وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَـٰحِهَا وَٱدْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ 56
Translations
And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. And invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the mercy of Allāh is near to the doers of good.
Transliteration
Wa la tufsidu fi al-ardi ba'da islahiha wa-d'uhu khawfan wa-tama'an. Inna rahmata Allahi qareebun mina al-muhsineen.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the believers to abstain from causing corruption on earth after it has been reformed, and to call upon Allah with both fear and hope—two complementary spiritual states. Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note that this verse emphasizes environmental stewardship and the spiritual dimension of worship, as Allah's mercy is near to those who do good (al-muhsineen). The command to invoke Allah with fear (of His punishment) and hope (for His reward) represents the balanced emotional approach to devotion in Islam.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the middle section of Surah Al-A'raf, which was revealed in Mecca during the early period of Islam. It is part of a broader thematic unit addressing moral conduct and the consequences of human actions, following the mention of Prophet Salih and the people of Thamud who corrupted the earth despite receiving clear signs from Allah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever plants a tree, from it Allah will give him reward' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Also relevant is the hadith: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi), as good conduct (ihsan) encompasses all aspects of life including environmental responsibility.
Themes
Key Lesson
Muslims have a sacred responsibility to preserve and maintain the earth rather than corrupt it, understanding that their actions have consequences both in this life and the next. The cultivation of a balanced spiritual state—combining reverential fear of Allah with hopeful aspiration for His mercy—forms the foundation for righteous action and ethical conduct in all matters.
Related Ayahs
وَلَمَّا رَجَعَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ غَضْبَـٰنَ أَسِفًا قَالَ بِئْسَمَا خَلَفْتُمُونِى مِنۢ بَعْدِىٓ ۖ أَعَجِلْتُمْ أَمْرَ رَبِّكُمْ ۖ وَأَلْقَى ٱلْأَلْوَاحَ وَأَخَذَ بِرَأْسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُۥٓ إِلَيْهِ ۚ قَالَ ٱبْنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱسْتَضْعَفُونِى وَكَادُوا۟ يَقْتُلُونَنِى فَلَا تُشْمِتْ بِىَ ٱلْأَعْدَآءَ وَلَا تَجْعَلْنِى مَعَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And when Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved, he said, "How wretched is that by which you have replaced me after [my departure]. Were you impatient over the matter of your Lord?" And he threw down the tablets and seized his brother by [the hair of] his head, pulling him toward him. [Aaron] said, "O son of my mother, indeed the people overpowered me and were about to kill me, so let not the enemies rejoice over me and do not place me among the wrongdoing people."
وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يَظْلِمُونَ
And those whose scales are light - they are the ones who will lose themselves for what injustice they were doing toward Our verses.
فَبَدَّلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ قَوْلًا غَيْرَ ٱلَّذِى قِيلَ لَهُمْ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِجْزًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَظْلِمُونَ
But those who wronged among them changed [the words] to a statement other than that which had been said to them. So We sent upon them a punishment from the sky for the wrong that they were doing.
قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ ٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱصْبِرُوٓا۟ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلْأَرْضَ لِلَّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ ۖ وَٱلْعَـٰقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
Said Moses to his people, "Seek help through Allāh and be patient. Indeed, the earth belongs to Allāh. He causes to inherit it whom He wills of His servants. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous."