Surah Al-A'raaf 7:37

سُورَةُ الأَعۡرَافِ“The Heights”

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Qur'an 7:37

فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِـَٔايَٰتِهِٓ أُولَٰٓئِكَ يَنَالُهُمْ نَصِيبُهُم مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا يَتَوَفَّوْنَهُمْ قَالُوٓا أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ قَالُوا ضَلُّوا عَنَّا وَشَهِدُوا عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا كَٰفِرِينَ

Faman azlamu mimmanif taraa 'alal laahi kaziban aw kazzaba bi Aayaatih; ulaaa'ika yanaaluhum naseebuhum minal Kitaab; hataaa izaa jaaa'at hum rusulunaa yatawaf fawnahum qaalooo aina maa kuntum tad'oonaa min doonil laahi qaaloo dalloo 'annaa wa shahidoo 'alaaa anfusihim annahum kaanoo kaafieen

Translation

And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allah a lie or denies His verses? Those will attain their portion of the decree until when Our messengers come to them to take them in death, they will say, "Where are those you used to invoke besides Allah?" They will say, "They have departed from us," and will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers.

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Tafsir of this Ayah Ibn Kathir

Who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat? For such their appointed portion will reach them from the Book (of Decrees) until Our messengers (the angel of death and his assistants) come to them to take their souls, they (the angels) will say: "Where are those whom you used to invoke and worship besides Allah," they will reply, "They have vanished and deserted us." And they will bear witness against themselves, that they were disbelievers (37)

Idolators enjoy Their destined Share in This Life, but will lose Their Supporters upon Death

Allah said,

فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِآيَاتِهِ

(Who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat?) meaning, none is more unjust than whoever invents a lie about Allah or rejects the Ayat that He has revealed. Muhammad bin Ka'b Al-Qurazi said that,

أُولَٰئِكَ يَنَالُهُمْ نَصِيبُهُم مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ

(For such their appointed portion will reach them from the Book) refers to each person's deeds, alloted provisions and age. Similar was said by Ar-Rabi' bin Anas and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Allah said in similar statements,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ - مَتَاعٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ نُذِيقُهُمُ الْعَذَابَ الشَّدِيدَ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ

(Verily, those who invent a lie against Allah, will never be successful. (A brief) enjoyment in this world! And then unto Us will be their return, then We shall make them taste the severest torment because they used to disbelieve.)[10:69-70] and,

وَمَن كَفَرَ فَلَا يَحْزُنكَ كُفْرُهُ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ فَنُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ - نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلًا

(And whoever disbelieves, let not his disbelief grieve you. To Us is their return, and We shall inform them what they have done. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of what is in the breasts (of men). We let them enjoy for a little while.)[31:23-24].

Allah said next,

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا يَتَوَفَّوْنَهُمْ

(until when Our messengers come to them to take their souls.) Allah states that when death comes to the idolators and the angels come to capture their souls to take them to Hellfire, the angels horrify them, saying, "Where are the so-called partners (of Allah) whom you used to call in the life of this world, invoking and worshipping them instead of Allah? Call them so that they save you from what you are suffering." However, the idolators will reply,

ضَلُّوا عَنَّا

("They have vanished and deserted us") meaning, we have lost them and thus, we do not hope in their benefit or aid,

وَشَهِدُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ

(And they will bear witness against themselves) they will admit and proclaim against themselves,

أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا كَافِرِينَ

(that they were disbelievers.)