Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:199

Al-A'raf (The Heights): Verse 199

{خذ العفو وأمر بالعرف وأعرض عن الجاهلين} (Take what is easy/forgiven, enjoin what is right, and turn away from the ignorant.)

Know that after Allah (Exalted is He) clarified in the previous verse that He is the one who takes care of the Prophet (PBUH), and that idols and their worshippers cannot cause harm or injury, this verse clarifies the upright methodology and the straight path in dealing with people, saying: {Take what is easy/forgiven (Al-'Afw) and enjoin what is right (Al-Ma'ruf)}.

Linguistically, Al-'Afw means the surplus, or what is obtained without imposition or difficulty.

Having established this, we say: The rights that are to be exacted from people fall into two categories:

1. Those where leniency and forgiveness are permissible.
2. Those where they are not permissible.

1. Permissible Leniency (Al-'Afw)

This first category is what is intended by {Take Al-'Afw}. This includes:

• Refraining from being strict in all matters related to financial rights.
• Adopting good character in dealing with people, and abandoning harshness and rudeness, as Allah says: {And if you had been rude in speech and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you} (Al 'Imran: 159).
• From this category is inviting people to the true religion with gentleness and kindness, as Allah says: {And debate with them in the best way} (An-Nahl: 125).

2. Necessary Action (Al-Ma'ruf)

This is the second category, where leniency is not permissible. The ruling here is to enjoin what is right (Al-Ma'ruf). Al-'Urf, Al-'Arifah, and Al-Ma'ruf all refer to every command that is known to be necessary to perform, and whose existence is better than its absence.

If one were to limit themselves only to taking Al-'Afw in this category, and did not enjoin Al-Ma'ruf or reveal the truth of the situation, it would be an effort to change the religion and nullify the truth, which is not permissible.

Furthermore, when one enjoins what is right, encourages it, forbids what is wrong, and deters from it, some ignorant people might resort to foolishness and harm. For this reason, Allah says at the end of the verse: {And turn away from the ignorant}.

Allah also says in another verse: {And when they pass by idle talk, they pass by with dignity} (Al-Furqan: 72), and {And those who do not testify to falsehood, and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity} (Al-Mu'minun: 3), and concerning the description of the people of Paradise: {They will not hear therein ill speech or sinful talk} (Al-Waqi'ah: 25).

Once your intellect grasps this division, you will know that this verse encompasses the noblest of morals concerning human interaction with others.

Sayings of the Scholars:

• Al-Ikrimah reported that when this verse was revealed, the Prophet (PBUH) asked Gabriel: "What is this?" Gabriel replied: "O Muhammad, your Lord says: It is for you to connect with those who cut you off, to give to those who deprive you, and to forgive those who wrong you." The scholars noted that Gabriel's interpretation aligns with the literal meaning of the verse: connecting with one who cuts you off implies forgiving him ('Afw); giving to one who deprives you is enjoining what is right (Ma'ruf); and forgiving one who wrongs you is turning away from the ignorant (I'rad 'an al-Jahilin).
• Ja'far al-Sadiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "There is no verse in the Qur'an more comprehensive of noble morals than this verse."

Alternative Interpretation (Abrogation View)

The commentators have another path in interpreting this verse: {Take Al-'Afw} means: Take what they willingly give you of their wealth—that which they offer freely—and do not ask for what is beyond that.

They argued that this was the ruling before the obligation of Zakat (obligatory charity) was legislated. Once the verse mandating Zakat with specific measures was revealed, this verse became abrogated, except for the part: {and enjoin what is right}, meaning establishing the true religion and proving its arguments, and {and turn away from the ignorant}, meaning the polytheists. They further argued that even this remaining part is abrogated by the "Verse of the Sword" (referring to verses commanding fighting). According to this view, the entire verse is abrogated except for {and enjoin what is right}.

Know that specifying {Take Al-'Afw} to mean only what was given willingly is restricting the absolute without evidence. Moreover, if we apply this to the payment of Zakat, the obligation of Zakat with specific measures does not contradict this principle. This is because the collector of Zakat is commanded not to take the best of people's wealth, nor to be harsh with the one paying Zakat. Thus, the obligation of Zakat is not a reason for this verse to be abrogated.

Regarding {And turn away from the ignorant}, the intent is to command the Prophet (PBUH) to be patient with their bad manners and not to respond to their weak statements or base actions with similar ones. This does not imply refraining from fighting, because the Prophet (PBUH) could be commanded to turn away from the ignorant while simultaneously being commanded to fight the polytheists. It is not contradictory to say that the Lawgiver does not meet their foolishness with similar foolishness, yet He fights them. When combining both commands is possible, there is no need to insist on abrogation. However, the Zahiri school of commentators are fond of multiplying abrogated verses without necessity or need.

{And if a suggestion from Satan should touch you, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing.}