فَإِذَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْحَسَنَةُ قَالُوا۟ لَنَا هَـٰذِهِۦ ۖ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا۟ بِمُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥٓ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّمَا طَـٰٓئِرُهُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ 131
Translations
But when good [i.e., provision] came to them, they said, "This is ours [by right]." And if a bad [condition] struck them, they saw an evil omen in Moses and those with him. Unquestionably, their fortune is with Allāh, but most of them do not know.
Transliteration
Fa-idha jaathum al-hasanatu qalou lana hathihi wa in tusibhum sayyiatu yattayyarou bimusa wa man ma'ahu ala inna taairhum 'inda Allah wa lakin akthrahum la ya'lamun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the hypocrisy of Pharaoh's people who, when blessed with good fortune, claimed it as their own merit, but when afflicted with calamities, they blamed Prophet Musa and those with him through superstitious omens (ta'ayyur). Allah corrects this false reasoning, emphasizing that their true fate and destiny lie only with Him, and their ignorance prevents them from understanding this divine truth. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this exemplifies the stubborn denial and ingratitude of those who reject divine guidance despite clear signs.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative in Surah Al-A'raf discussing Pharaoh's people during the time of Prophet Musa. It specifically addresses their response to the plagues sent upon Egypt—when prosperity came they attributed it to themselves, but when hardship arrived they resorted to blaming Musa with evil omens (ta'ayyur), a pre-Islamic Arabian practice of seeking ill-fortune from omens. This thematically fits the broader Meccan surah's focus on responses to divine signs and the consequences of disbelief.
Related Hadiths
Hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'There is no such thing as bad omens (ta'ayyur), but the best of you is one with good optimism (husn al-zann).' This directly addresses the superstition condemned in this ayah. Additionally, Surah Al-A'raf 7:131 is often cited alongside discussions of tawakkul (trust in Allah) found in various hadith collections emphasizing reliance on Allah rather than omens.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims to recognize their blessings as gifts from Allah alone, never attributing success to personal merit or blaming others for hardships through superstition; instead, we should develop trust in divine wisdom and understand that all affairs ultimately rest with Allah, encouraging us to respond to both good and difficulty with gratitude and patience rather than blame.