Surah Al-A’raf Ayat 39 in Arabic Text
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 39
And the first of them will say to the last of them, “Then you had not any favor over us, so taste the punishment for what you used to earn.”
Then the first will say to the last: “See then! No advantage have ye over us; so taste ye of the penalty for all that ye did!”
Then the preceding ones will say to the succeeding ones: ‘You were in no way superior to us; taste, then, this torment for your deeds.’
The first of them will say to the last of them: “You were not better than us, so taste the torment for what you used to earn.”
And the first of them saith unto the last of them: Ye were no whit better than us, so taste the doom for what ye used to earn.
And the first of them will say to the last of them, “So, in no way are you of any grace (i.e. are in no way superior; are no better) over us; then taste the torment for what you were earning.”
and the first of them will say to the last, ‘You were no better than us: taste the punishment you have earned.’
اور پہلے لوگ پچھلے لوگوں سے کہیں گے کہ پھر تم کو ہم پر کوئی فوقیت نہیں سو تم بھی اپنی کمائی کے بدلے میں عذاب کامزه چکھو
Quran 7 Verse 39 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Al-A’raf ayat 39, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-Maududi
(7:39) Then the preceding ones will say to the succeeding ones: ‘You were in no way superior to us; taste, then, this torment for your deeds.’ [31]
31. In addition to the above verse, the Qur’an elsewhere recounts the mutual incriminations of the dwellers of Hell. For example, it occurs in Sarah al-Saba’ in the following words: ‘Could you but see when the wrong-doers will be made to stand before their Lord, throwing back the word (of blame) on one another! Those who had been abased will say to the arrogant ones: “Had it not been for you, we should certainly have been believers!” The arrogant ones will say, to those who had been abased: “Was it we who kept you back from Guidance after it reached you? Nay, rather it was you yourselves who transgressed” ‘ (Surah Saba, 31-32). This means that since the misguided people themselves were not keen on receiving the right guidance, they fell victims even more to the forces of misguidance. Out of their own excessive worldliness they chose to follow their ungodly leaders. Granted that it was the forces of misguidance which had invented ideologies such as materialism, excessive worldliness, and nationalism. But when people were attracted to these false ideologies, they did so out of their own weaknesses. These forces of evil achieved success because what they offered was to the utmost liking of the people. Again, the people who were tempted to embrace counterfeit religious ideologies were themselves to blame for falling prey to them since there was an inner urge in them to accept such ideologies. Rather than submitting to the One True God and to rigorous moral discipline, they looked for deities that would help them to achieve their worldly purposes. Naturally, they invented deities of their own liking. They also desired the intercession of those who would let them grow in worldiness and godlessness, and yet who would also ensure their redemption in the Next World. As they preferred a religion that would not make their life a bit dry, permissive religious cults which did not object to any kind of self-indulgence were developed. This establishes clearly that the external forces of evil alone are not to blame. The people who succumb to evil and error equally share the blame. This neither condones the role of those who seek to mislead others, nor detracts from the responsibility of those who choose to be misled.
Ibn-Kathir
The tafsir of Surah Al-A’raf verse 39 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah A’raf ayat 38 which provides the complete commentary from verse 38 through 39.
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