Al-A'raf 7:177
SAHIHسَآءَ مَثَلًا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَأَنفُسَهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَظْلِمُونَ
How evil an example [is that of] the people who denied Our signs and used to wrong themselves.
Saaa'a masalanil qawmul lazeena kazzaboo bi Aayaatinaa wa anfusahum kaanoo yazlimoon
Tafsir (Commentary)
<h2>Story Bal`am bin Ba`ura</h2><p>`Abdur-Razzaq recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said that Allah's statement,</p><p>وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ الَّذِى ءاتَيْنَـهُ ءَايَـتِنَا فَانْسَلَخَ مِنْهَا</p><p>(And recite to them the story of him to whom We gave Our Ayat, but he threw them away) "Is about Bal`am bin Ba`ura' a man from the Children of Israel." Shu`bah and several other narrators narrated this statement from Mansur who got it from Ibn Mas`ud. Sa`id bin Abi `Arubah narrated that Qatadah said that Ibn `Abbas said, "He is Sayfi, son of Ar-Rahib." Qatadah commented that Ka`b said, "He was a man from Al-Balqla' (a province of Jordan) who knew Allah's Greatest Name. He used to live in Bayt Al-Maqdis with the tyrants." Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "He is Bal`am bin Ba`ura', a man from Yemen whom Allah had given the knowledge of His Ayat, but he abandoned them." Malik bin Dinar said, "He was one of the scholars of the Children of Israel whose supplication was acceptable. They used to seek his lead in suplication in times of difficulty. Allah's Prophet Musa sent him to the King of Madyan to call him to Allah. That king appeased him and gave him land and gifts, and he …
Other Translations
Evil as an example are the folk who denied Our revelations, and were wont to wrong themselves.
Evil as an example are people who reject Our signs and wrong their own souls.
Evil is the likeness of the people who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses and signs, etc.), and used to wrong their ownselves.
Evil is the metaphor of the people who reject Our signs and wrong themselves.