Surah Al A'raf Tafseer

Afflictions that struck Earlier Nations

Allah says;

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّبِيٍّ إِلاَّ أَخَذْنَا أَهْلَهَا بِالْبَأْسَاء وَالضَّرَّاء لَعَلَّهُمْ يَضَّرَّعُونَ

And We sent no Prophet unto any town (and they denied him), but We seized its people with Ba'sa' and Darra', so that they might humble themselves (to Allah).

Allah mentions the Ba'sa' and Darra' that struck the earlier nations to whom He sent Prophets.

Ba'sa', refers to the physical sicknesses and ailments that they suffered, while Darra', refers to the poverty and humiliation that they experienced,

لَعَلَّهُمْ يَضَّرَّعُونَ

(so that they might humble themselves) supplicate, humble themselves and invoke Allah, that He might remove the afflictions that they suffered from.

This Ayah indicates that Allah sent down severe afflictions to them so that they might invoke Him, but they did not do what He ordered them. Therefore, He changed the affliction into prosperity to test them