وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمِيثَـٰقَهُ ٱلَّذِى وَاثَقَكُم بِهِۦٓ إِذْ قُلْتُمْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ 7
Translations
And remember the favor of Allāh upon you and His covenant with which He bound you when you said, "We hear and we obey"; and fear Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing of that within the breasts.
Transliteration
Wa-dhkurū ni'mata Allāhi 'alaykum wa-mīthāqahu alladhī wāthaqakum bihī idhā qultum sami'nā wa-ata'nā wa-ttaqū Allāh. Inna Allāha 'alīmun bi-dhāti as-sudūr.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the believers to remember Allah's blessings upon them and the covenant He made with them—referring to the primordial covenant (ahd al-fitrah) when all souls acknowledged Allah's lordship, as well as the covenant of obedience established at Mount Sinai and through the prophets. The phrase 'we have heard and obeyed' (sami'nā wa-ata'nā) recalls the believers' pledge to follow Allah's commands, and the ayah emphasizes that Allah is fully aware of what lies within hearts, making sincere intention and commitment essential. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this serves as a reminder to fulfill covenants with sincerity and to maintain taqwa (God-consciousness), as external compliance without internal conviction is known to Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the Medinan section of Surah Al-Ma'idah, which addresses the Muslim community's responsibilities regarding covenants and commandments. The context follows discussions of halal sustenance and ritual purity, and the reference to the covenant relates to the obligations Allah placed upon the Children of Israel and, by extension, upon the Muslim ummah to uphold divine law and maintain their pledge of obedience.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself' (Sahih Bukhari & Muslim)—reflecting the spirit of honoring covenants and community bonds. Additionally, 'The best of you are those with the best character' (Sunan At-Tirmidhi) connects to the emphasis on sincere inner commitment beyond mere outward obedience.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must cultivate genuine commitment to their faith and covenants with Allah, recognizing that outward compliance without sincere hearts is futile since Allah knows the deepest secrets of all souls. This ayah encourages regular reflection on blessings received and conscious renewal of one's pledge to obedience, combined with continuous God-consciousness in both public and private conduct.
Related Ayahs
مَّا ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُۥ صِدِّيقَةٌ ۖ كَانَا يَأْكُلَانِ ٱلطَّعَامَ ۗ ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ ثُمَّ ٱنظُرْ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ
The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.
مَا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنۢ بَحِيرَةٍ وَلَا سَآئِبَةٍ وَلَا وَصِيلَةٍ وَلَا حَامٍ ۙ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ ۖ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
Allāh has not appointed [such innovations as] baḥīrah or sā’ibah or waṣīlah or ḥām. But those who disbelieve invent falsehood about Allāh, and most of them do not reason.
وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا نَصَـٰرَىٰٓ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَـٰقَهُمْ فَنَسُوا۟ حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَأَغْرَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ ٱلْعَدَاوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ وَسَوْفَ يُنَبِّئُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَصْنَعُونَ
And from those who say, "We are Christians" We took their covenant; but they forgot a portion of that of which they were reminded. So We caused among them animosity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection. And Allāh is going to inform them about what they used to do.
۞ وَٱتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ٱبْنَىْ ءَادَمَ بِٱلْحَقِّ إِذْ قَرَّبَا قُرْبَانًا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ ٱلْـَٔاخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
And recite to them the story of Adam's two sons, in truth, when they both made an offering [to Allāh], and it was accepted from one of them but was not accepted from the other. Said [the latter], "I will surely kill you." Said [the former], "Indeed, Allāh only accepts from the righteous [who fear Him].