Surah Araf ayat 17 Tafsir Quran 7:17

﴿ثُمَّ لَآتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَائِلِهِمْ ۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَاكِرِينَ﴾
[ الأعراف: 17]

7:17 Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You]."

Then I shall come upon them from before them and from behind them and from their right and from their left that is to say from every side and prevent them from following it that path. Ibn ‘Abbās said ‘However he cannot come upon them from above lest he come between the servant and the mercy of God exalted be He’. And You will not find most of them thankful’ believing.

And I will assail them emotionally and mentally from every side; I will leap at them from front and from behind, from their right and from their left to assail their virtue/and You shall find most of them not feeling or displaying gratitude

إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ ( till the Day they are raised up (resurrected )) and Iblis was sure that he got what he wanted, he went on in defiance and rebellion.
He said, فَبِمَآ أَغْوَيْتَنِى لأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ( "Because You have `Aghwaytani', surely, I will sit in wait against them (human beings ) on Your straight path.") meaning, as You have sent me astray.
Ibn `Abbas said that `Aghwaytani' means, "Misguided me." Others said, "As You caused my ruin, I will sit in wait for Your servants whom You will create from the offspring of the one you expelled me for." He went on, صِرَطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ( Your straight path ), the path of truth and the way of safety.
I ( Iblis ) will misguide them from this path so that they do not worship You Alone, because You sent me astray.
Mujahid said that the `straight path', refers to the truth.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Saburah bin Abi Al-Fakih said that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying,
«إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ قَعَدَ لِابْنِ آدَمَ بِطُرُقِهِ، فَقَعَدَ لَهُ بِطَرِيقِ الْإِسْلَامِ، فَقَالَ: أَتُسْلِمُ وَتَذَرُ دِينَكَ وَدِينَ آبَائِكَ؟ قَالَ: فَعَصَاهُ وَأَسْلَم»
قال:
«قَعَدَ لَهُ بِطَرِيقِ الْهِجْرَةِ فَقَالَ: أَتُهَاجِرُ وَتَدَعُ أَرْضَكَ وَسَمَاءَكَ؟ وَإِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْمُهَاجِرِ كَالْفَرَسِ فِي الطِّوَلِ، فَعَصَاهُ وَهَاجَرَ، ثُمَّ قَعَدَ لَهُ بِطَرِيقِ الْجِهَادِ وَهُوَ جِهَادُ النَّفْسِ وَالْمَالِ، فَقَالَ: تُقَاتِلُ فَتُقْتَلُ فَتُنْكَحُ الْمَرْأَةُ وَيُقْسَمُ الْمَالُ، قاَلَ: فَعَصَاهُ وَجَاهَد»
وقال رسول اللهصلى الله عليه وسلّم:
«فَمَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ فَمَاتَ، كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَإِنْ قُتِلَ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَإِنْ غَرِقَ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ أَوْ وَقَصَتْهُ دَابَّةٌ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّة»
( Shaytan sat in wait for the Son of Adam in all his paths.
He sat in the path of Islam, saying, `Would you embrace Islam and abandon your religion and the religion of your forefathers' However, the Son of Adam disobeyed Shaytan and embraced Islam.
So Shaytan sat in the path of Hijrah (migration in the cause of Allah ), saying, `Would you migrate and leave your land and sky' But the parable of the Muhajir is that of a horse in his stamina So, he disobeyed Shaytan and migrated.
So Shaytan sat in the path of Jihad, against one's self and with his wealth, saying, `If you fight, you will be killed, your wife will be married and your wealth divided.' So he disobeyed him and performed Jihad.
Therefore, whoever among them ( Children of Adam ) does this and dies, it will be a promise from Allah that He admits him into Paradise.
If he is killed, it will be a promise from Allah that He admits him into Paradise.
If he drowns, it will be a promise from Allah that He admits him into Paradise.
If the animal breaks his neck, it will be a promise from Allah that He admits him into Paradise.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on: ثُمَّ لآتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ ( Then I will come to them from before them ) Raising doubts in them concerning their Hereafter, وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ( and (from ) behind them), making them more eager for this life, وَعَنْ أَيْمَـنِهِمْ ( from their right ), causing them confusion in the religion, وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمْ ( and from their left ) luring them to commit sins." This is meant to cover all paths of good and evil.
Shaytan discourages the people from the path of good and lures them to the path of evil.
Al-Hakam bin Abban said that `Ikrimah narrated from Ibn `Abbas concerning the Ayah, ثُمَّ لآتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَـنِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمْ ( Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, ) "He did not say that he will come from above them, because the mercy descends from above." `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, وَلاَ تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَـكِرِينَ ( and You will not find most of them to be thankful. ) "means, those who single Him out in worship." When Shaytan said this, it was a guess and an assumption on his part.
Yet, the truth turned out to be the same, for Allah said, وَلَقَدْ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِبْلِيسُ ظَنَّهُ فَاتَّبَعُوهُ إِلاَّ فَرِيقاً مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ - وَمَا كَانَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّن سُلْطَـنٍ إِلاَّ لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ مِمَّنْ هُوَ مِنْهَا فِى شَكٍّ وَرَبُّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَفُيظٌ ( And indeed Iblis (Shaytan ) did prove true his thought about them, and they followed him, all except a group of true believers.
And he had no authority over them, except that We might test him who believes in the Hereafter, from him who is in doubt about it.
And your Lord is Watchful over everything.) 34:20-21.
tThis is why there is a Hadith that encourages seeking refuge with Allah from the lures of Shaytan from all directions.
Imam Ahmad narrated that `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to often recite this supplication in the morning and when the night falls,
«اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي، اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي، اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي وَمِنْ فَوْقِي وَأَعُوذُ بِعَظَمتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِي»
( O Allah! I ask You for well-being in this life and the Hereafter.
O Allah! I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, life, family and wealth.
O Allah! Cover my errors and reassure me in times of difficulty.
O Allah! Protect me from before me, from behind me, from my right, from my left and from above me.
I seek refuge with Your greatness from being killed from below me. )" Waki` commented ( about being killed from below ), "This refers to earthquakes." Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim collected this Hadith, and Al-Hakim said, "Its chain is Sahih.
"

(7:17) Then I will come upon them from the front and from the rear, and from their right and from their left. And You will not find most of them thankful.' *12

Then I will come to them from meaning

*12).
This was the challenge thrown down by Satan to God.
What it meant is that Satan would make use of the respite granted to him until the Last Day, and he would do so in order to prove that nian did not deserve a position superior to his and this had after all been bestowed upon him by God.
So doing, he would expose how ungrateful, thankless and disloyal a creature man is.

The respite asked for by Satan and granted to him by God includes not only the time but also the opportunity to mislead Man and to prove his point by appealing to man's weaknesses.
The Qur'an makes a pointed statement about this in Banu Isra'il 17: 61-5.
These verses make it clear that God had granted Satan the opportunity to try to mislead Adam and his offspring At the same time it has also been made quite clear that Satan was not granted the power to lead men into error against their will.
'As for my servants', says the Qur'an, 'you shall have no power over them' ( Banu Isra'il 17: 65 ).
Thus all that Satan can do is to cause misunderstanding, to make people cherish false illusions, to make evil and error seem atractive, and to invite people to evil ways by holding out to them the promise of immense pleasure and material benefits.
He would have no power, however, to forcibly pull them to the Satanic way and to prevent them from following the Right Way.
Accordingly, the Qur'an makes it quite plain elsewhere that on the Day of Judgement, Satan would address the men who had followed him in the following words: 'I had no power over you except to call you; but you listened to me: then reproach me not, but reproach your own selves' ( Ibrahim 14: 22 ).

As for Satan's allegation that God Himself caused him to fall into error ( see verse 16 ) it is an attempt on the part of Satan to transfer the blame which fails squarely on him to God.
Satan's grivance seems to be that God was responsible for his deviation insofar as He hurt Satan's pride by asking him to prostrate before Adam, and that it was this which led him to disobey God.
It is thus clear that Satan wanted to continue enjoying his vain arrogance and that he was incensed that his weakness - arrogance - was seen through and brought to full light.
The underlying stupidity of the statement is too patently obvious to call for any refutation, and hence God took no notice of it.

 

إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ ( till the Day they are raised up (resurrected )) and Iblis was sure that he got what he wanted, he went on in defiance and rebellion.
He said, فَبِمَآ أَغْوَيْتَنِى لأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ( "Because You have `Aghwaytani', surely, I will sit in wait against them (human beings ) on Your straight path.") meaning, as You have sent me astray.
Ibn `Abbas said that `Aghwaytani' means, "Misguided me." Others said, "As You caused my ruin, I will sit in wait for Your servants whom You will create from the offspring of the one you expelled me for." He went on, صِرَطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ( Your straight path ), the path of truth and the way of safety.
I ( Iblis ) will misguide them from this path so that they do not worship You Alone, because You sent me astray.
Mujahid said that the `straight path', refers to the truth.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Saburah bin Abi Al-Fakih said that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, «إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ قَعَدَ لِابْنِ آدَمَ بِطُرُقِهِ، فَقَعَدَ لَهُ بِطَرِيقِ الْإِسْلَامِ، فَقَالَ: أَتُسْلِمُ وَتَذَرُ دِينَكَ وَدِينَ آبَائِكَ؟ قَالَ: فَعَصَاهُ وَأَسْلَم» قال: «قَعَدَ لَهُ بِطَرِيقِ الْهِجْرَةِ فَقَالَ: أَتُهَاجِرُ وَتَدَعُ أَرْضَكَ وَسَمَاءَكَ؟ وَإِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْمُهَاجِرِ كَالْفَرَسِ فِي الطِّوَلِ، فَعَصَاهُ وَهَاجَرَ، ثُمَّ قَعَدَ لَهُ بِطَرِيقِ الْجِهَادِ وَهُوَ جِهَادُ النَّفْسِ وَالْمَالِ، فَقَالَ: تُقَاتِلُ فَتُقْتَلُ فَتُنْكَحُ الْمَرْأَةُ وَيُقْسَمُ الْمَالُ، قاَلَ: فَعَصَاهُ وَجَاهَد» وقال رسول اللهصلى الله عليه وسلّم: «فَمَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ فَمَاتَ، كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَإِنْ قُتِلَ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَإِنْ غَرِقَ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ أَوْ وَقَصَتْهُ دَابَّةٌ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّة» ( Shaytan sat in wait for the Son of Adam in all his paths.
He sat in the path of Islam, saying, `Would you embrace Islam and abandon your religion and the religion of your forefathers' However, the Son of Adam disobeyed Shaytan and embraced Islam.
So Shaytan sat in the path of Hijrah (migration in the cause of Allah ), saying, `Would you migrate and leave your land and sky' But the parable of the Muhajir is that of a horse in his stamina So, he disobeyed Shaytan and migrated.
So Shaytan sat in the path of Jihad, against one's self and with his wealth, saying, `If you fight, you will be killed, your wife will be married and your wealth divided.' So he disobeyed him and performed Jihad.
Therefore, whoever among them ( Children of Adam ) does this and dies, it will be a promise from Allah that He admits him into Paradise.
If he is killed, it will be a promise from Allah that He admits him into Paradise.
If he drowns, it will be a promise from Allah that He admits him into Paradise.
If the animal breaks his neck, it will be a promise from Allah that He admits him into Paradise.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on: ثُمَّ لآتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ ( Then I will come to them from before them ) Raising doubts in them concerning their Hereafter, وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ( and (from ) behind them), making them more eager for this life, وَعَنْ أَيْمَـنِهِمْ ( from their right ), causing them confusion in the religion, وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمْ ( and from their left ) luring them to commit sins." This is meant to cover all paths of good and evil.
Shaytan discourages the people from the path of good and lures them to the path of evil.
Al-Hakam bin Abban said that `Ikrimah narrated from Ibn `Abbas concerning the Ayah, ثُمَّ لآتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَـنِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمْ ( Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, ) "He did not say that he will come from above them, because the mercy descends from above." `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, وَلاَ تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَـكِرِينَ ( and You will not find most of them to be thankful. ) "means, those who single Him out in worship." When Shaytan said this, it was a guess and an assumption on his part.
Yet, the truth turned out to be the same, for Allah said, وَلَقَدْ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِبْلِيسُ ظَنَّهُ فَاتَّبَعُوهُ إِلاَّ فَرِيقاً مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ - وَمَا كَانَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّن سُلْطَـنٍ إِلاَّ لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ مِمَّنْ هُوَ مِنْهَا فِى شَكٍّ وَرَبُّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَفُيظٌ ( And indeed Iblis (Shaytan ) did prove true his thought about them, and they followed him, all except a group of true believers.
And he had no authority over them, except that We might test him who believes in the Hereafter, from him who is in doubt about it.
And your Lord is Watchful over everything.) 34:20-21.
tThis is why there is a Hadith that encourages seeking refuge with Allah from the lures of Shaytan from all directions.
Imam Ahmad narrated that `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to often recite this supplication in the morning and when the night falls, «اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي، اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي، اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي وَمِنْ فَوْقِي وَأَعُوذُ بِعَظَمتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِي» ( O Allah! I ask You for well-being in this life and the Hereafter.
O Allah! I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, life, family and wealth.
O Allah! Cover my errors and reassure me in times of difficulty.
O Allah! Protect me from before me, from behind me, from my right, from my left and from above me.
I seek refuge with Your greatness from being killed from below me. )" Waki` commented ( about being killed from below ), "This refers to earthquakes." Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim collected this Hadith, and Al-Hakim said, "Its chain is Sahih.
"

( Then I shall come upon them from before them ) with regard to the Hereafter that there is no hell, Paradise, resurrection or reckoning ( and from behind them ) that the life of this world is everlasting and I shall bid them to amass and withhold out of stinginess and I will order them to commit corruption ( and from their right hands ) vis--vis the religion: I shall confuse those who are guided until they leave the guidance, and I shall make it seem fair to those who are misguided such that they remain misguided ( and from their left hands ) as regard pleasures and delights, ( and Thou wilt not find most of them ) all of them ( beholden (unto Thee )) believers in You.

Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones (i.e. they will not be dutiful to You)."

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