يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَٰرِى سَوْءَٰتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا ۖ وَلِبَاسُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ 26
Translations
O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best. That is from the signs of Allāh that perhaps they will remember.
Transliteration
Ya bani Adam qad anzalna alaikum libasan yuwari sawatikum wa reeshan wa libasu al-taqwa dhalika khair dhalika min ayati Allah laalahum yadhakkaron
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses the children of Adam, informing them that He has bestowed upon them clothing (libas) to cover their nakedness and for adornment (reesh). However, the ayah emphasizes that the garment of piety and God-consciousness (libas al-taqwa) is superior to physical clothing. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain this as a comprehensive teaching: while material clothing is a divine blessing, spiritual clothing through piety and righteous conduct is of greater value. The ayah uses the metaphor of clothing to illustrate that inward virtue surpasses outward appearance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-A'raf and is part of the narrative addressing humanity (Bani Adam) regarding fundamental blessings and moral guidance. It follows the account of Adam's creation and serves as a reminder of divine favors and the importance of taqwa (God-consciousness). The surah's broader context emphasizes guidance, warnings, and the relationship between obedience and blessing.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best garment is the garment of piety (taqwa)' - referenced in various collections as a principle. Additionally, Tirmidhi relates that modesty (haya) is from faith and is closely connected to the concept of covering one's awrah (private parts) with appropriate clothing.
Themes
Key Lesson
While we should be grateful for material blessings like clothing and maintain physical modesty and grooming, we must prioritize cultivating taqwa and inner righteousness, as true honor and dignity come from piety rather than external appearances.
Related Ayahs
وَٱلْوَزْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ ٱلْحَقُّ ۚ فَمَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
And the weighing [of deeds] that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavy - it is they who will be the successful.
فَلَمَّا نَسُوا۟ مَا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنجَيْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلسُّوٓءِ وَأَخَذْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ بِعَذَابٍۭ بَـِٔيسٍۭ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْسُقُونَ
And when they [i.e., those advised] forgot that by which they had been reminded, We saved those who had forbidden evil and seized those who wronged, with a wretched punishment, because they were defiantly disobeying.
إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ وَبَـٰطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
Indeed, those [worshippers] - destroyed is that in which they are [engaged], and worthless is whatever they were doing."
فَوَسْوَسَ لَهُمَا ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ لِيُبْدِىَ لَهُمَا مَا وُۥرِىَ عَنْهُمَا مِن سَوْءَٰتِهِمَا وَقَالَ مَا نَهَىٰكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰلِدِينَ
But Satan whispered to them to make apparent to them that which was concealed from them of their private parts. He said, "Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you become angels or become of the immortal."