And We divided them throughout the earth into nations. Of them some were righteous, and of them some were otherwise. And We tested them with good [times] and bad that perhaps they would return [to obedience].
Verse 168 of Surah Al-A’raf (7:168), a Meccan surah, is in juz 9, on page 172 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 168 of Surah Al-A’raf
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Tafsir of verse 168
Al-Mukhtasar
And I broke and separated them up in the earth, dividing them into communities, after they had been united. Among them were those who were righteous and who upheld the rights of Allah and the rights of His creatures; among them were those who were moderate; and among them were those who were excessive in their disobedience. Allah tested them with ease and difficulty, so that they might return from what they were doing.
We scattered them66 through the land in communities – some of them were righteous and others were less so. We tested them with both prosperity and adversity, so that they would return [to Allah’s Obedience].
Notes
[66] This is an allusion to the Jewish Diaspora and their dispersion out of their lands. See 17:4-8.
And We have broken them (i.e. the Jews) up into various separate groups on the earth: some of them are righteous and some are away from that. And We tried them with good (blessings) and evil (calamities) in order that they might turn (to Allâh’s Obedience).
And We have sundered them in the earth as (separate) nations. Some of them are righteous, and some far from that. And We have tried them with good things and evil things that haply they might return.
We broke them up into sections on this earth. There are among them some that are the righteous, and some that are the opposite. We have tried them with both prosperity and adversity: In order that they might turn (to us).
And We cut them up on the earth into parties, (some) of them being righteous and (others) of them falling short of that, and We tried them with blessings and misfortunes that they might turn.
And We cut them up in the earth into nations, (some) of them righteous, and (some) of them lesser than that; (Literally: orher than that) and We tried them with fair things and odious things that possibly they would return..
Verse 168 word by word
وَقَطَّعْنَٰهُمْwaqaṭṭaʿnāhumAnd We divided themق ط ع
And We said after him [i.e., Pharaoh] to the Children of Israel, "Dwell in the land, and when there comes the promise [i.e., appointment] of the Hereafter, We will bring you forth in [one] gathering."
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when Allāh took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, [saying], "You must make it clear [i.e., explain it] to the people and not conceal it." But they threw it away behind their backs and exchanged it for a small price. And wretched is that which they purchased.
