Summary of Quran Chapter 7 Surah Al-A’raf The Heights 

or
The Wall of Elevations 

1: Surah Al-A’raf is the seventh surah of the Quran. It
has 206 verses. This is Surah Makki. According to some Qur’anic commentators,
some verses of this surah are also Madani. That is, it was also revealed in the
city of Madinah. The time of the revelation of this Surah is related to the
revelation before the migration to Mecca. The revelation of Surah Al-A’raf has
been done all at once. It is narrated from Hazrat Ayesha that the Prophet of
Islam used to complete this Surah by reciting it in two rak’ats of Maghrib
prayers. (Al-Sunan al-Sughra, also known as Sunan an-Nasa’i, is one of the
Kutub al-Sittah and was collected by Al-Nasa’i. Volume 1 Page 126). 

Surah Al-An’am is the last surah of the Meccan period. We
do not have any written evidence regarding the Meccan Surahs to suggest the
time and place of its revelation. Therefore, to say Makki for Surah Makki means
to take the evidence, subject, subject matter, and style of expression within
these Surahs. 

Al-A’raf (heights) is the plural of araf, which means
high place. Such as the high mounds of the desert or the high and low hills.
Qur’anic commentators state that some high hills and small hills are located
between heaven and hell. From this place, viewers will see heaven on one side
and hell on the other. Those whose good deeds and sins are equal in weight will
be accommodated there. From there they will see people going to heaven and
hell. After that, these people will be judged. Then Allah, by His mercy, will
admit them to Paradise. 

The main theme of this surah is Prophethood and the
Hereafter. The style of this surah is clear from the narration. 

The subject of this surah is Prophethood. Evidence of
prophethood, invitation of prophethood is included. If Surah Al-An’am teaches
Tawheed, its subject is La ilaha illa Allah, (that there is no
god but Allah) then the subject of Surah A’raf is Muhammad, the Messenger of
Allah. The subjects of the entire Surah revolve around the Prophethood like
butterflies. 

It is also a time of turmoil and a time of great hardship
and trouble. Hazrat Muhammad used to visit Taif (the city in Saudi Arabia) due
to extreme hardships and troubles in Makkah. Even there, Muhammad does not find
refuge. Hazrat Muhammad also invites a tribe to Islam on the occasion of Hajj,
but no benefit. The people of Makkah repeatedly advise to kill Hazrat Muhammad
or imprison him or expel him from their settlement. At the very beginning of
this surah, The seriousness of this situation has been pointed out. 

This Surah begins with an invitation to read the Qur’an,
to read and understand and explain it, and the fun part is that the concluding
text of this Surah is almost the same that when this Qur’an is recited, listen
to it silently. Take care of it, so that Allah may have mercy on you. The time of the revelation
of this Surah is almost the same as that of Surah Al-An’am. In the end, it is
addressed to the People of the Book and to all humanity, which shows that the
time of migration is coming and this invitation will now spread from Mecca to
the whole world. (Dr. Late Ghulam Murtaza Malik-Renowned Islamic Scholar). 

2: This Surah is also Makki (revealed in Makkah). Its main
theme is to prove the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) message and the Hereafter.
Along with this, the arguments of Tawheed (tawḥīd, meaning “unification
or oneness of God as per Islam (Arabic: الله
Allāh)”; is the indivisible oneness concept of monotheism in Islam.) have also been stated. And the incidents of
many prophets are also narrated in detail. In particular, the incident of
Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) being visited as a mountain is mentioned in
the most detailed way in this Surah. “Aaraf” literally means heights.
And the term refers to the place between heaven and hell. And those whose good
and bad deeds are equal will be kept here for a while, then because of their
faith and by the special mercy of Allah, they too will enter Paradise. Since in
this surah the description of Aaraf and those who are included in it has been
given in detail. That is why it is called Surah A’raf. (Mufti Taqi Usmani-Former
Judge of Supreme court of Pakistan-An Islamic Scholar). 

3: Surah Al-A’raf is also the longest surah of the
Qur’an. Since this surah is related to Surat al-An’am as a couple, its subjects
have been introduced at the beginning of Surat al-An’am. There has also been a
detailed discussion on the philosophy of (Al-Tazkir-e-Bala-Allah and
Al-Tazkir-e-Bayam-e-Allah). In (Tazkir Bayam Allah). The themes of Surah
Al-A’raf are arranged in such a way that the beginning of human creation is
mentioned first by telling the story of Adam and Iblis (Satan). Then the end of
the worldly life is mentioned. 

Three types of people are described in this concluding round.
The first is the mention of the people of Hell. After that, the people of
Paradise and then the people of Aaraf (the Heights), but those who have not yet
decided about entering Paradise or Hell. Thus, after the mention of the
beginning of human life and its end, the mention of the intervening period of
human life has come in the form of Tazkir Bayam Allah (the condition of the
Prophets (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all.) and their
nations), which is the subject matter (main theme) of this Surah. (Dr. Israr
Ahmed-Founder of tanzeem-i-Islami and renowned Islamic Scholar).