Surah Araf ayat 28 Tafsir Quran 7:28

﴿وَإِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً قَالُوا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهَا آبَاءَنَا وَاللَّهُ أَمَرَنَا بِهَا ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَأْمُرُ بِالْفَحْشَاءِ ۖ أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾
[ الأعراف: 28]

7:28 And when they commit an immorality, they say, "We found our fathers doing it, and Allah has ordered us to do it." Say, "Indeed, Allah does not order immorality. Do you say about Allah that which you do not know?"

And when they commit any indecency such as idolatry or circumambulating the Sacred House naked saying ‘We cannot perform the circumambulations wearing clothes in which we were disobedient to God’ — and so they forbade this wearing of clothes — they say ‘We found our fathers practising it and so we followed their example and God has also enjoined it on us’. Say to them ‘God does not enjoin indecency. Do you say concerning God that which you do not know?’ that He has said? the interrogative is meant as a repudiation.

And when the Pagans commit themselves to an evil line of conduct* they claim this has been the system on which their fathers were bent, and they insolently allege that Allah has enjoined this set of correlated principles belonging to their belief. Say to them O Muhammad: Allah does not enjoin immorality nor ordain what is evil or impure, viscious or dissolute; do you people relate to Allah a world you see in a grain of sand or a heaven in a wild flower and from ignorance your comfort flows

(7:28) And when such people commit an indecent act they say: 'We found our fathers doing that, and Allah has enjoined it on us. *17 Say: 'Surely Allah never enjoins any indecency. *18 Do you say things regarding Allah that you do not know?'

And when they commit an immorality, they meaning

*17).
This refers to the pre-islamic Arabian practice of circumambulating around the Ka'bah in stark nakedness.
The people of those day's thought that nakedness during circumambulation had been enjoined by God.

*18).
The simple and succinct Qur'anic statement that 'Allah never enjoins any, indecency' ( verse 29 ) stands as the overwhelming argument against many false beliefs that were entertained by the people of Arabia.
For a fuller appreciation of this argument the following points should be kept in mind:
First, that the people of Arabia totally stripped themselves while performing certain religious rites under the mistaken notion that it had been so enjoined.
But on the other hand they were agreed that nudity was a shameful thing so that no Arab of any standing could ever approve of appearing naked in any respectable assembly or market-place.

Second, notwithstanding their reservation about nudity, they strippeel themselves totally while performing certain religious rites on the ground that religion was from God.
Hence there was nothing objectionable about performing a religious act in a state of nakedness for God had so enjoined them regarding the performance of that rite.
Here the Qur'an confronts them with a clear question: How can they believe that God could order them to do something which involves nakedness and which they know to be inherently shameful? What is implied is that God could not command them to commit indecency, and if their religion contained elements of indecency then this is positive proof of its not being from God.

 

( And when they do some lewdness ) when they forbid al-Bahirah, al-Sa’ibah, al-Wasilah and al-Ham, ( they say: We found our fathers doing it ) forbidding it ( and Allah hath enjoined it on us ) i.e. to forbid al-Bahirah, al-Sa’ibah, al-Wasilah and al-Ham. ( Say ) O Muhammad: ( Allah, verily, enjoineth not lewdness ) transgressions and the forbidding of cattle and crops. ( Tell ye ) indeed you are saying ( concerning Allah that which you know not ) to be the case?

And when they commit a Fahisha (evil deed, going round the Ka'bah in naked state, every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.), they say: "We found our fathers doing it, and Allah has commanded us of it." Say: "Nay, Allah never commands of Fahisha. Do you say of Allah what you know not?

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