وَمَا وَجَدْنَا لِأَكْثَرِهِم مِّنْ عَهْدٍ ۖ وَإِن وَجَدْنَآ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَفَـٰسِقِينَ 102
Translations
And We did not find for most of them any covenant; but indeed, We found most of them defiantly disobedient.
Transliteration
Wa mā wajadnā li-aktharihin min 'ahdun wa in wajadnā akthara-hum la-fāsiqīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah states that Allah found most of the Children of Israel to be covenant-breakers and transgressors. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain this in the context of the Bani Isra'il's repeated violations of their covenant with Allah—breaking their promises regarding the Torah, rejecting the prophets, and deviating from the straight path. The ayah emphasizes that despite Allah's patience and repeated sending of messengers, the majority persisted in their disobedience and wickedness (fasq).
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the latter section of Surah Al-A'raf, which chronicles the history of the Children of Israel and their transgressions. It follows the account of various covenants Allah made with them and their repeated breaches, serving as a reminder of their historical pattern of disobedience and the consequences thereof.
Related Hadiths
The principle reflected here connects to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet ﷺ warned against breaking covenants and trusts. Additionally, Surah Al-A'raf (7:102) relates thematically to the hadith in Jami' At-Tirmidhi about the severity of breaking oaths and covenants with Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that making a covenant with Allah is a serious matter that demands sincere fulfillment; breaking promises to Allah—whether through neglecting Islamic duties, abandoning the Quran, or moral transgressions—places one among those who have deviated from the straight path. For modern readers, it serves as a cautionary reminder to honor commitments made to Allah and to remain steadfast in faith despite temptations to transgress.
Related Ayahs
وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتُمْ شُعَيْبًا إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا لَّخَـٰسِرُونَ
Said the eminent ones who disbelieved among his people, "If you should follow Shuʿayb, indeed, you would then be losers."
وَقَطَّعْنَـٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أُمَمًا ۖ مِّنْهُمُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ وَمِنْهُمْ دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَبَلَوْنَـٰهُم بِٱلْحَسَنَـٰتِ وَٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
And We divided them throughout the earth into nations. Of them some were righteous, and of them some were otherwise. And We tested them with good [times] and bad that perhaps they would return [to obedience].
۞ وَإِذْ نَتَقْنَا ٱلْجَبَلَ فَوْقَهُمْ كَأَنَّهُۥ ظُلَّةٌ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَنَّهُۥ وَاقِعٌۢ بِهِمْ خُذُوا۟ مَآ ءَاتَيْنَـٰكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
And [mention] when We raised the mountain above them as if it was a dark cloud and they were certain that it would fall upon them, [and Allāh said], "Take what We have given you with determination and remember what is in it that you might fear Allāh."
أَفَأَمِنُوا۟ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ
Then, did they feel secure from the plan of Allāh? But no one feels secure from the plan of Allāh except the losing people.