Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 156

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And write for us good in this world and in the Hereafter. We turn to You in repentance.” He (Allah) said, “As for My punishment, I afflict with it whom I will. And My mercy extends to everything. So, I shall write it for those who guard themselves against evil, and pay Zakāh, and those who do believe in Our verses,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Ordain for us what is good in this life and the next. Indeed, we have turned to You ˹in repentance˺.” Allah replied, “I will inflict My torment on whoever I will. But My mercy encompasses everything. I will ordain mercy for those who shun evil, pay alms-tax, and believe in Our revelations.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Ordain for us good in this life and in the Hereafter, for We have turned to You in repentance.” Allah said, “As for my punishment, I will afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy encompasses everything; I will ordain it for those who fear Me, and give zakah, and those who believe in Our verses,

A. J. Arberry

And prescribe for us in this world good, and in the world to come; we have repented unto Thee.' Said He, 'My chastisement -- I smite with it whom I will; and My mercy embraces all things, and I shall prescribe it for those who are godfearing and pay the alms, and those who indeed believe in Our signs,

Abdul Haleem

Grant us good things in this world and in the life to come. We turn to You.’ God said, ‘I bring My punishment on whoever I will, but My mercy encompasses all things. ‘I shall ordain My mercy for those who are conscious of God and pay the prescribed alms; who believe in Our Revelations;

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And ordain for us good in the world and in the Hereafter; verily we have been guided unto Thee. Allah said: as to My chastisement, therewith afflict whomsoever I Will and as to My mercy, it comprehendeth everything. Wherefore I shall ordain it for those who fear an give poor- rate and those who believe in Our signs.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"And ordain for us that which is good, in this life and in the Hereafter; for we have turned unto Thee." He said; "With My punishment I visit whom I will; but My mercy extendeth to all things. That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who do right, and practise regular charity, and those who believe in Our signs;-

Abul Ala Maududi

And ordain for us what is good in this world and in the World to Come for to You have we turned.'He replied: 'I afflict whomsoever I wish with My chastisement. As for My mercy, it encompasses everything. will show mercy to those who abstain from evil, pay Zakat and have faith in Our signs.'

Ahmed Ali

Enjoin for us good in the world, and good in the world to come. We turn to You alone." And the Lord said: "I punish only those whom I will, but My mercy enfolds everything. I shall enjoin it for those who take heed for themselves, who pay the zakat and believe in My signs,

Ahmed Raza Khan

“And destine good for us in this world and in the Hereafter – We have indeed inclined towards You”; He said, “I give My punishment to whomever I will; and My mercy encompasses all things; so I shall soon destine favours for those who fear and pay the charity, and they believe in Our signs.”

Ali Quli Qarai

And appoint goodness for us in this world and the Hereafter, for indeed we have come back to You.’ Said He, ‘I visit My punishment on whomever I wish, but My mercy embraces all things. Soon I shall appoint it for those who are Godwary and give the zakat and those who believe in Our signs

Ali Ünal

"Ordain for us good in this world as well as in the Hereafter, for we have turned to You, following Your way." He (God) said: "My punishment – I afflict with it whom I will (and no one can escape it except that I have mercy on him), and My Mercy embraces all things; and so, (although in the world every being has a share in My Mercy, in the Hereafter) I will ordain it for those who act in reverence for Me and piety and pay their Prescribed Purifying Alms, and they are those who truly believe in all of Our Revelations and signs.

Amatul Rahman Omar

`And ordain for us what is good in this world and in the Hereafter for to You alone we turn (repenting).´ He (the Almighty) said, `As for My punishment, I inflict on whom I will, but My mercy embraces all things. So I will ordain it for those who guard against evil and spend in charity, and for those who believe in Our Messages;

English Literal

And decree for us in this the present world goodness and in the end (other life), we have, we repented/guided to You. He said: "My torture, I strike/mark who I will/want with it, and My mercy extended/enriches every thing, so I will decree to those who fear and obey, and give/bring the charity/purification and those who, they are with Our verses/evidences believing."

Faridul Haque

"And destine good for us in this world and in the Hereafter - We have indeed inclined towards You"; He said, "I give My punishment to whomever I will; and My mercy encompasses all things; so I shall soon destine favours for those who fear and pay the charity, and they believe in Our signs."

Hamid S. Aziz

And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter too; verily, we are guided unto Thee." He said, "With My punishment, I fall on whom I will; but My mercy embraces everything; and I will ordain it for those who do right, and practice charity regularly, and those who believe in our Signs.

Hilali & Khan

And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter. Certainly we have turned unto You." He said: (As to) My Punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My Mercy embraces all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who are the Muttaqun (pious - see V. 2:2), and give Zakat; and those who believe in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs and revelations, etc.);

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And Moses chose of his people seventy men for Our appointment. So when the earthquake overtook them, he said: My Lord, if Thou hadst pleased, Thou hadst destroyed them before and myself (too). Wilt Thou destroy us for that which the foolish among us have done? It is naught but Thy trial. Thou causest to perish thereby whom Thou pleasest and guidest whom Thou pleasest. Thou art our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy on us, and Thou art the Best of those who forgive.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And ordain for us good in this world's life and in the hereafter, for surely we turn to Thee. He said: (As for) My chastisement, I will afflict with it whom I please, and My mercy encompasses all things; so I will ordain it (specially) for those who guard (against evil) and pay the poor-rate, and those who believe in Our communications.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And ordain for us in this world that which is good, and in the Hereafter (that which is good), Lo! We have turned unto Thee. He said: I smite with My punishment whom I will, and My mercy embraceth all things, therefore I shall ordain it for those who ward off (evil) and pay the poor-due, and those who believe Our revelations;

Muhammad Sarwar

"Grant us well-being in this life and in the life hereafter for we have turned ourselves to You." The Lord replied, "My torment only afflicts those whom I want to punish, but My mercy encompasses all things. I shall grant mercy to those who maintain piety, pay their religious tax, and those who have faith in Our revelations."

Qaribullah & Darwish

Write for us what is good in this life and in the Everlasting Life. To You alone we turn' He replied: 'I will smite with My punishment whom I will; yet My Mercy embraces all things. I will write it (My Mercy) to those who are cautious, give the obligatory charity, and believe in Our verses;

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter. Certainly we have Hudna unto You." He said: (As to) My punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My mercy embraces all things. That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who have Taqwa, and give Zakah; and those who believe in Our Ayat.

Wahiduddin Khan

Grant us good things, both in this life and in the hereafter. To You alone we turn." He replied, "As for My punishment, I smite with it anyone I will. But My mercy encompasses all things. I shall prescribe it for those who do their duty, pay the zakat and who believe in Our signs.

Talal Itani

“And inscribe for us goodness in this world, and in the Hereafter. We have turned to You.” He said, “My punishment—I inflict it upon whomever I will, but My mercy encompasses all things. I will specify it for those who act righteously and practice regular charity, and those who believe in Our signs.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And prescribe for us, grant [us], in this world good and in the Hereafter, good. We have turned, repented, to You'. He, God, says; `My chastisement -- I smite with it whom I will, to chastise, and My mercy embraces, subsumes, all things, in this world, and so I shall prescribe it, in the Hereafter, for those who are God- fearing and pay the alms, and those who believe in Our signs;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِي هَـذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الاخِرَةِ

"And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter."

The first part of Musa's supplication was to fend off what should be avoided, while this part is a request for what is sought.

The meaning of this Ayah is,

`ordain for us and grant us all that is good in both lives.

We mentioned the meaning of `good' before in Surah Al-Baqarah.

إِنَّا هُدْنَـا إِلَيْكَ

"We have Hudna unto You."

According to the meaning of, `Hudna', given by Ibn Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Mujahid, Abu Al-Aliyah, Ad-Dahhak, Ibrahim At-Taymi, As-Suddi, Qatadah and several others,

`we repent, go back and return unto You,'
Allah's Mercy is for Those Who have Taqwa and believe in Allah's Ayat and His Messenger

Allah answers the statement,
إِنْ هِيَ إِلاَّ فِتْنَتُكَ
(It is only Your trial...) (7;155), by saying,

قَالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاء وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ

He said;(As to) My punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My mercy embraces all things.

Allah says here, `I do what I will, decide what I will and I have wisdom and justice in all matters.' Certainly, there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. Allah's statement,
وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ
(and My mercy embraces all things) testifies to His encompassing mercy.

Allah said that the angels who carry His Throne and those around the Throne supplicate,

رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُـلَّ شَىْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْماً

"Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge." (40;7)

Imam Ahmad recorded that Jundub bin Abdullah Al-Bajali said,

"A Bedouin man came, he made his camel kneel and he tied it. Then he prayed behind the Messenger of Allah. When the Messenger of Allah finished the prayer, that man untied his camel mounted it and supplicated aloud, `O Allah! Grant Your mercy to me and to Muhammad, and do not give a share in it to anyone else.'

The Messenger of Allah commented (to his Companions),

أَتَقُولُونَ هَذَا أَضَلُّ أَمْ بَعِيرُهُ أَلَمْ تَسْمَعُوا مَا قَالَ




Do you think that this man is more misguided or his camel! Did you not hear what this man has said?

They said, `Yes.'

He said,

لَقَدْ حَظَّرْتَ رَحْمَةً وَاسِعَةً إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَ مِايَةَ رَحْمَةٍ فَأَنْزَلَ رَحْمَةً يَتَعَاطَفُ بِهَا الخَلْقُ جِنُّهَا وَإِنْسُهَا وَبَهَايِمُهَا وَأَخَّرَ عِنْدَهُ تِسْعًا وَتِسْعِينَ رَحْمَةً أَتَقُولُونَ هُوَ أَضَلُّ أَمْ بَعِيرُهُ




You (the Bedouin man) have restricted a vast mercy! Allah, the Exalted, the most Honored has created a hundred mercies and sent down one of them by which the creation, men, Jinn and animals, show mercy to each other. He left with Him ninety-nine mercies, so do you say that this man is more misguided or his camel?

Ahmad and Abu Dawud collected this Hadith.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Salman narrated that the Prophet said,

إِنَّ للهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِايَةَ رَحْمَةٍ فَمِنْهَا رَحْمَةٌ يَتَرَاحَمُ بِهَا الْخَلْقُ وَبِهَا تَعْطِفُ الْوُحُوشُ عَلَى أَوْلَادِهَا وَأَخَّرَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَة

Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, has a hundred mercies. With one of them, the creations show mercy to each other, and even the beasts show kindness to their offspring. He has kept ninety-nine mercies with Him for the Day of Resurrection.

Muslim recorded it.

Allah said next,

فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ

That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who have Taqwa,

meaning, I will ordain My mercy for them, as a favor and kindness from Me to them. Allah said in a similar Ayah,

كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ

He has prescribed mercy for Himself. (6;12)

Allah's statement,
لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ
(for those who have Taqwa),

means, `I will ordain My mercy for those who possess these qualities, and they are the Ummah of Muhammad,'
لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ
(for those who have Taqwa), who avoid Shirk and major sins,

وَيُوْتُونَ الزَّكَـاةَ

and give Zakah;

purify themselves, according to one opinion.

It was also said that,

`the Zakah', here pertains to wealth.

It is possible that both meanings are included here, for this Ayah was revealed in Makkah (before Zakah in fixed shares was ordained),

وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِأيَاتِنَا يُوْمِنُونَ



and those who believe in Our Ayat.

those who have faith in them