7. Sura al-Araf

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَإِذَ قَالَتْ أُمَّةٌ مِّنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا اللّهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا...

7: 164. When some of them said:

"Why do ye preach to a people whom Allah will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?"

C1138. There are always people who wonder, no doubt sincerely, what good it is to preach to the wicked. The answer is given to them here:

- every man who sees evil must speak out against it; it is his duty and responsibility to Allah;

- there is always a chance that the warning may have effect and save a precious soul.

This passage has a special meaning for the times when our Holy Prophet was preaching in Makkah, apparently without results. But it applies to all times.

...قَالُواْ مَعْذِرَةً إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٦٤﴾

Said the preachers: "To discharge our duty to your Lord and perchance they may fear Him."

فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ أَنجَيْنَا الَّذِينَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ السُّوءِ...

7: 165. When they disregarded the warnings that had been given them, We rescued those who forbade evil;

...وَأَخَذْنَا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ بِعَذَابٍ بَئِيسٍ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفْسُقُونَ ﴿١٦٥﴾

but We visited the wrongdoers with a grievous punishment, because they were given to transgression.

Other versions:

7: 164

Yusuf Ali When some of them said: "why do ye preach to a people whom Allah will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?" Said the preachers: "to discharge our duty to your Lord and perchance they may fear him."

Pickthall And when a community among them said: Why preach ye to a folk whom Allah is about to destroy and punish with an awful doom, they said: In order to be free from guilt before your Lord, and that haply they may ward off (evil).

Transliteration Wa iz qa_lat ummatum minhum lima ta'izu_na qaumanilla_hu muhlikuhum au mu'azzibuhum 'aza_ban syadida_(n), qa_lu_ ma'ziratan ila_ rabbikum wa la'allahum yattaqu_n(a).

[[ Ali’s notes - 1137 Cf. ii. 65 and n. 79. Fishing, like every other activity, was prohibited to Israel on the Sabbath day. As this practice was usually observed, the fish used to come up with a sense of security to their water channels or pools openly on the Sabbath day, but not on other days when fishing was open. This was a great temptation to the law-breakers, which they could not resist. Some of their men of piety protested, but it had no effect. When their transgressions, which we may suppose, extended to other commandments, passed beyond bounds, the punishment came. (7.163)

1138. There are always people who wonder, no doubt sincerely, what good it is to preach to the wicked. The answer is given to them here: (1) every man who sees evil must speak out against it; it is his duty and responsibility to Allah; (2) there is always a chance that the warning may have effect and save a precious soul. This passage has a special meaning for the times when our Holy Prophet was preaching in Makkah, apparently without results. But it applies to all times. (7.164) ]]

[[ Asad’s note 129 - ………it may be assumed that the story of the Sabbath-breakers (alluded to in several places in the Quran) is a general illustration of the tendency, so often manifested by the children of Israel, to offend against their religious laws in pursuit of their passions or for the sake of worldly gain…………….]]

7: 165

Asad ……We saved those who had tried to prevent the doing of evil [note 132],….

Yusuf Ali When they disregarded the warnings that had been given them We rescued those who forbade evil; but We visited the wrong-doers with a grievous punishment because they were given to transgression.

Pickthall And when they forgot that whereof they had been reminded, We rescued those who forbade wrong, and visited those who did wrong with dreadful punishment because they were evil livers.

Transliteration Falamma_ nasu_ ma_ zukkiru_ bihi anjainal lazina yanhauna 'anis su_'i wa akhaznal lazina zalamu_ bi 'aza_bim ba'isim bima_ ka_nu_ yafsuqu_n(a).

[[ Asad’s note 132 – Lit., “who were forbidding the evil”.]]