Surah Al-A'raf (الْأَعْرَاف) is the 7th chapter (surah) of the blessed Quran. Al-A'raf means the elevated place. Since the surah was revealed in Makkah before the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) migrated to Madinah, it is a Makki surah. It has a total of 206 ayaat (verses) and is spread into 2 juz/paraas and 24 ruku (Ayaah 10, 25, 31, 39, 47, 53, 58, 64, 72, 84, 93, 99, 108, 126, 129, 141, 147, 151, 157, 162, 171, 181, 188, 206). This surah starts with Huroof-e-Muqattat, the disjointed letters: Alif, Lam, Mim, and Sad.
Surah Al-A'raf was revealed to show the Muslims how it was Allah who created Prophet Adam and his wife Hawwa (Eve) and how Shaytaan strayed them away from Allah's instructions. It serves as a warning to the disbelievers who disobey Allah and reminds the believers about the final day of judgment along with the fact that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) is the last messenger for all of mankind. The surah is named Al-A'raf after the place between the heaven and hell.
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No specific event or happening is associated with the revelation of Surah Al-A’raf. It is believed that this Surah was revealed during the last year of the Meccan life of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ. The circumstances under which this Surah was revealed are quite identical to those of the previous Surah Al-An’am. It was the time when the Muslims were facing extreme persecution and opposition by the Quraysh tribe of Mecca. They frequently mocked and ridiculed the Prophet and his followers.
During the earlier phases of the Prophethood, Hazrat Khadija رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا, the beloved of the Prophet and Abu Talib, the caring uncle of the Prophet, were the main sources of physical and moral support and protection for the Prophet and the newly converted Muslims. Their death, one after the other, in the same year (the year of sorrow), was a major setback for the Prophet and his followers. The persecution by the Quraysh had crossed all limits at that point.
Under these circumstances, this Surah was revealed to strengthen the faith of the Muslims and provide them with encouragement to face the difficult times. In this context, the stories of previous Prophets, such as the Prophets Adam, Nuh, Hud, Saleh, and Musa عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلسَّلَامُ are narrated in this Surah, where their nations refused to accept the Divine Message, giving a touch time to the Prophets. It is concluded in this Surah that despite all the denials by the people and hardships faced by the Prophets, finally the truth prevailed by the blessings of Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ. It was a sort of moral lesson, consolation, and encouragement for the Muslims.
The majority of the Scholars also agree that by that time, migration of the Muslims to Medina was quite imminent, where they were going to come into contact with the People of the Book (Jews and Christians). That seems to be the main reason for admonishing the disbelievers to accept the Message of Islam, side by side, warning them of the grave consequences of adopting the wrong attitude by the previous nations towards their Prophets and Messengers.
In this context, the hypocrisy of the Jews is specifically narrated, when they apparently believed in the Prophethood of the Prophet Musa عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ, but in reality, they disobeyed him by denying his teachings, which ultimately resulted in disgrace for them. These were the circumstances prevailing during the last year of the Prophet’s stay in Mecca, just before his migration to Medina, which triggered the revelation of Surah Al-A’raf.
Surah Al-A’raf is a Makki Surah, revealed during the last years of the Meccan life of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ. According to some traditions, verses 163 to 170 of this Surah were revealed in Medina. However, the general consensus is that it is a Makki Surah.
It is the 7th Surah of the Quran and appears in Juzz (para) 8 and 9. It appears after Surah Al-An’am and before Surah Al-Anfal. Per the order of revelation, it is the 39th Surah, whereas in the sequence of recitation, it falls at number 7.
Surah Al-A’raf holds great significance in Islam. Like most of the Meccan Surahs, it contains the core Islamic teachings, such as the Oneness of Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ, the concept of life after death, and accountability on the Day of Resurrection. Additionally, the stories of previous Prophets are also narrated in these Surahs, which provide a moral and spiritual lesson to the Muslims. Accordingly, Surah Al-A’raf also contains such narrations.
The significance of this Surah is summarized here as follows:
By giving the detailed account on how Iblis misled the Prophet Adam عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ, the importance of following and strictly adhering to Allah’s سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ guidance is emphasized, as it is the only way that leads to a righteous way of life in this world and the life after death. It is mentioned explicitly that Iblis would be trying to deceive and misguide the entire mankind; therefore, the believers need to follow only the right path as conveyed and taught by the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ.
The stories of the previous Prophets, such as Prophet Adam, Nuh, Musa عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلسَّلَامُ, and others, are narrated in this Surah, which are a sort of moral and spiritual lesson for the believers. The fate of their people gives us a clear message that denying the teachings of the Prophets results in disgrace and humiliation. The previous nations were destroyed as they did not obey the teachings of the Prophets and Messengers sent to them.
Al-A’raf, which translates to “the Heights”, is narrated in this Surah in the context of a place, which is located between Paradise and Hell. It is mentioned in the Surah that people placed on Al-A’raf would be able to see both the groups of mankind, waiting to be sent either to Hell or to Paradise. It holds the significance of Allah’s سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ ultimate Mercy and Justice.
The believers are encouraged to adopt modesty and morality in all aspects of life, such as clothing and moral values. They are commanded to avoid indecency while selecting proper clothing. It is also emphasized that the believers must ensure spiritual and physical purity. Above all, it is mentioned explicitly that rejecting and denying the teachings of the Prophets by the previous nations was an act of arrogance, which the believers need to avoid.
The last verse of this Surah (verse number 206) is known as the verse of Prostration. This is the first of the 14 such verses in the Quran. Muslims are required to prostrate, as a symbol of Submission and Worship, whenever they listen to or read any of these verses.
The surah was revealed as an invitation to the divine message that was sent down to the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). After the Prophet had spent 13 years guiding the disbelievers in Makkah towards the righteous path of Islam, he observed no effect on them because they were antagonistic and engulfed in the path of evil. This was when Surah Al-A'raf was revealed to warn them to accept the Holy Prophet's (ﷺ) message of Islam, and a firm warning was given to them about what consequences they would be met with if they continued down the path of evil without listening to the Holy Prophet's (ﷺ) message.
Since the surah was revealed when the Prophet was about to receive Allah's command to migrate to Madinah, the last portion of the surah addresses the people of the book whom the Prophet (ﷺ) was going to address and guide once he was in Madinah. The hypocritical behavior of the Jews is also addressed by discussing how, even though they claimed to follow the teachings of Prophet Musa عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ, their actions clearly opposed his teachings by worshipping falsehoods.
The Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions are also instructed to remain patient and not give in to the disbelievers' provocations. The believers were also going through a challenging time when the surah was revealed due to the attitude of the disbelievers. Through Al-A'raf, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) also instructed them to be cautious and not indulge in any action that may harm their noble cause of Islam.
Reciting the blessed Quran is bound to bring a believer unlimited blessings and Allah's mercy. Here are some of the benefits you can get from reciting Surah Al-Araf:
"Those who believe and find peace in their hearts from the contemplation of God: Surely there is peace of heart in the contemplation of God!" (13:28)
Abu Hurrairah had reported the Prophet (ﷺ) to have said:
"Read the Qur'an, for it will come as an intercessor for its reciters on the Day of Resurrection." – Riyad-as-Salihin 991
"Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then settled on the Throne. He draws the night's cover over the day, which pursues it swiftly, and [He created] the sun, the moon, and the stars, [all of them] disposed of by His command. Look! All creation and command belong to Him. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all the worlds."
If you struggle with feelings of guilt, shame, or regret due to any wrongdoings or sins you may have committed, reciting the Quran can help relieve your feelings and help gain Allah's forgiveness. Indeed, Allah is the most merciful.
"Surely those who read the Book of God, are firm in devotion, and spend of what We have given them in secret or openly, can hope for a commerce that will not decline" – (35:29)
Listening to the recitation of the Quran, including Surah Al-A’raf, by authentic and renowned Qaris, is highly important. Correct recitation of the Quran is critical, as even a slight mistake in correctly pronouncing any of the Quranic words may entirely change its meanings. Correct pronunciation by non-Arabic-speaking individuals becomes even more difficult at times. Hence, listening to the recitation of the Quran by an authentic Qari might be highly useful to learn correct pronunciation.
Sometimes, one may also like to just listen to the Quran, instead of reading it oneself. At MuslimandQuran, we have uploaded recitations of the Quran by different renowned reciters (Qaris). You can find and select a Qari per your preference to listen to and learn the correct recitation of the Quran. You just need to download the Mobile Application of the Muslim and Quran to listen to any Surah of the Quran, including Surah Al-A’raf.
The mobile application of the MuslimandQuran is available for both Android and iOS, available on Google Play and App Store, respectively. You can download the application by clicking the links given here:
Reading the Quran directly on the website and mobile application of MuslimandQuran is quite easy. However, if you prefer to read it offline, as per your convenience, MuslimandQuran, also provides this facility. You can download Surah Al-A’raf in PDF for reading later.
Surah Al-A’raf can be downloaded in PDF by following these simple steps:
The meaning of Al-A’raf is "The Heights". In the context of Surah Al-A’raf, it refers to a place located between Hell and Paradise, where people are placed, waiting for their final destination.
Surah Al-A’raf has 206 verses.
It can be recited anytime during the day or night. No specific time is associated with its recitation. No specific time is associated with or recommended for its recitation. Reciting it in Maghrib Prayer is an act of Sunnah, following which brings huge rewards.
Yes, you can listen to it online through the MuslimandQuran mobile application.