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Al-A`raf (The Battlements)
Name
This Surah takes its name from vv. 46-47 in which mention of Al-A`raf occurs.
Period of Revelation
A study of its contents clearly shows that the period of its revelation
is about the same as that of AL-AN'AM, i. e., the last year of the Holy
Prophet's life at Makkah, but it cannot be asserted with certainty which
of these two was sent down earlier. Anyhow the manner of its admonition
clearly indicates that it belongs to the same period. As both have the
same historical background the reader should keep in view the preface
to AL-AN'AM.
Topics of Discussion
The principal subject of this surah is "invitation to the Divine Message
sent down to Muhammad" (Allah's peace be upon him), which is couched in
a warning. This is because the Messenger had spent a long time in admonishing
the people of Makkah without any tangible effect on them. Nay, they had
turned a deaf ear to his message and become so obdurate and antagonistic
that, in accordance with the Divine Design, the Messenger was going to
be commanded to leave them and turn to other people,. That is why they
are being admonished to accept the Message but, at the same time, they
are being warned in strong terms of the consequences that followed the
wrong attitude of the former people towards their Messengers. (Now that
the Holy Prophet was going to" migrate from Makkah the concluding portion
of the address has been directed towards the people of the Book with whom
he was going to come into contact. This meant that the time of migration
was coming near and the "invitation" was going to be extended to mankind
in general, and was not to be confined to his own people in particular
as before.
During the course of the address to the Jews, the consequences of their
hypocritical conduct towards Prophethood have also been pointed out clearly,
for they professed to believe in Prophet Moses but in practice opposed
his teachings, disobeyed him and worshiped falsehood and consequently
were afflicted with ignominy and disgrace. At the end of the Surah, some
instructions have been given to the Holy Prophet and his followers for
carrying out the work of the propagation of Islam with wisdom. The most
important of these is that they should show patience and exercise restraint
in answer to the provocations of their opponents. Above all, they have
been advised that under stress of the excitement of feeling, they should
not take any wrung step that might harm their cause.
Subject: Invitation to the Divine Message
Topics and their Interconnection
In this passage, the people have been invited to follow the Message sent
down to them through Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) and warned of
the consequences of its rejection. 1 - 10
The story of Adam has been related with a view to warning his descendants
against the evil devices of Satan who is ever ready to mislead them as
he did in the case of Adam and Eve. 11 - 25
This passage contains some Divine instructions, and contrasts these with
Satan's instructions, and depicts a graphic picture of the results and
the consequences of the two. 26 - 53
As the Message has been sent down by Allah (Who is the Creator of the
heavens and the earth and everything in them), it should be followed,
for it is like the rain He sends down to give life to the dead earth.
54 - 58
Events from the lives of some well-known Prophets -- Noah, Hud, Salih,
Lot, Shu`aib, Moses (Allah's peace be upon them all) -- have been related
to show the consequences of the rejection of the Message, and the addressees
of Prophet Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) have been admonished to
accept and follow the Message in order to escape perdition. 59 - 171
As the Covenant with the Israelites was mentioned at the end of the preceding
passage, the whole mankind has been reminded very appropriately of the
Covenant that was made at the time of the appointment of Adam as the Vicegerent
of Allah so that all of his descendants should remember it and accept
and follow the Message that was delivered by the Holy Prophet. 172
- 174
The example of the one who had the knowledge of the Message but discarded
it, has been cited as a warning to those who were treating the Message
as false; they have been exhorted to use their faculties to recognize
the Message; otherwise Hell would be there abode. 175 - 179
In this concluding portion of the Surah, some deviations of those who
do not use their faculties properly to understand the Message have been
dealt with and they have been admonished, reproved and warned of the serious
consequences of their antagonistic attitude towards the Message of the
Holy Prophet. 180 - 198
In conclusion, instructions have been given to the Holy Prophet, and through
him to his followers, about the attitude they should adopt towards those
who reject the Message and deviate from it. 199 - 206
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