The People of the Book Seized This Opportunity and Said…

Many people do not know Allah. This series (1-73) is an attempt to help them to know their Creator.

Verses 7:155-156 of the Noble Quran talk about: 1) When Moses Chose Of His People Seventy Men,  2) Why A Violent Earthquake Seized Moses And His People, 3) Moses Said To Allah:: Had You Willed You Would Have Destroyed Them Long Before , 4) Moses Said To Allah: Will You Destroy Us For What The Foolish Ones Among Us Have Done? 5) Moses Said To Allah: You Are The Best Of All Who Show Forgiveness, 6) Moses Said To Allah: We Have Repented To You; You Are Our Protector, Looking After Our Affairs, 7) Satan Seized This Opportunity And Said… and 8) The People Of The Book Seized This Opportunity And Said…

The meaning of verse 7:155

And Moses chose of his people seventy men, from among those who had not worshipped the calf, by Allah’s command, for His appointed time, that is, for the time at which Allah promised him that they should come and apologize for their comrades’ worship of the calf.

Moses then departed with them; but when the Trembling, a violent earthquake, seized them.

[That earthquake was because they did not separate themselves from their people when the latter took to worshipping the calf];

Moses said: O My Lord, had You willed You would have destroyed them long before, that is, before my departure with them, so that the Children of Israel might see this and not make false accusations against me, and me with them.

And Moses said: O My Lord, Will You destroy us for what the foolish ones among us have done? (this interrogative is meant as a plea for compassion, in other words, ‘Do not punish us for the sins of others’.

And Moses added: It, that is, the trial which the ignorant ones underwent, is but Your trial, Your test, whereby You send astray whom You will, to lead stray, and guide whom You will, to guide. You are our Protector, looking after our affairs, so forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the Best of all who show forgiveness.

The meaning of verse 7:156

Then Moses prayed to Allah and said:

And ordain for us in this world that which is good knowledge, worship and protection from sins, and in the Hereafter (that which is good) the good of Paradise and its bliss,

Lo! We have turned unto Thee we have repented to You; it is also said this means: we are betaking ourselves to You.

Allah said: I smite with, I single out with My punishment whom I will, and My mercy embraces all things, whether the person is righteous or sinner.

In short, Moses prayed to Allah and said: prescribe for us, grant us, in this world good and in the Hereafter, good. We have turned, repented, to You’. He, Allah, says: ‘My chastisement, I smite with it whom I will, to chastise, and My mercy embraces, subsumes, all things, in this world, and so I shall prescribe it, in the Hereafter, for those who are God-fearing and pay the alms, and those who believe in Our signs;

One of the important issue is that Satan seized this opportunity and said: " I am of the things and Allah's mercy embraces all things " ,

But Allah excluded him from this by saying: therefore I shall ordain it (My Mercy) for those who ward off evil disbelief, idolatry and indecencies and pay the poor-due and give from their wealth what is due to the poor, and those who believe Our revelations, believe in Our Scripture and Messenger. The people of the Book seized this opportunity and said: " we are the people of God-fearing ness and Scripture " , but Allah excluded them from this and explained to whom this mercy is ordained, saying: (see the next article).

============

Verses 7:155-156 in different English translations of the meanings of Arabic Quran:

Verse 7:155

QARIB: moses chose from among his nation seventy men for our appointment, and when the quake seized them, moses said: 'my lord, had it been your will, you would have destroyed them before, and me. will you destroy us for that which the fools amongst us did? it is only your trial by which you leave in error whom you will, and guide whom you will. you alone are our guardian. forgive us and have mercy on us, you are the best of those who forgive.

SHAKIR: and musa chose out of his people seventy men for our appointment; so when the earthquake overtook them, he said: my lord! if thou hadst pleased, thou hadst destroyed them before and myself (too); wilt thou destroy us for what the fools among us have done? it is naught but thy trial, thou makest err with it whom thou pleasest and guidest whom thou pleasest: thou art our guardian, therefore forgive us and have mercy on us, and thou art the best of the forgivers

PICKTHAL: and moses chose of his people seventy men for our appointed tryst and, when the trembling came on them, he said: my lord! if thou hadst willed thou hadst destroyed them long before, and me with them. wilt thou destroy us for that which the ignorant among us did? it is but thy trial (of us). thou sendest whom thou wilt astray and guidest whom thou wilt: thou art our protecting friend, therefore forgive us and have mercy on us, thou, the best of all who show forgiveness.

YUSUFALI: and moses chose seventy of his people for our place of meeting: when they were seized with violent quaking, he prayed: "o my lord! if it had been thy will thou couldst have destroyed, long before, both them and me: wouldst thou destroy us for the deeds of the foolish ones among us? this is no more than thy trial: by it thou causest whom thou wilt to stray, and thou leadest whom thou wilt into the right path. thou art our protector: so forgive us and give us thy mercy; for thou art the best of those who forgive.

Verse 7:156

QARIB: write for us what is good in this life and in the everlasting life. to you alone we turn. ' he replied: 'i will smite with my punishment whom i will; yet my mercy embraces all things. i will write it (my mercy) to those who are cautious, give the obligatory charity, and believe in our verses;

SHAKIR: and ordain for us good in this world's life and m the hereafter, for surely we turn to thee. he said: (as for) my chastisement, i will afflict with it whom i please, and my mercy encompasses all things; so i will ordain it (specially) for those who guard (against evil) and pay the poor-rate, and those who believe in our communications

PICKTHAL: and ordain for us in this world that which is good, and in the hereafter (that which is good), lo! we have turned unto thee. he said: i smite with my punishment whom i will, and my mercy embraceth all things, therefore i shall ordain it for those who ward off (evil) and pay the poor-due, and those who believe our revelations;

YUSUFALI: "and ordain for us that which is good, in this life and in the hereafter: for we have turned unto thee." he said: "with my punishment i visit whom i will; but my mercy extendeth to all things. that (mercy) i shall ordain for those who do right, and practise regular charity, and those who believe in our signs;-