The Holy Quran 7:176 — Surah Al-A'raf

Arabic text

وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَـٰهُ بِهَا وَلَـٰكِنَّهُۥٓ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ ۚ فَمَثَلُهُۥ كَمَثَلِ ٱلْكَلْبِ إِن تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَث ۚ ذَّٰلِكَ مَثَلُ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ۚ فَٱقْصُصِ ٱلْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Translation

If We wished, we could have raised him (in status) by these verses (if he had put into practise what the verses of the Torah taught), but he clung to the ground (the material gains of this world) and followed his passions (lured by a woman). His example is like that of a dog. If you place a load on it, it will pant with its tongue out and if you leave it alone, it will (stiff) pant with its tongue out (in every situation, the stance of a dog is one of humiliation). Such is the example of those who reject Our Aayaat. So narrate the stories (parables) so that they (constantly) ponder (over these stories and accept Imaan).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The instructive story of Bal'am ibn Ba'ura: according to most commentators, these verses were revealed concerning Bal'am ibn Ba'ura, who was a scholar and an ascetic possessing the power of spiritual influence.

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.