Tafseer of The Heights · Al-A'raaf · 7:139
Indeed, those [worshippers] - destroyed is that in which they are [engaged], and worthless is whatever they were doing."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of His word: إِنَّ هَؤُلاءِ مُتَبَّرٌ مَا هُمْ فِيهِ وَبَاطِلٌ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (139) (Indeed, as for these — that in which they are engaged shall be destroyed, and vain is what they used to do.) (7:139)
Abū Jaʿfar said: This is a communication from Allah, exalted be His mention, about what Mūsā said to his people of the Children of Israel. Allah, exalted be His mention, says: Mūsā said to them: Indeed, as for these who devote themselves prostrating to these idols — Allah will destroy as to its working that in which they are engaged and will bring it to ruin, and He will cause them to suffer loss therein, in that He will requite them for it with the humiliating punishment = "and vain is what they used to do," namely their worship of these images, for that will come to nothing, because it will not avail them when the command of Allah comes and when it descends upon their courtyard, and nothing will ward off from them the punishment of Allah when it descends upon them, and nothing will save them from His chastisement when He punishes them on the Day of Resurrection. It is therefore in the sense of something that never existed.
* * *
And in accordance with what we have said about this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
15059 - Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to me, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us = Mūsā ibn Hārūn related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn Ḥammād related to us = both together said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: (Indeed, as for these — that in which they are engaged shall be destroyed), he says: that in which they are engaged shall be brought to ruin.
15060 - Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word: (Indeed, as for these — that in which they are engaged shall be destroyed), he says: loss.
15061 - Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word: (Indeed, as for these — that in which they are engaged shall be destroyed, and vain is what they used to do), he said: All of this is one and the same, like the manner of: "Forgiving, Merciful," "Forbearing, Forgiving." He said: And the Arabs say: "Indeed, the wretched one is verily destroyed (mutabbar)," "and indeed, the wretched one verily suffers loss (mukhassar)."
