Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:33

Al-A'raf (The Heights): Verse 33

{قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُواْ بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ} (Say: "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities, those that are apparent of them and those that are hidden, and sin, and transgression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has sent down no authority, and that you say about Allah what you do not know.")

The First Issue: Hamzah recited the word {رَبِّيَ} (Rabbī) with a yā’ (vowelized with kasrah), while the rest of the reciters opened the yā’ (with fatḥah).

The Second Issue: After Allah clarified in the previous verse that what they forbade was not forbidden, in this verse, He specifies the types of prohibitions.

1. He first forbade Al-Fawāḥish (immoralities/outrageous deeds).
2. He then forbade Al-Ithm (sin).

There are differing views on the distinction between these two:

• View 1: Al-Fawāḥish refers to the major sins (Kabā’ir) because their ugliness has become excessive (tafāḥasha). Al-Ithm refers to the minor sins (Ṣaghā’ir). The meaning would then be: He forbade major and minor sins.
  • Critique by Al-Qāḍī: This view is flawed because it implies that fornication (Zinā), theft, and disbelief (Kufr) are not considered Ithm (sin), which is far-fetched.

• View 2: Al-Fāḥishah is a term for an act for which no prescribed legal punishment (ḥadd) is required, while Al-Ithm is a term for an act for which a ḥadd is required.
  • This is close to the first view, and the same objection raised against the first view applies here.

• View 3 (The view favored by Al-Qāḍī): Al-Fāḥishah is the major sin, and Al-Ithm is the general term for any sin, whether major or minor.
  • The benefit of this distinction is that after forbidding the major sin (Al-Fāḥishah), Allah followed it by forbidding any sin (Al-Ithm) so that it is not assumed that the prohibition is restricted only to the major sins.

• View 4: Although Al-Fāḥishah linguistically means anything that is excessive or outrageous in any matter, in common usage (‘urf), it is specifically restricted to fornication (Zinā).
  • Evidence: Allah called fornication a Fāḥishah in the verse: {إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً} (Indeed, it was an outrageous deed) [An-Nisā’: 22]. Furthermore, when the word Fāḥishah is used absolutely, only fornication is understood. If one is described as fāḥish, it means he insults people with words related to sexual intercourse. Therefore, the word Fāḥishah must be restricted to fornication only.

If we adopt View 4 (Fāḥishah = Zinā):

There are two interpretations for {مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ} (what is apparent of it and what is hidden):

1. Apparent (Ẓāhir): Fornication committed openly. Hidden (Bāṭin): Fornication committed secretly, such as that done under the guise of love and affection (‘ishq).
2. Apparent (Ẓāhir): The preliminary acts of fornication, like touching and embracing. Hidden (Bāṭin): The act of penetration.

Under this interpretation, Al-Ithm must be specifically restricted to wine/intoxicants (Khamr), because Allah said regarding wine: {وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا} (And their sin is greater than their benefit) [Al-Baqarah: 219]. This distinction clarifies the difference between the two terms (Fāḥishah and Ithm).

The Third Type of Prohibition: {وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ} (and transgression without right)

• If we hold View 1 (Fawāḥish = all major sins; Ithm = all sins): Then transgression (Baghī) and polytheism (Shirk) must necessarily be included under both Fawāḥish and Ithm. Allah mentioned them separately to indicate that they are the most heinous types of sins, similar to how Gabriel and Michael were mentioned separately alongside the angels.
• If we hold View 4 (Fāḥishah = Zinā; Ithm = Khamr): Then transgression and polytheism are not included under Fawāḥish or Ithm.
  • Baghī (transgression/oppression) is only used for aggression against others in terms of life, wealth, or honor. It can also mean rising up against the ruling authority of the time.

Inquiry: Since Baghī inherently means "without right," what is the benefit of mentioning the condition {بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ} (without right)?

Answer: It is like the verse: {وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ} (And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right) [Al-Isrā’: 33]. The meaning is: Do not harm people by killing or coercion unless you have a legitimate right (e.g., lawful retribution); only then does it cease to be Baghī.

The Fourth Type of Prohibition: {وَأَن تُشْرِكُواْ بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا} (and that you associate partners with Allah for which He has sent down no authority)

Inquiry: This phrasing suggests that there might be some form of Shirk for which Allah has sent down authority.

Answer: It means that affirming something for which there is no proof (ḥujjah) or authority (sulṭān) is impossible. Since the proof and indication for the validity of asserting Shirk cannot exist, the assertion of Shirk must be absolutely false. This verse is one of the strongest proofs that following religious doctrine based on mere imitation (taqlīd) is invalid.

The Fifth Type of Prohibition: {وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ} (and that you say about Allah what you do not know)

This has already been explained in this Sūrah, concerning the verse: {إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْفَحْشَاء أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ} (Indeed, Allah does not order immorality. Do you say about Allah what you do not know?) [Al-A‘rāf: 28].

Inquiry 1: The word {إِنَّمَا} (Innamā - only/indeed) implies restriction/exclusivity. If the forbidden things are restricted to these items, how can this encompass all prohibitions, since the forbidden things are not limited to just these?

Answer:

1. If we adopt the view that Al-Fāḥishah means all major sins and Al-Ithm means all sins, then all sins are included.
2. If we adopt the view that Al-Fāḥishah is fornication and Al-Ithm is wine, we argue that injuries/offenses (Janāyāt) are fundamentally restricted to five categories, and the mentioned items cover the roots of these categories:
   • First: Offenses against lineage, which occur through fornication (referred to by {الْفَوَاحِشَ}).
   • Second: Offenses against intellect, which occur through drinking wine (referred to by {الإِثْمَ}).
   • Third & Fourth: Offenses against honor, and offenses against life and property (referred to by {وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ}).
   • Fifth: Offenses against religion, which are twofold:
     • Denigrating Allah's Oneness (referred to by {وَأَن تُشْرِكُواْ بِاللَّهِ}).
     • Speaking about Allah’s religion without knowledge (referred to by {وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ}).

Since these five cover the fundamental categories of offenses, and all other prohibitions are merely branches or consequences thereof, it is appropriate that Allah used the restrictive particle {إِنَّمَا} as if He mentioned everything.

Inquiry 2: If Al-Fāḥishah and Al-Ithm are defined as what Allah has forbidden, the verse essentially means: "My Lord has only forbidden the forbidden things," which is a statement devoid of benefit.

Answer: The term Fāḥishah being applied to an act signifies that the act inherently contains elements that necessitate prohibition. Given this understanding, the question is nullified.

Verse 34

{وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ} (And for every nation is an appointed term. And when their term comes, they will not remain behind for an hour, nor will they go ahead [of it].)