Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Surah Al-A'raf
Surah 7 · Al-A'raf · verse 26 of 206

Quran 7:26 · Al-A'raf

يَٰبَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ قَدۡ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ لِبَاسٗا يُوَٰرِي سَوۡءَٰتِكُمۡ وَرِيشٗاۖ وَلِبَاسُ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best. That is from the signs of Allah that perhaps they will remember

Translation: Sahih International
Maulana’s commentary · Tazkirul Quran

God has created the system of the world in such a way that its externals are the signs of an inner reality. By pondering over outward things, a man can arrive at hidden truths. One such outer emblem is human attire. God has given clothes to man which protect him as well as being a means of improving his looks and prestige. This is indicative of the fact that a form of clothing is necessary for man’s spiritual existence as well. This clothing is righteousness born of the fear of God (taqwa), which represents the inner personality of a man. This vestment of taqwa on the one hand protects man from the attacks of Satan and, on the other, enhances his inner self and makes him capable of inhabiting the fine and aesthetic world of Paradise. What is this righteousness, or taqwa? It is fear of God, acknowledging of the Truth, adhering to uniform criteria for oneself and others, considering oneself a subject of God, behaving with modesty and humility, leading a Hereafter-oriented life instead of going astray in the world. When a man develops these virtues he ‘dresses’ his inner self. While the outer body is covered by a garment made of cloth, the inner self, the soul, is clad in taqwa. But if his behaviour is the opposite, he is, as it were, laying his inner self bare.

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, Tazkirul Quran

In the lectures

Maulana does not cite this verse in the lectures indexed so far. The verses of this surah Maulana does cite →