Surah Al-A'raf, Ayah 1

This surah begins with the disconnected letters, the explanation for which has already preceded in Surah Baqarah.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

المص - كِتَابٌ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ فَلَا يَكُن فِي صَدْرِكَ حَرَجٌ مِّنْهُ لِتُنذِرَ بِهِ وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ - اتَّبِعُوا مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ

(1. Alif-Lam-Mim-Şad.)(2. (This is the) Book (the Qur'an) sent down unto you, so let not your breast be narrow therefrom, that you warn thereby; and a reminder unto the believers.)(3. Follow what has been sent down unto you from your Lord, and follow not any Awliya' (protectors), besides Him (Allah). Little do you remember!)

We mentioned before the explanation of the letters [such as, Alif-Lam, that are in the beginning of some Surahs in the Qur'an].

كِتَابٌ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ

((This is the) Book (the Qur'an) sent down unto you (O Muhammad)), from your Lord,

فَلَا يَكُن فِي صَدْرِكَ حَرَجٌ مِّنْهُ

(so let not your breast be narrow therefrom,) meaning, having doubt about it according to Mujahid, Qatadah and As-Suddi. It was also said that the meaning here is: 'do not hesitate to convey the Qur'an and warn with it,'

فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُولُو الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ

(Therefore be patient as did the Messengers of strong will)[46:35]. Allah said here,

لِتُنذِرَ بِهِ

(that you warn thereby) meaning, 'We sent down the Qur'an so that you may warn the disbelievers with it,'

وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

(and a reminder unto the believers). Allah then said to the world,

اتَّبِعُوا مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ

(Follow what has been sent down unto you from your Lord) meaning, follow and imitate the unlettered Prophet ﷺ, who brought you a Book that was revealed for you, from the Lord and master of everything.

وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ

(and follow not any Awliya', besides Him (Allah)) meaning, do not disregard what the Messenger ﷺ brought you and follow something else, for in this case, you will be deviating from Allah's judgment to the decision of someone else. Allah's statement,

قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ

(Little do you remember!) is similar to,

وَمَا أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

(And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly)[12:103], and;

وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

(And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's path)[6:116], and,

وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُم بِاللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُم مُّشْرِكُونَ

(And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him)[12:106].