Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 167

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Recall) when your Lord declared that He would surely keep sending, till the Day of Judgment, those who inflict on them evil chastisement. Certainly, your Lord is swift in punishing, and certainly He is the Most-forgiving, Very Merciful.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And ˹remember, O  Prophet,˺ when your Lord declared that He would send against them others who would make them suffer terribly until the Day of Judgment. Indeed, your Lord is swift in punishment, but He is certainly All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

And [remember] when your Lord declared that He would send against them those who would afflict them with a terrible punishment until the Day of Resurrection. Your Lord is Swift in Punishment, but He also is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

A. J. Arberry

And when Thy Lord proclaimed He would send forth against them, unto the Day of Resurrection, those who should visit them with evil chastisement. Surely thy Lord is swift in retribution; surely He is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.

Abdul Haleem

And then your Lord declared that, until the Day of Resurrection, He would send people against them to inflict terrible suffering on them. Your Lord is swift in punishment but He is most forgiving and merciful.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And recall what time thy Lord proclaimed that he would surely raise upon them, till the Day of Resurrection, someone perpetrating upon them worst oppression. Verily thy Lord is swift in chastising, and verily He is Forgiving, Merciful.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Behold! thy Lord did declare that He would send against them, to the Day of Judgment, those who would afflict them with grievous penalty. Thy Lord is quick in retribution, but He is also Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

Abul Ala Maududi

And recall when Your Lord proclaimed that 'He would continually set in authority over them, till the Day of Judgement, those who would ruthless oppress thern.' Surely, your Lord is swift in chastising; and yet He is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

Ahmed Ali

And your Lord declared He would send men against them who would inflict dreadful suffering on them till the Day of Doom, for your Lord is swift in retribution, though He is certainly forgiving and kind.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And remember when your Lord announced the command that till the Day of Resurrection I will certainly send such oppressors against them, who will inflict them with a dreadful punishment; indeed your Lord is swift in meting out punishment; and indeed He is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Ali Quli Qarai

And when your Lord proclaimed that He would surely send against them, until the Day of Resurrection, those who would inflict on them a terrible punishment. Indeed your Lord is swift in retribution, and indeed, He is all-forgiving, all-merciful.

Ali Ünal

And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed that He would, until the Day of Resurrection, send forth against them those who would afflict them with the most evil of suffering. Your Lord is indeed swift in retribution (when it is due), and He is indeed the All-Forgiving, the All-Compassionate (especially toward those who turn to Him in repentance and His believing servants).

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (imagine the time) when your Lord proclaimed (to the Children of Israel) that He would certainly continue to subject them, till the Day of Resurrection, to the people who would afflict them with the worst torment. Verily, your Lord is Quick to punish the evil but He is (all the same) Great Protector, Ever Merciful.

English Literal

And when your Lord announced/informed he will send (E) on them to the Resurrection Day who burdens/imposes upon them the torture`s evil/harm , that your Lord (is) quick/fast (E) (in) the punishment, and that He (is) forgiving (E), merciful.

Faridul Haque

And remember when your Lord announced the command that till the Day of Resurrection I will certainly send such oppressors against them, who will inflict them with a dreadful punishment; indeed your Lord is swift in meting out punishment; and indeed He is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Hamid S. Aziz

And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed that He would surely raise against them till the Day of Resurrection, those who would lay on them grievous torment. Verily, your Lord is quick in retribution, but verily, He is also Forgiving, Merciful.

Hilali & Khan

And (remember) when your Lord declared that He would certainly keep on sending against them (i.e. the Jews), till the Day of Resurrection, those who would afflict them with a humiliating torment. Verily, your Lord is Quick in Retribution (for the disobedient, wicked) and certainly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (for the obedient and those who beg Allah's Forgiveness).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So when they revoltingly persisted in that which they had been forbidden, We said to them: Be (as) apes, despised and hated.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when your Lord announced that He would certainly send against them to the day of resurrection those who would subject them to severe torment; most surely your Lord is quick to requite (evil) and most surely He is Forgiving, Merciful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And (remember) when thy Lord proclaimed that He would raise against them till the Day of Resurrection those who would lay on them a cruel torment. Lo! verily thy Lord is swift in prosecution and lo! verily He is Forgiving, Merciful.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), consider, when your Lord declared to the (Israelites) His decision to raise a people above them who would make them suffer the worst kinds of torments until the Day of Judgment. Certainly your Lord's retribution is swift. He is All-forgiving and All-merciful.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Then your Lord declared He would send against them he who would oppress them cruelly till the Day of Resurrection. Swift is the retribution of your Lord, yet surely He is Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And (remember) when your Lord declared that He would certainly keep on sending against them, till the Day of Resurrection, those who would afflict them with a humiliating torment. Verily, your Lord is quick in retribution and certainly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Wahiduddin Khan

Then your Lord declared that, until the Day of Resurrection, He would send others against them to inflict terrible suffering on them. Your Lord is swift in retribution; yet surely He is most forgiving and merciful.

Talal Itani

Your Lord has announced that, He would send against them, until the Day of Resurrection, those who would inflict terrible suffering upon them. Your Lord is swift in retribution, yet He is Forgiving and Merciful.

Tafsir jalalayn

And when your Lord proclaimed, made it known, that He would send against them, that is, the Jews, to the Day of Resurrection, those who would inflict on them grievous torment, through humiliation and the exacting of the jizya-tax [from them]. Thus, God sent Solomon against them, and after him, Nebuchadnezzar, who slaughtered [some of] them and took [others among] them captive, and imposed the jizya-tax on them. They continued to pay this [tax] to the Magians up until the [time of the] sending of our Prophet (s), who [also] imposed it on them. Lo! verily your Lord is swift in requital, of those who disobey Him. And lo! verily He is Forgiving, to those who obey Him, Merciful, [in dealing] with them.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Eternal Humiliation placed on the Jews

Allah reminds;

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبْعَثَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ

And (remember) when your Lord declared that He would certainly keep on sending against them,

تَأَذَّنَ
(Ta'dhdhana) means

`declared', according to Mujahid, or

`ordained', according to others.

This part of the Ayah indicates a vow,
لَيَبْعَثَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ
(that He will keep on sending against them) against the Jews,

إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَن يَسُومُهُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ

till the Day of Resurrection, those who would afflict them with a humiliating torment.

on account of their disobedience, defying Allah's orders and Law and using tricks to transgress the prohibitions.

It was reported that Musa required the Jews to pay the production tax for seven or thirteen years, and he was the first to do so.

Also, the Jews fell under the humiliating rule of the Greek Kushdanin, Chaldeans and later on the Christians, who subjugated and disgraced them, and required them to pay the Jizyah (tribute tax).

When Islam came and Muhammad was sent, they became under his power and had to pay the Jizyah, as well.

Therefore, the humiliating torment mentioned here includes disgrace and paying the Jizyah, as Al-Awfi narrated from Ibn Abbas.

In the future, the Jews will support the Dajjal (False Messiah); and the Muslims, along with Isa, son of Mary, will kill the Jews. This will occur just before the end of this world.

Allah said next,

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ

Verily, your Lord is quick in retribution,

with those who disobey Him and defy His Law,

وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ



and certainly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

for those who repent and go back to Him.

This Ayah mentions both the mercy, as well as, the punishment, so that no despair is felt. Allah often mentions encouragement and warning together, so that hearts always have a sense of hope and fear