thumma baddalnā makāna l-sayi-ati l-ḥasanata ḥattā ʿafaw waqālū qad massa ābāanā l-ḍarāu wal-sarāu fa-akhadhnāhum baghtatan wahum lā yashʿurūna
Translation
Then We exchanged in place of the bad [condition], good, until they increased [and prospered] and said, "Our fathers [also] were touched with hardship and ease."383 So We seized them suddenly while they did not perceive.384
Notes
[383] Instead of being grateful to Allāh for His blessings, they merely attributed them to the changing fortunes of time.
[384] That they had been tried and tested.
Verse 95 of Surah Al-A’raf (7:95), a Meccan surah, is in juz 9, on page 162 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 95 of Surah Al-A’raf
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Tafsir of verse 95
Al-Mukhtasar
After trying them with suffering and illness Allah improved their situation and turned their suffering into well-being and safety, until they became many and their wealth increased, and they said that the bad and good that they had experienced was a normal part of life and that the same thing had happened to their ancestors before them. They did not recognise that there was a lesson to be learned in the difficulties that occurred to them and that there was a test for them in the good that they were given. Then Allah overtook them suddenly with the punishment, while they were unaware of it and did not expect it.
Then We changed their adversity into prosperity until they flourished and said, “Our forefathers were also afflicted with hardship and ease.” Then We seized them by surprise while they were unaware.
Then We changed the evil for the good, until they increased in number and in wealth, and said: "Our fathers were touched with evil (loss of health and calamities) and with good (prosperity)." So We seized them all of a sudden while they were unaware.
Then changed We the evil plight for good till they grew affluent and said: Tribulation and distress did touch our fathers. Then We seized them unawares, when they perceived not.
Then We changed their suffering into prosperity, until they grew and multiplied, and began to say: "Our fathers (too) were touched by suffering and affluence" ... Behold! We called them to account of a sudden, while they realised not (their peril).
Then We gave them good in the place of evil until they became many and said: Distress and happiness did indeed befall our fathers. Then We took them by surprise while they did not perceive.
Thereafter We exchanged in place of an odious deed a fair (reward), (i.e., replaced adversity by good fortune) till they lived in luxury and said, "Tribulation and easiness already touched our fathers." So We took them (away) suddenly, (while) they were not aware.
And they urge you to hasten the punishment. And if not for [the decree of] a specified term, punishment would have reached them. But it will surely come to them suddenly while they perceive not.
Then do they feel secure that there will not come to them an overwhelming [aspect] of the punishment of Allāh or that the Hour will not come upon them suddenly while they do not perceive?
