Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (161) Surah: Al-A‘rāf
وَإِذۡ قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱسۡكُنُواْ هَٰذِهِ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةَ وَكُلُواْ مِنۡهَا حَيۡثُ شِئۡتُمۡ وَقُولُواْ حِطَّةٞ وَٱدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡبَابَ سُجَّدٗا نَّغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ خَطِيٓـَٰٔتِكُمۡۚ سَنَزِيدُ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ
(161) [1798]˹Remember˺ When was said to them: “Dwell this town and eat therein whatever you like[1799] and say: “ḥiṭṭah!”[1800]; and enter through the gate prostrating ˹in thankfulness˺, and We shall forgive you your sins and We shall increase ˹the reward of˺ those who do good”[1801].
[1798] What is to come is another gravely rebellious deed for which they deserved the severe punishment that they were to undergo. A series of such instances of insubordination and disregard of God’s commands are detailed in the upcoming passages.
[1799] This Divine command is God’s greatest favour yet, to grant them a home after they have had none for centuries; a very prosperous and desirable one at that. This home was Jerusalem according to most exegetes (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī, al-Saʿdī). A more detailed account of what happened at the gates of Jerusalem is told elsewhere: “My people, enter the sacred land that Allah decreed for you and do not turn back on your heels for then you will be the losers.” *They said: “Moses, there are mighty people in it. We will not enter it until they come out of it and only then shall we enter. *Two ˹Allah-˺ fearing men – whom Allah favoured – said: “Enter you the gate upon them! Shall you ˹only˺ enter it, you will surely have the upper hand. Put your trust in Allah if only you are ˹truly˺ Believers”. *They said: “Moses, we shall not enter it as long as they are in it. Go then you and your Lord and fight, we are staying put here”” (5: 21-24).
[1800] That is ‘forgiveness’; they were asked to seek forgiveness. The word is derived from ḥaṭṭa, i.e. to put down a burden (Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, p. 50; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, 2: 13), but they subtly twisted their tongues to mean ‘barley’, ḥinṭah (al-Bukhārī: 4641, cf. particularly al-ʿAsqalānī’s comment).
[1801] God wanted to show them great mercy and treat them magnanimously for carrying out these very simple commands; to enter the gate asking for forgiveness, yet even this they did not care to do.
[1799] This Divine command is God’s greatest favour yet, to grant them a home after they have had none for centuries; a very prosperous and desirable one at that. This home was Jerusalem according to most exegetes (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī, al-Saʿdī). A more detailed account of what happened at the gates of Jerusalem is told elsewhere: “My people, enter the sacred land that Allah decreed for you and do not turn back on your heels for then you will be the losers.” *They said: “Moses, there are mighty people in it. We will not enter it until they come out of it and only then shall we enter. *Two ˹Allah-˺ fearing men – whom Allah favoured – said: “Enter you the gate upon them! Shall you ˹only˺ enter it, you will surely have the upper hand. Put your trust in Allah if only you are ˹truly˺ Believers”. *They said: “Moses, we shall not enter it as long as they are in it. Go then you and your Lord and fight, we are staying put here”” (5: 21-24).
[1800] That is ‘forgiveness’; they were asked to seek forgiveness. The word is derived from ḥaṭṭa, i.e. to put down a burden (Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, p. 50; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, 2: 13), but they subtly twisted their tongues to mean ‘barley’, ḥinṭah (al-Bukhārī: 4641, cf. particularly al-ʿAsqalānī’s comment).
[1801] God wanted to show them great mercy and treat them magnanimously for carrying out these very simple commands; to enter the gate asking for forgiveness, yet even this they did not care to do.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (161) Surah: Al-A‘rāf
Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings of the Noble Qur’an into English - in progress - translated by Dr. Walid Bleihesh Al-Omari.