Surah Al A'raf , 7 :Epilogue.....

The surah rounds off with reference to Adam in the context of talking about his offspring. Here the tone is one of reproach and anger. God has blessed Adam's children, the human race, with plenty of favors and goodness, but instead of being thankful, some take other gods beside, or instead of Him. To this , God says: "Attribute they as partners to Allah those who created naught, but are themselves created, (191)And cannot give them help, nor can they help themselves? "(192)

The speech is then directed to the Prophet and his followers, condemning the pagan polytheists and their failure to avail themselves of God's guidance that was being revealed to them. It says: "And if ye call them to the Guidance, they follow you not. Whether ye call them or are silent is all one to them." (193) . It was indeed a strange  reaction on the part of those unbelievers,but the Prophet had to stand firm and hold fast to the revelation he was receiving and assert: "Lo! my Protecting Friend is Allah Who revealeth the Scripture. He befriendeth the righteous." (196). This 'Book'  was more sound and effective than the 'miracles' they were demanding. "And when thou bringest not a verse for them they say: Why hast thou not chosen it? Say: I follow only that which is inspired in me from my Lord. This (Qur'an) is insight from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy for a people that believe." (203). However, the Prophet was told to be patient and tolerant, no matter how stubborn and arrogant his detractors were: "Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant."(199) 

At the beginning, the surah relates how Satan succeed in having Adam thrown out of Paradise and indicates that Satan's efforts to mislead and confound Adam's children, humankind, will never cease. However, Satan can only suggest and insinuate. Those who hold the right belief will be able to resist and overcome those effort: "Lo! those who ward off (evil), when a glamour from the devil troubleth them, they do but remember (Allah's guidance) and behold them seers! "(201).

Those bereft of this faculty will be taken in by Satan's deception and lose out. Remembering God and  invoking His name, especially by the recitation and study of the Qur'an can be an effective protective shield against Satan's attempts. Therefore the believers are told: "And when the Qur'an is recited, give ear to it and pay heed, that ye may obtain mercy." (204). However, remembering God is not merely a mechanical activity but a function of the heart and the mind, requiring full attentiveness and concentration. It should be done regularly, in public and in private, and should inspire one and spur him or her onto higher things and more fruitful and constructive pursuits. "And do thou (O Muhammad) remember thy Lord within thyself humbly and with awe, below thy breath, at morn and evening. And be not thou of the neglectful." (205)

Remembering God thus brings human beings into harmony with the physical world around them in a rhapsody of praise for God, Lord of all creation. 




Recitation by Shaykh al- Shuraim,
[ ayat 170 - ayat 206 ]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6GdfMUvWCw&feature=relmfu







ayat 189 - ayat 195 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojPdjpLaCJM
[ on gods and demigods, gods and goddesess ; ]

ayat 195 - ayat 203
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4VhlE_j_dk
[ they are deaf, dumb and blind...]




























BELIEF IN THE HEREAFTER is an essential element of the Islamic faith and complements the belief in God. However, it belongs to the realm of the unknown. No matter how curious and eager we are to know its whys and wherefores, it remains God's own privilege. God says: "They ask thee of the (destined) Hour, when will it come to port. Say: Knowledge thereof is with my Lord only. He alone will manifest it at its proper time. It is heavy in the heavens and the earth. It cometh not to you save unawares. They question thee as if thou couldst be well informed thereof. Say: Knowledge thereof is with Allah only, but most of mankind know not." (187). Knowing these great secret can be relevant only for its contemporaries. As for the rest, their 'hour' ends when they die. It is only then that we realize how short and trivial this whole life has been.

Another feature of Muslim belief is the assertion that Muhammad was a prophet of God, but totally human. he was no god,, nor demi-god, nor partially god. He was a mortal, subservient to God like all other mortals, with no exceptional or extraordinary powers of his own that could be used to benefit or harm anyone. And so are all the angels and the rest of humankind. Any claim to the contrary is false.


The surah rounds off with reference to Adam in the context of talking about his offspring. Here the tone is one of reproach and anger. God has blessed Adam's children, the human race, with plenty of favors and goodness, but instead of being thankful, some take other gods beside, or instead of Him. To this , God says: "Attribute they as partners to Allah those who created naught, but are themselves created, (191)And cannot give them help, nor can they help themselves? "(192)

The speech is then directed to the Prophet and his followers, condemning the pagan polytheists and their failure to avail themselves of God's guidance that was being revealed to them. It says: "And if ye call them to the Guidance, they follow you not. Whether ye call them or are silent is all one to them." (193) . It was indeed a strange  reaction on the part of those unbelievers,but the Prophet had to stand firm and hold fast to the revelation he was receiving and assert: "Lo! my Protecting Friend is Allah Who revealeth the Scripture. He befriendeth the righteous." (196). This 'Book'  was more sound and effective than the 'miracles' they were demanding. "And when thou bringest not a verse for them they say: Why hast thou not chosen it? Say: I follow only that which is inspired in me from my Lord. This (Qur'an) is insight from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy for a people that believe." (203). However, the Prophet was told to be patient and tolerant, no matter how stubborn and arrogant his detractors were: "Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant."(199) 

At the beginning, the surah relates how Satan succeed in having Adam thrown out of Paradise and indicates that Satan's efforts to mislead and confound Adam's children, humankind, will never cease. However, Satan can only suggest and insinuate. Those who hold the right belief will be able to resist and overcome those effort: "Lo! those who ward off (evil), when a glamour from the devil troubleth them, they do but remember (Allah's guidance) and behold them seers! "(201).

Those bereft of this faculty will be taken in by Satan's deception and lose out. Remembering God and  invoking His name, especially by the recitation and study of the Qur'an can be an effective protective shield against Satan's attempts. Therefore the believers are told: "And when the Qur'an is recited, give ear to it and pay heed, that ye may obtain mercy." (204). However, remembering God is not merely a mechanical activity but a function of the heart and the mind, requiring full attentiveness and concentration. It should be done regularly, in public and in private, and should inspire one and spur him or her onto higher things and more fruitful and constructive pursuits. "And do thou (O Muhammad) remember thy Lord within thyself humbly and with awe, below thy breath, at morn and evening. And be not thou of the neglectful." (205)

Remembering God thus brings human beings into harmony with the physical world around them in a rhapsody of praise for God, Lord of all creation. 




Recitation by Shaykh al- Shuraim,
[ ayat 170 - ayat 206 ]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6GdfMUvWCw&feature=relmfu










Reflection and commentary by Dr Israr Ahmad, 

ayat 175 - ayat 182
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5QbL7il9t8
[ they are like cattle, in fact worse than cattle; the 'torch bearers' ]

ayat 183 - ayat 189
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4g7QyDvkEs
[ your companion is not 'majnun' ; on the timing of Doomsday ; ]

ayat 189 - ayat 195 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojPdjpLaCJM
[ on gods and demigods, gods and goddesess ; ]

ayat 195 - ayat 203
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4VhlE_j_dk
[ they are deaf, dumb and blind...]