Sura-7 [ Al Araf mecca 39]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
الَّذِينَ
يَتَّبِعُونَ
الرَّسُولَ
النَّبِيَّ
الأُمِّيَّ...
7:157. "Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet,
...الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالإِنْجِيلِ...
whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures); in the law and the Gospel;
C1127. In this verse is a prefiguring, to Moses, of the Arabian Messenger, the last and greatest of the messengers of Allah. Prophecies about him will be found in the Tawrah and the Injil.
In the reflex of the Tawrah as now accepted by the Jews, Moses says: "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me" (Deut. 18:15):
the only Prophet who brought a Shariah like that of Moses was Muhammad Al-Mustafa, and he came of the house of Ismail the brother of Isaac the father of Israel.
In the reflex of the Gospel as now accepted by the Christians, Christ promised another Comforter (John 14:16): the Greek word Paraclete which the Christians interpret as referring to the Holy Spirit is by our Doctors taken to be Periclyte, which would be the Greek form of Ahmad. See 61:6.
...يَأْمُرُهُم بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ...
for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil:
...وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَآئِثَ...
he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure);
...وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالأَغْلاَلَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ......
He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them.
C1128. Aglal: plural of gullun, a yoke, an iron collar.
In the formalism and exclusiveness of the Jews there were many restrictions which were removed by Islam, a religion of freedom in the faith of Allah, of universality in the variety of races, languages, manners and customs.
...فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُواْ النُّورَ الَّذِيَ أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ...
So it is those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him,
C1129. Light which is sent down with him: the words are "with him", not "to him", emphasizing the fact that the Light which he brought illumines every one who has the privilege of joining his great and universal Fellowship.
...أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿١٥٧﴾
it is they who will prosper."
C1130. Falah: prosperity in its general sense as well as in its spiritual sense.
- In the general sense it means that right conduct is the only door to happiness and well-being.
- In the spiritual sense it means that Faith and its fruits (right conduct) are the only gates to salvation.
قُلْ
يَا
أَيُّهَا
النَّاسُ
إِنِّي
رَسُولُ
اللّهِ
إِلَيْكُمْ
جَمِيعًا
الَّذِي...
7:158. Say:
"O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Messenger of Allah,
C1131. Our attention having been directed to various prophets, who were sent with missions to their several peoples, and in each of whose careers there is some prefigurement of the life of the last and greatest of them, we are now asked to listen to the proclamation of Muhammad's universal mission. We contemplate no longer, after this, partial truths.
It is not now a question of saving Israel from the bondage of Egypt, nor teaching Midian the ethics of business, nor reclaiming the people of Lut from sexual sin or Thamud from the sin of oppression in power, or 'Ad from arrogance and ancestor worship. Now are set forth plainly the issues of Life and Death, the Message of Allah, the One Universal God to all mankind.
...لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ...
to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth:
...لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ يُحْيِـي وَيُمِيتُ...
there is no god but He:
it is He that giveth both life and death.
...فَآمِنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ...
So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believed in Allah and His words:
C1132. "Unlettered," as applied to the Prophet here and in verse 157 above, has three special significations.
1. He was not versed in human learning: yet he was full of the highest wisdom, and had a most wonderful knowledge of the previous Scriptures. This was a proof of his inspiration.
It was a miracle of the highest kind, a "Sign", which every one could test then, and every one can test now.
2. All organized human knowledge tends to be crystallized, to acquire a partial bias or flavour of some "school" of thought. The highest Teacher had to be free from any such taint, just as a clean slate is necessary if a perfectly clear and bold message has to be written on it.
3. In 3:20 and 62:2, the epithet is applied to the Pagan Arabs, because, before the advent of Islam, they were unlearned.
That the last and greatest of the Prophets should arise among them, and they and their language be made the vehicle of the new, full and universal light, has also a meaning, which is explained in C. 12-15.
...وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٥٨﴾
follow him that (so) ye may be guided."
Other versions:
7: 157
Asad Those who shall follow the Apostle, the unlettered Prophet whom they shall find described in the Torah that is with them, and in the Gospel [note 124]: who will enjoin upon them the good things of life and forbid them the bad things, and lift from them their burdens and the shackles that were upon them [aforetime].
Yusuf Ali "Those who follow the apostle the unlettered prophet whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures); in the law and the Gospel; for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil: he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him honor him help him and follow the light which is sent down with him it is they who will prosper."
Pickthall Those who follow the messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write, whom they will find described in the Torah and the Gospel (which are) with them. He will enjoin on them that which is right and forbid them that which is wrong. He will make lawful for them all good things and prohibit for them only the foul; and he will relieve them of their burden and the fetters that they used to wear. Then those who believe in him, and honor him and help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him: they are the successful.
Yuksel Muhammad: The Gentile Prophet
"Those who follow the gentile prophet whom they find written for them in the Torah and the Injeel; he orders them to goodness, deters them from evil, he makes lawful for them the good things, he forbids for them the evil, and he removes their burden and the shackles imposed upon them. So those who acknowledged him, honored him, supported him, and followed the light that was sent down with him; these are the successful."*
Transliteration Allazina yattabi'u_nar rasu_lan nabiyyal ummiyyal lazi yajidu_nahu_ maktu_ban 'indah_ fit taura_ti wal injili ya'muruhum bil ma'ru_fi wa yanha_hum 'anil munkari wa yuhillu lahumut tayyiba_ti wa yuharrimu 'alaihimul khaba_'isa wa yada'u 'anhum israhum wal agla_lal lati ka_nat'alaihim, fallazina a_manu_ bihi wa 'azzaru_hu wa nasaru_hu wattaba'un nu_ral lazi unzila ma'ah(u_), ula_'ika humul muflihu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 124 - ……..The stress on his having been “unlettered” [ummi], i.e., unable to read and write, serves to ring out the fact that all his knowledge of the earlier prophets and of the messages transmitted by them was due to divine inspiration alone, and not to a familiarity with the Bible as such.
For the Old Testament predictions of the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (especially in Deuteronomy xviii, 15 and 18), see surah 2, note 33; for the New Testament prophecies to the same effect, see 61:6 and the corresponding note 6.]
[[ Ali’s notes - 1126 The personal grace and mercy-and their opposite-are referred to the singular pronoun "I" while the impersonal Law, by which Allah's Signs operate in His universe, is referred to the plural pronoun of authority and dignity, "We". (7.156)
1127 In this verse is a prefiguring, to Moses, of the Arabian Messenger, the last and greatest of the messengers of Allah. Prophecies about him will be found in the Taurat and the Injil. In the reflex of the Taurat as now accepted by the Jews, Moses says: "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me" (Deut. xviii. 15): the only Prophet who brought a Shari'at like that of Moses was Muhammad Al- Mustafa, and he came of the house of Ismail the brother of Isaac the father of Israel. In the reflex of the Gospel as now accepted by the Christians, Christ promised another Comforter (John xiv. 16): the Greek word Paraclete which the Christians interpret as referring to the Holy Spirit is by our Doctors taken to be Periclyte, which would be the Greek form of Ahmad. See Q. lxi. 6. (7.157)
1128 Aglal: plural of gullun, a yoke, an iron collar. In the formalism and exclusiveness of the Jews there were many restrictions which were removed by Islam, a religion of freedom in the faith of Allah, of universality in the variety of races, languages, manners and customs. (7.157)
1129 Light which is sent down with him: the words are "with him", not "to him", emphasizing the fact that the Light which he brought illumines every one who has the privilege of joining his great and universal Fellowship. (7.157)
1130 Falah = prosperity in its general sense as well as in its spiritual sense. In the general sense it means that right conduct is the only door to happiness and well-being. In the spiritual sense it means that Faith and its fruits (right conduct) are the only gates to salvation. (7.157)]]
[[ Yuksel’s note - 007:157 The prophetic statements in Deuteronomy 18:15-19, and John 14:16-17 and 16:13 might be understood to be about Muhammad.
007:158 By distorting the meaning of ummi, clerics turned Muhammad into an illiterate person. For the meaning of ummi, see 3:20 and 2:78. For a detailed discussion of this verse, see the Sample Comparisons section in the Introduction.
003:020 To claim that Muhammad was an illiterate person, the meaning of the word UMmY has been distorted by ignorant people as "illiterate." Muhammad was a literate and progressive leader who delivered a book that promotes reading, comprehension, learning, and studying. For a detailed discussion on this verse, see the Sample Comparisons section in the Introduction. See 7:157-158; 2:78; 25:5.
2:78 Amongst them are Gentiles who do not know the book except by hearsay, and they only conjecture.*
Those Who Attribute Their Religious Fabrications to God
25:5 They said, "Tales of the people of old, he wrote them down while they were being dictated to him morning and evening."*
25:6 Say, "It was sent down by the One who knows the secrets in the heavens and the earth. He is always Forgiving, Compassionate."*
7: 158
Asad Say [O Muhammad]: “O mankind! Verily, I am an apostle of God to all of you [note 126] [sent by Him] unto whom the dominion over the heavens and the earth belongs! There is no deity save Him; He [alone] grants life and deals death!” Believe, then, in God and His apostle – the unlettered Prophet who believes in God and his words – and follow him, so that you might find guidance!
Yusuf Ali Say: "O men! I am sent unto you all as the apostle of Allah to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He: it is He that giveth both life and death. So believe in Allah and His apostle the unlettered Prophet who believed in Allah and His words: follow him that (so) ye may be guided."
Pickthall Say (O Muhammad): O mankind! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah to you all--(the messenger of) Him unto whom belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. There is no God save Him. He quickeneth and He giveth death. So believe in Allah and His messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write, who believeth in Allah and in His words and follow him that haply ye may be led aright.
Transliteration Qul ya_ ayyuhan na_su inni rasu_lulla_hi ilaikum jami'anillazi lahu_ mulkus sama_wa_ti wal ard(i), la_ ila_ha illa_ huwa yuhyi wa yumit(u), fa a_minu_ billa_hi wa rasu_lihin nabiyyil ummiyyil lazi yu'minu billa_hi wa kalima_tihi wattabi'u_hu la'allakum tahtadu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 126 – This verse, placed parenthetically in the midst of the story of Moses and the children of Israel, is meant to elucidate the preceding passage. Each of the earlier prophets was sent to his, and only his, community: …………………In contrast, the message of the Quran is universal – that is, addressed to mankind as a whole – and is neither time-bound nor confined to any particular cultureal environment. It is for this reason that Muhammad, through whom this message was revealed, is described in the Quran (21:107) as an evidence of “[God’s] grace towards all the worlds” (i.e. towards all mankind), and as “the Seal of all Prophets” (33: 40) – in other words, the last of them.]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 1131 Our attention having been directed to various prophets, who were sent with missions to their several peoples, and in each of whose careers there is some prefigurement of the life of the last and greatest of them, we are now asked to listen to the proclamation of Muhammad's universal mission. We contemplate no longer, after this, partial truths. It is not now a question of saving Israel from the bondage of Egypt, nor teaching Midian the ethics of business, nor reclaiming the people of Lot from sexual sin or Thamud from the sin of oppression in power, or 'Ad from arrogance and ancestorworship. Now are set forth plainly the issues of Life and Death, the Message of Allah, the One Universal God to all mankind. (7.158)
"Unlettered," as applied to the Prophet here and in verse 157 above, has three special significations. (1) He was not versed in human learning: yet he was full of the highest wisdom, and had a most wonderful knowledge of the previous Scriptures. This was a proof of his inspiration. It was a miracle of the highest kind, a "Sign", which every one could test then, and every one can test now. (2) All organised human knowledge tends to be crystallized, to acquire a partial bias or flavour of some "school" of thought. The highest Teacher had to be free from any such taint, just as a clean slate is necessary if a perfectly clear and bold message has to be written on it. (3) In iii.20 and lxii. 2, the epithet is applied to the Pagan Arabs, because, before the advent of Islam, they were unlearned. (7.158) ]]
[[ Ruby’s note 7:158 – I disagree with this interpretation that the messages to other prophets were only for the respective people to whom they came. Those messages and the message of Muhammad have fundamentals that never change and always are universal. Those fundamental parts were present in all of the prophets’ messages and were for mankind. The Quran clearly and emphatically lays down this idea of ‘no differentiation’ among prophets as to their messages. As far as position the Quran does not give any believer to assign a higher or a lower position to any of God’s prophets. If there is any such scale that is know to God alone. Believers are commanded not to differentiate among the prophets. 41:43, 42:13-15, 2:136, 2:285, 3:84, 4:152, etc.]