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fa-la-nasʾalanna lladhīna ʾursila ʾilayhim wa-la-nasʾalanna l-mursalīna
We will surely question those to whom the apostles were sent, and We will surely question the apostles.
— Ali Quli Qarai
7Al-A'rāfالأعرافVerse 6 of 206
The Heights7. Al-A'rāfالأعراف
Al A‘rāf
The Heights
MeccanVerse 6 of 206
Surah Al-‘A’raf, Verses 6 - 7
6. "Then certainly We will question those to whom (Our messengers) were sent, and certainly We will also question the messengers."
7. "Then certainly We will relate to them with knowledge for We were not absent."
The previous verse has referred to the worldly punishment. Here, in this verse, the existence of punishment and reckoning in the Hereafter is stated with several emphases. In these two verses, the certainty of the existence of question on the Day of Judgment and that it is not specialized to the sinners alone, is mentioned, too.
Explanations
1. On the Day of Judgment, surely all people will be questioned, including: both the leaders, the nations and followers, both the good doers and the evildoers, and both the scholars and the imitators of them.
In the next verse, in order that no one considers that questioning from communities and their concerning prophets can be an evidence that there is some thing concealed from Allah’s knowledge, clearly and with an emphasis strengthened with an oath, it implies that Allah will explain all their deeds to them with His Knowledge, because He has never been absent from them. He (S.w.T.) has been with them everywhere and in all circumstances. The verse says:
2. On that Day, questioning is a kind of calling to witness, making confession and reprimand. But the fact is that there is nothing concealed to Allah to be discovered by question.
Note
There are some points upon this verse which should be noted, as follows:
1. What matter or matters will be questioned?
2. The bounties will be questioned:
It is recorded in some Islamic traditions that the objective meaning of 'bounties', here, is the bounty of 'mastership' and 'leadership'.
3. The deeds of people will be questioned:
4. The limbs will be questioned of: "... surely the hearing and the sight and the heart, all of these shall be questioned about that." (Surah Al-Isra', No.17. verse 36)
5. As the Islamic traditions indicate, the life-time, the youth, the incomes, and the expenses will be questioned.