Quran

Quran 7:157, the unlettered prophet.

Surah Al-Araf, ayah 157: "Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right..." Read it in Arabic with transliteration and the Sahih International translation, with the ayah before and after it, and listen to it recited.

7:156Before

۞ وَٱكْتُبْ لَنَا فِى هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ عَذَابِىٓ أُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَنْ أَشَآءُ ۖ وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۢ ۚ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١٥٦﴾

Waktub lanaa fee haazi hid dunyaa hasanatanw wa fil Aakhirati innnaa hudnaaa ilaik; qaala 'azaabee useebu bihee man ashaaa'u wa rahmatee wasi'at kulla shai'; fasa aktubuhaa lillazeena yattaqoona wa yu'toonaz Zakaata wallazeena hum bi Aayaatinaa yu'minoon

And decree for us in this world [that which is] good and [also] in the Hereafter; indeed, we have turned back to You." [Allah] said, "My punishment - I afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things." So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me and give zakah and those who believe in Our verses -

7:157This ayah

ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ ٱلْأُمِّىَّ ٱلَّذِى يَجِدُونَهُۥ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَٱلْإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَىٰهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْخَبَٰٓئِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَٱلْأَغْلَٰلَ ٱلَّتِى كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ ٱلنُّورَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ مَعَهُۥٓ ۙ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿١٥٧﴾

Allazeena yattabi'oonar Rasoolan Nabiyyal ummiyyal lazee yajidoonahoo maktooban 'indahum fit Tawraati wal Injeeli yaa muruhum bilma'roofi wa yanhaahum 'anil munkari wa yuhillu lahumul taiyibaati wa yuharrimu 'alaihimul khabaaa'isa wa yada'u 'anhum israhum wal aghlaalal latee kaanat 'alaihim; fallazeena aamanoo bihee wa 'azzaroohu wa nnasaroohu wattaba'un nooral lazeee unzila ma'ahooo ulaaa'ika humul muflihoon

Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful.

7:158After

قُلْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ ۖ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ٱلنَّبِىِّ ٱلْأُمِّىِّ ٱلَّذِى يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَٱتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٥٨﴾

Qul yaaa aiyuhan naasu innee Rasoohul laahi ilaikum jamee'anil lazee lahoo mulkus samaawaati wal ardi laaa ilaaha illaa Huwa yuhyee wa yumeetu fa aaminoo billaahi wa Rasoolihin Nabiyyil ummiy yil lazee yu'minu billaahi wa Kalimaatihee wattabi'oohu la'allakum tahtadoon

Say, [O Muhammad], "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death." So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.

Arabic: Tanzil, Uthmani script. English: Sahih International. Audio: EveryAyah. Transliteration is a learning aid; read from the Arabic when you can.

Meaning and lessons

What Quran 7:157 means, in brief.

Allah describes those who will receive His mercy: those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet (an-nabi al-ummi), whom they find written in the Torah and the Gospel that they have. He commands what is right, forbids what is wrong, makes good things lawful and harmful things unlawful, and lifts from them the heavy burdens and shackles that were on earlier communities.

Ibn Kathir explains that the description of the Prophet ﷺ was in the earlier scriptures, and cites Abdullah ibn Amr, who quoted from the Torah: "O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good news and a warner... not harsh or coarse, nor one who shouts in the markets" (Sahih al-Bukhari 2125). Success is for those who believe in him, honour him, support him and follow the light sent down with him, the Quran.

Summarised in our own words from Tafsir Ibn Kathir, on Quran 7:157. Translation of the ayah: Sahih International.

Lessons from this ayah

  • The Prophet ﷺ was sent with ease: his law lifts burdens rather than adding them.
  • Honouring and supporting the Prophet ﷺ is part of following him.
  • The Quran is called a light that was sent down with him.

Where Quran 7:157 is in the mushaf

Ayah 157 of Surah Al-Araf (الأَعۡرَافِ), "The Heights", surah 7 of the Quran, a Meccan surah of 206 ayat revealed in Makkah. It is in juz 9 (para 9), hizb 17, on page 170 of the standard Madinah mushaf. People search for it as 7/157, 7 157 or Quran 7 157.

More verses on this theme: Quran verses about mercy.

Questions

Good to know.

What does Quran 7:157 say?

Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful. (Sahih International)

What is Quran 7:157 about?

Allah describes those who will receive His mercy: those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet (an-nabi al-ummi), whom they find written in the Torah and the Gospel that they have. He commands what is right, forbids what is wrong, makes good things lawful and harmful things unlawful, and lifts from them the heavy burdens and shackles that were on earlier communities.

Which surah and juz is 7:157 in?

It is in Surah Al-Araf, surah 7 of the Quran, in juz 9 (para 9), on page 170 of the Madinah mushaf.

What comes before and after 7:157?

The ayah before, 7:156, says: "And decree for us in this world [that which is] good and [also] in the Hereafter; indeed, we have turned back to You." [Allah] said, "My punishment - I afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things." So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me and give zakah and those who believe in Our verses -" The ayah after, 7:158, says: "Say, [O Muhammad], "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death." So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided."