rate the verses for people who understand." [32]
Say, "My Lord has prohibited only the shameful things,
what is apparent from them and what is hidden, and
sin and unjust aggression, and that you associate with
Allah something for which He has not sent any authori-
ty, and that you say about Allah what you do not know.
[33]
And for every people there is an appointed time. So,
when their appointed time comes, they will not be late
for a moment, nor will they go before. [34]

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 32 - 34
Commentary
Warned in the first verse are those who practice excess in acts of
worship and introduce self-invented restrictions into it. They would
abstain from things made Halal by Allah Ta'ala and go on to make
them Haram on them and call it an act of obedience to and worship of
Allah - as was the case of the disbelievers of Makkah who just did not
consider wearing clothes in Țawaf during the days of Hajj as permissi-
ble and who used to think of abstinence from good food made lawful by
Allah Ta'ala to be an act of worship.
Such people have been sternly reprimanded in a chastising mode
by inquiring as to who has made good and becoming dress created by
Allah for his servants and the good and pure foods bestowed by Him
Haram for people?
Abstinence from Good Dress and Tasty Food is No Teaching of
Islam
It means that to determine and declare something to be Halal or
Haram is the sole right of the Most Sacred Being that has created it.
No one is permitted to interfere in this matter. Therefore, those who
consider good dress and good food made lawful by Allah as something
Haram for themselves deserve the wrath and punishment from Allah.
Living in tattered rags despite having the means is no teaching of Is-
lam, nor is it something considered worth emulation in Islam as some
ignorant people think.
Many among the early righteous elders and juristic Imams of Is-
lam whom Allah had been blessed with good means would often times
wear elegant, even expensive dresses. Our own master, may the bless
ing of Allah and peace be upon him, when his means allowed it, has
adorned his body with the best of dresses. According to one narration,
once when he came out, there was on his blessed body a Rida' the price
of which was one thousand dirhams. As reported by Imam Abu Hani-
fah, he had used a Rida' worth four hundred guineas. Similarly, Imam
Malik alway used decent and elegant dress. For him, someone had tak-
en it on himself that he would provide three hundred and sixty pairs of
dresses annually for his use. And a pair which adorned his body for a
day would not be used again because after having been worn for one
day, he would give this dress to some poor student.

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7: 32 - 34
The reason is that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has said: When
Allah Ta'ala blesses a servant of His with extended means, He likes to
see the effect of His blessing on things around him, his dress being one
f them. Therefore, to let such blessing become visible is also a form of
, owing gratitude. In contrast, there is the attitude of wearing worn-
out or untidy clothes, despite having the means, which is ingratitude.
However, it is necessary to guard against two things, that is, from
hypocricy and exhibitionism, and from pride and arrogance. It means
' at one should not dress well simply to show off before others or to es-
blish that they were superior or special as compared to them. And it
. obvious that the righteous elders of the early period were free from
such attitudes.
As for the reported use of ordinary or patched dress by the Holy
Prophet وصلى الله عليه وسلم , Sayyidna Faruq al-Azam رضى الله عنه and some oth
er Şahabah among the righteous elders is concerned, it had two rea-
sons. First of all, whatever came in their hands as their income, they
would spend it out over the poor and the needy, and in the pursuit of
their religious objectives. For their own person, they would be left with
too little to afford a nice dress. Then, they were leaders of people. They
let themselves be in that simple and inexpensive bearing as it was so
+hat others with extended means would get the message, and that
: mmon people and the poor and needy are not overwhelmed by their
ancial status.
The same thing holds valid in the case of the noble Sufis (the group
( rightly guided mystics in Islam who lay primary stress on spiritual
purification). When they make new aspirants abstain from fine dress-
es and tasty foods, they really do not intend to say that leaving these
things off for good is an act of thaw ab or merit. Far from it. Instead of
that, it is only to put the brakes on the wanton desires of the human
self during the initial stage of the quest for truth that they would pre-
scribe such regimen of striving, as treatment and medicine. When the
aspirant reaches a stage where he has learnt to control the desires of
his self and it can no more be attracted to and snared by what is Har-
am and impermissible, then, at that time, all masters of the spiritual
orders would use and recommend good dress and tasty foods like th
general body of early righteous elders. When done at that time, these

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7: 32 - 34
fine blessings of human sustenance become for them the source of
knowing their Creator and achieving nearness to Him - rather becom-
ing impediments (through any lack of gratitude or truimph of desires
as it is likely in the early stage).
The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in Food and Dress
About food and dress, the essential way of the Holy Prophet JUL
do tle, the Sahabah and the Tabi'in is that one should not be unnatu-
rally concerned about these. Dress and food within easy access are
good enough and should be used gratefully. If the dress is coarse and
the food dry, there is no need to go to the trouble of finding somethi ...
better one way or the other - even if one has to borrow, or that one
starts worrying about what one misses so much that one lands himself
into some other trouble.
Similarly, when good dress and food are naturally available, one
should not go to the extreme trouble of spoiling them or avoiding their
use. Thus, the way the seeking of good dress and good food is a self-
imposed constraint, very similarly, doing the opposite of it, that is, to
spoil what is good and to leave it aside in favour of what is bad, is also
a self-imposed constraint - and a blameworthy one.
Why should this be done? The next sentence of the verse explains
the wisdom behind it. It says that all blessings, which include fine
dresses and nice foods, have really been created for obedient believe
.
Others are enjoying these because of them - because this world is the
venue of deeds not the venue of rewards. You cannot draw a line of dis-
tinction between the genuine and the counterfeit, the good and the bad
in the matter of blessings available in this mortal world. Here, the
feast is open to all. The blessings are there from the All-Merciful. He is
Al-Rahman for this whole world. But, the arrangements in this world
obey the will of Allah - and the customary practice of Allah in this
world is: When the obedient believers in Allah fall short in their duties
to Him, other people overcome them, grab the treasures of worldly
blessings and, as a result, the believing servants of Allah become sub-
jected to hunger and poverty.
But, this law operates within this mortal world of deeds only. Once
in the Hereafter, all blessings and comforts shall be reserved for the

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7: 32 - 34
قُلُ هِىَ لِلَّذِئْنَ امَنُوا فِى :obedient servants of Allah. This is what the sentence
in this verse means, that is, '(O prophet) you tell الخُيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا خَالِصَةٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيْمَةِ
them that all blessings in the worldly life itself are really the right of
the believers - and, on the day of Qiyamah, they shall be theirs exclu-
sively.'
Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas &e ul », has explained this verse by
saying that all blessings and comforts of the world are - subject to the
safeguard that they do not become a source of trouble for them in the
Hereafter - are the rightful share of obedient believers only. Contrary
is the case of disbelievers and sinners who, though they too receive
these blessing in their mortal life, rather receive more of it, but these
blessings of theirs are going to become their nemesis in the Hereafter
bringing punishment which will last for ever. Therefore, as the out-
come shows, this is not the kind of comfort and honour one would wel-
come.
Some other commentators have determined its meaning by saying
that all blessings and comforts of the world are laced with ceaseless
striving, the apprehension of decline and never-ending anxiety. Pure
blessing and pure comfort simply do not exist here. However, whoever
gets these blessings on the day of Judgement, they will have them in
the state of absolute purity. There will be no striving for it, no appre-
hension of decline or loss in it, nor any worries after it. The three ex-
planations of the sense of this sentence in this verse as given above
could be accomodated therein and that is why commentators among
the Şahabah and Tabi'in have gone by them.
At the end of the verse, it was said: ◌َكَذَلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْأَيْتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُون (This is how
We elaborate the verses for people who understand). This verse carries
a refutation of the excessive deeds and ignorant views of people who
suggested that Allah Ta'ala is pleased with the practice of abandoning
good dress and good food.
After that, the second verse takes up the description of some of the
things declared unlawful by Allah Ta'ala forsaking which really brings
His pleasure. The hint given here is that these people were suffering
from a twofold ignorance. On the one hand, they deprived themselves
of the good things of life Allah had made lawful for them by denying to
use them as if they were unlawful - and did so for no reason. Then, on

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7: 32 - 34
the other hand, there were things genuinely and really unlawful,
things the use of which was to result in the wrath of Allah and the
punishment of the Hereafter, these they embraced with both arms
only to discover that they had embraced what was to be their undoing
in the life-to-come. Thus, they were doubly deprived, deprived of the
blessings they had in the mortal world and deprived of the blessings
they had the chance of having in the Hereafter. After that, says the
Qur'an:
إِنّا حَرَّمَ رَبَِّ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطُنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْىَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَآَنُ
تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَالَمْ يُنِزِّلُ بِهِ سُلُطْنًا وَاَنُ تَقُوُلُوا عَلَى اللّهِ مَالَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ
Say, "My Lord has prohibited only the shameful things, what
is apparent from them and what is hidden, and sin and unjust
aggression, and that you associate with Allah something for
which He has not sent any authority, and that you say about
Allah what you do not know - 33.
In the detail given above, the word: 31 (ithm : sin) covers all sins
which fall on one personally - and in: ' (baghy : injustice) included
there are sins which relate to rights and dealings as concerning others.
Then come Shirk, the associating of partners with Allah, and the forg-
ing of lies against Him. That they are grave sins is quite evident.
This particular detail was mentioned here also because it covers al-
most all kinds of prohibitions and sins - whether they pertained to be-
lief or conduct, or were done personally, or related to rights of others
which were usurped. This was done also because these people of the
Jahiliyyah were involved with all these crimes and prohibitions. Thus,
exposed here was another demonstration of their ignorance which was
that they would abstain from what was made lawful for them and
would not even hesitate to use what was declared to be unlawful.
Unfortunately, it is a necessary outcome of excess (ghuluww) in re-
ligion and introduction of self-invented practices (bid'at) in it that peo-
ple who get involved with this type of activity become habitually heed-
less to the root of religion and its essential requirements. Therefore,
the harm caused by excess in religion and innovation in established
faith is twofold. First of all getting involved with such Ghuluww and
Bid'ah is a sin in itself. Then, seen in contrast, far too grave is the very

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7: 35 - 39
deprivation from the true religion of Allah and the genuine way of the
Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Refuge with Allah (from such a fate)!
The first and the second verse both mentioned two crimes commit-
ted by disbelievers. They took Halal as Haram and made the Haram
become Halal for themselves by themselves. The third verse (34) de-
scribes their sad end and the punishment they would have in the
Hereafter. It was said:
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌّ فَإِذَا بَجَآ ءَ آَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَأْخِرُوُنَ سَاعَةً وَّلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
(And for every people there is an appointed time. So, when
their appointed time comes, they will not be late for a mo-
ment, nor will they go before).
In other words, what is being said here is that those committing ex-
cesses who, despite their contumacy, are basking in the sunshine of
the blessings of Allah Ta'ala, and do not seem to be anywhere close to
being punished, they should not lose sight of the customary practice of
Allah that He, in His infinite mercy, keeps granting a long leash to
sinners so that they would somehow stop doing what they do. But, the
term of this leash and the time of this respite stands determined in the
ultimate knowledge of Allah Ta'ala. When that time comes, it just
comes - neither too late nor too soon. Thus, criminals are caught in
punishment. At times, the punishment descends right here in this
world - and if, the punishment does not visit them here, it waits to re-
ceive them soon after their death.
As for the appointed time not being late or early as stated in this
verse, it is a manner of saying, something like saying to a salesperson
in a store: What is your last price, more or less? It is obvious that the
inquiry is for the lower price, not the higher. But, it is put there as a
subordinate suffix. Similarly, the real objective here is to state that
there will be no delay after the appointed time. The mention of 'before'
along with 'late' makes it closer to common comprehension.
Verses 35 - 39
يُبَنِىُّ أَدَمَ إِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ رُسُلٌ قِنْكُمْ يَقُضُونَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَيْتِىٌّ فَمَّنٍ
اتَّقَى وَأَصُلَحَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَاهُمْ يَحْزَنُوْنَ ﴿٣٥﴾ وَالَّذِيْنَ

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7: 35 - 39
كَذَّبُوا بِيُتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا عَنْهَا أُولَئِكَ أَصْحُبُ النَِّءَ هُمْ فِيْهَا
خُلِدُونَ ﴿٣٦﴾ فَمَنُ اَظُلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرِى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ
بِيْتِهُ أُولَئِكَ يَنَالُهُمْ نَصِيْبُهُمُ مِّنَ الْكِتْبِ ، حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَ تُهُمْ
وُلُنَا يَتَوَّقَّوْنَهُمْ قَالُوا أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَدْعُوُنَ مِنُ دُوْنِ اللَّهِثُ قَالُوًا
ضَلُوا ◌َنَّا وَشَهِدُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا كُفِرِيْنَ ﴿٢٧﴾ قَالَ
ادْخُلُوا فِّ أُمَمٍ قَدْ خَلَتُ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ فِى النَّارِ،
كُلَّمَا دَخَلَتْ أُمَّةٌ لَّعَنَتُ أُخْتَهَا ؛ حَتَّى إِذَاَ اذَّارَكُوا فِيْهَا جَمِيْعًا"
قَالَتْ أُخْرُبُهُمْ لِأُوْلِمُهُمْ رَّنَا فَؤُلَاءِ آَضَلَّوُنَا فَأْتِهِمْ عَذَابًا ضِعْفًا
مِنَ النَّارِ، قَالَ لِكُلِّ ضِعْفٌ وَلِكِنُ لَّ تَعْلَمُوْنَ ﴿٣٨﴾ وَقَالَتُ
أُوْلُهُمْ لِأُخُرُهُمْ فَمَا كَانَ لَكُمُ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ فَضْلٍ فَذُوُقُوا الْعَذَابَ
◌ِمَا كُنْتُمُ تَكْسِبُونَ ﴿٣٩)
O children of 'Adam, if messengers from among you
come to you narrating My verses before you, then,
whoever fears Allah and corrects (himself), for them
there shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. [35]
And those who belie Our verses and stand arrogant
against them - those are the people of the Fire. There
they shall live for ever. [36]
So, who is more unjust than the one who coins a lie
against Allah or belies His signs? They shall receive
their share from what is written until when Our mes-
sengers shall come to them to take their souls, they
shall say, "Where is that which you used to call besides
Allah?" They will say, "They are lost to us" and they
shall testify against themselves that they were disbe-
lievers. [37]
He (Allah) will say, "Enter the Fire with peoples who
passed before you, the Jinn and the human beings."
Whenever a people enter, they will curse their fellows
until when they shall gather there together, the last of
them will say of the first of them, "Our Lord, they

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misguided us; so, give them a double punishment of the
Fire." He will say, "For each there is a double, but you
do not know." [38] And the first of them will say to the
last of them, "So you have no superiority over us. Now,
taste the punishment for what you have been earning."
[39]
Verses 40 - 43
إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ كَذَّبُوْا بِايُتِنَا وَاسْتَكُبَرُوْا عَنْهَا لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ
السَّمَآءِ وَلَا يَدُخُلُوُنَ الْجَنَّةً حَتَّى يَلِجَ الْجُمَلُ فِىْ سَيِّ الْخِيَاطِ،
وَكَذُلِكَ تَجْزِى الْمُجْرِمِيْنَ ﴿٤﴾ لَهُمْ مِنْ جَهَتَّمَ مِهَادٌ وَ مِنُ فَوْقِهِمْ
غَوَاشٍ * وَكَذْلِكَ تَجُزِى الْظُّلِمِيْنَ ﴿٤١﴾ وَالَّذِيْنَ أُمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا
الصُّلِحْتِ لَا تُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلَّ وُسْعَّهَاءَ أُولَئِكَ أَصْحِبُ الْجَنَّةَِّ هُمْ
فِيْهَا خُلِدُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾ وَنَزَعْنَا مَا فِىٌٍ صُدُوُرِهِمْ قِنُ غِلٍّ تَجُرِىُ مِنُ
تَحْنِهِمْ اْأَنْهُوَ وَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِىُ هَذِينَا لِهِذَا وَمَا كُنَّا
لِنَهْتَدِىَ لَوْلً أَنْ هَدْنَا اللَّهُ لَقَدْ جَآءَتُ وُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّء
وَنُؤْدُّا أَنْ تِلُكُمُ الْجَنَّهُ أُوْرِ تُرْهَا بِمَا كُنْهُمْ تَعْمَلُوْنَ ﴿٤٣﴾
Surely, those who have belied Our signs and stood ar-
rogant against them, the gates of the heavens shall not
be opened for them, and they shall not enter the Para-
dise unless a camel enters into the eye of a needle. And
this is how We recompense the sinners. [40] For them
there is a bed from the Jahannam, and over them there
are coverings. And this is how We recompense the
transgressors. [41]
And those who believe and do good deeds - Allah does
not obligate anyone beyond his capacity - they are the
people of Paradise; they shall remain there for ever. [42]
And We will remove whatever of malice they had in
their hearts. Rivers will flow beneath them. And they
will say, "All praise to Allah who has led us unto this.
And we were not to find the way, had Allah not guided
us, surely, the messengers of our Lord came with

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 40 - 43
truth." And they will be given a call, "Here is the Para-
dise. This you have been made to inherit for the deeds
you have been doing." [43]
Commentary
Mentioned first in the set of verses cited above (35-37) is a pledge
taken from every human being in the world of spirits, before being
born into the material world. The pledge envisaged that they would,
when the prophets of Allah come to them with Divine guidance and in-
junctions, listen to them in earnest and act accordingly. They were
also told that those who abide by the pledge and fulfill what it entails,
will have their salvation from sorrows and deserve eternal peace and
comfort. And conversely, those who belie prophets or rebel against in-
junctions they bring shall have the eternal punishment of Jahannam
waiting for them. The later set of verses presents what actually hap-
pened when different groups of human beings came into the world and
started acting differently. Some of them threw the pledge behind their
backs and settled to oppose it. Others held to it and acted righteously.
The ultimate end of the two groups and the reward and punishment
for them has been described in the later four verses (40-43).
Mentioned in verses 40 and 41 are deniers and criminals, and in
verses 42 and 43, the believers and God-fearing who fulfilled the
pledge.
In the first verse (40), it was said that those who belied the proph-
ets of Allah and acted arrogantly against Divine guidance and 'Ayat,
for them, the gates of heaven will not be opened.
Reported in Al-Bahr Al-Muhit is a Tafsir of this verse from Sayyid-
na 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas ar Ally, which says that the gates of heaven
will be opened neither for them, nor for their prayers. It means that
their prayer will not be answered and their deeds will be stopped from
reaching the place where the deeds of the righteous servants of Allah
are kept preserved, the name of which, according to the Qur'an, is: ,
('Illiyy in) (Surah Al-Mutaffifin - 83:18-21). This subject has been referred to
إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ :in yet another verse of the Qur'an where it is said
ajLa, that is, 'one's good words are taken to Allah Ta'ala and one's
good deed carries them' meaning that man's good deeds become the
cause of Tayyib Kalimat (good words) reaching Allah Ta'ala.

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 40 - 43
In a narration from Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas and other Şaha-
bah رضى الله عنهم أجمعين , the Tafsir of the verse also says that the gates of
heaven will not be opened for the spirits of deniers and disbelievers -
and these spirits will be thrown down. This subject is supported by a
Hadith of Sayyidna Bara' ibn 'Azib de Alga, which has been reported in
detail by Abu Dawud, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Imam Ahmad, a summary
of which is given below.
The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم went to a Janazah of some Ansari
Companion. The grave was not ready yet, so he sat down on an open
spot. The Companions sat around him, silent. He raised his head and
said: When the time of death comes for a believing servant of Allah,
angels with white, radiant faces come from the heaven with the
shroud and fragrance of the heaven and sit down in front of the person
to die. Then, comes the angel of death, 'Izra'il JIale and he addresses
his Ruh (spirit, soul): O soul at peace, come out to receive the forgive-
ness and pleasure of your Rabb. Then, his Ruh comes out of the body,
nice and easy, just like water coming out of a leather water-bag when
opened. The angel of death receives his Ruh in his hands and entrusts
it with the angels sitting there. These angels start moving out with the
Ruh of the deceased. Wherever they meet a group of angels on their
way, they are asked: Whose sacred Ruh is it? These angels introduce
the Ruh of the deceased by his name and title with which he was
known as a mark of respect in his life of the world. They tell him who
he is, so and so, son of so and so. Then, comes the time when these an-
gels reach the first heaven with the Ruh. They ask for the gate to be
opened. The gate is opened. More angels join them from here until
they reach as far as the seventh heaven. At that time, Allah Ta'ala
says: Write down the record of the deeds of this servant of Mine in the
'Illiyyin and then send him back. The Ruh returns to the grave again.
In the grave come angels who keep the account of deeds. They make
him sit up, and ask him: 'Who is your Rabb?' and 'what is your relig-
ion?' He says: Allah Ta'ala is my Rabb and Islam is my religion. Then,
comes the question: This pious person who has been sent for you - who
is he? He says: He is the Rasul of Allah Ta'ala. Then comes a heavenly
call: My servant is true. Roll out for him the carpet of Jannah. Dress
him up in the apparel of Paradise. Open for him the door towards the
Jannah. Through the door come the fragrance and breeze of Jannah

583
Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 40 - 43
and his good deed transformed into a handsome presence comes near
him to help him become familiar and rested in company.
In contrast, when the time of death comes for disbelievers and de-
niers, angels with dark and terrifying profile come from the heaven
carrying a coarse piece of ragged rug and sit down in front of him.
Then, the angel of death draws his Ruh out as if it were a thorny
branch with wet wool wrapped round it and through it the thorny
branch was to be pulled out. When this Ruh comes out, its stench is
deadlier than the stench of a spoiled dead animal. The angels start
moving out with the Ruh of the deceased. When other angels meet en-
route, they ask: Whose evil Ruh is this? The angels tell them the worst
of his name and title with which he was known in the world. They tell
them that he is so and so, the son of so and so. Until they reach the
first heaven and ask for the gate to be opened. The gate is not opened
for him. The command comes to keep his record of deeds in Sijjin
where the record of the disobedient ones is maintained. His Ruh is
thrown away. The Ruh returns to the grave. The angels responsible for
account-taking make him sit up. They ask him the same questions
they had asked the believer. His answer to every question is nothing
but: &sis Bus : (O O, I do not know). He is given the bed of Jahannam
and the dress of Jahannam. In his grave, a door is opened toward the
Jahannam through which he keeps receiving the heat and flames of
Jahannam. His grave is made to become straightened on him. We seek
the refuge of Allah from it.
To sum up, it can be said that the spirits of deniers and disbeliev-
ers are taken upto the gate of the heaven. When the door does not
open, they are thrown back from there. The verse: ◌ِلَا تُفَتَّعُ لَهُمْ أَبُوَابُ السَّمَاء (the
gates of the heavens will not be opened for them - 41) may also mean
that it is at the time of death that the gates of the heavens are not
opened for them.
وَلَا يَدْخُلُوُّنَ الْجَنَّةُ حَتَّى يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِى سِم :Towards the end of the verse, it was said
Lui (and they shall not enter the Paradise unless a camel enters into
the eye of a needle). Here, the word: au (yalij) is from: if (wuluj) which
means to enter a narrow opening. Jamal is camel and Samm, the eye
of a needle. The translation covers the meaning literally. The sense of
the verse is that the camel is a big animal and its entry into the eye of

584
Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 40 - 43
a needle is functionally impossible. So, equally impossible is their en-
try into Paradise. The purpose is to state that the punishment of Hell
for them is everlasting. Then, follow the words which describe the add-
ed severity of the punishment in Hell: ◌ِلَهُمْ مِنُ جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ رَّ مِنْ فَوقِهِمُ غَوَاش (For
them there is a bed from the Jahannam, and over them there are cov-
erings). The word: \ (mihad) means a place of rest, bed or floor and:
3 (ghawash) is the plural form of: zu (ghashiyah) which means
something which covers. The sense is that for these people to rest, the
bed and the top sheet will all come from Hell (an eloquent manner of
putting the extreme severity of the punishment in everyday idiom). It
will be noticed that at the end of the first verse, which mentions the
deprivation from Paradise, it was said: ◌َوَكَذَلِكَ تَجُزِى المُجْرِمِين (And this is how
We recompense the sinners). Then, in the second verse, which de-
scribes the punishment of Hell, it was said: ◌َوَكَذْلِكَ تَجْزِى الطَّلِمِيْن (And this is
how We recompense the transgressors) because it is more severe than
the former.
The third verse (42) mentions those who dutifully follow Divine in-
junctions as they are the people of Paradise and there they shall live
for ever.
Injunctions of the Shari'ah : Consideration of Convenience
But, along with the condition set forth for such people - that they
believe and do good deeds - said there, in all mercy, was: SLUNE
Qu' (Allah does not obligate anyone beyond his capacity). The purpose
is to emphasize that good deeds - which is a condition for entry into
Paradise - is really not something so difficult as would be beyond the
ability of a man or woman. In fact, Allah Ta'ala has made the injunc-
tions of the Shari'ah flexible and easy in every department of life.
Leaves and concessions have been granted in every injunction keeping
sickness, weakness, travel and other human needs under considera-
tion.
According to Tafsir Al-Bahr Al-Muhit, when human beings were
commanded to do good deeds, the likelihood existed that they might
find this a little heavy on them since doing what is good and required,
everywhere and under all conditions, was beyond one's capacity.
Therefore, this doubt of theirs was removed through these words
which ensure that the injunctions of Allah are given keeping in view

585
Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 40 - 43
the various stages of human lives and that they are appropriate to pre-
vailing conditions in all circumstances, for all time and all places.
With such comprehensive consideration working behind these injunc-
tions acting according to them should not be difficult at all.
For its People, a Paradise minus Malice
In the fourth verse (43), two particular states of the people of Jan-
nah have been identified. The first one finds mention in: 2,3: 2, 4 425;
And We remove whatever of malice they had in) مِّنْ عِلِّ تَجْرِىُ مِنْ تَحْتِهِمُ الْآَنْهُرُ
their hearts. Rivers will flow beneath them).
According to Şahin al-Bukhari, when believers would have crossed
the Bridge of Sirat and their deliverance from Jahannam would have
become certain, they would be stopped over a bridge between Jannah
and Jahannam - to remove their malice first. If someone had some
grudge against someone, or ill-will or a heart-burn on the loss of a
right, all that will be mutually settled and washed off for good right
there. So, when they go to Jannah, they will be free of malice, hatred,
animosity and other personality disorders of the kind.
It appears in Tafsir Mazharī that this bridge will obviously be the
last part of the Bridge of Sirat which is close to Jannah. 'Allama Al-
Suyuți has also opted for this approach.
Then comes the issue of settling rights. It goes without saying that
any loss of rights cannot be compensated by money for nobody would
have it there. Instead of that, in accordance with a Hadith in al-
Bukhari and Muslim, this payment will be made in the currency of
deeds. Lost rights will be compensated by giving the deeds of the
usurper to the owner of the right. And should it be that no more deeds
are left with this person and there remain other rights which still have
to be settled, then, the sins of the owner of the unsettled right will be
transferred to the account of the usurper of the right.
In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has called the person,
who did good deeds in his worldly life but remained negligent of the
rights of people, the greatest pauper - for as a result of this neglect he
lost all good deeds and stood there empty-handed.
In this Hadith narration, what has been described is but a general
rule governing the fulfillment of rights and avenging an injustice in-

586
Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 40 - 43
flicted. But, it is not necessary that everyone has to face this situation.
In fact, according to the report of Ibn Kathir and Tafsir Mazhari, possi-
ble there would be the situation that no one settles scores and takes
revenge, yet mutual malices get to be removed without anything like
that.
This is what appears in some narrations. When people would have
0
crossed the Bridge of Sirat, they would reach a stream of water and
drink from it. The property of this water will be such as would remove
all mutual malice from the hearts of all of them. While commenting on
the noble verse: (f úr paghe; (And their Lord will give to them to
drink a pure drink - 76:21 - AYA), the Tafsir of this verse given by Imam
al-Qurtubi is not any different when he says that washed away from
this water of Jannah shall be all grudges in hearts.
After reciting this verse, Sayyidna 'Ali al-Murtadas Ulus, once
said: I hope that we - 'Uthman and Talhah and Zubayr and me - shall
be among those whose hearts will be cleansed of malice before the en-
try into Paradise. (Ibn Kathir) These noble souls named here had their
mutual disagreements during their life time in the world which had
reached the limits of war.
The second state of the people of Jannah described in this verse is
that on their arrival in Jannah, they will express their gratitude to Al-
lah Ta'ala that He guided them towards Jannah and made it easy for
them to reach there. They will say that, had the grace of Allah not
been with them, they would have never dared reach there.
This tells us that no one can go to Jannah by personal effort alone -
unless the grace of Allah Ta'ala makes it possible for the aspirant. The
reason is that even this 'effort' itself is not within one's control. That
too comes through the grace and mercy of Allah Ta'ala alone.
Guidance has Degrees, the Last being the Entry into Paradise
Imam Raghib al-Isfahani, who has explained Hidayah or guidance
in a comprehensive manner as it appears in the Holy Qur'an, has said
that guidance is a popular term but it has different degrees. The truth
of the matter is that guidance is another name of finding the way to
reach Allah Ta'ala. Therefore, the degrees of achieving nearness to Al-
lah are many and different and unending. Similarly, the degrees of

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 44 - 49
guidance too are extremely varied and different from each other. The
lowest degree of guidance is deliverance from Kufr and Shirk, and
having 'Im an. One on this degree of guidance has his or her orientation
changed, away from the path of error - towards Allah. Then, there is
the distance between Allah Ta'ala and His servants. This distance
takes a journey to cover - and every stage so covered has degrees,
which is called Hidayah or guidance. Therefore, guidance is a need. At
no time, can anyone claim not to need it, not even prophets and mes-
sengers of Allah. For this reason, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, not
only taught his people the lesson of: ◌َإِهُدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ المُسْتَقِيم (Guide us in the
straight path), but he himself kept making this prayer - because there
is no end to the stages and ranks of nearness to Allah, so much so, that
entry into the Paradise mentioned in this verse has been identified as
Hidayah or guidance, for this is the last station of Hidayah .*
Verses 44 - 49
وَنَاذَى أَصْحُبُ الْجَنَّةِ أَصْحْبَ النَّارِ أَنْ قَدْ وَجَدُنَا مَا وَعَدَنَا
رَبُّنَا حَقًّا فَهَلْ وَجَدْتُمُ بَّا وَعَدَ رَبُّكُمْ حَقَّاء قَالُؤَّا نَعَمْ فَذَّنَ
مُؤَّنٌ بَيْنَهُمْ أَنْ لَّعْنَهُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْظُلِيْنَ ﴿٤٤﴾ الَّذِيْنَ يَصُدُّونَ
عَنْ سَبِيْلِ اللَّهِ وَيَبْغُوْنَهَا عِوَجَاء وَهُمْ بِالْآخِرَةِ كُفِرُوْنَ ﴿٤٥﴾ وَ
بَيْنَهُمَا حِجَابٌ، وَعَلَى الْآَعْرَافِ رِجَالٌ يَّعْرِفُونَ كُلَّ بِسِيْسُهُمْ
وَنَادَوْا أَصْحُبَ الْجَنَّةِ أَنْ سَلْمٌ عَلَيْكُمُ دَ لَمْ يَدْخُلُوُهَا وَهُمْ
يَطْمَعُونَ ﴿٤٦﴾ وَإِذَا صُِقَتْ أَبْصَارُهُمْ تِلْقَاءَ أَصُحْبِ النَّارِ
قَالُوا رَّنَا لَا تَجُعَلْنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الْطَلِمِيْنَ ﴿٤٧﴾ وَنَاذَّى أَصُحُبُ
الْأَعْرَافِ رِجَالا ◌َّعْرِفُؤْنَهُمْ بِسِيُمْلُهُمْ قَالُوا مَا أَغْنَى عَنُكُمُ
جَمْعُكُمْ وَهَا كُنْتُمُ تَسْتَكُمُوْنَ ﴿٤٨﴾ آَهَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِيْنَ آَقْسَمْتُمُ
لَيَنَالُهُمُ اللَّهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ، أُدُخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ لَخَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمُ وَلََّ اَنْهُمُ
* Those interested in reading more about the implications, meaning and
degrees of guidance may see Ma'ariful-Qur'an, English Translation, Vol.I,
pages 72-77.

588
Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 44 - 49
تَحْزَنُونَ ﴿٤٩﴾
And the people of Paradise will call out to the people of
the Fire saying, "We have found true what our Lord
had promised to us. Have you, then, found true what
your Lord had promised?" They will say, "Yes." Then,
an announcer between them will call out, "The curse of
Allah is on the wrongdoers [44] who turn away from the
way of Allah seeking crookedness in it, and they are
the deniers of the Hereafter." [45]
And between the two groups there will be a partition.
And on A'raf (the Heights), there shall be people who
will recognize both through their signs, and they will
call out to the people of Paradise, "Peace on you." They
have not entered it, yet they hope to. [46] And when
their eyes will be turned to the people of the Fire, they
will say, "Our Lord, do not put us in the company of the
unjust people." [47]
And the people of A'raf will call out to the people whom
they would recognize through their signs saying, "Your
masses did not help you, nor the arrogance you were
used to. [48] Is it these for whom you swore that Allah
will not reach them with mercy?" - "Enter the Paradise;
there is no fear on you, nor shall you grieve." [49]
Commentary
When the people of Paradise will reach Paradise, where they be-
long, and the people of Hell, will reach Hell, where they belong, it is
evident that the two places will be far apart from each other in all re-
spects. But, despite this being so, many verses of the Holy Qur'an con-
firm that in between the two places, there will be points from where
one could see the other, and engage in an exchange of conversation.
In Surah Al-Saffat, mentioned there are two persons who had
known each other in their mortal life. But, one of them was a believer
while the other, a disbeliever. In the Hereafter, when the believer will
go to Paradise and the disbeliever, to Hell - they will notice each other
فَاطَّلَعَ فَرَأْهُ فِىْ سُوَّاءِ الْجَحِيْمِ قَالَ تَاللهِ إِنْ كِدْتَ لَكُرُدِينِ ، وَلَؤُ لَا نِعْمَةٌ رَبّى :and talk. Says the verse
In brief, it means:(37:55) لَكُنْتُ مِنَ المُضَرِيْنَ، أَفَمَا نَحَثَّ بِمَّتِيْنَ إِلَّ مَوْنَتَنَا الْأُوْلِى وَمَا نَحْنٌ بِمُعَذَّبِيْنَ
when the friend in Paradise will look for the friend in Hell, he will find

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 44 - 49
him lying in the middle of it. He will curse him commenting that he
wanted him to be ruined like him and had it not been for the grace of
Allah, he too would have been found lying in Hell like him. Then he
would remind him of his saying to him in the mortal world that there
was to be no life, no accounting, no reward, and no punishment after
death. He could now see for himself what was happening in reality.
Such dialogues, questions and answers exchanged between the
people of Paradise and the people of Hell appear not only in the verses
cited above, but continue after that as well, through almost one sec-
tion.
As for these access points in between Paradise and Hell from
where inmates could be seen and addressed, these would really be a
different kind of punishment for the people of Hell who would find
themselves being reproached from all sides. Then, as they see the
blessings being enjoyed by the people of Paradise, they will find them-
selves burning in rage for having missed those - and burning in Hell
they already will be. As for the people of Paradise, they will have an-
other kind of comfort when, after seeing the plight of those in Hell,
they will be more grateful for the blessings they had the good fortune
of having. Then, they would remember people who mocked at them for
believing and they could nothing against them, and when they see
them disgraced and punished ultimately, they would have the last
laugh at their undoing. The same thing has been said in Surah Al-
Muțaffifin:
فَالْيَوْمَ الَّذِيْنَ أمَنُوْا مِنَ الْكُفَّارِ يَضْحَكُونَهُ عَلَى الْآَرَائِكِ يَنْظُرُوُنَ ه هَلْ تُوِّبَ
الْكُفَّارُ مَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُوُّنَ .
But, on this Day, those who believed will be laughing at the
disbelievers. They will be on raised couches watching (the de-
nouement). Would have the disbelievers not been repaid for
what they used to do? - 83:34-36.
Against the erring record of the people of Hell, admonition will also
come from the angels. Addressing them, they will say:
هذِهِ النَّارُ الَّتِ كُنْتُمْ بِهَا تُكَذِّبُوْنَ ، أَفَسِحُرٌ هُذَا آَمُ أَنْتُمْ لَا تُبْصِرُونَ
This is the Fire that you used to belie. Then (look), is this a
magic, or is it that you do not see? - 52:14-15