Disclaimer: These notes are my personal reflections on the Quran and have been organised in a way that identifies and groups different themes that emerge from each chapter, with the intention to help facilitate a deeper understanding, help pinpoint where key messages are located in the Quran, and foster a closer relationship with Allah. May this effort please Him, ameen. I hope that these notes will assist others in their own study and reflection.  Feel free to leave a comment and spark a discussion. If I have made any errors, I apologise and would appreciate it if you could correct me in the comments. These notes are not intended to be authoritative or definitive – please do refer to the original text and do your own research.

Opening verses

• Alif-Lãm-Mĩm-Ṣãd. (7:1) (see reflections on surat Al Baqarah,  verse [2:1])
• ˹This is˺ a Book revealed to you — do not let any uneasiness be in your chest regarding it—so that you warn with it, and as a reminder for the believers. (7:2)
• Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord, and do not take others as allies besides Him. Little what you remember! (7:3)

Warning

• Then surely we will question those to whom messengers were sent – and We shall question the messengers themselves. (7:6)

The Day of Judgement

• The weighing on that Day will be the truth. So those whose scale will be heavy will be successful one. (7:8)
• And those whose scale is light will be the ones who lost themselves because they were doing injustice to Our verses. (7:9)

Allah’s favours

• And certainly We established you in earth and provided you with a means of livelihood. Little you are grateful. (7:10)

Adam and Iblis’s (the devil) plan for mankind

• Surely We created you, then shaped you, then said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam,” so they all did—but not Iblîs, who refused to prostrate with the others. (7:11)
• Allah asked, “What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?” He replied, “I am better than he is: You created me from fire and him from clay.” (7:12)
• Allah said, “Then get down from Paradise! It is not for you to be arrogant here. So get out! You are truly one of the disgraced.” (7:13)
• He appealed, “Then delay my end until the Day of their resurrection.” (7:14)
• Allah said, “You are delayed.” (7:15)
• He said, “For leaving me to stray I will lie in ambush for them on Your Straight Path. (7:16)
• I will approach them from their front, their back, their right, their left, and then You will find most of them ungrateful.” (7:17)
• Allah said, “Get out of Paradise! You are disgraced and rejected! I will certainly fill up Hell with you and your followers all together.” (7:18)

Adam and Hawa (Eve) (as)

• “O Adam! Live with your wife in Paradise and eat from wherever you please, but do not approach this tree, or else you will be wrongdoers.” (7:19)
• Then Satan tempted them in order to expose what was hidden of their nakedness. He said, “Your Lord has forbidden this tree to you only to prevent you from becoming angels or immortals.” (7:20)
• And he swore to them, “I am truly your sincere advisor.” (7:21)
• So he brought about their fall through deception. And when they tasted of the tree, their nakedness was exposed to them, prompting them to cover themselves with leaves from Paradise. Then their Lord called out to them, “Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you that Satan is your sworn enemy?” (7:22)
• They replied, “Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will certainly be losers.” (7:23)
• Allah said, “Descend as enemies to each other. You will find in the earth a residence and provision for your appointed stay.” (7:24)
• He added, “There you will live, there you will die, and from there you will be resurrected.” (7:25)

O Children of Adam

• O children of Adam! We have provided for you clothing to cover your nakedness and as an adornment. However, the best clothing is righteousness. This is one of Allah’s bounties, so perhaps you will be mindful. (7:26)
• O children of Adam! Do not let Satan deceive you as he tempted your parents out of Paradise and caused their cover to be removed in order to expose their nakedness. Surely he and his soldiers watch you from where you cannot see them. We have made the devils allies of those who disbelieve. (7:27)
• He has guided some, while others are destined to stray. They have taken devils as their masters instead of Allah—thinking they are guided. (7:30)
• O Children of Adam! Dress properly whenever you are at worship. Eat and drink, but do not waste. Surely He does not like the wasteful. (7:31)

Reminder

• Ask, “Who has forbidden the adornments and lawful provisions Allah has brought forth for His servants?” Say, “They are for the enjoyment of the believers in this worldly life, but they will be exclusively theirs on the Day of Judgment. This is how We make Our revelations clear for people of knowledge.” (7:32)
• Say, “My Lord has only forbidden open and secret shameful deeds, and the sin, and the unjust oppression, and associating others with Allah – a practice He has never authorized—and attributing to Allah what you do not know.” (7:33)
• For every nation is a fixed term. When their term arrives, they can neither delay it for a moment, nor could they advance it. (7:34)

Warning to disbelievers & the Day of Judgement

• But those who receive Our revelations with denial and arrogance will be the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever. (7:36)
• Who does more wrong than those who fabricate lies against Allah or deny His revelations? They will receive what is destined for them, until Our messenger-angels arrive to take their souls, asking them, “Where are those you used to invoke besides Allah?” They will cry, “They have failed us,” and they will confess against themselves that they were indeed disbelievers. (7:37)
• Allah will say, “Enter the Fire along with the groups of jinn and humans that preceded you.” Whenever a group enters Hell, it will curse the preceding one until they are all gathered inside, the followers will say about their leaders, “Our Lord! They have misled us, so multiply their torment in the Fire.” He will answer, “It has already been multiplied for all, but you do not know.” (7:38)

More details

Then the leaders will say to their followers, “You were no better than us! So taste the torment for what you used to commit.” (7:39)

Surely those who receive our revelations with denial and arrogance, the gates of heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter Paradise until a camel passes through the eye of a needle. This is how We reward the wicked. (7:40)

Hell will be their bed; flames will be their cover. This is how We reward the wrongdoers. (7:41)

Do they only await the fulfilment? The Day it will be fulfilled, those who ignored it before will say, “The messengers of our Lord certainly came with the truth. Are there any intercessors who can plead on our behalf? Or can we be sent back so we may do unlike what we used to do?” They will have certainly lost themselves, and strayed from what they used to invent. (7:53)

Good news for the believers

• As for those who believe and do good — We never require of any soul more than what it can afford—it is they who will be the residents of Paradise. They will be there forever. (7:42)
• We will remove whatever bitterness they had in their hearts. Rivers will flow under their feet. And they will say, “Praise be to Allah for guiding us to this. We would have never been guided if Allah had not guided us. The messengers of our Lord had certainly come with the truth.” It will be announced to them, “This is Paradise awarded to you for what you used to do.” (7:43)
• The residents of Paradise will call out to the residents of the Fire, “We have certainly found our Lord’s promise to be true. Have you too found your Lord’s promise to be true?” They will reply, “Yes, we have!” Then a caller will announce to both, “May Allah’s condemnation be upon the wrongdoers, (7:44)

Warning / The heights / Residents of paradise & hell

• Those who hindered from Allah’s Way, strived to make it crooked, and disbelieved in the Hereafter.” (7:45)
• There will be a barrier between Paradise and Hell. And on the heights will be people who will recognize both by their appearance. They will call out to the residents of Paradise, “Peace be upon you!” They will have not yet entered Paradise, but eagerly hope to. (7:46)
• When their eyes will turn towards the residents of Hell, they will pray, “Our Lord! Do not join us with the wrongdoing people.” (7:47)
• Those on the heights will call out to some, who they will recognize by their appearance, saying, “Your large numbers and arrogance are of no use! (7:48)
• Are these the ones you swore would never be shown Allah’s mercy?” “Enter Paradise! There will be no fear for you, nor will you grieve.” (7:49)
• The residents of the Fire will then cry out to the residents of Paradise, “Aid us with some water or any provision Allah has granted you.” They will reply, “Allah has forbidden both to the disbelievers, (7:50)
• Those who took this faith as mere amusement and play and were deluded by worldly life.” “Today We will ignore them just as they ignored the coming of this Day of theirs and for rejecting Our revelations.” (7:51)

Reminders

• The Quran: We have certainly brought them a Book which We explained with knowledge—a guide and mercy for those who believe. (7:52)
• Allah’s creation: Indeed your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then established Himself on the Throne. He makes the day and night overlap in rapid succession. He created the sun, the moon, and the stars—all subjected by His command. The creation and the command belong to Him. Blessed is Allah—Lord of all worlds! (7:54). He is the One Who sends the winds ushering in His mercy. When they bear heavy clouds, We drive them to a lifeless land and then cause rain to fall, producing every type of fruit. Similarly, We will bring the dead to life, so perhaps you will be mindful. (7:57). Have they ever reflected on the wonders of the heavens and the earth, and everything Allah has created, and that perhaps their end is near? So what message after this would they believe in? (7:185). He is the One Who created you from a single soul, then from it made its spouse so he may find comfort in her. After he had been united with her, she carried a light burden that developed gradually. When it grew heavy, they prayed to Allah, their Lord, “If you grant us good offspring, we will certainly be grateful.” (7:189). But when He granted their descendants good offspring, they associated false gods in what He has given them. Exalted is Allah above what they associate! (7:190)
• Signs: If you do not bring them a sign, they ask, “Why do you not make it yourself?” Say, “I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord. This is an insight from your Lord—a guide and a mercy for those who believe.” (7:203)
• Just people: And among those We created is a group that guides with the truth and establishes justice accordingly. (7:181).

Advice

• Calling to Allah: Call upon your Lord humbly and secretly. Surely He does not like the transgressors. (7:55)
• Corruption: Do not spread corruption in the land after it has been set in order. And call upon Him with hope and fear. Indeed, Allah’s mercy is always close to the good-doers. (7:56)
• Be gracious, enjoin what is right, and turn away from those who act ignorantly. (7:199)
• Satan: If you are tempted by Satan, then seek refuge with Allah. Surely He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (7:200). Indeed, when Satan whispers to those mindful ˹of Allah˺, they remember ˹their Lord˺ then they start to see ˹things˺ clearly. (7:201). But the devils persistently plunge their ˹human˺ associates deeper into wickedness, sparing no effort. (7:202)

Prophet Nuh (Noah) (as)

• Indeed, We sent Noah to his people. He said, “O my people! Worship Allah—you have no other god except Him. I truly fear for you the torment of a tremendous Day.” (7:59)
• But the chiefs of his people said, “We surely see that you are clearly misguided.” (7:60)
• He replied, “O my people! I am not misguided! But I am a messenger from the Lord of all worlds, (7:61)
• Conveying to you my Lord’s messages and giving you advice. And I know from Allah what you do not know. (7:62)
• But they rejected him, so We saved him and those with him in the Ark, and drowned those who rejected Our signs. They were certainly a blind people. (7:64)

Prophet Hud (as)

• And to the people of ’Âd We sent their brother Hûd. He said, “O my people! Worship Allah—you have no other god except Him. Will you not then fear Him?” (7:65)
• The disbelieving chiefs of his people responded, “We surely see you as a fool, and we certainly think you are a liar.” (7:66)
• Hûd replied, “O my people! I am no fool! But I am a messenger from the Lord of all worlds, (7:67)
• Conveying to you my Lord’s messages. And I am your sincere advisor. (7:68)
• He said, “You will certainly be subjected to your Lord’s torment and wrath. Do you dispute with me regarding the so-called gods which you and your forefathers have made up—a practice Allah has never authorized? Then wait! I too am waiting with you.” (7:71)

Prophet Salih (as)

• And to the people of Thamûd We sent their brother Ṣâliḥ. He said, “O my people! Worship Allah—you have no other god except Him. A clear proof has come to you from your Lord: this is Allah’s she-camel as a sign to you. So leave her to graze on Allah’s land and do not harm her, or else you will be overcome by a painful punishment. (7:73)
• Remember when He made you successors after ’Âd and established you in the land— you built palaces on its plains and carved homes into mountains. So remember Allah’s favours, and do not go about spreading corruption in the land.” (7:74)
• Then they killed the she-camel—defying their Lord’s command—and challenged, “Bring us what you threaten us with, if you are one of the messengers.” (7:77)
• Then an earthquake struck them, and they fell lifeless in their homes. (7:78)

Prophet Lot (as)

• And when Lot scolded his people, “Do you commit a shameful deed that no man has ever done before? (7:80)
• You lust after men instead of women! You are certainly transgressors.” (7:81)
• But his people’s only response was to say, “Expel them from your land! They are a people who wish to remain chaste!” (7:82)
• We poured upon them a rain. See what was the end of the wicked! (7:84)

Prophet Shu’aib (as)

• And to the people of Midian We sent their brother Shu’aib. He said, “O my people! Worship Allah—you have no other god except Him. A clear proof has already come to you from your Lord. So give just measure and weight, do not defraud people of their property, nor spread corruption in the land after it has been set in order. This is for your own good, if you are believers. (7:85)
• And do not lie in ambush on every road—threatening and hindering those who believe in Allah from His Path and striving to make it crooked. Remember when you were few, then He increased you in number. And consider the fate of the corruptors! (7:86)
• Those who rejected Shu’aib were as if they had never lived there. Those who rejected Shu’aib were the true losers. (7:92)

Sending Prophets

• Whenever We sent a prophet to a society, We afflicted its people with suffering and adversity, so perhaps they would be humbled. (7:94)
• Then We changed their adversity to prosperity until they flourished and argued, “Our forefathers had been visited by adversity and prosperity.” So We seized them by surprise, while they were unaware. (7:95)
• Had the people of those societies been faithful and mindful, We would have overwhelmed them with blessings from heaven and earth. But they disbelieved, so We seized them for what they used to commit. (7:96)
• We have narrated to you some of the stories of those societies. Surely, their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but still they would not believe in what they had already denied. This is how Allah seals the hearts of the disbelievers. (7:101)

Prophet Musa (Moses) (as) and Pharaoh

• Then after them We sent Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they wrongfully rejected them. See what was the end of the corruptors! (7:103)
• And Moses said, “O Pharaoh! I am truly a messenger from the Lord of all worlds, (7:104)
• Obliged to say nothing about Allah except the truth. Indeed, I have come to you with clear proof from your Lord, so let the children of Israel go with me.” (7:105)
• Pharaoh said, “If you have come with a sign, then bring it if what you say is true.” (7:106)
• So Moses threw down his staff and—behold!—it became a real snake. (7:107)
• And he drew out his hand and suddenly it was white for the observers. (7:108)

Prophet Musa (Moses) (as) and the magicians

• The chiefs of Pharaoh’s people said, “He is indeed a skilled magician, (7:109)
• They replied, “Let him and his brother wait and send mobilizers to all cities (7:111)
• to bring you every clever magician.” (7:112)
• The magicians came to Pharaoh, saying, “Shall we receive a ˹suitable˺ reward if we prevail?” (7:113)
• They asked, “O Moses! Will you cast, or shall we be the first to cast?” (7:115)
• Moses said, “You first.” So when they did, they deceived the eyes of the people, stunned them, and made a great display of magic. (7:116)
• Then We inspired Moses, “Throw down your staff,” and—behold!—it devoured the objects of their illusion! (7:117)
• So the truth prevailed and their illusions failed. (7:118)

More details here

So Pharaoh and his people were defeated right there and put to shame. (7:119)

And the magicians fell down, prostrating. (7:120)

They declared, “We ˹now˺ believe in the Lord of all worlds— (7:121)

the Lord of Moses and Aaron.” (7:122)

Pharaoh threatened, “How dare you believe in him before I give you permission? This must be a conspiracy you devised in the city to drive out its people, but soon you will see. (7:123)

I will certainly cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, then crucify you all.” (7:124)

They responded, “Surely to our Lord we will return. (7:125)

Your rage towards us is only because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us. Our Lord! Shower us with perseverance, and let us die while submitting.” (7:126)

Prophet Musa (Moses) (as) and his people (the Children of Israel)

• The chiefs of Pharaoh’s people protested, “Are you going to leave Moses and his people free to spread corruption in the land and abandon you and your gods?” He responded, “We will kill their sons and keep their women. We will completely dominate them.” (7:127)
• Moses reassured his people, “Seek Allah’s help and be patient. Indeed, the earth belongs to Allah. He grants it to whoever He chooses of His servants. The ultimate outcome belongs ˹only˺ to the righteous.” (7:128)
• In times of prosperity, they said, “This is what we deserve,” but in adversity, they blamed it on Moses and those with him. Surely all is destined by Allah. Yet most of them did not know. (7:131)
• When tormented, they pleaded, “O Moses! Pray to your Lord on our behalf, by virtue of the covenant He made with you. If you help remove this torment from us, we will certainly believe in you and let the Children of Israel go with you.” (7:134)
• But as soon as We removed the torment from them—until they met their inevitable fate—they broke their promise. (7:135)

More details here

So We inflicted punishment upon them, drowning them in the sea for denying Our signs and being heedless of them. (7:136)

We brought the Children of Israel across the sea and they came upon a people devoted to idols. They demanded, “O Moses! Make for us a god like their gods.” He replied, “Indeed, you are a people acting ignorantly! (7:138)

He added, “Shall I seek for you a god other than Allah, while He has honoured you above the others?” (7:140)

And when We rescued you from the people of Pharaoh, who afflicted you with dreadful torment—killing your sons and keeping your women. That was a severe test from your Lord. (7:141)

Prophet Musa (Moses) (as) leaving his people (the Children of Israel) for 40 nights and his encounter with Allah

• We appointed for Moses thirty nights then added another ten—completing his Lord’s term of forty nights. Moses commanded his brother Aaron, “Take my place among my people, do what is right, and do not follow the way of the corruptors.” (7:142)
• When Moses came at the appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he asked, “My Lord! Reveal Yourself to me so I may see You.” Allah answered, “You cannot see Me! But look at the mountain. If it remains firm in its place, only then will you see Me.” When his Lord appeared to the mountain, He levelled it to dust and Moses collapsed unconscious. When he recovered, he cried, “Glory be to You! I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers.” (7:143)
• Allah said, “O Moses! I have elevated you above all others by My messages and speech. So hold firmly to what I have given you and be grateful.” (7:144)

More details here

• We wrote for him on the Tablets of everything; commandments and explanations of all things. “Hold to this firmly and ask your people to take the best of it. I will soon show you the home of the rebellious. (7:145)
• The deeds of those who deny Our signs and the meeting in the Hereafter will be in vain. Will they be rewarded except for what they have done? (7:147)
• In the absence of Moses, his people made from their jewellery an idol of a calf that made a lowing sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the Path? Still they took it as a god and were wrongdoers. (7:148)
• Later, when they were filled with remorse and realized they had gone astray, they cried, “If our Lord does not have mercy on us and forgive us, we will certainly be losers.” (7:149)

Prophet Musa (Moses) (as) returning to his people (the Children of Israel)

More details here

Moses chose seventy men from among his people for Our appointment and, when they were seized by an earthquake, he cried, “My Lord! Had You willed, You could have destroyed them long ago, and me as well. Will You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done? This is only a test from You—by which You allow whoever you will to stray and guide whoever You will. You are our Guardian. So forgive us and have mercy on us. You are the best forgiver. (7:155)

Ordain for us what is good in this life and the next. Indeed, we have turned to You.” Allah replied, “I will inflict My torment on whoever I will. But My mercy encompasses everything. I will ordain mercy for those who shun evil, pay alms-tax, and believe in Our revelations. (7:156)

“˹They are˺ the ones who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whose description they find in their Torah and the Gospel. He commands them to do good and forbids them from evil, permits for them what is lawful and forbids to them what is impure, and relieves them from their burdens and the shackles that bound them. Those who believe in him, honour and support him, and follow the light sent down to him will be successful.” (7:157)

Say, “O humanity! I am Allah’s Messenger to you all. To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no god except Him. He gives life and causes death.” So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allah and His revelations. And follow him, so you may be guided. (7:158)

There are some among the people of Moses who guide with the truth and establish justice accordingly. (7:159)

Prophet Mussa (Moses) (as) and the people who broke the Sabbath

• Ask them  about ˹the people of˺ the town which was by the sea, who broke the Sabbath. During the Sabbath, fish would come to them clearly visible, but on other days the fish were never seen. In this way We tested them for their rebelliousness. (7:163)
• When a community among them said, “Why do you preach to a people who will either be destroyed or severely punished by Allah?” They replied, “to be absolved before your Lord, and so perhaps they may become righteous.” (7:164)
• We dispersed them through the land in groups—some were righteous, others were less so. We tested them with good and bad, so perhaps they would return. (7:168)

More details here

Then they were succeeded by other generations who inherited the Scripture. They indulged in unlawful gains, claiming, “We will be forgiven.” And if similar gain came their way, they would seize it. Was a covenant not taken from them in the Scripture that they would not say anything about Allah except the truth? And they were already well-versed in its teachings. But the Home of the Hereafter is far better for those mindful. Will you not then understand? (7:169)

As for those who firmly abide by the Scripture and establish prayer—surely We never discount the reward of those acting righteously. (7:170)

And when We raised the mountain over them as if it were a cloud and they thought it would fall on them. “Hold firmly to that which We have given you and observe its teachings so perhaps you will become mindful.” (7:171)

And when your Lord brought forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendants and had them testify regarding themselves. “Am I not your Lord?” They replied, “Yes, You are! We testify.” “Now you have no right to say on Judgment Day, ‘We were not aware of this.’ (7:172)

People who deny Our signs

• And relate to them the story of the one to whom We gave Our signs, but he abandoned them, so Satan took hold of him, and he became a deviant. (7:175)
• If We had willed, We would have elevated him with Our signs, but he clung to this life—following his evil desires. His example is that of a dog: if you chase it away, it pants, and if you leave it, it pants. This is the example of the people who deny Our signs. So relate the story, so that they may reflect. (7:176)
• Whoever Allah guides is truly guided. And whoever He leaves to stray, they are the losers. (7:178)
• Indeed, We have destined many jinn and humans for Hell. They have hearts they do not understand with, eyes they do not see with, and ears they do not hear with. They are like cattle. In fact, they are even less guided! Such are heedless. (7:179)

Allah’s names

• Allah has the Most Beautiful Names. So call upon Him by them, and keep away from those who abuse His Names. They will be punished for what they used to do. (7:180)

The Hour

• They ask you regarding the Hour, “When will it be?” Say, “That knowledge is only with my Lord. He alone will reveal it when the time comes. It is too tremendous for the heavens and the earth and will only take you by surprise.” They ask you as if you had full knowledge of it. Say, “That knowledge is only with Allah, but most people do not know.” (7:187)

Idols/worshipping other than Allah

• Do they associate those which cannot create anything, but are in fact created (7:191)
• which cannot help them, or even help themselves? (7:192)
• Do they have feet to walk with? Or hands to hold with? Or eyes to see with? Or ears to hear with? Say, “Call upon your associate-gods and conspire against me without delay! (7:195)
• But those you call besides Him can neither help you nor even themselves.” (7:197)

Closing verses

• When the Quran is recited, listen to it attentively and be silent, so you may be shown mercy. (7:204)
• Remember your Lord inwardly with humility and reverence and in a moderate tone of voice, both morning and evening. And do not be one of the heedless. (7:205)
• Surely those nearest to your Lord are not too proud to worship Him. They glorify Him. And to Him they prostrate. (7:206)