7. Sura al-Araf

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَنِي آدَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ...

7: 172. When thy Lord drew forth from the children of Adam, from their loins, their descendants,

C1146. This passage has led to differences of opinion in interpretation.

According to the dominant opinion of commentators each individual in the posterity of Adam had a separate existence from the time of Adam, and a Covenant was taken from all of them, which is binding accordingly on each individual.

The words in the text refer to the descendants of the Children of Adam, i.e., to all humanity, born or unborn, without any limit of time. Adam's seed carries on the existence of Adam and succeeds to his spiritual heritage.

Humanity has been given by Allah certain powers and faculties, whose possession creates on our side special spiritual obligations which we must faithfully discharge: see 5:1. and n. 682. These obligations may from a legal point of view be considered as arising from implied Covenants.

In the preceding verse (7:171) a reference was made to the implied Covenant of the Jewish nation.

Now we consider the implied Covenant of the whole of humanity, for the Holy Prophet's mission was world-wide. (R).

...وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ...

and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): "Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?"

...قَالُواْ بَلَى شَهِدْنَا... ...

They said: "Yea! we do testify!"

C1147. The Covenant is completed in this way. We acknowledge that Allah is our Creator, Cherisher, and Sustainer: therefore we acknowledge our duty to Him: when we so testify concerning ourselves, the obligation is as it were assumed by us; for it follows from our very nature when it is pure and uncorrupted.

...أَن تَقُولُواْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَذَا غَافِلِينَ ﴿١٧٢﴾

(This), lest ye should say on the Day of Judgment:

"Of this we were never mindful."

أَوْ تَقُولُواْ إِنَّمَا أَشْرَكَ آبَاؤُنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا ذُرِّيَّةً مِّن بَعْدِهِمْ ...

7: 173. Or lest ye should say:

"Our fathers before us may have taken false gods but we are (their) descendants after them:

...أَفَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ الْمُبْطِلُونَ ﴿١٧٣﴾

wilt thou then destroy us because of the deeds of men who were futile?"

C1148. The latent faculties in man are enough to teach him the distinction between good and evil, to warn him of the dangers that beset his life.

But to awaken and stimulate them, a personal appeal is made to each individual through the "still small voice" within him. This in its uncorrupted state acknowledges the truth and, as it were, swears its Covenant with Allah. There is, therefore, no excuse for any individual to say, either,

- that he was unmindful, or

- that he should not be punished for the sins of his fathers, because his punishment (if any) comes from his personal responsibility and is for his own rejection of faith and the higher spiritual influences. (R).

وَكَذَلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الآيَاتِ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ﴿١٧٤﴾

7: 174. Thus do We explain the signs in detail! and perchance they may turn (unto Us).

Other versions:

7: 172 [al-Araf, Mecca 39]

Asad …He [thus] calls upon them to bear witness about themselves: “Am I not your Sustainer?” – to which they answer: “Yes, indeed, we do bear witness thereto!” [note 139]

Yusuf Ali When thy Lord drew forth from the children of Adam from their loins their descendants and made them testify concerning themselves (saying): "Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?" They said: "Yea! we do testify!" (This) lest ye should say on the Day of Judgment: "of this we were never mindful."

Pickthall And (remember) when thy Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their reins, their seed, and made them testify of themselves, (saying): Am I not your Lord? They said: Yea, verily. We testify. (That was) lest ye should say at the Day of Resurrection: Lo! of this we were unaware;

Transliteration Wa iz akhaza rabbuka mim bani a_dama min zuhu_rihim zurriyyatahum wa asyhadahum 'ala_ anfusihim, alastu bi rabbikum, qa_lu_ bala_ - syahidna_ - an taqu_lu_ yaumal qiya_mati inna_ kunna_ 'an ha_za_ ga_filin(a).

7: 173

Yusuf Ali Or lest ye should say: "Our fathers before us may have taken false gods but we are (their) descendants after them: wilt thou then destroy us because of the deeds of men who were futile?"

Pickthall Or lest ye should say: (It is) only (that) our fathers ascribed partners to Allah of old and we were (their) seed after them. Wilt Thou destroy us on account of that which those who follow falsehood did?

Transliteration Au taqu_lu_ innama_ asyraka a_ba_'una_ min qablu wa kunna_ zurriyyatam mim ba'dihim, afatuhlikuna_ bima_ fa'alal mubtilu_n(a).

7: 174

Yusuf Ali Thus do We explain the signs in detail! and perchance they may turn (unto Us).

Pickthall Thus We detail Our revelations, that haply they may return.

Transliteration Wa kaza_lika nufassilul a_ya_ti wa la'allahum yarji'u_n(a).

[[ Asad’s note 139 …….According to the Quran, the ability to perceive the existence of the Supreme Power is inborn in human nature (fitrah); and it is this instinctive cognition – which may or may not be subsequently blurred by self-indulgence or adverse environmental influences – that makes every sane human being “bear witness about himself” before God. As so often in the Quran, God’s “speaking” and man’s “answering” is a metonym for the creative act of God and of man’s existential response to it.]]

[[Ruby’s note – This is what I have been writing about it for many years now. From the verse 30:30 I got this clear idea that there is an unseen umbilical cord between God and humans. This sensing capacity or conscience as we often put it remains strong and clear if we remain purer or righteous. As we corrupt

ourselves with the excessive indulgences and remain hostage to our lower urges of greed, lust, envy, aggression or ego etc. this sensory capacity diminishes. As long as this remain strong un us we are successful, as it become weaker and weaker we become move along the path of failure and defeat. This concept is the key in religion. The Quran defines the universal religion for mankind in 30:30 and lays down that the one ever true faith is to comply with this “fitrah”, the true nature, the unseen umbilical cord to receive guidance, the conscience, etc. God has instilled into humans.]]

[[ Ali’s notes - 1147 The Covenant is completed in this way. We acknowledge that Allah is our Creator, Cherisher, and Sustainer: therefore we acknowledge our duty to Him: when we so testify concerning ourselves, the obligation is as it were assumed by us; for it follows from our very nature when it is pure and uncorrupted. (7.172)

1148 The latent faculties in man are enough to teach him the distinction between good and evil, to warn him of the dangers that beset his life. But to awaken and stimulate them, a personal appeal is made to each individual through the "still small voice" within him. This in its uncorrupted state acknowledges the truth and, as it were, swears its Covenant with Allah. There is, therefore, no excuse for any individual to say, either (1) that he was unmindful, or (2) that he should not be punished for the sins of his fathers, because his punishment (if any) comes from his personal responsibility and is for his own rejection of faith and the higher spiritual influences. (7.173) ]]