Quran 7:46 — Surah Al-A'raaf Ayah 46 | Arabic, Translation & Tafsir

ٱلَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَبْغُو...

7:46

Al-A'raaf

۞ وَإِذَا صُرِفَتْ أَبْصَٰرُهُمْ تِلْقَآءَ أَصْحَٰ...

وَبَيْنَهُمَا حِجَابٌۭ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلْأَعْرَافِ رِجَالٌۭ يَعْرِفُونَ كُلًّۢا بِسِيمَىٰهُمْ ۚ وَنَادَوْا۟ أَصْحَٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ أَن سَلَٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ لَمْ يَدْخُلُوهَا وَهُمْ يَطْمَعُونَ

Wa bainahumaa hijaab; wa 'alal A'raafi rijaaluny ya'rifoona kullam biseemaahum; wa naadaw Ashaabal jannati an salaamun 'alaikum; lam yadkhuloohaa wa hum yatma'oon

And between them will be a partition, and on [its] elevations are men who recognize all by their mark. And they call out to the companions of Paradise, "Peace be upon you." They have not [yet] entered it, but they long intensely.

Related Tafsir

Ibn Kathir

The People of Al-A`raf

After Allah mentioned that the people of Paradise will address the people of the Fire, He stated that there is a barrier between Paradise and the Fire, which prevents the people of the Fire from reaching Paradise. Ibn Jarir said, "It is the wall that Allah described,

فَضُرِبَ بَيْنَهُم بِسُورٍ لَّهُ بَابٌ بَاطِنُهُ فِيهِ الرَّحْمَةُ وَظَـهِرُهُ مِن قِبَلِهِ الْعَذَابُ

(So a wall will be put up between them, with a gate therein. Inside it will be mercy, and outside it will be torment.) 57:13 It is also about Al-A`raf that Allah said,

وَعَلَى الاٌّعْرَافِ رِجَالٌ

(and on Al-A`raf will be men)." Ibn Jarir recorded that As-Suddi said about Allah's statement,

وَبَيْنَهُمَا حِجَابٌ

(And between them will be a screen) "It is the wall, it is Al-A`raf." Mujahid said, "Al-A`raf is a barrier between Paradise and the Fire, a wall that has a gate." Ibn Jarir said, "Al-A`raf is plural for `Urf, where every elevated piece of land is known as `Urf to the Arabs." As-Suddi said, "Al-A`raf is so named because its residents recognize (Ya`rifun) the people. Al-A`raf's residents are those whose good and bad deeds are equal, as Hudhayfah, Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud and several of the Salaf and later generations said." Ibn Jarir recorded that Hudhayfah was asked about the people of Al-A`raf and he said, "A people whose good and bad deeds are equal. Their evil deeds prevented them from qualifying to enter Paradise, and their good deeds qualified them to avoid the Fire. Therefore, they are stopped there on the wall until Allah judges them." Ma`mar said that Al-Hasan recited this Ayah,

لَمْ يَدْخُلُوهَا وَهُمْ يَطْمَعُونَ

(and at that time they will not yet have entered it (Paradise), but they will hope to enter (it).) Then he said, "By Allah! Allah did not put this hope in their hearts, except for an honor that He intends to bestow on them." Qatadah said; "Those who hope are those among you whom Allah informed of their places." Allah said next,

وَإِذَا صُرِفَتْ أَبْصَـرُهُمْ تِلْقَآءَ أَصْحَـبِ النَّارِ قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا لاَ تَجْعَلْنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ

(And when their eyes will be turned towards the dwellers of the Fire, they will say: "Our Lord! Place us not with the people who are wrongdoers.") Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "When the people of Al-A`raf look at the people of the Fire and recognize them, they will supplicate, `O Lord! Do not place us with the people who are wrongdoers."'

وَنَادَى أَصْحَـبُ الاٌّعْرَافِ رِجَالاً يَعْرِفُونَهُمْ بِسِيمَـهُمْ قَالُواْ مَآ أَغْنَى عَنكُمْ جَمْعُكُمْ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ

View Full Tafsir: The People of Al-A`rafAyahs 46–47

"Indeed, the people of Paradise shall see the upper chamber like they see the eastern star, or the western star, disappearing in the far edge of the sky, or ascending due to the differences in levels." They said: "Are those the Prophets?" He said: "Yes. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, and groups who had faith in Allah and His Messenger, and believed in the Messengers."

Jami` at-Tirmidhi #2052'Ali narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:

"Indeed in Paradise there are chambers, whose outside can be seen from their inside, and their inside can be seen from their outside." A Bedouin stood and said : 'Who are they for, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "For those who speak well, feed others, fast regularly, and perform salat during the night while the people sleep."

Sahih Muslim #6965Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

The inmates of Paradise would see the inmates of the apartment over them just as you see the shining planets which remain in the eastern and the western horizon because of the superiority some have over others. They said: Allah's Messenger, would in these abodes of Apostles others besides them not be able to reach? He said: Yes, they will, by Him, in Whose hand is my life, those who believe in God and acknowledge the Truth, will reach them.

Sahih al-Bukhari #2344Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When the believers pass safely over (the bridge across) Hell, they will be stopped at a bridge in between Hell and Paradise where they will retaliate upon each other for the injustices done among them in the world, and when they get purified of all their sins, they will be admitted into Paradise. By Him in Whose Hands the life of Muhammad is everybody will recognize his dwelling in Paradise better than he recognizes his dwelling in this world."

Sunan Ibn Majah #4044It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (ﷺ) came to a graveyard and greeted (its occupants) with Salam, then he said:

“Peace be upon you, abode of believing people. We will join you soon, if Allah wills.” Then he said: “Would that we could see our brothers.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, are we not your brothers?” He said: “You are my Companions. My brothers are those who will come after me. I will reach the Cistern ahead of you.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, how will you recognize those of your nation who have not yet come?” He said: “If a man has a horse with a blaze on its forehead and white feet, don’t you think that he will recognize it among horses that are deep black in color?” They said: “Of course.” He said: “On the Day of Resurrection they will come with radiant faces, hands, and feet, because of the traces of ablution.” He said: “I will reach the Cistern ahead of you.” Then he said: “Men will be driven away from my Cistern just as stray camels are driven away. And I will call to them: ‘Come here!’ But it will be said: ‘They changed after you were gone, and they kept turning on their heels.’ So I will say: “Be off with you!”