Surah Araf ayat 6 Tafsir Quran 7:6

﴿فَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الْمُرْسَلِينَ﴾
[ الأعراف: 6]

7:6 Then We will surely question those to whom [a message] was sent, and We will surely question the messengers.

Then verily We shall question those to whom the Message was sent that is We shall question those communities about their response to the messengers and to what extent they implemented that which was conveyed to them; and We shall question the messengers about the conveying of that Message.

Indeed, We will call to account all those to whom Messengers were sent; they shall have much to answer for, and We will question the Messengers whom We had sent

Nations that were destroyed Allah said, وَكَم مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـهَا ( And a great number of towns We destroyed. ) for defying Our Messengers and rejecting them.
This behavior led them to earn disgrace in this life, which led them to disgrace in the Hereafter.
Allah said in other Ayat, وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِالَّذِينَ سَخِرُواْ مِنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ ( And indeed (many ) Messengers before you were mocked at, but their scoffers were surrounded by the very thing that they used to mock at) 6:10, and فَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـهَا وَهِىَ ظَالِمَةٌ فَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَى عُرُوشِهَا وَبِئْرٍ مُّعَطَّلَةٍ وَقَصْرٍ مَّشِيدٍ ( And many a township did We destroy while they were given to wrongdoing, so that it lie in ruins (up to this day ), and ( many ) a deserted well and lofty castle!) 22:45, and, وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ بَطِرَتْ مَعِيشَتَهَا فَتِلْكَ مَسَـكِنُهُمْ لَمْ تُسْكَن مِّن بَعْدِهِمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً وَكُنَّا نَحْنُ الْوَرِثِينَ ( And how many a town have We destroyed, which was thankless for its means of livelihood And those are their dwellings, which have not been inhabited after them except a little.
And verily, We have been the heirs )28:58.
Allah's saying, فَجَآءَهَا بَأْسُنَا بَيَـتًا أَوْ هُمْ قَآئِلُونَ ( Our torment came upon them by night or while they were taking their midday nap.
) means, Allah's command, torment and vengeance came over them at night or while taking a nap in the middle of the day.
Both of these times are periods of rest and leisure or heedlessness and amusement.
Allah also said أَفَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا بَيَـتاً وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ - أَوَ أَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا ضُحًى وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ ( Did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment by night while they were asleep Or, did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment in the forenoon while they were playing )7:97-98 and, أَفَأَمِنَ الَّذِينَ مَكَرُواْ السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن يَخْسِفَ اللَّهُ بِهِمُ الاٌّرْضَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ - أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ فِى تَقَلُّبِهِمْ فَمَا هُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ - أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ عَلَى تَخَوُّفٍ فَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَرَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ( Do then those who devise evil plots feel secure that Allah will not sink them into the earth, or that the torment will not seize them from directions they perceive not Or that He may catch them in the midst of their going to and from, so that there be no escape for them Or that He may catch them with gradual wastage.
Truly, Your Lord is indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful ) 16:45-47.
Allah's saying; فَمَا كَانَ دَعْوَاهُمْ إِذْ جَآءَهُم بَأْسُنَآ إِلاَ أَن قَالُواْ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـلِمِينَ ( No cry did they utter when Our torment came upon them but this: "Verily, we were wrongdoers." ) This means, when the torment came to them, their cry was that they admitted their sins and that they deserved to be punished.
Allah said in a similar Ayah, وَكَمْ قَصَمْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ كَانَتْ ظَـلِمَةً ( How many a town given to wrongdoing, have We destroyed )21:11, until, خَـمِدِينَ ( Extinct )21:15.
Allah's saying. فَلَنَسْـَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ ( Then surely, We shall question those (people ) to whom it ( the Book ) was sent) is similar to the Ayat, وَيَوْمَ يُنَـدِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَآ أَجَبْتُمُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ( And (remember ) the Day ( Allah ) will call them, and say: "What answer gave you to the Messengers") 28:65, and, يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ الرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَآ أُجِبْتُمْ قَالُواْ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَآ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّـمُ الْغُيُوبِ ( On the Day when Allah will gather the Messengers together and say to them: "What was the response you received" They will say: "We have no knowledge, verily, only You are the Knower of all that is unseen." ) 5:109.
Allah will question the nations, on the Day of Resurrection, how they responded to His Messengers and the Messages He sent them with.
He will also question the Messengers if they conveyed His Messages.
So, `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas, who said commenting on the Ayah: فَلَنَسْـَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْـَلَنَّ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ( Then surely, We shall question those (people ) to whom it ( the Book ) was sent and verily, We shall question the Messengers.) He said; "About what they conveyed." Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement, فَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيْهِم بِعِلْمٍ وَمَا كُنَّا غَآئِبِينَ ( Then surely, We shall narrate unto them (their whole story ) with knowledge, and indeed We have not been absent.) "The Book will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection and it will speak, disclosing what they used to do." وَمَا كُنَّا غَآئِبِينَ ( and indeed We have not been absent ) meaning, On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will inform His servants about what they said and did, whether substantial or minor.
Certainly, He witnesses to everything, nothing escapes His observation, and He is never unaware of anything.
Rather, He has perfect knowledge of what the eyes are deluded by and what the hearts conceal, وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُهَا وَلاَ حَبَّةٍ فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ ( Not a leaf falls, but He knows it.
There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record. )6:59

(7:6) So We shall call to account those to whom Messengers were sent, *6 and We shall call to account the Messengers (to see how dutifully they conveyed the Message, and how people responded to it). *7

Then We will surely question those to meaning

*6).
The words 'call to account' refers to the questioning people will be subjected to on the Day of Judgement.
For it is the reckoning on the Day, of Judgement that really matters.
Punishment dealt upon corrupt individuals and communities in this world does not constitute their true punishment.
Punishment in this world is no more than what happens when a criminal, who has been strutting scot-free, is suddenly arrested.
The arrest constitutes no more than depriving the criminal of the opportunity to perpetrate further crimes.
The annals of history are filled with instances where corrupt nations have been punished, proving that man has not been granted absolute licence to go about doing whatever he pleases.
Rather, there is a Power above all that allows man to act freely but only to a certain extent, no more.
And when man exceeds those limits, that Power administers a series of warnings in order that he might heed the warnings and give up his wickedness.
But when man fails totally to respond to such warnings, he is punished.

Anyone who considers the events of history, will conclude that the Lord of the universe must have certainly appointed a Day of Judgement in order to hold the wrong-doers to account for their actions and to punish them.
That the Qur'an refers to the recurrent punishment of wicked nations as an argument in support of the establishment of the final judgement in the Hereafter is evidenced by the fact that the present verse - verse 6 - opens with the word so'.

*7).
This shows that on the Day of Judgement Prophethood will be the main basis of reckoning.
On the one hand, the Prophets will be questioned about the efforts they made to convey God's Message to mankind.
On the other hand, the people to whom the Prophets were sent will be questioned about their response to the message.
The Qur'an is not explicit about how judgements will be made with regard to individuals and communities who did not receive God's Message.
It seems that God has left judgement - to borrow a contemporary judicial expression - reserved.
However, with regard to individuals and communities who did receive God's Message through the Prophets, the Qur'an states explicitly, that they will have no justification whatsoever to put forward a defence of their disbelief and denial, of their transgression and disobedience.
They are doomed to be east into Hell in utter helplessness and dejection.

 

Nations that were destroyed Allah said, وَكَم مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـهَا ( And a great number of towns We destroyed. ) for defying Our Messengers and rejecting them.
This behavior led them to earn disgrace in this life, which led them to disgrace in the Hereafter.
Allah said in other Ayat, وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِالَّذِينَ سَخِرُواْ مِنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ ( And indeed (many ) Messengers before you were mocked at, but their scoffers were surrounded by the very thing that they used to mock at) 6:10, and فَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـهَا وَهِىَ ظَالِمَةٌ فَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَى عُرُوشِهَا وَبِئْرٍ مُّعَطَّلَةٍ وَقَصْرٍ مَّشِيدٍ ( And many a township did We destroy while they were given to wrongdoing, so that it lie in ruins (up to this day ), and ( many ) a deserted well and lofty castle!) 22:45, and, وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ بَطِرَتْ مَعِيشَتَهَا فَتِلْكَ مَسَـكِنُهُمْ لَمْ تُسْكَن مِّن بَعْدِهِمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً وَكُنَّا نَحْنُ الْوَرِثِينَ ( And how many a town have We destroyed, which was thankless for its means of livelihood And those are their dwellings, which have not been inhabited after them except a little.
And verily, We have been the heirs )28:58.
Allah's saying, فَجَآءَهَا بَأْسُنَا بَيَـتًا أَوْ هُمْ قَآئِلُونَ ( Our torment came upon them by night or while they were taking their midday nap.
) means, Allah's command, torment and vengeance came over them at night or while taking a nap in the middle of the day.
Both of these times are periods of rest and leisure or heedlessness and amusement.
Allah also said أَفَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا بَيَـتاً وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ - أَوَ أَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا ضُحًى وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ ( Did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment by night while they were asleep Or, did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment in the forenoon while they were playing )7:97-98 and, أَفَأَمِنَ الَّذِينَ مَكَرُواْ السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن يَخْسِفَ اللَّهُ بِهِمُ الاٌّرْضَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ - أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ فِى تَقَلُّبِهِمْ فَمَا هُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ - أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ عَلَى تَخَوُّفٍ فَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَرَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ( Do then those who devise evil plots feel secure that Allah will not sink them into the earth, or that the torment will not seize them from directions they perceive not Or that He may catch them in the midst of their going to and from, so that there be no escape for them Or that He may catch them with gradual wastage.
Truly, Your Lord is indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful ) 16:45-47.
Allah's saying; فَمَا كَانَ دَعْوَاهُمْ إِذْ جَآءَهُم بَأْسُنَآ إِلاَ أَن قَالُواْ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـلِمِينَ ( No cry did they utter when Our torment came upon them but this: "Verily, we were wrongdoers." ) This means, when the torment came to them, their cry was that they admitted their sins and that they deserved to be punished.
Allah said in a similar Ayah, وَكَمْ قَصَمْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ كَانَتْ ظَـلِمَةً ( How many a town given to wrongdoing, have We destroyed )21:11, until, خَـمِدِينَ ( Extinct )21:15.
Allah's saying. فَلَنَسْـَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ ( Then surely, We shall question those (people ) to whom it ( the Book ) was sent) is similar to the Ayat, وَيَوْمَ يُنَـدِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَآ أَجَبْتُمُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ( And (remember ) the Day ( Allah ) will call them, and say: "What answer gave you to the Messengers") 28:65, and, يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ الرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَآ أُجِبْتُمْ قَالُواْ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَآ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّـمُ الْغُيُوبِ ( On the Day when Allah will gather the Messengers together and say to them: "What was the response you received" They will say: "We have no knowledge, verily, only You are the Knower of all that is unseen." ) 5:109.
Allah will question the nations, on the Day of Resurrection, how they responded to His Messengers and the Messages He sent them with.
He will also question the Messengers if they conveyed His Messages.
So, `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas, who said commenting on the Ayah: فَلَنَسْـَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْـَلَنَّ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ( Then surely, We shall question those (people ) to whom it ( the Book ) was sent and verily, We shall question the Messengers.) He said; "About what they conveyed." Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement, فَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيْهِم بِعِلْمٍ وَمَا كُنَّا غَآئِبِينَ ( Then surely, We shall narrate unto them (their whole story ) with knowledge, and indeed We have not been absent.) "The Book will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection and it will speak, disclosing what they used to do." وَمَا كُنَّا غَآئِبِينَ ( and indeed We have not been absent ) meaning, On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will inform His servants about what they said and did, whether substantial or minor.
Certainly, He witnesses to everything, nothing escapes His observation, and He is never unaware of anything.
Rather, He has perfect knowledge of what the eyes are deluded by and what the hearts conceal, وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُهَا وَلاَ حَبَّةٍ فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ ( Not a leaf falls, but He knows it.
There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record. )6:59

( Then verily We shall question those unto whom (Our message ) hath been sent) with the messengers, i.e. We shall question these people about their response to the messengers, ( and verily We shall question the messengers ) about their conveyance of the message.

Then surely, We shall question those (people) to whom it (the Book) was sent and verily, We shall question the Messengers.

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