Al-A'raaf 7:33 · The Heights · Arabic, translation, recitation

Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"Say [Prophet], ‘My Lord only forbids disgraceful deeds- whether they be open or hidden- and sin and unjustified aggression, and that you, without His sanction, associate things with Him, and that you say things about Him without knowledge.’"

Pickthall (classic)+

"Say: My Lord forbiddeth only indecencies, such of them as are apparent and such as are within, and sin and wrongful oppression, and that ye associate with Allah that for which no warrant hath been revealed, and that ye tell concerning Allah that which ye know not."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"Say: the things that my Lord hath indeed forbidden are: shameful deeds, whether open or secret; sins and trespasses against truth or reason; assigning of partners to Allah, for which He hath given no authority; and saying things about Allah of which ye have no knowledge."

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

Fahishah, Sin, Transgression, Shirk and Lying about Allah are prohibited

Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«لَا أَحَدَ أَغْيَرُ مِنَ اللهِ فَلِذَلِكَ حَرَّمَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ، وَلَا أَحَدَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ الْمَدْحُ مِنَ الله»

(None is more jealous than Allah, and this is why He prohibited Fawahish, committed openly or in secret. And none likes praise more than Allah). This was also recorded in the Two Sahihs. In the explanation of Surat Al-An`am, we explained the Fahishah that is committed openly and in secret. Allah said next,

وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْىَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ

(and Ithm, and transgression without right,) 7:33. As-Suddi commented, "Al-Ithm means, `disobedience'. As for unrighteous oppression, it occurs when you transgress against people without justification." Mujahid said, "Ithm includes all types of disobedience. Allah said that the oppressor commits oppression against himself." Therefore, the meaning of, Ithm is the sin that one commits against himself, while `oppression' pertains to transgression against other people, and Allah prohibited both. Allah's statement,

وَأَن تُشْرِكُواْ بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَـناً

(and joining partners with Allah for which He has given no authority, ) prohibits calling partners with Allah in worship.

وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

(and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge.) such as lies and inventions, like claiming that Allah has a son, and other evil creeds that you -- O idolators -- have no knowledge of. This is similar to His saying:

فَاجْتَنِبُواْ الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الاٌّوْثَـنِ

(So shun the abomination (worshipping) of the idols) 22:30.

Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

Аллах сообщил о греховных поступках, совершать которые было запрещено во всех небесных законах. Он запретил совершать мерзкие поступки, к которым относятся тяжкие грехи, вызывающие отвращение. К ним можно отнести прелюбодеяние, мужеложство и тому подобные грехи. Среди мерзких поступков есть явные, совершаемые телом, и скрытые, которые совершаются в душе. К последним можно отнести высокомерие, самодовольство, тщеславие, лицемерие и другие подобные прегрешения. Помимо этого, Аллах запретил грехи, совершая которые человек пренебрегает своими обязанностями перед Ним и обрекает себя на наказание. Он запретил покушаться на жизнь, имущество и честь людей. Одним словом, людям всегда было запрещено нарушать свои обязанности перед Аллахом и перед Его рабами. Людям было запрещено исповедовать многобожие, о правдивости которого Аллах не ниспосылал ни одного доказательства. Напротив, ниспосланные доказательства свидетельствуют о необходимости поклонения Ему одному. Под приобщением сотоварищей к Аллаху в этом аяте подразумевается поклонение творениям наряду с Ним. Возможно, это также распространяется на показуху, клятвы не именем Аллаха и другие проявления малого многобожия. Людям также было запрещено говорить об именах, качествах, деяниях и предписаниях Аллаха то, чего они не ведали. Поступать так всегда было категорически запрещено, поскольку подобные преступления приносят вред как человеку, так и обществу. Совершая их, человек поступает несправедливо, дерзко нарушает свои обязанности перед Аллахом, покушается на права творений и искажает Его религию.

After that, the second verse takes up the description of some of the things declared unlawful by Allah Ta` ala forsaking which really brings His pleasure. The hint given here is that these people were suffering from a twofold ignorance. On the one hand, they deprived themselves of the good things of life Allah had made lawful for them by denying to use them as if they were unlawful - and did so for no reason. Then, on the other hand, there were things genuinely and really unlawful, things the use of which was to result in the wrath of Allah and the punishment of the Hereafter, these they embraced with both arms only to discover that they had embraced what was to be their undoing in the life-to-come. Thus, they were doubly deprived, deprived of the blessings they had in the mortal world and deprived of the blessings they had the chance of having in the Hereafter. After that, says the Qur'an:

إِنَّمَا حَرَّ‌مَ رَ‌بِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ‌ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ‌ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِ‌كُوا بِاللَّـهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّـهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

Say, "My Lord has prohibited only the shameful things, what is apparent from them and what is hidden, and sin and unjust aggression, and that you associate with Allah something for which He has not sent any authority, and that you say about Allah what you do not know - 33.

In the detail given above, the word: اِثم (ithm : sin) covers all sins which fall on one personally - and in: بَغیَ ; (baghy : injustice) included there are sins which relate to rights and dealings as concerning others. Then come Shirk, the associating of partners with Allah, and the forging of lies against Him. That they are grave sins is quite evident.

This particular detail was mentioned here also because it covers almost all kinds of prohibitions and sins - whether they pertained to belief or conduct, or were done personally, or related to rights of others which were usurped. This was done also because these people of the Jahiliyyah were involved with all these crimes and prohibitions. Thus, exposed here was another demonstration of their ignorance which was that they would abstain from what was made lawful for them and would not even hesitate to use what was declared to be unlawful.

Unfortunately, it is a necessary outcome of excess (ghuluww) in religion and introduction of self-invented practices (bid` at) in it that people who get involved with this type of activity become habitually heedless to the root of religion and its essential requirements. Therefore, the Haram caused by excess in religion and innovation in established faith is twofold. First of all getting involved with such Ghuluww and Bid'ah is a sin in itself. Then, seen in contrast, far too grave is the very deprivation from the true religion of Allah and the genuine way of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .Refuge with Allah (from such a fate) !