Surah al-Baqarah (Verses 1 to 7 Explained)

SURAH BAQARAH

Verses 1 to 7

سورة البَقَرَة

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

الم

(2:1)

ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

(2:2)

الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ

(2:3)

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ وَبِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ

(2:4)

أُولَئِكَ عَلَى هُدًى مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

(2:5)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَأَنْذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنْذِرْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

(2:6)

خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَى سَمْعِهِمْ ۖ وَعَلَى أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ (2:7)

A.L.M.‎ (2:1)This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah;‎ (2:2)Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them;‎ (2:3)And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter.‎ (2:4)They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper.‎ (2:5)As to those who reject Faith, it is the same to them whether thou warn them or do not warn them; they will not believe.‎ (2:6)Allah hath set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and on their eyes is a veil; great is the penalty they (incur).‎ (2:7)

This Surah is Madani. Hadrat Ibn `Abbas (رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ) said: In Madinah Tayyibah this was the Surah that was revealed first of all except the verse: واتقوا یوما ترجعون which was revealed during the Farewell Pilgrimage at Makkah al-Mukarramah. [Tafsir Khazin, Lubab al-Ta`wil fi Ma`ani al-Tanzil, compiled by Imam Allamah Qudwatul-Ummah, Alamaul-A'immah,Nasirush-Shari`ah, Muhyis-Sunnah Ala'uddin `Ali bin Muhammad Ibrahim Baghdadi al-Sufi. popularly known as al-Khazin, published by Hasan Hilmi al-Kutubi and Muhammad Hasan al-Hlabi, with the permission of Nazartul-Ma`arif in the year 1317 AH., p. 21 ].

This Surah contains 286 verses, 40 ruku`( رُکُوع) , 6,121 kalimat and 25,500 huruf. [Khazin].

Earlier the names of the Surahs were not written in the Holy Qur’an. This method of writing (the names of the Surahs) was invented by Hujjaj. Ibn `Arabi (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) says: There are a thousand commandments, a thousand prohibitions, and a thousand informations. There is blessing in its taking and deprivation in its discarding. People of falsehood have no power to have it. A house in which this Surah is recited the arrogant Satan cannot enter such a house for three days.

It is mentioned in the hadith of Muslim Sharif that Satan runs away from such a house where this Surah is recited. [Jumal].

Bayhaqi and Sa`id bin Mansur have transmitted on the authority of Hadrat Mughirah

(رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ) that a person who will recite ten verses of Surah Baqarah he will not forget the Holy Qur’an. Those (ten) verses include four verses of its beginning, verse of Ayatul-Kursiyy, and two verses just after it and the three verses that come at its end.

Tabrani and Bayhaqi have transmitted on the authority of Hadrat Ibn `umar (رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ) that the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہ وسلم) said: After burying the deadbody into (the grave) recite on the side of head the first three verses of Surah Baqarah and last verses on the feet side.

OCCASION OF REVELATION (شان نزول):

Allah Almighty promised with His Most Favourite (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) that He will reveal such a Book that would not be erased by water nor would become old. When the Holy Qur’an was revealed He said: This is the Book that was promised.

Another statement is that Allah Almighty promised the revelation of a Book with Banu Isra’il and sending of a Messenger towards Banu Isma’il. When the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہ وسلم) migrated to Madinah Tayyibah where the Jews were much populated, the news of accomplishment of this promise was given by revealing الم ذلک الکتٰب . [Khazin, p.23].

الم

Alif. Lam. Mim.

Regarding the abbreviated letters that come before the Surahs, the preferred view is that those are of the Divine secrets and the Mutashabihat/متشابھات) and their real interpretation (ta’wil) is known to Allah Almighty and the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہ وسلم) alone. We believe in it that those are all true.

DOUBT:

Doubt comes where there is no proof for it. The Holy Qur’an has such clear and strong proofs (about its being a divinely revealed book) that a reasonable and just person has no alternative but to believe it a divinely revealed and all true book. Thus this Book is no way doubtful. As the denial of sun by a blind person does not render the existenceof sun doubtful similarly the denial of a hostile and darkhearted persons denial and doubt cannot render this Book liable to any doubt..

GUIDANCE FOR THE MUTTAQIN:

Though the guidance of the Holy Qur’an is general for every reader irrespective of his being a believer or unbeliever as has been said at another place that this Book is a guidance for the whole mankind (for all people). However, people of piety (righteousness, good conduct, muttaqin) get benefit out of it. Therefore it has been said: This is a guidance for the muttaqin. It is like the statement that the rainfall is for the greenery i.e. Though the rain falls on the land which is barren and saline yet the benefit of it gets the grass.

The word piety (taqwa) has many shades of meaning. It means to safeguard the self against apprehensions. while in the known terminology of the law (عرف شرع) it means to safeguard the self against sin by discarding the prohibitions. Hadrat Ibn Abbas (رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ) said: A muttaqi is a person who guards himself against joining others in the worship of Allah (Shirk), major sins (kaba’ir) and obscenities (fawahish). Some have said that a muttaqi is a person who does not consider himself better than others. Some say that piety (taqwa) is to discard the unlawful and perform the lawful acts. Some others say the taqwa is to discard insistence on disobedience and to discard feeling proud on doing obedience. Still some others say that the taqwa is this that your Lord does not see you at a place forbidden by Him. Further more, according to one statement taqwa is the name of following the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہ وسلم) and his Companions (ridwanullahi ta`ala `alayhim ajma`in) [Khazin, p.23].

All the aforesaid shades of meanings resemble each other (mutually appropriate) and there is not contradictory as to their consequence.

DEGREES OF TAQWA :

There are many degrees of taqwa.

The piety of masses is to believe and to safeguard against infidelity.

The piety of the moderate is to obey [all injunctions (ahkam) as to] the commandments and prohibitions.

The piety of the special is to leave all such things that render a person negligent of his Lord Almighty. [Jumal]

A`la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Brelvi (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) has said that the taqwa is of seven kinds, namely:-

(i) To safeguard oneself from infidelity [by the Grace of Allah Almighty all Muslims are blessed with it.];

(ii) To avoid bad faith [Every Sunni is blessed with it];

(iii) To avoid major sins;

(iv) To avoid minor sins;

(v) To avoid the doubtful things;

(vi) To avoid the carnal vain desires;

(vii) To avoid to become attentive towards [other than Allah. And this is the school of the most specific of all the specifics.].

The Holy Qur’an is a guide towards all the seven kinds of taqwa..

The verses from الذین یؤمنون بالغیب till مفلحون are concerning the sincere believers, who are believers within and without. After these verses there are next two verses concerning the open unbelievers who are unbelievers within and without. Then there are 13 verses starting from ومن الناس that are concerning the hypocrites who are unbelievers within their hearts but pose themselves outwardly as believers. [Jumal].

UNSEEN [غیب]:

The word غیب is either in the sense of Derivative Noun or Noun of Action. On this evaluation of the term ghayb is that which cannot be known by the empirical sense evidently. It is of two kinds, namely,-

(i) for which there is no proof. This is Unseen Knowledge is personal. This is referred to in following verse of the Holy Qur'an:

وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ

لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ

وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ ۚ

وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا

وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْضِ

وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ

إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ

(6:59)

And with Him are the keys of the Ghaib (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. and He knows whatever there is In (or on) the earth and In the sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. there is not a grain In the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written In a clear Record. [6:59]

In all such verses of the Holy Qur’an in which there is negation of the knowledge of the Unseen for those who are other than Allah Almighty, is the negation of the `Ilm ghayb Zati. Only Allah almighty knows it. It is specific for Allah Almighty alone as Maker of the universe, his Attributes (sifat) and the Prophethood and the commandments regarding it and the Shara’i` , the Last Day its circumstances, Raising up again after death, Resurrection, Judgment, Recompense, reward and punishment for which the proofs have been established and such knowledge comes by the Divine teaching is referred to here.

(ii) The second kind of unseen that relate to belief, their knowledge and certitude is available to every believer. Had it not been available how could he believe? And the doors of unseen knowledge which Allah Almighty opens for such prsons who are close to Him like Anbiya and auliya’ is such knowledge of the unseen. If "Ghayb" is kept in the sense of infinitive (ma`na masdari) and its nexux (silah/صلہ) is taken (mu’min bihi/مؤمن بہ) or the (ba/ب) is related to mutabayyan mahzuf and is declared as circumstantial expression or phrase (hal/حال). In the former circumstance the meaning of the verse will be: Those who believe without seeing as has been translated by the A`la Hadrat (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) . In the second circumstance the meaning of the verse will be : Those who believe in the unseen. That is there belief is not like that of the belief of the hypocrites who declare belief to show only to the believers. Rather, they are sincere in their belief. They remain believer in every circumstance i.e. in presence as well as in absence.

(iii) Another saying concerning exegesis of "ghayb" is that "ghayb" refers to heart. In this circumstance the meaning will be: They believe sincerely [Jumal].

(iv) In the matter of faith/belief ( `iman/ایمان) the things that are known by guidance and certitude that those are from among Din Muhammadi to accept and believe in all such matters and verify them from the core of one’s heart and to declare them with the ongue (i.e. by the words of mouth) is called faith or belief (’iman/اِیۡمَان). Action (`amal/عمل) is not included in faith/belief ( `iman/ایمان). It is for this rreason that the words yuqimunassalata have come after the words yu’minina bil-ghaybi.

ESTABLISHMENT OF REGULAR PRAYER:

Establsihment of regular prayer refers to observe constancy over it and to offer the regular prayers punctually at their exact fixed times and observing all its essential elements and protecting the fra’id, the sunan and mustahabbat relevant to them and without allowing any interruption in their observance and avoiding all such things which are abhorable (makruh)/مکروہ) and irregular (mufsid/مفسد). It also refers to paying and respecting all the rights of the prayers.

RIGHTS OF THE PRAYER:

Rights of the prayer arte of two types, namely, external and internal.

External rightsof prayer are the same which have been just stated above.

Internal rights of prayer are dearing God (khushu`/خشوع) and making oneself feel that he is present before Allah Almighty with his heart fully clear from all besides Him and in a state of being fully and most respectfully attentive towards Allah Almighty and to make himself fully engaged and absorbed in supplicating before Him with observance of full humbleness and humility as (Allah’s creation and His slave).

SPENDING IN THE WAY OF ALLAH ALMIGHTY

Spending in the way of Allah Almighty refers either to Zakat as at another place the Holy Qur’an says:

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ

Verily, Your Walî (protector or Helper) is Allâh, his Messenger, and the believers, - those who perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât, and they bow down (submit themselves with obedience to Allâh In prayer). [5:55]

Or this refers to absolute spending (Mutlaq infaq/مطلق انفاق) irrespective of its being fard or obligatory (wajib/واجب) as Zakat , Vow (nazar/نذر), the maintenance of ones ownself or ones family members and depndents (nafqah/نفقہ) irrespective of its being commendable act (mustahabb) as extra charities (sadaqat nafilah), the spending of one’s wealth to send its reward to the dead Muslims (relatives or non-relatives).

A question is often asked as to whether after the death of a believer, an other believer who is his relative or friend can send the reward of his own good deeds to him? Another question is where a person has no property to spend and send its reward to the dead can he pray to Allah Almighty to give reward or benefit of the prayer as prayed for the dead persons?

The answer is simple "Yes". The reason is that in all our prayers we recite the prayers mentioned in the Holy Qur'an and say:

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ

(14:40)

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ

(14:41)

O my Lord! make me one who establishes regular Prayer, and also (raise such) among my offspring O our Lord! and accept Thou my Prayer.‎ (14:40)"O our Lord! cover (us) with Thy Forgiveness - me, my parents, and (all) Believers, on the Day that the Reckoning will be established!‎ (14:41)

These additional or extra charities. Reciting of the Holy Qur’an and “Kalimah Tayyibah” added to the good acts add to the reward and compensation of the good act.

In Chapter 99 of Musnad Imam A`zam (رحمۃاللہ علیہ) which is titled as Chapter retlating tot he Forgiveness of the Pilgrims(Babu Maghfiratil-hajji) there is a transmission made by Abu Hanifah on the authority of `Alqamah who reported on the authority of the Holy Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہ وسلم) that the pilgrim is forgiven one for his own slef and also for another for whom he seeks forgiveness till the end of (the month of Muharram).

There is a marfu` transmission in Sunan Ibn Majah  on the authority of Hadrat Abu Hurayrah

(رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ) that those who perform Hajj and `Umrah they are the deputations of Allah and if they pray for anything from Allah it will be accepted; if they ask for forgivenss, they will be forgiven.

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) transmitted a marfu` transmission on the authority of Ibn `Umar (رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ) that wen you meet a pilgrim greet him, shake hand with him and request him to pray for you for your forgiveness before his entering his own home as he is a person who is (from among the) forgiven (ones). [Musnad Imam Azam, Idara Nashriyat-i-Islam, Lahore, p.228]

In the word "(Mimma/مِمَّا) the letter “min” is (tab`idiyyah/تبعیضیہ). It indicates towards the fact that extravagance (israf/اِسۡراف) even in spending (infaq/انفاق) is forbidden. In other words spending, whether it is on ones ownself or on ones family members or any one else must be moderate and there should be no extravagance or wastage of wealth.

The precedence of the words: razaqnahum/ رزقناھم[We have provided them sustenance] and attributing this providing towards Himself, Allah Almighty has made it manifest that the wealth is not your creation O mankind. It is bestowal of your Creator upon you. Hence if you do not spend it as per Allah's direction in Allah's way it is your extreme miserliness and this conduct of miserliness is of the worst kind of behaviour on your part. Mind it fully well that Allah's way is spending the wealth on your own fellow human beings including your own self. Further the responsibility if according to capacity. You have been first given the things you need and then asked to spend out of them to see your obedience and excellence in performance.

AHL AL-KITAB:

In this verse the term Ahl al-Kitab refers to those believers who believed in their own Divine book and the past Divinely revealed books and the revelations that were sent towards all the Prophets (`alayhimussalatu wassalam) and they also believe in the Holy Qur’an. The words: [wa ma ’unzila ’ilayka/ وما انزل الیک] refer to the whole of the Holy Qur’an and the whole of the Shari`at .

As it is essential for every responsible person to believe in Holy Qur’an in the same manner it is essential for him to believe in all the past divinely revealed books that were sent by Allah Almighty prior to the arrival of Hadrat Muhammad, the Last Prophet and Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہ وسلم).

However, to act upon such of the laws of the said Past Divinely Revealed Books that were repealed in our Shari`at is not valid yet to believe in them is necessary. For instance in the Past Shari`ats the Baytul-Maqdas was the Qiblah. To beleivein it is a fard on all of us (the Muslims) but to face towards it while offering our prayers is not permissible as that commandment has since been repealed.

To believe in brief on all that was revealed on the Prophets (`alayhimussalatu wassalam) is Fard `Ayn and to believe in the Holy Qur’an in detail and in full is Fard Kifayah. Hence for the masses learning of its details is not compulsory (fard/فرض) when the `Ulama are there who had spent their struggle to achive the knowledge of those details.

TO HAVE CERTAIN BELIEF IN THE HEREAFTER:

It means to believe in the Hereafter and all that is in it like compensation and reckoning etc. with such certitude and satisfaction in which there is no doubt at all. In this statement there is in direct reference (ta`rid/تعریض) to the unbelievers Ahl al-Kitab etc. whose beliefs regarding the Hereafter are invalid.

MENTION OF DISBELEIVERS:

After the mention of the friendly the mention of the hostile is the wisdom lying in the guidance. By this comparison is intended that each one of the opposing groups may consider the reality of its own behaviour and the consequences that shall follow.

OCCASION OF REVELATION OF THIS VERSE:

This verse (2:6) was revealed in the matter of Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab, the unbelievers who are the deprived ones in the Divine knowledge. It is for this reason that to warn or not to warn them against their hostile attitude towards Divine Guidance has been disclosed as equal. It is of no use to them. However, the effort of the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہ وسلم) is not futile as the compulsory duty of the office of Messengership is guidance and establishment of the authoritativeness of the argument, and the conveyaing of the message of God in the most perfect manner.

Where a people or a community does not accept the guidance given to them by the Guide, the Guide shall be rewarded of his effort of conveying the Divine Guidance. The deprived will be the people who did not obey the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہ وسلم) . The word “infidelity (kufr/کُفۡر)” signifies denial of the existence of Allah Almighty or His Oneness or the Prophethood or messengership of any of the Prophet or Messenger sent by Allah Almighty or denial of any matter which is from among the essentials of faith (ضروریات دین) or doing any such deed which is proof of the denial according to the Shari`at .

DARK SCREEN ON THE EYESIGHT OF THE DISBELIEVERS:

The believers are drowned into their misleading and gone astray to such an extent that hey have been deprived of seeing, hearing and understanding the truth as if their hearts and ears have been sealed and their eyes have been covered.

This verse shows that the actions of the servants are also subject to the Divine control.