7:155 Al-A'raaf (The Heights)

و لما تاب بنو إسرائيل وتراجعوا إلى رشدهم اخْتَارَ مُوسَى منهم سَبْعِينَ رَجُلا من خيارهم، ليعتذروا لقومهم عند ربهم، ووعدهم اللّه ميقاتا يحضرون فيه، فلما حضروه، قالوا: يا موسى، أَرِنَا اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فتجرأوا على اللّه جراءة كبيرة، وأساءوا الأدب معه، فـ أَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فصعقوا وهلكوا. فلم يزل موسى عليه الصلاة والسلام، يتضرع إلى اللّه ويتبتل ويقول رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أن يحضروا ويكونون في حالة يعتذرون فيها لقومهم، فصاروا هم الظالمين أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَّا أي: ضعفاء العقول، سفهاء الأحلام، فتضرع إلى اللّه واعتذر بأن المتجرئين على اللّه ليس لهم عقول كاملة، تردعهم عما قالوا وفعلوا، وبأنهم حصل لهم فتنة يخطر بها الإنسان، ويخاف من ذهاب دينه فقال: إِنْ هِيَ إِلا فِتْنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَتَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ أَنْتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ أي: أنت خير من غفر، وأولى من رحم، وأكرم من أعطى وتفضل، فكأن موسى عليه الصلاة والسلام، قال: المقصود يا رب بالقصد الأول لنا كلنا، هو التزام طاعتك والإيمان بك، وأن من حضره عقله ورشده، وتم على ما وهبته من التوفيق، فإنه لم يزل مستقيما، وأما من ضعف عقله، وسفه رأيه، وصرفته الفتنة، فهو الذي فعل ما فعل، لذينك السببين، ومع هذا فأنت أرحم الراحمين، وخير الغافرين، فاغفر لنا وارحمنا. فأجاب اللّه سؤاله، وأحياهم من بعد موتهم، وغفر لهم ذنوبهم.

قال علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس في تفسير هذه الآية كان الله أمره أن يختار من قومه سبعين رجلا فاختار سبعين رجلا فبرزهم ليدعوا ربهم وكان فيما دعوا الله قالوا: اللهم أعطنا ما لم تعط أحدا قبلنا ولا تعطه أحدا بعدنا فكره الله ذلك من دعائهم فأخذتهم الرجفة "قال رب لو شئت أهلكتهم من قبل وإياي" الآية. وقال السدي إن الله أمر موسى أن يأتيه في ثلاثين من بني إسرائيل يعتذرون إليه من عبادة العجل ووعدهم موعدا "واختار موسى قومه سبعين رجلا "على عينيه ثم ذهب بهم ليعتذروا فلما أتوا ذلك المكان قالوا "لن نؤمن لك" يا موسى "حتى نرى الله جهرة" فإنك قد كلمته فأرناه "فأخذتهم الصاعقة" فقام موسى يبكي ويدعو الله ويقول رب ماذا أقول لبني إسرائيل إذا أتيتهم وقد أهلكت خيارهم "رب لو شئت أهلكتهم من قبل وإياي" وقال محمد بن إسحاق اختار موسى من بني إسرائيل سبعين رجلا الخير فالخير وقال انطلقوا إلى الله فتوبوا إليه مما صنعتم وسلوه التوبة على من تركتم وراءكم من قومكم صوموا وطهروا ثيابكم فخرج بهم إلى طور سيناء لميقات وقته له ربه وكان لا يأتيه إلا بإذن منه وعلم فقال السبعون - فيما ذكر لي حين صنعوا ما أمرهم به وخرجرا معه للقاء ربه - لموسى اطلب لنا نسمع كلام ربنا فقال أفعل فلما دنا موسى من الجبل وقع عليه عمود الغمام حتى تغشى الجبل كله ودنا موسى فدخل فيه وقال للقوم ادنوا وكان موسى إذا كلم الله وقع على جبهة موسى نور ساطع لا يستطيع أحد من بني آدم أن ينظر إليه فضرب دونه بالحجاب ودنا القوم حتى إذا دخلوا وقعوا سجودا سمعوه وهو يكلم يأمره وينهاه افعل ولا تفعل فلما فرغ إليه من أمره وانكشف عن موسى الغمام فأقبل إليهم فقالوا يا موسى "لن نؤمن لك حتى نرى الله جهرة فأخذتهم الرجفة" وهي الصاعقة فالتقت أرواحهم فماتوا جميعا فقام موسى يناشد ربه ويدعوه ويرغب إليه ويقول "رب لو شئت أهلكتهم من قبل وإياي" قد سفهوا أفتهلك من ورائي من بني إسرائيل. وقال سفيان الثوري حدثني أبو إسحاق عن عمارة بن عبيد السلولي عن علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه قال انطلق موسى وهارون وشبر وشبير فانطلقوا إلى سفح جبل فقام هارون على سرير فتوفاه الله عز وجل فلما رجع موسى إلى بني إسرائيل قالوا له أين هارون قال توفاه الله عز وجل قالوا أنت قتلته حسدتنا على خلقه ولينه أو كلمة نحوها قال فاختاروا من شئتم قال فاختاروا سبعين رجلا قال فذلك قوله تعالى "واختار موسى قومه سبعين رجلا" فلما انتهوا إليه قالوا يا هارون من قتلك قال ما قتلني أحد ولكن توفاني الله قالوا يا موسى لن تعصى بعد اليوم فأخذتهم الرجفة قال فجعل موسى عليه السلام يرجع يمينا وشمالا وقال يا رب "لو شئت أهلكتهم من قبل وإياي أتهلكنا بما فعل السفهاء منا إن هي إلا فتنتك تضل بها من تشاء وتهدي من تشاء" قال فأحياهم الله وجعلهم أنبياء كلهم هذا أثر غريب جدا وعمارة بن عبيد هذا لا أعرفه وقد رواه شعبة عن أبي إسحاق عن رجل من بني سلول عن علي فذكره وقال ابن عباس وقتادة ومجاهد وابن جرير أنهم أخذتهم الرجفة لأنهم لم يزايلوا قومهم في عبادتهم العجل ولا نهوهم ويتوجه هذا القول بقول موسى "أتهلكنا بما فعل السفهاء منا" وقوله "إن هي إلا فتنتك" أي ابتلاؤك واختبارك وامتحانك قاله ابن عباس وسعيد بن جبير وأبو العالية وربيع بن أنس وغير واحد من علماء السلف والخلف ولا معنى له غير ذلك يقول إن الأمر إلا أمرك وإن الحكم إلا لك فما شئت كان تضل من تشاء وتهدي من تشاء ولا هادي لمن أضللت ولا مضل لمن هديت ولا معطي لما منعت ولا مانع لما أعطيت فالملك كله لك والحكم كله لك لك الخلق والأمر وقوله "أنت ولينا فاغفر لنا وارحمنا وأنت خير الغافرين" الغفر هو الستر وترك المؤاخذة بالذنب والرحمة إذا قرنت مع الغفر يراد بها أن لا يوقعه في مثله في المستقبل "وأنت خير الغافرين" أن لا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت.

Seventy Men from the Children of Israel go for the appointedMeeting Place that Allah designated, Allah later on destroys Them

`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented; "Allah commanded Musa to choose seventy men. So he chose them and proceeded with them in order that they supplicate to their Lord. Their supplication included asking Allah, `O Allah! Give us what you have never given anyone before us and will never give anyone after us!' Allah disliked this supplication and they were seized with a violent earthquake, Musa said:

رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّـىَ

("O my Lord, if it had been Your will, You could have destroyed them and me before.)"' As-Suddi said, "Allah commanded Musa to come with thirty men from the Children of Israel, apologizing for worshipping the calf; and He gave them an appointed time and place.

وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَى قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلاً

(And Musa chose out of his people seventy (of the best) men.) He chose these men and went along with them so that they could apologize. When they reached the appointed place, they said,

لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ

(We shall never believe in you), 2:55 `O Musa,

حَتَّى نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً

(until we see Allah plainly, ) for you spoke to Him,' they said, `therefore, show Him to us,'

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّـعِقَةُ

(but they were struck with a bolt of lightning) 4:153 and they died. Musa stood up crying, invoking Allah, `O Lord! What should I tell the Children of Israel, when I go back to them after You destroyed their best men'

رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّـىَ

("O my Lord, if it had been Your will, You could have destroyed them and me before")."' Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "Musa chose seventy of the best men from the Children of Israel. He said to them, `Go to the meeting with Allah and repent for what you committed. Beg His forgiveness for those of your people whom you left behind. Fast, purify yourselves and clean your clothes.' So, he went with them to Mount Tur in Sinai for the meeting place and time designated by his Lord. He went there only with the leave and knowledge of Allah. According to what has been mentioned to me, when the seventy did what he ordered them to do, and went with him to the meeting of Musa with his Lord, they said, `Request that we may also hear the words of our Lord.' So he replied, `I shall.' When Musa approached the mountain it became completely covered with columns of clouds, Musa approached it and entered in them. He said to the people, `Approach.' But when Allah spoke to Musa, his cloak was surrounded by a brilliant light which no human could bear to look at, so below him a barrier was placed and the people approached. When they entered the cloud they fell prostrate and they heard Him while he was speaking to Musa, commanding him and forbidding him, saying what to do and what not to do. When He completed commanding him, and removed the cloud from Musa, he faced the people and they said, `O Musa! We will not believe in you unless we see Allah directly.' So the thunder shook them, their souls were captured and they all died. Musa stood up invoking, begging and supplicating to his Lord,

رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّـىَ

("O my Lord, if it had been Your will, You could have destroyed them and me before.")' meaning, `They were foolish. Would You destroy anyone who comes after me from the Children of Israel' Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, Mujahid and Ibn Jarir At-Tabari said, "They were seized by the tremor or lightning, because they neither shunned nor forbade their people who worshipped the calf." This is supported by Musa's statement,

أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَآءُ مِنَّآ

("would You destroy us for the deeds of the fools among us") He said next,

إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ فِتْنَتُكَ

("It is only Your Fitnah") affliction, test and trial, according to Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and several among the Salaf and latter scholars. This is the only plausible meaning, in which Musa says, "The decision is Yours (O Allah), and the judgment, and whatever You will occurs. You misguide whom You will, guide whom You will, and none can guide whom You misguide or misguide whom You guide. There is none who can give what You deprive or avert what You give. The sovereignty is all Yours, and Yours is the judgment, the creation and the decision." The Ayah,

أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْغَـفِرِينَ

("You are our protector, so forgive us and have mercy on us: for You are the best of those who forgive."), pertains to (Allah's) covering the mistake and not punishing for the sin. Whenever mercy is mentioned along with forgiveness such as in Musa's supplication to Allah, it includes the hope that Allah does not permit one to fall into that act again.

وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْغَـفِرِينَ

("for You are the best of those who forgive,") for none except You can forgive the sin.

وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِى هَـذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الاٌّخِرَةِ

("And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter.") The first part of Musa's supplication was to fend off what should be avoided, while this part is a request for what is sought. The meaning of,

وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِى هَـذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الاٌّخِرَةِ

("And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter. ") is, `ordain for us and grant us all that is good in both lives. We mentioned the meaning of `good' before in Surat Al-Baqarah.

إِنَّا هُدْنَـآ إِلَيْكَ

("We have Hudna unto You") `we repent, go back and return unto You,' according to the meaning of, `Hudna', given by Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Mujahid, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ad-Dahhak, Ibrahim At-Taymi, As-Suddi, Qatadah and several others.

. قالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لَلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَ يُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

(He said: (As to) My punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My mercy embraces all things. That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who have Taqwa, and give Zakah; and those who believe in Our Ayat.) 7:156 j

Allah's Mercy is for Those Who have Taqwa and believe in Allah's Ayat and His Messenger

Allah answers the statement,

إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ فِتْنَتُكَ

("It is only Your trial...") 7:155, by saying,

عَذَابِى أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَآءُ وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ

((As to) My punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My mercy embraces all things.) Allah says here, `I do what I will, decide what I will and I have wisdom and justice in all matters.' Certainly, there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. Allah's statement,

وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ

(and My mercy embraces all things) testifies to His encompassing mercy. Allah said that the angels who carry His Throne and those around the Throne supplicate,

رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُـلَّ شَىْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْماً

("Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge.") 40:7 Imam Ahmad recorded that Jundub bin `Abdullah Al-Bajali said, "A bedouin man came, he made his camel kneel and he tied it. Then he prayed behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ finished the prayer, that man untied his camel mounted it and supplicated aloud, `O Allah! Grant Your mercy to me and to Muhammad, and do not give a share in it to anyone else.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commented (to his Companions),

«أَتَقُولُونَ هَذَا أَضَلُّ أَمْ بَعِيرُهُ أَلَمْ تَسْمَعُوا مَا قَالَ؟»

(Do you think that this man is more misguided or his camel Did you not hear what this man has said) They said, `Yes.' He said,

«لَقَدْ حَظَّرْتَ رَحْمَةً وَاسِعَةً إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَ مِائَةَ رَحْمَةٍ فَأَنْزَلَ رَحْمَةً يَتَعَاطَفُ بِهَا الخَلْقُ جِنُّهَا وَإِنْسُهَا وَبَهَائِمُهَا وَأَخَّرَ عِنْدَهُ تِسْعًا وَتِسْعِينَ رَحْمَةً أَتَقُولُونَ هُوَ أَضَلُّ أَمْ بَعِيرُهُ؟»

(You (the bedouin man) have restricted a vast mercy! Allah, the Exalted, the most Honored has created a hundred mercies and sent down one of them by which the creation, men, Jinn and animals, show mercy to each other. He left with Him ninety-nine mercies, so do you say that this man is more misguided or his camel) Ahmad and Abu Dawud collected this Hadith. Imam Ahmad recorded that Salman narrated that the Prophet said,

«إِنَّ للهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِائَةَ رَحْمَةٍ فَمِنْهَا رَحْمَةٌ يَتَرَاحَمُ بِهَا الْخَلْقُ وَبِهَا تَعْطِفُ الْوُحُوشُ عَلَى أَوْلَادِهَا وَأَخَّرَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَة»

(Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, has a hundred mercies. With one of them, the creations show mercy to each other, and even the beasts show kindness to their offspring. He has kept ninety-nine mercies with Him for the Day of Resurrection.) Muslim recorded it. Allah said next,

فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ

(That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who have Taqwa, ) meaning, I will ordain My mercy for them, as a favor and kindness from Me to them. Allah said in a similar Ayah,

كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ

(He has prescribed mercy for Himself) 6:12 Allah's statement,

لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ

(for those who have Taqwa), means, `I will ordain My mercy for those who possess these qualities, and they are the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ,'

لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ

(for those who have Taqwa), who avoid Shirk and major sins,

وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَـوةَ

(and give the Zakah), purify themselves, according to one opinion. It was also said that, `the Zakah', here pertains to wealth. It is possible that both meanings are included here, for this Ayah was revealed in Makkah before Zakah in fixed shares was ordained,

وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِـَايَـتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

(and those who believe in Our Ayat.), those who have faith in them.

And Moses chose of his people seventy men from among those who had not worshipped the calf by God’s command for Our appointed time that is for the time at which We promised him that they should come and apologise for their comrades’ worship of the calf. He Moses then departed with them; but when the Trembling a violent earthquake seized them Ibn ‘Abbās said ‘That earthquake was because they did not separate themselves from their people when the latter took to worshipping the calf’; he Ibn ‘Abbās added ‘These people were not the same ones who asked to see God and were struck by the thunderbolt cf. Q. 255’ he Moses said ‘My Lord had You willed You would have destroyed them long before that is before my departure with them so that the Children of Israel might see this and not make false accusations against me and me with them. Will You destroy us for what the foolish ones among us have done? this interrogative is meant as a plea for compassion in other words ‘Do not punish us for the sins of others’. It that is the trial which the ignorant ones underwent is but Your trial Your test whereby You send astray whom You will to lead stray and guide whom You will to guide. You are our Protector looking after our affairs so forgive us and have mercy on us for You are the Best of all who show forgiveness.

Seventy people and their death

The verse 155 describes an unusual event. After the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) brought the Torah for his people and bade them to follow it, they, being a crooked and pretentious people, said that they were not sure of it's being the word of Allah, and that the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) might have written it himself. He prayed to Allah for making them certain about it. Allah said to Musa (علیہ السلام) that he should choose seventy men out of his people and bring them to the mount of Sinai, He shall make them hear the word of Allah which was done as was promised. But they said that they were not certain of the voice heard by them as being the voice of God - 'We shall believe only when we see Allah vividly.' Since this demand was based on ignorance and obstinacy, they evoked the wrath of Allah. They were caught by the earth-quake from beneath and by a thunder clap from above. Instantly they fell down on the ground as senseless as dead.

The word used in Surah Al-Baqarah while describing this event is (صَاعِقَہ) which signifies thunder, while in this verse the word (رجفۃ) has been used which denotes earthquake. The two words can be reconciled by assuming that they were punished by both the thunder and the earthquake. In short, they looked like dead, or perhaps they were really dead. The Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) was extremely aggrieved by this incident. Firstly, because they were all prominent personalities of the Israelites, secondly, he did not know how he would face his people on his return. They would blame him with the murder of all these people, and would even kill him. The Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) said to Allah, '0, my Lord, I know that it is not your will to kill them, as they could be killed at earlier occasions more suited to their destruction. They could be drowned with Pharaoh, or killed at the time of calf-worship, but you did not do so. I am sure that You do not want them dead, but You aim at giving them warning in this way. Besides, You cannot kill all of us for the bad deeds done by some foolish people.' He also said, "0 my Lord, I know this is just a trial from You. You let some people go astray with Your test and give guidance to some others who perceive the wisdom and lesson inherent in them. I am also among those who know that You are The Wise and All-Knowing. You are the Most Merciful of all and the Most-forgiving. 0 my Lord, forgive the insolence shown by these people." As a result of his prayer, all the seventy men were raised to life.

And Moses chose his people, seventy men, for Our appointed time, and when the earth- quake took them, he said … “It is naught but Thy trial. Thou misguidest thereby whomsoever Thou wilt and Thou guidest whomsoever Thou wilt. Thou art our Friend, so forgive us and have mercy upon us, and Thou art the best of forgivers!” There is a difference between the community of Moses and the community of MuḤammad. The community of Moses was chosen by Moses, for He says, “And Moses chose his people.” The community of MuḤammad was chosen by God, for He says, “We chose them, with a knowledge, above the worlds” [44:32]. Then He said about those chosen by Moses, “They said, 'Show us God openly,' and the thunderbolt took them because of their wrongdoing” [4:153]. Here He says, “The earthquake took them.” Concerning those He Himself chose He said, “Faces that day will be radi- ant, gazing upon their Lord” [75:22-23]. The want is the want of the Real, the choice the choice of the Real. God says, “And thy Lord creates what He wants and chooses. They have no choice” [28:68]. Moses was bold on the carpet of proximity in the station of whispered prayer. He had the attribute of realization in the state of brokenness and poverty because of anguish and bewilderment, and he showed this remorse: “It is naught but Thy trial.” Then he perceived himself and returned to the attribute of incapacity and brokenness, entering from the door of awe and veneration. He threw the decree entirely back to the Real: “Thou misguidest whom Thou wilt, and Thou guidest whom Thou wilt.” He was not content with this, so he loosed the tongue of laudation and connected it with pleading and weeping: “Thou art our Friend, so forgive us and have mercy upon us.” He displayed his need and lowliness to Him and asked for mercy and forgiveness. He said, “So forgive us and have mercy upon us, and Thou art the best of forgivers!” It has come in the traditions that on the day of the whispered prayer, Moses reached the edge of Mount Sinai. With every step he took, he lauded God, called upon Him, and displayed a need. The Pir of the Tariqah said, “There is no rejecting the needy, there is no deception behind the door of need, and there is no means of approach to the Friend like need.