The Majestic Quran

follow the path of religion. The Satan is the arch enemy, and we are warned to remain alert to his temptations. On the other hand, the weakness of humankind is that it readily falls into temptations that appeal to psychological hungers: lust, food, senses of belonging and honour. This is precisely what Satan did with Adam and Eve. He tempted them and they fell in his trap, but quickly repented. The chapter flips to the Hereafter, presents a detailed conversation between the people of Heaven and Hell, and introduces a third group of people, “The people of the heights,” after whom the chapter takes its name. Most commentators define them as “people whose good and evil deeds are equal.” They are in limbo, an undefined state, anxiously awaiting the judgement. Another explanation of A‘raf is the following: The term Al-A‘raf is the plural of ‘Urf meaning acknowledgement ... and discernment. This interpretation has been adopted by some of the early commentators and cited by Razi ... People thus described were those who in their lifetime could discern between right and wrong but didn’t incline to either way; they were indifferent. Their lukewarm attitude prevented them from doing either much good or much wrong – with the result that as the next sentence shows they deserve neither Paradise nor Hell. A third explanation of people of A‘raf is: people who were most pious, the martyrs and the scholars who worked for the glory of God and strengthening Islam and serving humanity. Since A‘raf refers to the heights and raised decks, it points to their elevated position from where they can see the delights of Paradise and the horrific punishment of Hell-fire and can comment on it. (Shaikh Muhammad al-Ghazali) The Divine Laws