Araf 167
167- AND YOUR LORD DECREED THAT HE WILL SEND DOWN UPON THEM THOSE WHO WILL MAKE THEM SUFFER TERRIBLE PUNISHMENT, UP TO THE DAY OF RESURRECTION, FOR YOUR LORD IS VERY SWIFT IN PUNISHMENT AND HE IS MOST FORGIVING AND MOST MERCIFUL.
This is a promise, not a warning. It has been fulfilled , and will always be fulfilled.
Allah the Highest promises the Children of Israel two kinds of punishments:
- An Earthly one, in which Allah the Highest will make them suffer on the hands of other people, and this is to continue to the Day of Resurrection.
- The Punishment which awaits them in the Hereafter.
Allah the Highest may punish people in this life, to save them being punished in the Hereafter, or Allah the Highest may forgive them, being the Most Merciful, the Most Forgiving. This tells us that the Children of Israel, will always continue to cause mischief and do evil on Earth, which we have seen happen through history and it is still happening.
In the meantime, punishing people in this life can be a manifestation of Allah’s anger.
Sometimes people ask, why does Allah the Highest let evil be and continue on Earth. However, evil has important function:
- Evil around us, allows us to choose between good and evil. Otherwise, man would not be required to make a choice.
- Seeing evil and what it does, makes people appreciate what is good.
- Evil inspires and encourages people to resist it and to do what is good and righteous. Without darkness, light will never be appreciated.
On another level, this Ayah tells us that we should always expect the Children of Israel to be the causes of Mischief and Evil. Trusting them is foolish, and relying on their honour and good will is foolhardy.
Araf 168
168- AND WE CUT THEM DOWN INTO NATIONS ON EARTH, SOME OF THEM ARE RIGHTEOUS, AND SOME ARE LESS THAN THAT, AND WE TESTED THEM WITH WHAT IS GOOD AND WHAT IS EVIL SO THAT THEY MAY RETURN (TO ALLAH)
The meaning of being cut down to nations might refer to:
- That they have descended from the twelve tribes, which came down from the twelve sons of Jacob.
- That wherever they live, they do not mix or integrated fully with the population. They live together, in certain areas, before this they used to live in separate streets called Ghettos. They were always a nation within a nation, and cut off from the rest of the nation they live with.
Allah the Highest gave them a place to live, but to get it, they had to fight the disbelievers who lived there, and they refused. As Allah the Highest told us in the Quran, they said: “THEY SAID: O MOSES, THERE ARE VERY MIGHTY PEOPLE IN THERE, AND WE WILL NOT ENTER IT UNTIL THEY LEAVE IT, SO WHEN THEY LEAVE IT WE WILL ENTER”. (S: 5 A: 22)
And they also said: “THEY SAID: O MOSES, WE WILL NEVER ENTER AS LONG AS THEY ARE THEREIN, SO GO AND YOUR LORD TO FIGHT, WE ARE SITTING HERE”. (S: 5 A: 24)
It is Allah’s policy, with us and with all people and nations, that they should be tried and tested. This trial could be with good or with bad things. Each tests a person in a different way. Allah the Highest said: “AND WE AFFLICT YOU WITH EVIL THINGS AND GOOD THINGS, A TEST AND TRIAL, AND TO US YOU WILL RETURN”. (S: 21 A: 35)
Good things, make the believers thankful and grateful to Allah the Highest and evil things, like shortage of food, water, or suffering disease, or suffering at the hands of an enemy, make the believers plead to Allah the Highest for help and support. Either situation should bring the true believer back to Allah the Highest. Neither good nor bad things seem to have worked on the Children of Israel, bring them close to Allah the Highest.
Araf 169
169- THEY WERE SUCCEEDED BY PEOPLE WHO INHERITED THE BOOK; THEY TAKE THE PLEASURES OF THIS LOWER LIFE AND SAY: “WE WILL BE FORGIVEN”. BUT IF THERE ARE OTHER SUCH PLEASURES, THEY TAKE THEM. HAVE THEY NOT TAKEN THE COVENANT OF THE BOOK THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SAY ABOUT ALLAH ANYTHING BUT THE TRUTH, AND THEY HAVE STUDIED WHAT IS THEREIN (IN THE BOOK), BUT THE LATER HOME IS A BETTER PLACE FOR THE PIOUS WHO GUARD THEMSELVES FROM ALLAH’S DISPLEASURE, WHY DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND.
To inherit is to have belongings passed down to you from your ancestors. The Children of Israel inherited the Torah book and it was passed down to them, one generation after another. They should have given their inheritance its dues; looking after it, observing its rules, teaching it properly to their offspring, in practice as well as in the book.
After the death of Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him, one day, his companion Abu Hurirah called out to the people in the town: “Allah’s messenger’s estate is being shared out in the Mosque”. People went to the mosque to find no money or property being distributed, but only people praying, reading the Quran, or studying aspects of religion. When they asked his about the estate being distributed, he said that this is what Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon, him left behind.
All the pleasures we have on Earth are Halal, with few exceptions, and these exceptions Allah the Highest has forbidden clearly in the Holy Scriptures, starting with the Torah and ending with the Quran. Some of us are attracted by the pleasures Allah the Highest has forbidden, and they are few, instead of the ones allowed, and they are many. Some do that expecting forgiveness, which in fact makes their sins worse, for they clearly know that they are doing wrong. Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said about those: “Those who think good of Allah should worship Him well”. And worship is one of our deeds. (A: 2; 304)
For a believer to do wrong knowingly, is much worse that those who do wrong out of ignorance.
The pious and righteous people, refrain from displeasing Allah the Highest, even if this means that they miss out on some pleasures in this life, while the wicked prefer the immediate and quick pleasures of this lower life. Allah the Highest said about them: “BUT YOU PREFER THE LOWER LIFE * WHILE THEREAFTER IS BETTER AND EVERLASTING”. (S: 87 A: 16-17)
The feeling of certainty about the Hereafter is what drives the believers to do the right thing, and refrain from doing wrong. It is what makes them happy to wait for the pleasures of the Hereafter, rather than take the forbidden pleasures in this life.
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