Surah Al-A’raf >> Currently viewing Surah Al-A’raf Ayat 70 (7:70)

Surah Al-A’raf Ayat 70 in Arabic Text

قَالُوٓاْ أَجِئۡتَنَا لِنَعۡبُدَ ٱللَّهَ وَحۡدَهُۥ وَنَذَرَ مَا كَانَ يَعۡبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا فَأۡتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ
Qaalooo aji’tanaa lina’budal laaha wahdahoo wa nazara maa kaana ya’budu aabaaa’unaa fa’tinaa bimaa ta’idunaaa in kunta minas saadiqeen

English Translation

Here you can read various translations of verse 70

Sahih International
They said, “Have you come to us that we should worship Allah alone and leave what our fathers have worshipped? Then bring us what you promise us, if you should be of the truthful.”

Yusuf Ali
They said: “Comest thou to us, that we may worship Allah alone, and give up the cult of our fathers? bring us what thou threatenest us with, if so be that thou tellest the truth!”

Abul Ala Maududi
They said: ‘Have you come to us that we should worship none other than Allah and forsake all whom our forefathers were wont to worship? Then bring upon us the scourge with which you have threatened us if you are truthful?’

Muhsin Khan
They said: “You have come to us that we should worship Allah Alone and forsake that which our fathers used to worship. So bring us that wherewith you have threatened us if you are of the truthful.”

Pickthall
They said: Hast come unto us that we should serve Allah alone, and forsake what our fathers worshipped? Then bring upon us that wherewith thou threatenest us if thou art of the truthful!

Dr. Ghali
They said, “Have you come to us that we may worship Allah alone and leave out what our fathers were worshiping? Then come up to us with what you promise us, in case you are of the sincere.”

Abdel Haleem
They said, ‘Have you really come to tell us to serve God alone and to forsake what our forefathers served? If what you say is true, bring us the punishment you threaten.’

Muhammad Junagarhi
انہوں نے کہا کہ کیا آپ ہمارے پاس اس واسطے آئے ہیں کہ ہم صرف اللہ ہی کی عبادت کریں اور جن کو ہمارے باپ دادا پوجتے تھے ان کو چھوڑ دیں، پس ہم کو جس عذاب کی دھمکی دیتے ہو اس کو ہمارے پاس منگوا دو اگر تم سچے ہو

Quran 7 Verse 70 Explanation

For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Al-A’raf ayat 70, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.

Ala-Maududi

(7:70) They said: ‘Have you come to us that we should worship none other than Allah and forsake all whom our forefathers were wont to worship?[53] Then bring upon us the scourge with which you have threatened us if you are truthful?’


53. It is worth noting that the people of ‘Ad neither disbelieved in God nor refused to worship Him. They did not, however, follow, the teachings of Hud who proclaimed God alone should he worshipped, and that none other may be associated in servitude to Him.

Ibn-Kathir

70. They said: “You have come to us that we should worship Allah Alone and forsake that which our fathers used to worship. So bring us that wherewith you have threatened us if you are of the truthful.” 71. (Hud) said: “Rijs (torment) and wrath have already fallen on you from your Lord. Dispute you with me over names which you have named — you and your fathers — with no authority from Allah Then wait, I am with you among those who wait.” 72. So We saved him and those who were with him out of mercy from Us, and We severed the roots of those who belied Our Ayat; and they were not believers.


Allah mentions the rebellion, defiance and stubbornness of Hud’speople, and their opposition to him, peace be upon him,

﴿قَالُواْ أَجِئْتَنَا لِنَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ وَحْدَهُ﴾

(They said: “You have come to us that we should worship Allah Alone”) Later on, the disbelievers of Quraysh said,

﴿وَإِذْ قَالُواْ اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ﴾

(And (remember) when they said: “O Allah! If this (the Qur’an) is indeed the truth (revealed) from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky or bring on us a painful torment.”) Muhammad bin Ishaq said that the people of Hud used to worship several idols, such as Suda’, Samud and Al-Haba’. This is why Hud, peace be upon him, said to them,

﴿قَدْ وَقَعَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ رِجْسٌ وَغَضَبٌ﴾

(“Rijs and wrath have already fallen on you from your Lord.”) you deserve `Rijs’ from your Lord because of what you said. Ibn `Abbas said that, `Rijs’, means scorn and anger.

﴿أَتُجَـدِلُونَنِي فِى أَسْمَآءٍ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤكُمُ﴾

(“Dispute you with me over names which you have named — you and your fathers”) ﴿7:71﴾. Hud said, do you dispute with me over these idols that you and your fathers made gods, even though they do not bring harm or benefit; did Allah give you authority or proof allowing you to worship them Hud further said,

﴿مَّا نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَـنٍ فَانتَظِرُواْ إِنِّى مَعَكُم مِّنَ الْمُنتَظِرِينَ﴾

(“with no authority from Allah Then wait, I am with you among those who wait.”) this is a threat and warning from the Messenger to his people.

The End of `Ad

So Allah said;

﴿فَأَنجَيْنَـهُ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنَّا وَقَطَعْنَا دَابِرَ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا وَمَا كَانُواْ مُؤْمِنِينَ ﴾

(So We saved him and those who were with him out of mercy from Us, and We severed the roots of those who belied Our Ayat; and they were not believers.) Allah mentioned several times in the Qur’an, the way the people of `Ad were destroyed stating that He sent a barren wind that destroyed everything it passed by. Allah said in another Ayah,

﴿وَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَأُهْلِكُواْ بِرِيحٍ صَرْصَرٍ عَاتِيَةٍ – سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَـنِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُوماً فَتَرَى الْقَوْمَ فِيهَا صَرْعَى كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ خَاوِيَةٍ – فَهَلْ تَرَى لَهُم مِّن بَاقِيَةٍ ﴾

(And as for `Ad, they were destroyed by a furious violent wind! They were subjected to it for seven nights and eight days in succession, so that you could see men lying overthrown (destroyed), as if they were hollow trunks of date palms! Do you see any remnants of them) ﴿69:6-8﴾ When `Ad rebelled and transgressed, Allah destroyed them with a strong wind that carried them, one by one, up in the air and brought each one of them down on his head, thus smashing his head and severing it from its body. This is why Allah said,

﴿كَأَنَّهُمْ أَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ خَاوِيَةٍ﴾

(as if they were hollow trunks of date palms!) ﴿69:7﴾ Muhammad bin Ishaq said that `Ad used to live in Yemen between Oman and Hadramawt. They also spread throughout the land and defeated various peoples, because of the strength that Allah gave them. They used to worship idols instead of Allah, and Allah sent to them Prophet Hud, peace be upon him. He was from their most common lineage and was the best among them in status. Hud commanded them to worship Allah Alone and associate none with him. He also ordered them to stop committing injustice against the people. But they rejected him and ignored his call. They said, `Who is stronger than us’ Some of them, however, followed Hud, although they were few and had to conceal their faith. When `Ad defied the command of Allah, rejected His Prophet, committed mischief in the earth, became arrogant and built high palaces on every high place — without real benefit to them — Hud spoke to them, saying,

﴿أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ ءَايَةً تَعْبَثُونَ ﴾

﴿وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ – وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُمْ بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ ﴾

(“Do you build high palaces on every high place, while you do not live in them And do you get for yourselves palaces (fine buildings) as if you will live therein forever. And when you seize (somebody), seize you (him) as tyrants Have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me.”) ﴿26:128-131﴾ However,

﴿قَالُواْ يَهُودُ مَا جِئْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِى ءالِهَتِنَا عَن قَوْلِكَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ﴾

(They said: “O Hud! No evidence have you brought us, and we shall not leave our gods for your (mere) saying! And we are not believers in you. All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil.”) meaning, madness,

﴿إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّى أُشْهِدُ اللَّهِ وَاشْهَدُواْ أَنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ – مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لاَ تُنظِرُونِ – إِنِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمْ مَّا مِن دَآبَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ ءاخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَآ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴾

(He said: “I call Allah to witness, and bear you witness that I am free from that which you associate with Him. So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature but He has the grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path (the truth).”) ﴿11:53-56﴾.”

Story of the Emissary of `Ad

Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Harith Al-Bakri said: “I went to the Messenger of Allah to complain to him about Al-`Ala bin Al-Hadrami. When I passed by the area of Ar-Rabdhah, I found an old woman from Bani Tamim who was alone in that area. She said to me, “O servant of Allah! I need to reach the Messenger of Allah to ask him for some of my needs, will you take me to him” So I took her along with me to Al-Madinah and found the Masjid full of people. I also found a black flag raised high, while Bilal was holding a sword before the Messenger of Allah . I asked, “What is the matter with the people” They said, “The Prophet intends to send `Amr bin Al-`As (on a military expedition) somewhere.” So I sat down. When the Prophet went to his house, I asked for permission to see him, and he gave me permission. I entered and greeted him. He said, “Was there a dispute between you and Bani Tamim” I said, “Yes. And we had been victorious over them. I passed by an old woman from Bani Tamim, who was alone, and she asked me to bring her to you, and she is at the door”. So he allowed her in and I said, “O Allah’s Messenger! What if you make a barrier between us and (the tribe of) Bani Tamim, such as Ad-Dahna’ (Desert)” The old woman became angry and opposed me. So I said, “My example is the example of a sheep that carried its own destruction. I carried this woman and did not know that she was an opponent. I seek refuge with Allah and His Messenger that I become like the emissary of `Ad.’ So the Prophet asked me about the emissary of `Ad, having better knowledge in it, but he liked to hear the story again. I said, “Once, `Ad suffered from a famine and they sent an emissary ﴿to get relief﴾, whose name was Qayl. Qayl passed by Mu`awiyah bin Bakr and stayed with him for a month. Mu`awiyah supplied him with alcoholic drinks, and two female singers were singing for him. When a month ended, Qayl went to the mountains of Muhrah and said, `O Allah! You know that I did not come here to cure an ill person or to ransom a prisoner. O Allah! Give `Ad water as You used to.’ So black clouds came and he was called, `Choose which one of them you wish (to go to `Ad)!’ So he pointed to one of the black clouds and he heard someone proclaiming from it, `Take it, as ashes that will leave none in `Ad.’ And it has been conveyed to me that the wind sent to them was no more than what would pass through this ring of mine, but it destroyed them.” Abu Wa’il said, “That is true. When a man or a woman would send an emissary, they would tell him, `Do not be like the emissary of `Ad (bringing disaster and utter destruction to them instead of relief).,” Imam Ahmad collected this story in the Musnad. At-Tirmidhi recorded similar wording for it, as did An-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah.

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surah al-a'raf ayat 70
surah al-a'raf ayat 71
surah al-a'raf ayat 72
surah al-a'raf ayat 73
surah al-a'raf ayat 74

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