Tafseer of The Heights · Al-A'raaf · 7:75
Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people to those who were oppressed - to those who believed among them, "Do you [actually] know that Salih is sent from his Lord?" They said, "Indeed we, in that with which he was sent, are believers."
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 words: قَالَ الْمَلأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِمَنْ آمَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَالِحًا مُرْسَلٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ قَالُوا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلَ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ (75) ("The eminent ones who were arrogant among his people said to those who were deemed weak, to those among them who believed: Do you really know that Ṣāliḥ has been sent by his Lord? They said: Verily, we believe in that with which he has been sent") (7:75).
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose praise is great, means by His words (قَالَ الْمَلأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ): the group among the people of Ṣāliḥ who deemed themselves too arrogant to follow Ṣāliḥ and to believe in Allah and in him, said (للذين استضعفوا), that is to say: to the needy ones among the followers of Ṣāliḥ and the believers in him among them, to the exclusion of the notables and those in authority among them: (أتعلمون أن صالحًا مرسل من ربه), has Allah sent him to us and to you? Then those who believed in Ṣāliḥ among those deemed weak among them said: Verily, we believe in that with which Allah has sent Ṣāliḥ of truth and guidance. He says: we affirm and acknowledge that it is from Allah, and that Allah has commanded it, and that Ṣāliḥ has called us to it by the command of Allah.
