Surah Al-Araf, Verse 171/172

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 *Surah Al-Araf, Verse 171:*

وَإِذْ نَتَقْنَا الْجَبَلَ فَوْقَهُمْ كَأَنَّهُ ظُلَّةٌ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُ وَاقِعٌ بِهِمْ خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَاكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَاذْكُرُوا مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

And (remember) when We raised the mountain over them as if it had been a canopy, and they thought that it was going to fall on them. (We said): "Hold firmly to what We have given you [i.e. the Taurat (Torah)], and remember that which is therein (act on its commandments), so that you may fear Allah and obey Him."

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*Surah Al-Araf, Verse 172:*

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَنِي آدَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ شَهِدْنَا أَن تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَٰذَا غَافِلِينَ

And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed (or from Adam's loin his offspring) and made them testify as to themselves (saying): "Am I not your Lord?" They said: "Yes! We testify," lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: "Verily, we have been unaware of this."

#COMMENTARY

This passage has led to differences of opinion in interpretation. According to the dominant opinion of commentators each individual in the posterity of Ādam had a separate existence from the time of Ādam, and a Covenant was taken from all of them, which is binding accordingly on each individual. The words in the text refer to the descendants of the Children of Ādam, i.e., to all humility, born or unborn, without any limit of time. Adam's seed carries on the existence of Ādam and succeeds to his spiritual heritage. Humanity has been given by ALLĀH certain powers and facilities, whose possession creates on our side special spiritual obligations which we must faithfully discharge: These obligations may from a legal point of view be considered as arising from implied Covenants. In the preceding verse (chapter vii, verse 171) a reference was made to the implied Covenant of the Jewish nation. Now we consider the implied Covenant of the whole of humility, for the Holy Prophet's mission was world-wide.

The Covenant is completed in this way. We acknowledge that ALLĀH is our Creator, Cherisher, and Sustainer: therefore we acknowledge our duty to Him: when we so testify concerning ourselves, the obligation is as it were assumed by us; for it follows from our very nature when it is pure and uncorrupted.