Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:6

It is an exposition, as Al-Tabrisi said, of their otherworldly punishment following the exposition of their worldly punishment. However, it was suggested that it aims to set forth the principles of the conditions of all morally responsible beings (mukallafin), as this is more inclusionary in terms of intimidation.

The fa (the 'f' in fa-la-nas’alanna) is, according to some, for the purpose of ordering the otherworldly conditions upon the worldly ones in terms of mention, corresponding to their order in terms of existence. Al-Allamah Al-Tibi stated that the fa is fasihah (eloquent/explanatory), implying that when Our might came to them, their claim in this world was naught but to say [in regret], whereupon We cut off the root of those who did wrong; then We shall resurrect them and certainly question them. The noun was placed in the position of the pronoun for the sake of greater emphasis.

It is stated in Al-Kashf: Perhaps the most appropriate view is to make this connected to His saying: "Follow what has been revealed to you... and do not follow other than Him," and to regard His saying: "And how many a city..." etc., as parenthetical, serving as an incitement to reflect upon the state of the predecessors so that they might gird themselves to follow. This is according to one who views the preceding discourse in terms of precedence and postponement, and asserts that the arrival of the "might" in the Hereafter is self-evident. That is: We shall certainly question the nations in their entirety—or these specific ones—saying, "What was your response to the messengers?"

"What were they answered?" The purpose of this question is to rebuke the disbelievers and disparage them. The negation in His saying, "On that day, no man nor jinn will be asked about his sin," refers to the questioning of inquiry/investigation, so there is no contradiction between the two verses. Others have reconciled them by stating that for the affirmative there is one station, and for the negative there is another. The Imam said: They will not be asked about the deeds themselves—i.e., "What did you do?"—but they will be asked about the motives that led them to the deeds and the deterrents that kept them from them—i.e., "Why was such-and-such the case?"

It is also said: The meaning of "No man nor jinn will be asked about his sin" is that one shall not be punished for the sin of another. It is also said: The intended meaning of those to whom messengers were sent, and the messengers, are the angels who conveyed the messages of their Lord to them. This was narrated from Farqad, and you can see what it is worth.

It is also said: There is no need for reconciliation, for what is negated is questioning about the sin itself, not absolute questioning. This was refuted by the fact that the failure to accept the call of the messengers—peace be upon them—is what the reports testify to and what the traditions indicate. There is evidence in the Quran that supports this, as He, the Exalted, said: "On the day when God will gather the messengers and say, 'What were you answered?'" The specification of the questioning of those to whom messengers were sent to what has preceded is the path taken by a group of exegetes.

Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Sufyan al-Thawri that it will be said to those to whom messengers were sent, "Did the messengers convey [the message] to you?" and it will be said to the messengers, "What did they answer you?" He also narrated from Al-Qasim Abu Abd al-Rahman that he recited this verse and said: A servant will be asked on the Day of Resurrection about four things: Your Lord will say, "Did I not give you a body, so in what did you wear it out? Did I not give you knowledge, so in what did you act upon what you knew? Did I not give you wealth, so in what did you spend it—in My obedience or in My disobedience? Did I not give you a lifetime, so in what did you exhaust it?"

He and others also narrated from Tawus that he recited this, and the Imam said: He will be asked about the people; a man will be asked about his family, a woman will be asked about her husband's house, and the servant will be asked about the wealth of his master.

Perhaps the outward meaning is that the questioning of both those to whom the messengers were sent and the messengers themselves here concerns matters relating to each other. This does not preclude that the morally responsible beings will also be asked about other matters. The stations on the Day of Resurrection are various, and the Lord, the Possessor of Majesty, will ask His servants in them about numerous intents. So, glad tidings to the one whom success took by the arm, so he answered with that which saves him.