۞ وَإِذَا صُرِفَتْ أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تِلْقَآءَ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلنَّارِ قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا مَعَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ 47
Translations
And when their eyes are turned toward the companions of the Fire, they say, "Our Lord, do not place us with the wrongdoing people."
Transliteration
Wa-idha surrifat absaruhum tilqaa ashaab an-naar qaaloo Rabbana la taj'alna ma'a al-qawm adh-dhaalimeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the inhabitants of Al-A'raf (the Heights) who witness the people of Hell and immediately supplicate to Allah, fearing they may be among the wrongdoers. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, these are souls in an intermediate state between Paradise and Hell, observing both realms and recognizing the dire fate of the transgressors. Their prayer reflects profound concern for salvation and serves as a reminder that witnessing the consequences of injustice and disbelief should inspire believers to seek Allah's protection from similar fates.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the broader Meccan narrative in Surah Al-A'raf (verses 46-48) describing the Day of Judgment and the states of different groups of people. The surah contextually addresses the division between believers and disbelievers, with this particular passage depicting those on Al-A'raf observing both the blessed and the punished, emphasizing the reality of divine justice.
Related Hadiths
The hadith reported by Muslim regarding the people of Al-A'raf states: 'There will be people on Al-A'raf who will recognize people of Paradise by their marks and people of Hell by their marks.' Additionally, numerous hadiths in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim emphasize seeking Allah's protection from the Fire, reflecting the supplication in this verse.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to maintain constant vigilance against injustice and to regularly seek Allah's protection from misguidance and punishment through sincere supplication. It reminds us that awareness of divine accountability should motivate righteous action and humble reliance upon Allah's mercy.
Related Ayahs
وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ذُو ٱلرَّحْمَةِ ۖ لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ ۚ بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌ لَّن يَجِدُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَوْئِلًا
And your Lord is the Forgiving, the possessor of mercy. If He were to impose blame upon them for what they earned, He would have hastened for them the punishment. Rather, for them is an appointment from which they will never find an escape.
فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَـٰقَهُمْ وَكُفْرِهِم بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَتْلِهِمُ ٱلْأَنۢبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَقَوْلِهِمْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌۢ ۚ بَلْ طَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
And [We cursed them] for their breaking of the covenant and their disbelief in the signs of Allāh and their killing of the prophets without right and their saying, "Our hearts are wrapped" [i.e., sealed against reception]. Rather, Allāh has sealed them because of their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few.
ثُمَّ أَغْرَقْنَا ٱلْـَٔاخَرِينَ
Then We drowned the others [i.e., disbelievers].
مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالُوا۟ ضَلُّوا۟ عَنَّا بَل لَّمْ نَكُن نَّدْعُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ شَيْـًٔا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
Other than Allāh?" They will say, "They have departed from us; rather, we did not used to invoke previously anything." Thus does Allāh put astray the disbelievers.