Tafsir of Surah Al-A'raf - Verse 170

The Children of Israel scatter throughout the Land

Allah states that He divided the Jews into various nations, sects and groups,

وَقُلْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِ لِبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ اسْكُنُواْ الاٌّرْضَ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعْدُ الاٌّخِرَةِ جِئْنَا بِكُمْ لَفِيفًا

(And We said to the Children of Israel after him (after Musa died): "Dwell in the land, then, when the final and the last promise comes near, We shall bring you altogether as a mixed crowd (gathered out of various nations).")17:104

مِّنْهُمُ الصَّـلِحُونَ وَمِنْهُمْ دُونَ ذَلِكَ

(some of them are righteous and some are away from that), some of them are led aright and some are not righteous, just as the Jinns declared,

وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الصَّـلِحُونَ وَمِنَّا دُونَ ذَلِكَ كُنَّا طَرَآئِقَ قِدَداً

("There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary; we are groups having different ways (religious sects).") 72:11 Allah said here,

وَبَلَوْنَـهُمْ

(And We tried them), and tested them,

بِالْحَسَنَـتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ

(with good and evil), with times of ease, difficulty, eagerness, fear, well-being and affliction,

لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

(in order that they might turn (to Allah)) Allah said next,

فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ وَرِثُواْ الْكِتَـبَ يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَـذَا الاٌّدْنَى

(Then after them succeeded an (evil) generation, which inherited the Book, but they chose (for themselves) the goods of this low life) This Ayah means, after the generation made up of righteous and unrighteous people, another generation came that did not have goodness in them, and they inherited the Tawrah and studied it. Mujahid commented on Allah's statement,

يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَـذَا الاٌّدْنَى

(They chose (for themselves) the goods of this low life) "They will consume anything they can consume in this life, whether legally or illegally. Yet, they wish for forgiveness,

وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا وَإِن يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِّثْلُهُ يَأْخُذُوهُ

(Saying: "(Everything) will be forgiven for us." And if (again) the offer of the like came their way, they would (again) seize them.)" Qatadah commented on Allah's statement,

يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَـذَا الاٌّدْنَى

(they chose (for themselves) the goods of this low life) "This, by Allah, is an evil generation,

وَرِثُواْ الْكِتَـبَ

(which inherited the Book) after their Prophets and Messengers, for they were entrusted with this job by Allah's command to them. Allah said in another Ayah,

فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُواْ الصَّلَـوةَ

(Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who neglect the Salah (the prayers).) 19:59 Allah said next,

يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَـذَا الاٌّدْنَى وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا

(They chose the goods of this low life saying: "(Everything) will be forgiven to us.") They wish and hope from Allah, while deceiving themselves,

وَإِن يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِّثْلُهُ يَأْخُذُوهُ

(And if (again) the offer of the like came their way, they would (again) seize them.) Nothing stops them from this behavior, for whenever they are given an opportunity in this life, they will consume regardless of it being allowed or not." As-Suddi said about Allah's statement,

فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ

(Then after them succeeded an (evil) generation) until,

وَدَرَسُواْ مَا فِيهِ

(and they have studied what is in it (the Book).) "Every time the Children of Israel appointed a judge, he used to take bribes. The best ones among them held a counsel and took covenants from each that they would not take bribes. However, when one of them would take bribes in return for judgment and was asked, `What is the matter with you; you take a bribe to grant judgment', he replied, `I will be forgiven.' So the rest of his people would admonish him for what he did. But when he died, or was replaced, the one who replaced him would take bribes too. Therefore, Allah says, if the others (who admonished him) would have a chance to loot this world, they will take it."' Allah said,

أَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِم مِّيثَاقُ الْكِتَـبِ أَن لاَّ يِقُولُواْ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الْحَقَّ

(Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them that they would not say about Allah anything but the truth) thus, admonishing them for this behavior. Allah took a pledge from them that they would declare the truth to people and not hide it. Allah said in another Ayah,

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَـقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلاَ تَكْتُمُونَهُ فَنَبَذُوهُ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ وَاشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ ثَمَناً قَلِيلاً فَبِئْسَ مَا يَشْتَرُونَ

((And remember) when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture to make it known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it, but they threw it away behind their backs, and purchased with it some miserable gain! And indeed worst is that which they bought) 3:187. Ibn Jurayj said that Ibn `Abbas said about the Ayah,

أَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِم مِّيثَاقُ الْكِتَـبِ أَن لاَّ يِقُولُواْ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الْحَقَّ

(Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them that they would not say about Allah anything but the truth), "Their claim that Allah will forgive the sins they keep committing without repenting from them." Allah said,

وَالدَّارُ الاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ

(And the home in the Hereafter is better for those who have Taqwa Do not you then understand) Encouraging them to seek Allah's tremendous reward and warning them against His severe torment. Allah says here, `My reward and what I have are better for those who avoid prohibitions, abandon lusts and become active in the obedience of their Lord.'

أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ

(Do not you then understand) Allah says' Do not these people, who preferred this life instead of what is with Me, have any sense to prohibit them from their foolish and extravagant ways' Allah then praises those who adhere to His Book, which directs them to follow His Messenger Muhammad ,

وَالَّذِينَ يُمَسِّكُونَ بِالْكِتَـبِ

(And as to those who hold fast to the Book) adhere to it, implement its commands and refrain from its prohibitions,

وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلَوةَ إِنَّا لاَ نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُصْلِحِينَ

(and perform the Salah, certainly We shall never waste the reward of those who do righteous deeds.)

The preceding verse (169) contained a mention of a covenant made with the religious leaders of the Israelites in particular, that they shall not make any changes in the Torah and shall not ascribe to Allah anything but the truth. It has already been mentioned that they violated this pledge and distorted the contents of the Torah for petty amounts of money. This verse is an extension of the same theme. It says that there are some among their religious leaders who are truth-fully following the commands of the Torah and are firmly adhering to its guidance. They established the Salah as was required. The verse has provided with an assurance to such people that they shall not be deprived of their reward. That is, those who have been true to their faith and fulfilled its demands are righteous people among them.

There are some points of discussion related to this verse. The term 'Book' most probably refers to the Torah. Another possibility is that it refers to all the heavenly books of Allah like Torah, Injil and the Qur'an. Another point to be noted is that merely keeping the book of Allah and showing respect to it without following its' commandments does not fulfill the very object of its revelation. It is why the verse has used the word يُمَسِّكُونَ "Hold fast", in place of يَأْخُذُونَ or یَقرَؤنَ "those who take it or read it. Holding fast the Book requires to follow all it's injunctions and commands.

The next thing we note in this verse is that out of a large number of doctrines of the Torah the verse has made mention of "establishing 'Salah' only. This is because the Salah is the most significant and purposeful act among the precepts enjoined by Allah. This is, in fact, the most basic and quintessential way of expressing one's faith in, and obedience to, Allah. Offering the Salah regularly makes one capable of being regular in other worships more willingly and with more ease. The Holy Prophet ﷺ has termed the Salah as being the pillar of Islam. The whole edifice of Islam rests on it. Whoever has erected it properly has built the whole structure of his faith on a stronghold. Any one not regular in Salah, is of no worth to Allah, even if he is seen reciting His name all the times and has unusual visions and does extraordinary acts.

This happens in the case of every prophet’s community. In the beginning, its individuals are God-fearing and pious. But in later generations, this spirit vanishes. They become just like other worldly people. Religion is still amongst them. The Holy Book is still read and taught. But all this is done in the context of a national heritage and not as a real fulfilment of a pledge to God. They proceed in the way of the world and in practice forget the Hereafter. Being completely unmindful of right or wrong, they make their desire their religion. At the same time they are proud of being the best of all communities. They are the members of the community of one who is God’s favourite; they are the inheritors of the Holy Book; by the grace of the belief in monotheism they shall certainly be granted salvation. But the truth is that man should hold fast to God’s Word; he should regularly say his prayers. And the sign of holding fast God’s Book and of having said his prayers sincerely is that he should have become a maintainer of peace and harmony (muslihun). Communion with God’s Book and God’s worship are what makes a man opposed to one who disturbs the peace.