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
قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّىَ ٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَٱلْإِثْمَ وَٱلْبَغْىَ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِۦ سُلْطَـٰنًا وَأَن تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
Say, "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed - and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allāh that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allāh that which you do not know."
وَنَادَىٰٓ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَعْرَافِ رِجَالًا يَعْرِفُونَهُم بِسِيمَىٰهُمْ قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنكُمْ جَمْعُكُمْ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
And the companions of the Elevations will call to men [within Hell] whom they recognize by their mark, saying, "Of no avail to you was your gathering and [the fact] that you were arrogant."
قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِٱلَّذِىٓ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ كَـٰفِرُونَ
Said those who were arrogant, "Indeed we, in that which you have believed, are disbelievers."
أَفَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا بَيَـٰتًا وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ
Then, did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them at night while they were asleep?