Quran Universe
7:86

وَلَا تَقۡعُدُواْ بِكُلِّ صِرَٰطٖ تُوعِدُونَ وَتَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِهِۦ وَتَبۡغُونَهَا عِوَجٗاۚ وَٱذۡكُرُوٓاْ إِذۡ كُنتُمۡ قَلِيلٗا فَكَثَّرَكُمۡۖ وَٱنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ

Wala taqAAudoo bikulli siratin tooAAidoona watasuddoona AAan sabeeli Allahi man amana bihi watabghoonaha AAiwajan waothkuroo ith kuntum qaleelan fakaththarakum waonthuroo kayfa kana AAaqibatu almufsideena

And do not sit on every path, threatening and averting from the way of Allah those who believe in Him, seeking to make it [seem] deviant. And remember when you were few and He increased you. And see how was the end of the corrupters.

Word by word
  1. وَلَاAnd (do) not
  2. تَقۡعُدُواْsit
  3. بِكُلِّon every
  4. صِرَٰطٖpath
  5. تُوعِدُونَthreatening
  6. وَتَصُدُّونَand hindering
  7. عَنfrom
  8. سَبِيلِ(the) way
  9. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  10. مَنۡ(those) who
  11. ءَامَنَbelieve
  12. بِهِۦin Him
  13. وَتَبۡغُونَهَاand seeking (to make) it
  14. عِوَجٗاۚcrooked
  15. وَٱذۡكُرُوٓاْAnd remember
  16. إِذۡwhen
  17. كُنتُمۡyou were
  18. قَلِيلٗاfew
  19. فَكَثَّرَكُمۡۖand He increased you
  20. وَٱنظُرُواْAnd see
  21. كَيۡفَhow
  22. كَانَwas
  23. عَٰقِبَةُ(the) end
  24. ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ(of) the corrupters
Al-A'raf · 7:86Makkah

Do not sit on every road to threaten people.

Blocking others, and forgetting you were once few

What they did
sat on roadsthreatening travelers
blocked believersfrom Allah's path
forgetting
you were fewHe made you many
Where their strength came from
our own powerso we can bully
His favoryou were few and weak

As-Suddi said they were bandits, threatening people on the roads for their money. Others said they threatened those coming to follow Shu'ayb. He reminded them: you were few and weak, and He made you many.

You finally have some power: the team lead, the landlord, the older sibling. It is tempting to sit at the gate and make others pay to pass. Remember when you were the new one.

Now that I have the upper hand, I can set the terms.

My strength came from Allah's favor, so I do not block others with it.

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Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

"And sit not on every road, threatening, and hindering from the path of Allah those who believe in Him, and seeking to make it crooked. And remember when you were but few, and He multiplied you. And see what was the end of the mischief-makers (86)"And if there is a party of you who believes in that with which I have been sent and a party who does not believe, so be patient until Allah judges between us, and He is the best of judges. (87)

Prophet Shu'ayb forbade his people from setting up blockades on the roads, saying,

وَلَا تَقْعُدُوا بِكُلِّ صِرَاطٍ تُوعِدُونَ

("And sit not on every road, threatening,") threatening people with death if they do not give up their money, as they were bandits, according to As-Suddi. Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid and several others commented:

وَلَا تَقْعُدُوا بِكُلِّ صِرَاطٍ تُوعِدُونَ 

("And sit not on every road, threatening.") the believers who come to Shu'ayb to follow him." The first meaning is better, because Prophet Shu'ayb first said to them,

بِكُلِّ صِرَاطٍ

("on every road...") He then mentioned the second meaning,

وَتَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِهِ وَتَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا

("and hindering from the path of Allah those who believe in Him, and seeking to make it crooked.") meaning, you seek to make the path of Allah crooked and deviated,

وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ كُنتُمْ قَلِيلًا فَكَثَّرَكُمْ

("And remember when you were but few, and He multiplied you.") meaning, you were weak because you were few. But you later on became mighty because of your large numbers. Therefore, remember Allah's favor.

وَانظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

("And see what was the end of the mischief-makers.") from the previous nations and earlier generations. See the torment and punishment they suffered, because they disobeyed Allah and rejected His Messengers. Shu'ayb continued;

وَإِن كَانَ طَائِفَةٌ مِّنكُمْ آمَنُوا بِالَّذِي أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ وَطَائِفَةٌ لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا

("And if there is a party of you who believes in that with which I have been sent and a party who does not believe,") that is, if you divided concerning me,

فَاصْبِرُوا 

("so be patient") that is, then wait and see,

حَتَّىٰ يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَنَا

("until Allah judges between us,"), and you,

وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَاكِمِينَ

("and He is the best of judges.") Surely, Allah will award the best end to those who fear and obey Him and He will destroy the disbelievers.