Surah Al-A'raf 7:169 — translation and meaning
الأعراف · Verse 169 / 206 · Page 172
ۗ ۗ ۚ فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ وَرِثُوا الْكِتَابَ يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَذَا الْأَدْنَى وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا وَإِن يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِّثْلُهُ يَأْخُذُوهُ أَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِم مِّيثَاقُ الْكِتَابِ أَن لَّا يَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْحَقَّ وَدَرَسُوا مَا فِيهِ وَالدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
Word by Word
Transliteration
Fakhalafa mim ba'dihim khalfunw warisul Kitaaba yaa khuzoona 'arada haazal adnaa wa yaqooloona sayughfaru lanaa wa iny yaatihim 'aradum misluhoo yaakhuzooh; alam yu'khaz 'alaihim 'aradum misluhoo yaakhuzooh; alam yu'khaz 'alaihim meesaaqul Kitaabi al laa yaqooloo 'alal laahi illal haqqa wa darasoo maa feeh; wad Daarul Aakhirtu khairul lillazeena yattaqoon; afalaa ta'qiloon
Translation
And there followed them successors who inherited the Scripture [while] taking the commodities of this lower life and saying, "It will be forgiven for us." And if an offer like it comes to them, they will [again] take it. Was not the covenant of the Scripture taken from them that they would not say about Allah except the truth, and they studied what was in it? And the home of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah, so will you not use reason?
Verse interpretation (Tafsir)
Then an evil people followed after these people, receiving the Torah from those who came before them. They read it but did not act according to what was in it, taking the miserable goods of this life as a bribe to distort the scripture of Allah; and they gave judgements which were not according to what was revealed in the scripture, convincing themselves that Allah would forgive them their sins. If some petty worldly gain should come their way, they would take it every time. Did Allah not make promises and contracts with these people that they would not say anything about Allah except the truth, without distorting or changing anything? Their failure to act according to what was in the scripture was not due to ignorance, but was in full knowledge, because they had studied what was in the scripture and knew it, which meant that their disobedience was greater. Yet the home of the Afterlife and its eternal bliss is far better than any passing gain that they may have been given as a bribe. It is for those who are Mindful, following what He instructs and staying away from what He has prohibited. Do those who take these insignificant goods not understand that what Allah has prepared for those who are mindful in the Afterlife is far better and more lasting?
Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.
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