Surah Al 'Araf (The Heights- 7)

Surah Al 'Araf is one of the longest of the Meccan Surah. It is the first surah that discusses the lives of the Prophets in details, beginning with Adam (peace be upon him) through the Prophet Muhammad (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), including the details of the struggles of Musa (May Allah be pleased with him). The name al 'Araf was taken from the mentioning of a fence between Heaven and Hell. Some say that the word 'Araf itself means heights. The previous surah, Al An'am discusses the concept of Tawhid, the Oneness of Allah, and the history of those before the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In contrast, Surah Al 'Araf discusses the human struggle, all of which are blessed with lessons that are still relevant to us today.

Allah swt begins Surah Al 'Araf with a powerful statement. The Qur'an has been revealed and we should have no doubts or questioning of it. Allah swt immediately, at the beginning of this revelation, consoles the Prophet (May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him). He makes known the difficulty that will be faced upon preaching the Book of Allah. He makes it clear that the test has begun and there is no source of help or comfort, except in Him swt. This is a lesson we must take and remember in each struggle that we face. Whether it is financial, emotional, or spiritual difficulty, we must always remember that it is in Allah alone that we will find comfort and help.

In verse 27 Allah swt warns us not to let Shaytan take advantage of us in the same way as tried to of Adam (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Nevertheless, this world is nothing more than a test for mankind. None of us is perfect and we while we must steer away from anything that is displeasing to Allah, we will at times commit sin. Allah swt calls the believers to strive toward repentance. He reminds us of the story of Adam and his removal from Paradise, but that Adam (may Allah be pleased with him) still sought forgiveness and Allah granted him what he asked. This is a reminder to us that despite what may be sitting on our scales, the doors of forgiveness are always unlocked. Allah swt is only waiting for us to knock on them. Similarly, Allah swt emphasizes the importance of forgiving others who may cause us distress or hurt. Fostering hatred and anger are destructive to the spiritual self and in turn damaging to our relationships with Allah swt. We must try to forgive each other, as Allah is always forgiving with us.

However, there are those who, as described in verse 175 and 176, are given the signs of Allah but they chose to disregard them. They have seen the guidance but chose to turn away from it. This parable is of men who possessed great skills and positions and were blessed with the opportunities of spiritual comprehension but they turned away. This is like a person who frees himself from his garment which guards him against harmful matters, and exposes himself to Shaytan and his calling. As we benefit from the many fruits that Ramadan has to offer, by fasting and engaging in extra ibadah and dhikr, we are sewing a stronger garment to shield ourselves from the evils of Shaytan. Ramadan is month of training; it is a time to bring the nafs back to focusing on Allah swt, to control habits, and to learn the virtue of refraining from indulgence, especially at the expense of our spiritual well being. The only thing that keeps us spiritually alive is our connection to Allah, so we must work hard to keep that connection. The spiritual upliftment we feel in Ramadan should be maintained through continuous ibadah and dhikr throughout the year. Therefore, we should not shed this garment after Ramadan has passed, as we will only expose ourselves to the Accursed Shaytan.

While Ramadan teaches us to focus on Allah swt, He reminds us in verse 33 that we may also enjoy what He has provided to us in this life, but we must do so with mindfulness and balance. If we enjoy what is good of this life, Allah will give us that in the next life with greater enjoyment. If we enjoy what is decreed as evil or impermissible, the enjoyment is only in this short life and the recompense will be seen in the life to come.

The end of Surah Al 'Araf also contains the first Sajdah At Tilawah in the Quran. Sajdah At Tilawah is only one sajdah. While there are multiple supplications that can be made, this one may be easy for those who are learning it: "Oh Allah, record for me a reward for this (prostration), and remove from me a sin. Save it for me and accept it from me just as You had accepted it from Your servant Daawud.” To this act of worship that is only repeated fifteen times in the Quran, Shaytan responds with the following cry: "'O woe, he was ordered to prostrate and he did, so for him is paradise. I was ordered to prostrate and I disobeyed, so for me is the Hell.'"

May Allah protect us from engaging in what displeases Him, May He protect us from Shaytan and his whispers and My He make us of the people of Paradise.