• Cause of the distress sent on the previous disbelieving people

• Warning with the Punishment

Al-A’raaf Verses 94 – 99

وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّبِىٍّ إِلَّآ أَخَذْنَآ أَهْلَهَا بِٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَضَّرَّعُونَ

We sent not in a town an apostle, but seized We its people, with distress and adversity, that they might humble themselves. (7:94)

ثُمَّ بَدَّلْنَا مَكَانَ ٱلسَّيِّئَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةَ حَتَّىٰ عَفَوا۟ وَّقَالُوا۟ قَدْ مَسَّ ءَابَآءَنَا ٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَٱلسَّرَّآءُ فَأَخَذْنَـٰهُم بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

Then changed We, in the place of evil, good1, until they grew multiplied2and said they: “Indeed did touch (befall) our fathers (also) adversity and happiness; “We seized them suddenly (by surprise) while they were not aware.” (7:95)

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱتَّقَوْا۟ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَـٰكِن كَذَّبُوا۟ فَأَخَذْنَـٰهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ

“And if the people of the towns had believed and guarded3(themselves against evil) We would have opened up for them blessings from the heavens and the earth, but they belied, so We seized them for what they did earn.” (7:96)

أَفَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا بَيَـٰتًا وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ

What! Do the people of the towns then feel secure from coming unto them Our torment by night, while they are asleep? (7:97)

أَوَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا ضُحًى وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ

Or feel secure the people of the towns from coming unto them Our torment in the morning, while they are disporting? (7:98)

أَفَأَمِنُوا۟ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ

What! Do they then feel4secure against the plan of God? But feeleth not secure any one save the people (who are the) losers. (7:99)

Commentary

Verse 94

As regards the outlook of the other Apostles of God towards the adamant offenders, the Holy Prophet greatly differs and definitely distinguishes himself in his mercy to the sinners. While all the previous apostles, after playing their role as best as they could, left the people to their fate and in some cases like Noah, even prayed for the people to be chastised, the Holy Prophet notwithstanding a much severer and a more terrible opposition from his people, was so much mercifully disposed towards them that he felt for them to the extent of torturing his own soul with the grief for the sinners, which fact is acknowledged by the Holy Qur’an - ‘Perhaps thou wilt kill thyself’ (O’ Our Apostle Muhammad) with grief for they would not believe’.5 No doubt unlike the other apostles, the Holy Prophet was sent not only as a mere Warner or the bearer of any good tidings but as the ‘Mercy for the worlds’.6

• 1. Evil and good i.e., distress and ease.
• 2. To the extent that they were left to themselves – in the sense of having been given the respite.
• 3. practiced piety.
• 4. Feeling secure against God’s planning is considered in Islam as one of the major sins and the same is to feel despaired of the mercy of God.
• 5. See verse 26:3.
• 6. See verse 21:107.