Qur'an 7:46

This article is about Qur'an 7:46, known as the Verse of A'raf. For the Companions of A'raf, see Ashab al-A'raf. For the Sura with the same name, see Sura al-A'raf.

Qur'an 7:46

Verse's Information
Name	Verse of A'raf
Sura	al-A'raf (Qur'an 7)
Verse	46
Juz'	8
Content Information
Place of Revelation	Mecca
Topic	Theological
About	Status of the Companions of A'raf in the Hereafter

Qur'an 7:46, known as the Verse of Aʿrāf (Arabic: آية الأعراف), is the forty-sixth verse of Sura al-A'raf which speaks about the station of A'raf (a region between Paradise and Hell) and its companions. According to this verse, there are men in the region of A'raf who recognize the People of Paradise and the People of Hell by their faces; they send greetings upon the inhabitants of Paradise and rebuke the inhabitants of Hell.

“ وَبَيْنَهُمَا حِجَابٌ ۚ وَعَلَى الْأَعْرَافِ رِجَالٌ يَعْرِفُونَ كُلًّا بِسِيمَاهُمْ وَنَادَوْا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ أَنْ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ لَمْ يَدْخُلُوهَا وَهُمْ يَطْمَعُونَ

There will be a veil between them. And on the Elevations will be certain men who recognize each of them by their mark. They will call out to the inhabitants of paradise, ‘Peace be to you!’ (They will not have entered it, though they would be eager to do so. ” — Qur'an 7: 46

In the exegesis of verse 46 of Sura al-A'raf, exegetes have discussed the Companions of A'raf and their characteristics more than the place of A'raf itself. In al-Mizan, Allama Tabataba'i gathers exegetes' views into 12 opinions, summarizing them into three comprehensive theories. Based on this, citing narrations, one group believes: The people of A'raf are in a position higher than the people of Hell and lower than the people of Paradise; their sins kept them from Paradise and their good deeds held them back from the Fire of Hell. Eventually, they will be forgiven by God's grace and mercy and enter Paradise. This view is reported from Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, Hudhayfa, and some Tabi'un, and narrations from the Shi'a Imams also emphasize it.

Another group of scholars considers the Companions of A'raf to be great human beings and special servants of God who have oversight over all creatures and recognize them; just as they recognized the people of good and faith and the people of evil and rebellion in this world. They send peace upon the inhabitants of Paradise and comfort them, and they rebuke the inhabitants of Hell. According to a narration from Imam 'Ali (a), the Companions of A'raf are the Ahl al-Bayt (a) who stand between Paradise and Hell on the Day of Resurrection; anyone who recognizes them with Wilaya enters Paradise, and anyone who denies their Wilaya enters Hell.

Finally, some believe that the Companions of A'raf are Angels who appear in the form of men on A'raf and are tasked with distinguishing believers from disbelievers.