Juz 9: Al-Aʿrāf 88 to Al-Anfāl 40
Section 9 of 16 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
10. Allah's Mercy and the Qualities of the Final Prophet
Following the account of the golden calf incident, Allah transitions to discuss His infinite mercy and the characteristics of the final Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This section provides a profound message of hope after the stern warnings about disobedience and deviation.
Allah begins by emphasizing that His mercy encompasses everything, establishing a fundamental principle in Islamic theology. Despite the severity of punishment for idolatry and deviation, Allah's mercy remains the dominant attribute. This mercy, however, is particularly directed toward those who fulfill certain conditions, as mentioned in verse 156:
وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
“And My mercy extends to everything. So, I shall write it for those who fear (Allah) and pay zakāh, and those who believe in Our verses.”
This verse identifies three key qualities that attract divine mercy: developing taqwa (God-consciousness), fulfilling financial obligations through zakah, and affirming faith in Allah's revelations. These qualities represent the essence of balanced religious practice—internal piety, social responsibility, and intellectual conviction.
The passage then introduces a profound prophecy about the coming of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), described as the "unlettered prophet" whose mission would be universal, unlike previous messengers whose missions were limited to specific communities. Verse 157 presents this momentous announcement:
الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ
“Those who follow the Messenger, the Ummī (unlettered) Prophet whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Injīl.”
The Quran affirms that previous scriptures contained clear prophecies about the coming of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). His designation as ummī (unlettered) emphasizes the miracle of the Quran—that an unlettered person could bring forth such profound wisdom and eloquence, proving its divine origin.
The verse continues to outline the Prophet's mission and characteristics:
يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ
“those who follow the Messenger, the Ummiyy (unlettered) prophet whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Injīl , and who bids them what is fair and forbids what is unfair, and makes lawful for them good things, and makes unlawful for them impure things, and relieves them of their burden, and of the shackles that were upon them. So, those who believe in him and support him, and help him and follow the light sent down with him, - those are the ones who are successful.”” (7:157)