Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 165

Mufti Taqi Usmani

So, when they forgot the advice they were given, We saved those who used to forbid evil and seized those who transgressed with a bitter punishment, because they had been disobeying.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

When they ignored the warning they were given, We rescued those who used to warn against evil and overtook the wrongdoers with a dreadful punishment for their rebelliousness.

Ruwwad Translation Center

When they ignored the admonition they were given, We saved those who forbade evil and seized the wrongdoers with a grievous punishment for their defiant disobedience.

A. J. Arberry

So, when they forgot that they were reminded of; We delivered those who were forbidding wickedness, and We seized the evildoers with evil chastisement for their ungodliness.

Abdul Haleem

When they ignored [the warning] they were given, We saved those who forbade evil, and punished the wrongdoers severely because of their disobedience.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Then when they forgot that wherewith they had been exhorted, We delivered those who restrained from evil, and We laid hold of those who did wrong with a distressing torment for they were wont to transgress.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When they disregarded the warnings that had been given them, We rescued those who forbade Evil; but We visited the wrong-doers with a grievous punishment because they were given to transgression.

Abul Ala Maududi

Then, when they forgot what they had been exhorted, We delivered those who forbade evil and afflicted the wrong-doers with a grievous chastisement because of their evildoing.

Ahmed Ali

But when they forgot to remember the warning, We saved those who prohibited evil, but inflicted on the wicked a dreadful punishment -- requital for their disobedience.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And when they forgot the advices they had been given, We rescued those who forbade evil, and seized the unjust with a dreadful punishment – the recompense of their disobedience.

Ali Quli Qarai

So when they forgot what they had been reminded of, We delivered those who forbade evil [conduct] and seized the wrongdoers with a terrible punishment because of the transgressions they used to commit.

Ali Ünal

Then, when they became heedless of all that they had been reminded of, We saved those who had tried to prevent the evil-doing, and seized the others who had been doing wrong with an evil punishment for their transgressions.

Amatul Rahman Omar

But when they disregarded the warning that had been given them, We saved those who forbade evil and We seized those who did wrong, with a serious punishment of extreme destitution because they were exceeding the bounds of obedience.

English Literal

So when they forgot what they were reminded with it, We saved/rescued those who forbid/prevent from the bad/evil/harm, and We took those who were unjust/oppressive with strong/severe torture because (of) what they were debauching .

Faridul Haque

And when they forgot the advices they had been given, We rescued those who forbade evil, and seized the unjust with a dreadful punishment - the recompense of their disobedience.

Hamid S. Aziz

But when they forgot what they had been reminded of, We saved those who forbade evil, and We overtook those who did wrong with grievous punishment because they transgressed.

Hilali & Khan

So when they forgot the remindings that had been given to them, We rescued those who forbade evil, but We seized those who did wrong with a severe torment because they used to rebel (disobey Allah).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And when a party of them said: Why preach you to a people whom Allah would destroy or whom He would chastise with a severe chastisement? They said: To be free from blame before your Lord, and that haply they may guard against evil.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

So when they neglected what they had been reminded of, We delivered those who forbade evil and We overtook those who were unjust with an evil chastisement because they transgressed.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And when they forgot that whereof they had been reminded, We rescued those who forbade wrong, and visited those who did wrong with dreadful punishment because they were evil-livers.

Muhammad Sarwar

When they (the unjust people) forgot what was preached to them, We saved the preachers from evil and afflicted the unjust for their evil deeds, with a dreadful torment.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Therefore, when they forgot that of which they were reminded, We saved those who were forbidding evil, and seized the evildoers with an evil punishment for that which they used to do of evil.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

So when they forgot the reminder that had been given to them, We rescued those who forbade evil, but with a severe torment We seized those who did wrong, because they used to rebel against Allah's command.

Wahiduddin Khan

Therefore when they forgot what they had been reminded of, We saved those who had tried to prevent the doing of evil. And We meted out a severe punishment to the transgressors because they were rebellious.

Talal Itani

Then, when they neglected what they were reminded of, We saved those who prohibited evil, and We seized those who did wrong with a terrible punishment, because of their sinfulness.

Tafsir jalalayn

And when they forgot, when they overlooked, that whereof they had been reminded, [that for which they had been] admonished, and did not desist, We delivered those who forbade evil, and seized those who did wrong, through transgression, with a grievous, terrible, chastisement for their wickedness.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ

So when they forgot the reminder that had been given to them,

when the evil doers refused the advice,

أَنجَيْنَا الَّذِينَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ السُّوءِ وَأَخَذْنَا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ

We rescued those who forbade evil, but We seized who did wrong,

who committed the transgression,

بِعَذَابٍ بَيِيسٍ


with a severe torment,

Allah stated that those who enjoined good were saved, while those who committed the transgression were destroyed, but He did not mention the end of those who were passive (the third group), for the compensation is comparable to the deed. This type did not do what would warrant praise, nor commit wrong so that they are admonished.

Ikrimah said,

"Ibn Abbas said about the Ayah;`I do not know whether or not the people were saved who said;
لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا اللّهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ
("Why do you preach to a people whom Allah is about to destroy..."). So I continued discussing it with him until I convinced him that they were. Then he gave me (the gift of) a garment."

Allah said,

وَأَخَذْنَا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ

بِعَذَابٍ بَيِيسٍ

and We seized those who did wrong with a Ba'is torment,

indicating that those who remained were saved.

As for `Ba'is', it means `severe', according to Mujahid, or `painful', according to Qatadah. These meanings are synonymous, and Allah knows best.

بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفْسُقُونَ



because they used to rebel against Allah's command.

Allah said next,

فَلَمَّا عَتَوْاْ عَن مَّا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ قُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُونُواْ قِرَدَةً خَاسِيِينَ