Araf 168 | aamsaafank's Blog

Araf 168

168- AND WE CUT THEM DOWN INTO NATIONS ON EARTH, SOME OF THEM ARE RIGHTEOUS, AND SOME ARE LESS THAN THAT, AND WE TESTED THEM WITH WHAT IS GOOD AND WHAT IS EVIL SO THAT THEY MAY RETURN (TO ALLAH)

The meaning of being cut down to nations might refer to:

-         That they have descended from the twelve tribes, which came down from the twelve Children of Jacob.

-         That wherever they live, they do not mix or integrated fully with the population.  They live together, in certain areas, before this they used to live in separate streets called Ghettos.  They were always a nation within a nation, and cut off from the rest of the nation.

Allah the Highest gave them a place to live, but to get it, they had to fight the disbelievers who lived there, but they refused.   As Allah the Highest told us in the Quran, they said: “THEY SAID: O MOSES, THERE ARE VERY MIGHTY PEOPLE IN THERE, AND WE WILL NOT ENTER IT UNTIL THEY LEAVE IT, SO WHEN THEY LEAVE IT WE WILL ENTER”.  (S: 5 A: 22)

And they also said: “THEY SAID: O MOSES, WE WILL NEVER ENTER AS LONG AS THEY ARE THEREIN, SO GO AND YOUR LORD TO FIGHT, WE ARE SITTING HERE”.  (S: 5 A: 24)

It is Allah’s policy, with us and with all people and nations, that they should be tried and tested.  This trial could be with good or with bad things.  Each tests a person in a different way.  Allah the Highest said: “AND WE AFFLICT YOU WITH EVIL THINGS AND GOOD THINGS, A TEST AND TRIAL, AND TO US YOU WILL RETURN”.  (S: 21 A: 35)

Good things, make the believers thankful and grateful to Allah the Highest and evil things, like shortage of food, water, or suffering disease, or at the hands of an enemy, make the believers plead to Allah the Highest for help and support.  Either situation should bring the true believer back to Allah the Highest.  Neither good nor bad things seem to have worked on the Children of Israel, bring them close to Allah the Highest.