Quran Universe
7:89

قَدِ ٱفۡتَرَيۡنَا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا إِنۡ عُدۡنَا فِي مِلَّتِكُم بَعۡدَ إِذۡ نَجَّىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ مِنۡهَاۚ وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَآ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّنَاۚ وَسِعَ رَبُّنَا كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ عِلۡمًاۚ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوَكَّلۡنَاۚ رَبَّنَا ٱفۡتَحۡ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَ قَوۡمِنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡفَٰتِحِينَ

Qadi iftarayna AAala Allahi kathiban in AAudna fee millatikum baAAda ith najjana Allahu minha wama yakoonu lana an naAAooda feeha illa an yashaa Allahu rabbuna wasiAAa rabbuna kulla shayin AAilman AAala Allahi tawakkalna rabbana iftah baynana wabayna qawmina bialhaqqi waanta khayru alfatiheena

We would have invented against Allah a lie if we returned to your religion after Allah had saved us from it. And it is not for us to return to it except that Allah, our Lord, should will. Our Lord has encompassed all things in knowledge. Upon Allah we have relied. Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give decision."

Word by word
  1. قَدِVerily
  2. ٱفۡتَرَيۡنَاwe would have fabricated
  3. عَلَىagainst
  4. ٱللَّهِAllah
  5. كَذِبًاa lie
  6. إِنۡif
  7. عُدۡنَاwe returned
  8. فِيin
  9. مِلَّتِكُمyour religion
  10. بَعۡدَafter
  11. إِذۡ[when]
  12. نَجَّىٰنَاsaved us
  13. ٱللَّهُAllah
  14. مِنۡهَاۚfrom it
  15. وَمَاAnd not
  16. يَكُونُit is
  17. لَنَآfor us
  18. أَنthat
  19. نَّعُودَwe return
  20. فِيهَآin it
  21. إِلَّآexcept
  22. أَنthat
  23. يَشَآءَwills
  24. ٱللَّهُAllah
  25. رَبُّنَاۚour Lord
  26. وَسِعَEncompasses
  27. رَبُّنَا(by) Our Lord
  28. كُلَّevery
  29. شَيۡءٍthing
  30. عِلۡمًاۚ(in) knowledge
  31. عَلَىUpon
  32. ٱللَّهِAllah
  33. تَوَكَّلۡنَاۚwe put our trust
  34. رَبَّنَاOur Lord
  35. ٱفۡتَحۡDecide
  36. بَيۡنَنَاbetween us
  37. وَبَيۡنَand between
  38. قَوۡمِنَاour people
  39. بِٱلۡحَقِّin truth
  40. وَأَنتَand You
  41. خَيۡرُ(are the) Best
  42. ٱلۡفَٰتِحِينَ(of) those who Decide
Al-A'raf · 7:89Makkah

Upon Allah we rely. Judge between us.

Shuayb hands the outcome to Allah

Shuayb's answer
going backa lie against Allah
His knowledgeencompasses all things
so
we trust Himin all our affairs
You judgebest of judges
Where he put the fight
win it myselfargue, scheme, retaliate
hand it to Allahthe Most Just decides

Shuayb told them that returning would be inventing a lie against Allah after He had saved them from it. He left every matter to Allah's will and knowledge. Then he turned to Allah: upon You we rely, judge between us and our people in truth.

A relative spreads a twisted version of your family fight on the group chat. You draft a long reply at 1 a.m. You want to win it tonight. You could also put the phone down and ask the Best of Judges.

If I do not defend myself loudly, the truth will lose.

I can stay firm, say what is true, and leave the verdict with Allah.

Try this

Before replying to one argument today, make a short dua and wait an hour.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 7:88)

The chiefs of those who were arrogant among his people said: "We shall certainly drive you out, O Shu'ayb and those who have believed with you from our town, or else you (all) shall return to our religion." He said: "Even though we hate it? (88)"We should have invented a lie against Allah if we returned to your religion, after Allah has rescued us from it. And it is not for us to return to it unless Allah, our Lord, should will. Our Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge. In Allah (Alone) we put our trust. Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth, for You are the best of those who give judgment. (89)

Allah describes the way the disbelievers answered His Prophet Shu'ayb and those who believed in him,by threatening them with expulsion from their village,or with forceful reversion to the disbeliever's religion.

The chiefs spoke the words mentioned here to the Messenger Shu'ayb, but intended it for those who followed his religion too. The statement,

أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَارِهِينَ

("Even though we hate it?"), means, would you force us to do that, even though we hate what you are calling us to? Certainly if we revert to your religion and accept your ways, we will have uttered a tremendous lie against Allah by calling partners as rivals to Him,

وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا

(And it is not for us to return to it unless Allah, our Lord, should will.)

This part of the Ayah refers all matters to Allah's will, and certainly, He has perfect knowledge of all matters and His observation encompasses all things,

عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا

(In Allah (Alone) we put our trust.), concerning all our affairs, what we practice of them and what we ignore,

رَبَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ

(Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth) judge between us and our people and give us victory over them,

وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْفَاتِحِينَ

(for You are the best of those who give judgment) and You are the Most Just Who never wrongs any in His judgment.