Take Refuge in God in Temptation
7. Sura al-Araf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِمَّا
يَنزَغَنَّكَ
مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ
نَزْغٌ فَاسْتَعِذْ
بِاللّهِ...
7: 200. If a suggestion from Satan assail thy (mind), seek refuge with Allah;
C1171. Even a Prophet of Allah is but human. He might think that revenge or retaliation, or a little tactful silence when evil stalks abroad, or some compromise with ignorance, might be best for the cause.
He is to reject such suggestions.
...إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٠٠﴾
for He heareth and knoweth (all things).
إِنَّ
الَّذِينَ
اتَّقَواْ إِذَا
مَسَّهُمْ
طَائِفٌ مِّنَ
الشَّيْطَانِ
تَذَكَّرُواْ
فَإِذَا هُم
مُّبْصِرُونَ
﴿٢٠١﴾
7: 201. Those who fear Allah, when a thought of evil from Satan assaults them, bring Allah to remembrance when lo! they see (aright)!
C1172. Allah protects His own, as no one else can. He is the sure refuge -and the only one- for men of faith.
If we are confused or angry, being blinded by this world, He will open our eyes.
وَإِخْوَانُهُمْ
يَمُدُّونَهُمْ
فِي الْغَيِّ
ثُمَّ لاَ يُقْصِرُونَ
﴿٢٠٢﴾
7: 202. But their brethren (the evil ones) plunge them deeper into error, and never relax (their efforts).
C1173. We go back to consider the ungodly, whom we left at verse 198, in order to be taught our behaviour towards evil.
The forces of evil never relax their efforts to draw their "brethren" (those who go into their family) deeper and deeper into the mire of sin and destruction.
وَإِذَا
لَمْ تَأْتِهِم
بِآيَةٍ قَالُواْ
لَوْلاَ اجْتَبَيْتَهَا...
7: 203. If thou bring them not a revelation, they say: "Why hast thou not got it together?"
C1174. "Ayah" here, I think, means specially an Ayah of the Holy Quran.
The infidels did not believe in revelation, and used to taunt the Holy Prophet, as much as to say that he used to put together words and promulgate them as revelation. The answer is contained in the sentence that follows.
No human composition could contain the beauty, power, and spiritual insight of the Quran. Without inspiration it is impossible to suppose that a man, with or without literary and philosophic training could produce such a book as the Quran.
...قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَتَّبِعُ مَا يِوحَى إِلَيَّ مِن رَّبِّي ...
Say:
"I but follow what is revealed to me from my Lord:
...هَـذَا بَصَآئِرُ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ ...
This is (nothing but) lights from your Lord,
C1175. "Lights": eyes, faculty of spiritual insight.
The revelation is for us
1. spiritual eyes,
2. guidance, and
3. mercy,
- 1 is the highest in degree:
just as a blind man, if he is given eyes and the faculty of sight, is at once removed into an entirely new world, so those who can reach the stage of spiritual insight pass into and become citizens of a wholly new spiritual World,
- 2 is next in degree;
the man of the world can act up to the teaching about right conduct and prepare for the Hereafter,
- 3 is the Mercy of Allah, free to every one, saint and sinner, who sincerely believes and puts his trust in Allah.
...وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٢٠٣﴾
and guidance, and mercy, for any who have faith.
وَإِذَا
قُرِىءَ الْقُرْآنُ
فَاسْتَمِعُواْ
لَهُ وَأَنصِتُواْ
لَعَلَّكُمْ
تُرْحَمُونَ
﴿٢٠٤﴾
7: 204. When the Qur'án is read, listen to it with attention, and hold your peace:
that ye may receive Mercy.
وَاذْكُر
رَّبَّكَ فِي
نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعاً
وَخِيفَةً...
7: 205. And do thou (O reader!) bring thy Lord to remembrance in thy (very) soul, with humility and in reverence,
...وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالآصَالِ...
without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings;
...وَلاَ تَكُن مِّنَ الْغَافِلِينَ ﴿٢٠٥﴾
and be not thou of those who are unheedful.
إِنَّ
الَّذِينَ عِندَ
رَبِّكَ لاَ
يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ...
7: 206.Those who are near to thy Lord, disdain not to do him worship:
C1176. The higher you are in spiritual attainment, the more is your desire and your opportunity to serve and worship your Lord and Cherisher and the Lord and Cherisher of all the worlds: and the greater is your pride in that service and that worship.
...وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُ وَلَهُ يَسْجُدُونَ ﴿٢٠٦﴾
they celebrate His praises, and bow down before Him.
C1177. At this stage a Sajdah or prostration is indicated, as a sign of our humble acceptance of the privilege of serving and worshipping Allah, - a fitting close to Surah in which we are led, through a contemplation of the stories of the Messengers of Allah, to the meaning of revelation and its relation to our moral and spiritual progress.
Other versions:
7: 200 [al-Araf, Mecca 39]
Asad And if it should happen that a prompting from Satan stirs you up, seek refuge with God; behold, He is all hearing, all-knowing.
Yusuf Ali If a suggestion from satan assail thy (mind) seek refuge with Allah; for He heareth and knoweth (all things).
Pickthall And if a slander from the devil wound thee, then seek refuge in Allah. Lo! He is Hearer, Knower.
Transliteration Wa imma_ yanzagannaka minasy syaita_ni nazgun fasta'iz billa_h(i), innahu_ sami'un 'alim(un).
7: 201
Asad Verily, they who are conscious of God bethink themselves [of Him] whenever any dark suggestion from Satan touches them – whereupon lo!
Yusuf Ali Those who fear Allah when a thought of evil from satan assaults them bring Allah to remembrance when lo! they see (aright)!
Pickthall Lo! those who ward off (evil), when a glamour from the devil troubleth them, they do but remember (Allah's guidance) and behold them seers!
Transliteration Innal lazinattaqqau iza_ massahum ta_'ifum minasy syaita_ni tazakkaru_ fa iza_ hum mubsiru_n(a).
7: 202
Asad They begin to see [things] clearly, even though their brethren would draw them into error: and then they cannot fail.
Yusuf Ali But their brethren (the evil ones) plunge them deeper into error and never relax (their efforts).
Pickthall Their brethren plunge them further into error and cease not.
Transliteration Wa ikhwa_nuhum yamuddu_nahum fil gayyi summa la_ yuqsiru_n(a).
7: 203 
Yusuf Ali If thou bring them not a revelation they say: "Why hast thou not got it together?" Say: "I but follow what is revealed to me from my Lord: This is (nothing but) lights from your Lord and guidance and mercy for any who have faith."
Pickthall And when thou bringest not a verse for them they say: Why hast thou not chosen it? Say: I follow only that which is inspired in me from my Lord. This (Qur'an) is insight from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy for a people that believe.
Transliteration Wa iza_ lam ta'tihim bi a_yatin qa_lu_ lau lajtabaitaha_, qul innama_ attabi'u ma_ yu_ha_ ilayya mir rabbi, ha_za_ basa_'iru mir rabbikum wa hudaw wa rahmatul liqaumiy yu'minu_n(a).
Ayah 204
Yusuf Ali When the Qur'an is read listen to it with attention and hold your peace: that ye may receive Mercy.
Pickthall And when the Qur'an is recited, give ear to it and pay heed, that ye may obtain mercy.
Transliteration Wa iza_ quri'al qur'a_nu fastami'u_ lahu_ wa ansitu_ la'allakum turhamu_n(a).
Ayah 205
Yusuf Ali And do thou (O reader!) bring thy Lord to remembrance in thy (very) soul with humility and in reverence without loudness in words in the mornings and evenings; and be not thou of those who are unheedful.
Pickthall And do thou [O Muhammad) remember thy Lord within thyself humbly and with awe, below thy breath, at morn and evening. And be thou not of the neglectful.
Transliteration Wazkur rabbaka fi nafsika tadarru'aw wa khifataw wa du_nal jahri minal qauli bil guduwwi wal a_sa_li wa la_ takun minal ga_filin(a).
Ayah 206
Yusuf Ali Those who are near to thy Lord disdain not to do Him worship: They celebrate His praises and bow down before Him.
Pickthall Lo! those who are with thy Lord are not too proud to do Him service, but they praise Him and adore Him.
Transliteration Innallazina 'inda rabbika la_ yastakbiru_na 'an 'iba_datihi wa yusabbihu_nahu_ wa lahu_ yasjudu_n(a).