وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱتَّقَوْا۟ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَـٰكِن كَذَّبُوا۟ فَأَخَذْنَـٰهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ 96
Translations
And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allāh, We would have opened [i.e., bestowed] upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning.
Transliteration
Wa law anna ahla al-qura amanu wa attaqaw la fatahna alayhim barakatim min al-sama wa al-ardh wa lakin kadhdhbu fa akhdhnahum bima kanu yaksibun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah states that if the people of the towns had believed in Allah and adopted taqwa (God-consciousness), Allah would have opened upon them blessings from the heavens and the earth. However, because they rejected the truth, Allah seized them with punishment for their deeds. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this ayah demonstrates the direct causal relationship between faith and obedience with divine provision and prosperity, while disbelief and transgression lead to punishment. Al-Tabari notes that 'barakah' (blessings) encompasses both material abundance and spiritual well-being.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-A'raf's broader discussion of previous nations and their responses to the messages of the prophets. It serves as a general principle applicable to all communities, illustrating the consequence of accepting or rejecting divine guidance throughout history.
Related Hadiths
1) The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever fears Allah, He will make a way out for him from every distress and will provide for him from where he does not expect' (Sunan Ibn Majah, also reported in other collections). 2) 'Taqwa is here' - the Prophet (ﷺ) pointed to his chest three times, indicating that God-consciousness leads to divine protection and blessing (Jami' at-Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that material and spiritual abundance is not merely a matter of circumstance or human effort alone, but is fundamentally connected to our relationship with Allah through faith and conscious obedience; conversely, we should recognize that hardships and deprivation often result from our own moral and spiritual negligence, calling us to examine our hearts and return to righteous living.