Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:167

"And [mention] when your Lord declared..."

The phrase "And [mention] when your Lord declared" (wa-idh ta’adhana rabbuka) is in the accusative case, conjoined to His statement—glory be to Him—"And ask them." The verb ta’adhana (declared) is on the measure of tafa‘‘ala, derived from al-idhn (permission/announcement), and it carries the meaning of ādhana (to inform/proclaim). The tafa‘‘ul form occasionally carries the meaning of the if‘āl form, such as in tawa‘‘ada (to threaten) and ī‘ād (threatening). To this refers what was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās: that the meaning is "your Lord said." Some have interpreted it as "resolved," which is either a metonymy for it or a metaphorical usage, because one who resolves upon a matter consults himself regarding doing or abandoning it, and then decides; thus, he is seeking "permission" (idhn) from himself regarding it. In al-Kashshāf, it is suggested that if it were taken to mean "seeking permission" rather than "proclaiming," as if He were seeking permission from Himself, it would be a valid interpretation. Since it has been taken to mean "resolved"—and the one who resolves is decisive—it has been interpreted as "decreed and determined," which conveys emphasis. For this reason, it is treated like an oath, and the response to the oath is provided—which here is "...that He would surely send..." (la-yab‘athanna). Similarly, one says, "I urge you by oath (‘azamtu ‘alayka) that you must do such and such." It is not an objection to this that it would necessitate attributing "resolution" (‘azm) to Him—even though it has been explicitly denied—because such an objection is rejected; indeed, it has been reported, "It is one of the decrees (‘azmāt) of Allah upon them," meaning the Jews, not those who were transformed into apes, as you have learned that they did not survive. It is possible that the pronoun refers to them based on what was narrated from al-Hasan, in which case the intended meaning is them and their descendants. Its reference to the Jews and Christians is baseless, even if narrated from Mujāhid.

The prepositional phrase "against them" (‘alayhim) is connected to "He would surely send" (yab‘athanna), meaning He will surely empower [others] over them. "Until the Day of Resurrection" means until the end of this world. It is connected to "He would send." It has been said it is connected to "declared," but that is not sound, nor is its connection to the conjunctive phrase in His saying: "who would afflict them."

"Who would afflict them" (yassūmuhum): meaning, who would make them taste and subject them to "the worst of punishment," such as humiliation, the imposition of the jizya (poll tax), their lack of defense, their subjugation to others, and other varieties of torment. After Solomon—upon him be prayer and peace—Allah sent Nebuchadnezzar against them; he destroyed their homes, killed their combatants, took their women and children captive, and imposed the jizya upon those who remained. They continued to pay it to the Magians until the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was sent, who did what he did, then imposed the jizya upon them, and it shall remain imposed until the end of time. This does not contradict the fact that it will be lifted upon the descent of Jesus—upon him be prayer and peace—because that time is an appendage to the Hereafter due to its proximity to it, or because the meaning of his lifting the jizya is that he will not accept anything from them except Islam; he will offer them a choice between it and the sword. Thus, the people at that time will either be Muslims or fodder for their swords, so there is no contradiction. As for what they experience during the time of the Dajjal—despite it being a form of humiliation in itself—it is but a summer cloud [i.e., temporary]. Furthermore, they will not be "Jews" when they are followers [of the Dajjal].

"Indeed, your Lord is swift in punishment" for whomever He—glory be to Him—wills to punish in this world, and among them are these people. It has been said it means in the Hereafter, and it has been said it means in both. "And indeed, He is Forgiving, Merciful" to those who repent and believe.