سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
الٓمٓ (١) ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيۡبَۛ فِيهِۛ هُدً۬ى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ (٢) ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ (٣)وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ وَبِٱلۡأَخِرَةِ هُمۡ يُوقِنُونَ (٤) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَىٰ هُدً۬ى مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ (٥) إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَأَنذَرۡتَهُمۡ أَمۡ لَمۡ تُنذِرۡهُمۡ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ (٦) خَتَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ وَعَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِمۡۖ وَعَلَىٰٓ أَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡ غِشَـٰوَةٌ۬ۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ۬ (٧)
Translation
Surah Al-Baqara
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Alif-Lâm-Mîm. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'ân and none but Allâh (Alone) knows their meanings] (1) This is the Book (the Qur’ân), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqûn [the pious and righteous persons who fear Allâh much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allâh much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. (2) Who believe in the Ghaib[] and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and spend out of what we have provided for them [i.e. give Zakât, spend on themselves, their parents, their children, their wives, etc., and also give charity to the poor and also in Allâh's Cause - Jihâd,]. (3) And who believe in (the Qurân and the Sunnah)[] which has been sent down (revealed) to you (Muhammad Peace be upon him ) and in that which we sent down before [the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), etc.] and they believe with certainty in the Hereafter. (Resurrection, recompense of their good and bad deeds, Paradise and Hell,) (4) They are on (true) guidance from their Lord, and they are the successful. (5) Verily, those who disbelieve, it is the same to them whether you (O Muhammad Peace be upon him ) warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe. (6) Allâh has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearings, (i.e. they are closed from accepting Allâh’s Guidance), and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be a great torment. (7)
Gems:
Verse / Ayah 3: When Allah (SWT) talks about giving charity, He (SWT) says that “they spend out of what We have provided them with” … this clearly indicates that the money we spend on charity is not our money to begin with …. the money is from Allah so when we spend for the sake of Allah, think of it as a transfer of funds from our dunya (world) account to our akhirah (Hereafter) account …. in this world, when we transfer funds from one account to another of our accounts, we don’t think of it as money spent or lost! The same goes for money spent in charity for Allah’s sake!
Verse / Ayah 4: When Allah (SWT) talks about belief in the Hereafter, He uses the word “Yuqinoon”. This word means “to believe so firmly in something that it is as though one can actually SEE it!” Hence, to be successful (ayah 5) one needs to believe in the Hereafter as though one can see it already! There is no room for doubt!
Verse / Ayah 5: When Allah (SWT) calls the people with the qualities described in verses 2-4 as “successful” He uses the word “muflihoon” instead of “faaizoon” … in classical Arabic both these words mean “successful” but the word “muflihoon” is very specific. “Muflih” is a farmer who toils hard to plant the seeds for his crops, waters the land and cares for the crops for months until they are ready to harvest. When his crops are ready to be harvested, the farmer is called “muflih” … by using the word “muflihoon” (that is, those who are successful), Allah (SWT) is letting us know that the success is not easy to come by … in fact, success in this case requires consistent and continual effort! SubhanAllah!
Verse / Ayah 6 : Allah (SWT) tells Muhammad (SAW) that it is the same to them (the disbelievers) whether he (SAW) warns them or does not warn them. The question that arises then is, what is the point of dawah (preaching) if all those who disbelieve will not benefit from the warning?
Looking at the ayah carefully, we see that the word for disbelievers “yakfuroon” is not used. Instead, the word “kafaru” (literally, “to conceal or cover faith or truth”) is used. This implies that a particular group of disbelievers is being talked about … they were those who the Prophet (SAW) had spent 13 years inviting to Islam in Makkah but the only thing that increased in them was their refusal to believe. So now in Medina (after the Hijrah and when this Surah (chapter) was revealed) Allah says that the doors of dawah are closed for them and they will no longer be able to heed the call because Allah has set a seal upon their hearts.
Verse / Ayah 7: In these first seven ayahs of this Surah, Allah (SWT) talks about guidance, faith and disbelief all of which reside in the heart! So when Allah talks about setting a seal on the disbelievers, He mentions the heart first in ayah 7.
A very similar ayah is seen in Surah Jaathiya (Surah 45) … but there Allah (SWT) mentions setting a seal on the disbelievers’ hearing first (Surah 45, ayah 23)! That is because in that surah Allah (SWT) is telling us that when the ayahs of Allah are recited to the disbeliever, he refuses to even listen! So when Allah mentions how He has set a seal on the disbelievers, He says that He has set a seal on their hearing first and then on their hearts! SubhanAllah! The subtlety and perfection in meaning of the Quranic language is fascinating and beautiful!
Reference: Bayyinah’s Study of the Quran series podcasts by Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan
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