Surah Al-A'raf, Ayah 33 (7:33)

ٱلْأَعْرَاف

قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّىَ ٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَٱلْإِثْمَ وَٱلْبَغْىَ …

Quran 7:33 is ayah 33 of Surah Al-A'raf (“The Heights”), a Meccan surah of 206 ayahs. It is in Juz 8, on page 154 of the Madani Mushaf.

7:33
قُلْإِنَّمَاحَرَّمَرَبِّىَٱلْفَوَٰحِشَمَاظَهَرَمِنْهَاوَمَابَطَنَوَٱلْإِثْمَوَٱلْبَغْىَبِغَيْرِٱلْحَقِّوَأَنتُشْرِكُوا۟بِٱللَّهِمَالَمْيُنَزِّلْبِهِۦسُلْطَٰنًاوَأَنتَقُولُوا۟عَلَىٱللَّهِمَالَاتَعْلَمُونَ٣٣
qul innamā ḥarrama rabbiya l-fawāḥisha mā ẓahara min'hā wamā baṭana wal-ith'ma wal-baghya bighayri l-ḥaqi wa-an tush'rikū bil-lahi mā lam yunazzil bihi sul'ṭānan wa-an taqūlū ʿalā l-lahi mā lā taʿlamūna

Say, "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed - and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allāh that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allāh that which you do not know."(33)

Word by word

  1. قُلْqulSay
  2. إِنَّمَاinnamāOnly
  3. حَرَّمَḥarrama(had) forbidden
  4. رَبِّىَrabbiyamy Lord
  5. ٱلْفَوَٰحِشَl-fawāḥishathe shameful deeds
  6. مَاmāwhat
  7. ظَهَرَẓahara(is) apparent
  8. مِنْهَاmin'hāof it
  9. وَمَاwamāand what
  10. بَطَنَbaṭanais concealed
  11. وَٱلْإِثْمَwal-ith'maand the sin
  12. وَٱلْبَغْىَwal-baghyaand the oppression
  13. بِغَيْرِbighayriwithout
  14. ٱلْحَقِّl-ḥaqi[the] right
  15. وَأَنwa-anand that
  16. تُشْرِكُوا۟tush'rikūyou associate (others)
  17. بِٱللَّهِbil-lahiwith Allah
  18. مَاmāwhat
  19. لَمْlamnot
  20. يُنَزِّلْyunazzilHe (has) sent down
  21. بِهِۦbihiof it
  22. سُلْطَٰنًاsul'ṭānanany authority
  23. وَأَنwa-anand that
  24. تَقُولُوا۟taqūlūyou say
  25. عَلَىʿalāabout
  26. ٱللَّهِl-lahiAllah
  27. مَاmāwhat
  28. لَاlānot
  29. تَعْلَمُونَtaʿlamūnayou know

Tafsir (commentary) of 7:33

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English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Fahishah, Sin, Transgression, Shirk and Lying about Allah are prohibited

Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«لَا أَحَدَ أَغْيَرُ مِنَ اللهِ فَلِذَلِكَ حَرَّمَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ، وَلَا أَحَدَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ الْمَدْحُ مِنَ الله»

(None is more jealous than Allah, and this is why He prohibited Fawahish, committed openly or in secret. And none likes praise more than Allah). This was also recorded in the Two Sahihs. In the explanation of Surat Al-An`am, we explained the Fahishah that is committed openly and in secret. Allah said next,

وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْىَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ

(and Ithm, and transgression without right,) 7:33. As-Suddi commented, "Al-Ithm means, `disobedience'. As for unrighteous oppression, it occurs when you transgress against people without justification." Mujahid said, "Ithm includes all types of disobedience. Allah said that the oppressor commits oppression against himself." Therefore, the meaning of, Ithm is the sin that one commits against himself, while `oppression' pertains to transgression against other people, and Allah prohibited both. Allah's statement,

وَأَن تُشْرِكُواْ بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَـناً

(and joining partners with Allah for which He has given no authority, ) prohibits calling partners with Allah in worship.

وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

(and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge.) such as lies and inventions, like claiming that Allah has a son, and other evil creeds that you -- O idolators -- have no knowledge of. This is similar to His saying:

فَاجْتَنِبُواْ الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الاٌّوْثَـنِ

(So shun the abomination (worshipping) of the idols) 22:30.

Read the full Surah Al-A'raf