Surah Al-A'raf, Ayah 169
Quran 7:169 · The Heights · Makki · Para 9 · Page 172
فَخَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ وَّرِثُوا الْكِتٰبَ یَاْخُذُوْنَ عَرَضَ هٰذَا الْاَدْنٰی وَیَقُوْلُوْنَ سَیُغْفَرُ لَنَا ۚ وَاِنْ یَّاْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِّثْلُهٗ یَاْخُذُوْهُ ؕ اَلَمْ یُؤْخَذْ عَلَیْهِمْ مِّیْثَاقُ الْكِتٰبِ اَنْ لَّا یَقُوْلُوْا عَلَی اللّٰهِ اِلَّا الْحَقَّ وَدَرَسُوْا مَا فِیْهِ ؕ وَالدَّارُ الْاٰخِرَةُ خَیْرٌ لِّلَّذِیْنَ یَتَّقُوْنَ ؕ اَفَلَا تَعْقِلُوْنَ ۟
Transliteration
Fakhalafa min baAAdihim khalfun warithooalkitaba ya/khuthoona AAarada hathaal-adna wayaqooloona sayughfaru lana wa-in ya/tihimAAaradun mithluhu ya/khuthoohu alam yu/khathAAalayhim meethaqu alkitabi an la yaqoolooAAala Allahi illa alhaqqa wadarasoo mafeehi waddaru al-akhiratu khayrun lillatheenayattaqoona afala taAAqiloon
Saheeh International
And there followed them successors who inherited the Scripture [while] taking the commodities of this lower life and saying, "It will be forgiven for us." And if an offer like it comes to them, they will [again] take it. Was not the covenant of the Scripture [i.e., the Torah] taken from them that they would not say about Allāh except the truth, and they studied what was in it? And the home of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allāh, so will you not use reason?
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
Then an evil people followed after these people, receiving the Torah from those who came before them. They read it but did not act according to what was in it, taking the miserable goods of this life as a bribe to distort the scripture of Allah; and they gave judgements which were not according to what was revealed in the scripture, convincing themselves that Allah would forgive them their sins. If some petty worldly gain should come their way, they would take it every time. Did Allah not make promises and contracts with these people that they would not say anything about Allah except the truth, without distorting or changing anything? Their failure to act according to what was in the scripture was not due to ignorance, but was in full knowledge, because they had studied what was in the scripture and knew it, which meant that their disobedience was greater. Yet the home of the Afterlife and its eternal bliss is far better than any passing gain that they may have been given as a bribe. It is for those who are Mindful, following what He instructs and staying away from what He has prohibited. Do those who take these insignificant goods not understand that what Allah has prepared for those who are mindful in the Afterlife is far better and more lasting?
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Explains 7:168–7:170 together — read it on 7:168