Surah Al A'raf Notes (188-192)

( Source: Ibn Kathir )

The Messenger does not know the Unseen, and He cannot bring Benefit or Harm even to Himself

 (188) Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allah wills. If I had the knowledge of the Ghaib (unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe."

Allah commanded His Prophet to entrust all matters to Him and to inform, about himself, that he does not know the unseen future, but he knows of it only what Allah informs him.

(If I had the knowledge of the Ghayb (Unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth.) refers to money. In another narration, Ibn `Abbas commented, "I would have knowledge of how much profit I would make with what I buy, and I would always sell what I would make profit from.

("and no evil should have touched me.'') and poverty would never touch me.


All Mankind are the Offspring of Adam

 (189) It is He who created you from one soul and created from it its mate that he might dwell in security with her. And when he covers her, she carries a light burden and continues therein. And when it becomes heavy, they both invoke Allah , their Lord, "If You should give us a good [child], we will surely be among the grateful."

(And (then) He has created from him his wife, in order that he might enjoy the pleasure of living with her.) so that he is intimate and compassionate with her.

Indeed, there is no intimacy between two souls like that between the spouses. This is why Allah mentioned that the sorcerer might be able with his trick to separate between a man and his wife ﴿thus indicating the difficulty of separating them in normal circumstances.

(When he covered her) meaning had sexual intercourses with her.

(she became pregnant and she carried it about lightly) in reference to the first stage of pregnancy when the woman does not feel pain, for at that time, the fetus will be just a Nutfah (the mixture of the male and female discharge), then becomes an `Alaqah (a piece of thick coagulated blood) and then a Mudghah (a small lump of flesh).

(and she carried it about), she continued the pregnancy.

(Then when it became heavy), she became heavier with the fetus.

(they both invoked Allah, their Lord (saying): "If You give us a Salih child,) if he is born human in every respect.

 (190) But when He gave them a Salih (good in every aspect) child, they ascribed partners to Him (Allah) in that which He has given to them. High be Allah, Exalted above all that they ascribe as partners to Him. 

(they ascribed partners to Him (Allah) in that which He has given to them)  This Ayah refers to those among the offspring of Adam who fell into Shirk.


Idols do not create, help, or have Power over Anything

(191) Do they attribute as partners to Allah those who created nothing but they themselves are created?

(192) No help can they give them, nor can they help themselves.

Allah admonishes the idolators who worshipped idols, rivals and images besides Him, although these objects were created by Allah, and neither own anything nor can they bring harm or benefit. These objects do not see or give aid to those who worship them. They are inanimate objects that neither move, hear, or see. Those who worship these objects are better than they are, for they hear see and have strength of their own.