^{Surah Name:} Al-Baqarah ^Meaning: The Cow

Key Points

Surah Al-Baqarah

Secrets Of Revelation

O you who believe!...Indeed Allaah^-SWT is with the steadfast.

The Pious Also Face Trials And Tribulations

No one practising Zikr should misunderstand that he has gained a super human disposition and will be free of normal human needs, he will not feel hungry or thirsty, or that he will not be hit by sickness or poverty, or that he will have no enemy or opponent. He should rather be prepared to fight many such problems and will have to go through comparatively more hardships than an ordinary person. In addition to the everyday problems of human life-financial, domestic, medical etc, the opposition of the society peculiar to the Aulia will also have to be faced. The society always wants to safeguard its rituals and customs while Allaah^-SWT's friends try to reform it and steer it away from undesirable trends, towards Allaah^-SWT's Path. This hurts the ego of the society and it decides to react by confronting them, with the exception of some virtuous people who are bestowed with guidance from Allaah^-SWT, though they are very few.

The reason why the Prophets^-AS have to face the maximum of hardships is that they strive to eradicate all forms of evil, faithlessness and polytheism from the society, enforce the Divine Code of Life and pave the way for guidance. Their followers simply tread the path cleared by them, and face comparatively much less problems than the Prophets^-AS. Probably this is the secret behind the saying of the Holy Prophet^-SW that he^-SW had to endure much more hardships than any other Prophet^-SW. The reason being that they were raised for specific nations and faced the opposition of their respective nations only while the Holy Prophet^-SW was raised for the entire mankind and he^-SW challenged the rituals and malpractices all over the globe. Naturally the opposition he^-SW faced was stronger and widespread and as such he^-SW had to face more hardships than the others.

So when a person embarks on Allaah^-SWT's Path, there should be no retreat and he should remain steadfast. When the wrongdoers do not abandon evil, why should the noble give up piety? Indeed it is a difficult task but has a very simple solution, that is, to seek Allaah^-SWT's help through patience and Salat, which certainly is the antidote to all distress.

Patience means to restrain, that is to hold fast to Allaah^-SWT, and refrain from His disobedience, and also to stop wailing over worldly woes. In the presence of Allaah^-SWT's countless bounties, a person should not complain if he is put to a little trial. This would, of course, depend on man’s inner relationship with Him and this relationship is based on His worship. Therefore, seek Allaah^-SWT's help through Salat as an optimum level of His nearness is reached during Salat.

Although worships are a component of patience, yet also serve as a source of standing firm on patience. Amongst all worships, Salat is like the crown; therefore, patience and Salat will attract His special succour, which is in the form of Allaah^-SWT's Personal Company. “Lo! Allaah^-SWT is with the steadfast.” It is absolutely sure that Allaah^-SWT is Personally present by those who practise patience, and when He is with someone, problems cease to be problems. Rather the apparent trouble carries a special pleasure and an inward joy, hard to capture in words.

Whereas the Aulia are blessed with His Personal Company yet it must be remembered that it is conditional to their qualities, which in this case is patience. If at any stage patience is given up His Company is automatically lost. This is because Wilayah is attained through one's personal endeavour and the danger of losing it prevails until the last breath. In the long and tedious journey of life as soon as one loses his patience, he is deprived of the Divine Company at once. This can happen to those who spend a lifetime struggling on the path of Wilayah, not to speak of those who are oblivious of Din and ignorant of this path. How can they claim to be friends of Allaah^-SWT? Their claim of Wilayah will be sheer ignorance. No one can attain Wilayah by deviating from Allaah^-SWT's Path. In fact privileged Wilayah is the name of excelling commoners in Allaah^-SWT's obedience.

Whoever deviates from the Prophet^-SW’s way, Will never reach the goal and go astray.

It is only the Prophethood, which is conferred as a gift by Allaah^-SWT, and is never revoked, since a gift becomes the personal property of the one to whom it is given. Therefore, the Prophets^-AS are secure, whereas a Wali is in danger until his last breath. It is a separate issue that the Aulia enjoy Divine Protection, but only until they observe patience. To be a Wali by birth is a myth and is far from reality, because Wilayah is earned through endeavour, which in turn pertains to maturity. A person is responsible for his actions only when he is mature. And only then he can endeavour to attain Wilayah. How can a baby cover the stations of Suluk in its mother's womb? It is only a fable used for those fortunate ones who are born in pious families or virtuous environment, who by nature are pious, and dislike evil right from their childhood. On maturity they attain privileged Wilayah or stations of Suluk. Otherwise every child is blessed with the capacity to attain this by birth.

The Holy Prophet^-SW says that every child is born with natural qualities the parents who mould him to their own way of life. That is why even a believer can attain the highest levels of Wilayah upon embracing Islam, because the capability was already present in him, but was only blocked by the barricade of infidelity or the fog of impatience. When he breaks the barricade and reverts to patience he will certainly be a Wali. However, it must be remembered that this patience cannot be attained by itself but is one of the excellences of the Prophethood. There was a time when people slaughtered one another over a sip of water, but the company of the Holy Prophet^-SW gave them such a high degree of patience that even in the battlefield while being fatally wounded themselves, they were seen offering their share of water to others They set exemplary standards of sacrifice. This extraordinary conduct was and is, a reflection of the splendour of the Holy Prophet^-SW. And so long as his^-SW lights do not descend on the hearts, it is difficult to acquire patience. It is a state that cannot be attained by mere words unless outward knowledge is complemented with the company of an accomplished saint. It would then be a reflection of the enlightened heart of that accomplished personality, who is a trustee of the Prophetic lights.

Another issue worthy of discussion here pertains to those termed as Majazib. Only he, who acquired the Divine Lights from an accomplished Shaikh, but at any stage lost his senses due to lack of capacity, is called a Majzub. And any mentally unsound person who never pursued this path is merely a lunatic, not a Majzub. Besides, being a Majzub indicates a shortcoming, not an excellence. Had it been symbolic of excellence, the Prophets^-AS would have been so. But no Prophet^-AS was ever a Majzub. In fact the accomplished are hard to discriminate from ordinary folk. The more one attains the excellence, the more his lifestyle becomes closer to that of a common man. And it must be noted that the company of a Majzub cannot benefit anyone because he becomes unmindful of good and bad. Rather if a seeker of lower grade comes in contact with them, his spiritual states will be drawn away while their lights, will become stronger due to total concentration in one direction.

According to Shari’ah it is best to leave such people to Allaah^-SWT and they should not be bothered. One must strive to attain steadfastness in Zikr, as it is the source of His Company. Once this is attained no one can bring any harm to a seeker, rather distress transforms into tranquillity. The maximum pain that can be inflicted upon any one is assassination, while other punishments like captivity or fine are of lesser degree. So even if a person loses his life in the cause of Allaah^-SWT, he lives eternally as He forbids calling him dead. He has rather defeated death in Pursuit of the right path.

And do not speak of... No, they are alive but you do not perceive.

Life Of Shuhada

Those slain in the cause of Allaah^-SWT will not be called dead, as they are alive, assassination pertains to the physical body, and the act of killing is applied only to body. Whether cut by the sword, or blown off by a shell, the worldly life ends and one moves on to Barzakh. But he is not dead. He is absolutely alive in Barzakh as he was in this world. Although in matters of food, days and nights or seasons, comforts and distress the laws of Barzakh will apply yet the connection of the Spirit with the body will be the same as it was in life of the world and one is alive with physical body.

Upon the Shuhada are applicable the temporal laws of death. Their estate is distributed among the heirs, the widows abide by the waiting period before remarriage, the funeral and the burial take place yet their bodies retain the same connection with the Spirit as they had in this world, whether disintegrated to fragments, or cremated, or devoured by beasts. Allaah^-SWT is all Powerful; He, Who can place millions of microbes in a drop of human blood, is absolutely capable of granting independent life to the flesh that may have become a part of the beast.

In this context the best form of life after death is that of the Prophets^-AS, as their life affects the temporal laws, for instance though funeral and burial take place yet neither the estate is divided, nor their widows allowed to remarry. In fact death is the name of the process in which the angel takes the Spirit out of the body and presents it before Allaah^-SWT.The body, because of the departure of the Spirit becomes unaware of its surroundings, even though it is in this world. Since the Spirit moves to Barzakh, therefore, the body is also subjected to the experiences of Barzakh, regardless of its state in this world. After presence before Allaah^-SWT, the Spirit is taken to its appropriate place in the ‘Illiyin for the believers or Sijjin for the non-believers. Since both Spirit and body had jointly participated in the worldly life, both dually share the requital.

The fact is that in this worldly life the physical body bears the responsibility while the Spirit is dependent on it. In Barzakh it is reversed. Therefore, the Spirit from its assigned station maintains a link with the body so that whatever is being experienced by it, comfort or agony, is also shared by the body; just as the experiences of the bodily joys or grief were shared by the Spirit in the world. To believe that in Barzakh, a replica and not the actual body is subjected to requital is foolishness. It does not make any sense that the good or bad is done by the physical body, while the reward or retribution is taken by its replica, who never came to this world, bore no responsibility, received no guidance from any Prophet^-AS, yet suddenly appeared in Barzakh for recompense. This is simply absurd.

The Qura'an testifies that the Pharaoh’s folk went into the fire as soon as they drowned. Now what do the Spirits have to do with drowning? It were the physical bodies, which drowned. And hardly any bodies were recovered, while the fish or other marine animals gulped most of them. Inspite of this Allaah^-SWT says, that they went into fire. To what kind of fire the Spirit was subjected to is beyond our perception, but the bodies are also burning in the same fire due their connection with the Spirit, including the body of the Pharaoh though apparently kept safely in Cairo’s museum. This is the state of non-believers.

The Spirit of a believer also has a connection with his body and the effects of eternal bliss reach out to it. In the case of a Shaheed or those killed in the cause of Allaah^-SWT the connection between the Spirit and the body is so strong that the bodies always appear fresh and alive for centuries together as has often been witnessed. In 1978 when the Holy Prophet^-SW’s Masjid was being extended, the graves of some of the Companions^-RAU lay open during excavation. After fourteen centuries the bodies were as fresh as ever, and were shifted to Jannat ul Baqi’ (Madinah’s Graveyard).

Another point to note here is that if the body of a Shaheed does not remain intact, it will not be because of the effects of death. It can be for other reasons, for example, if it is cremated or cut into pieces. Whatever that can possibly happen to it when alive, can also happen posthumously. But there is no possibility of its decomposition due to the effects of death as the Qura'an's term Ahya (they are alive) applies to the body, which is alive even after being slain, as the act of slaying took place on the body and not the Spirit. Otherwise, the Spirit of even a non-believer remains alive, so what is so special about Shuhada’? In terms of location they are in Barzakh, and the weather, the environment, the comforts prevail accordingly; but their life is just like the one they had in this world. It is not difficult for Allaah^-SWT to do as He pleases. Yet this phenomenon is beyond access of our medical science. We cannot perceive this with our physical senses. The best thing to do is to blindly believe in what Allaah^-SWT tells us, as His Words is always true.

The Qura'an testifies to the life of the Shuhada’, whereas the human intellect is still bewildered and confused over the life of the Prophets^-AS. The reason is that people try to understand this through logic and reasoning, while their hearts are not alive. Had their hearts been alive they would certainly have endorsed this reality ignoring the intellect altogether. For people of vision, life of the Prophets after demise is axiomatic. May Allaah^-SWT enlighten the hearts of all Muslims!

And We shall surely test you... glad tidings to those who bear with patience.

In further elaboration of this point Allaah^-SWT declares that believers will be put to trial some by fear, or hunger, or financial loss or loss of crops to see whether they remember Allaah^-SWT only in peace, or because of the affluence in these resources. Or would they give in to their fears of the enemy or a possible calamity and abandon His Zikr, and become oblivious? The believers will also have to live a normal human life but the difference will be that the distress inflicted upon the oblivious would indeed be distress. But the hardships of those whose hearts are enlightened by Allaah^-SWT's Zikr and illuminated with the light of faith, though outwardly may seem a distress, but in fact it will be a trial. And trial is always a pre requisite to success.

The Knowledge of the Almighty is Eternal, Perfect and Supreme, but He vindicates His bondsmen so that on the Day of Reckoning, it is proved to everyone that these radiant faces had sacrificed everything but did not abandon Allaah^-SWT's name and His service. And those unfortunate ones will also be seen along, who for the attainment of mundane pleasure, or in hope of averting worldly losses had worshipped others than Allaah^-SWT, who could neither avail them in the world nor in the Akhirah.

Who say, when a calamity befalls them...and they are the ones rightly guided.

So O’ My Beloved Prophet^-SW! Do convey the glad tidings to My bondsmen who under no circumstances give up patience, who in the face of every calamity and loss say that they belong to Allaah^-SWT and shall ultimately return to Him. Those who believe that their lives, property, honour and their children all belong to Him and remain thankful in adversity. Those who do not complain about their woes, although as human beings, they feel the pangs of pain too, yet that pain does not detract them from Allaah^-SWT.They rather display patience and remain steadfast on Zikr. They may be congratulated and assured that for one moment of pain felt in their hearts Allaah^-SWT shall grant them endless pleasure and happiness.

These are the people who are on the right path and the most blessed. Otherwise, had the worldly gains or pleasures been made conditional with worships, who would have been foolish enough to neglect them? For a salary of seven rupees per month during the First World War, people fought across the oceans and laid down their lives. So if people are assured of livelihood against Salat, testing or Zikr, would they have ever walked out of the masjid? Certainly not! No one would have ever missed the five Salat, and would have also been healthy and wealthy. But this is not so at all. O believers, you have to worship and obey Allaah^-SWT, and also live a normal human life. This Ayah endorses the fact that whether or not the heedless are put through a trial, the heedful will certainly be. This point is also elaborated by a Hadith that the Prophets^-AS suffer the most, followed by those closest to them and so on.

Today the greatest problem is that people have begun to believe that by their Salat and fasting they are doing a favour to Allaah^-SWT.Therefore, Allaah^-SWT must do as they desire! Praise be to Him! In other words, first they worshipped Allaah^-SWT and now they want to be worshipped, as obedience is worship. Allaah^-SWT forbid if He became subservient to the human beings, who will manage and rule the universe? It is downright ignorance to expect this from Him. The real honour is to depend on His Mercy under all circumstances and to attain His Pleasure by surrendering ones will and purpose completely to Him.

Indeed Safa and Marwa... then surely Allaah^-SWT is Appreciative, Knowing.

Just see how a believing lady made sacrifices all her life. On embracing faith she had to migrate from her native land. When she married Prophet Ibrahim^-AS she had to bear the hardships of a migratory and impoverished life. She faced the cruel king and remained in prison. But she clung to patience and placed her trust in Allaah^-SWT, and was always rewarded until in her old age she was blessed with a son like Prophet Isma’il^-AS But this too led to a trial. She was left in a barren desert along with her infant. When Prophet Ibrahim^-AS was leaving, she asked, “O Friend of Allaah^-SWT, why are you leaving us here?” “It is Allaah^-SWT's Command,” was the answer. “If this be the case, He will never let us perish,” she replied.

Now there was a new problem, that the stock of water ran out and consequently her milk dried up and the baby began to cry. When she could not think of anything, she impatiently climbed the nearest hillock, leaving her baby on the ground. She looked around for water but could not spot any. She headed for the next hillock, but when she descended in the valley she could not see the baby. She ran across trying to keep the baby in sight lest any animal harm him. She climbed the other hillock but no water could be traced there either. Restlessly she ran seven times between the two hillocks in similar manner. Apparently it was a great turmoil, but her passion was so much appreciated by Allaah^-SWT that He cleaved the desert in order to allow a gushing spring of water to flow. He honoured the two hillocks to be amongst His symbols, and enjoined upon every pilgrim to run with the same enthusiasm as hers between the twain.

To run between the two hillocks seven times is, according to Imam Ahmed^-RUA a Mustahib (meritorious) Sunnah, to Imam Malik^-RUA and Imam Shafi^-RUA it’s obligatory and to Imam Abu Hanifah^-RUA it is Wajib (compulsory) (Mu’arif al-Qura'an). Allaah^-SWT made it a rite of the great worship called Hajj and ‘Umrah, by which a pilgrim is so cleansed of his sins as if he was a new born. These are the blessings of Hajj known to everyone, while the eternal rewards are immense.

As for those who criticize the Holy Prophet^-SW, the Qura'an or the change of Qiblah are led by the scholars of Bani Israil, for the idolaters of Makkah also took their guidance. These scholars are well aware of all the facts foretold in their Books, but they conceal them in order to maintain their own superiority.

Surely those who conceal...nor would they be granted any respite.

Those who conceal the Divine Revelations meant for the guidance of mankind are under the Divine Wrath. They are accursed by Allaah^-SWT and by His entire creation. Their concealment of truth generates darkness, that envelopes the entire creation, and in turn everyone curses them.

Indeed the effects of human actions are too far reaching. It were the evil deeds of the people of Prophet   Lut^-AS, which brought destruction to the land and eveything therein. And those of the people of Prophet  Nuh^-AS, which invoked the Deluge and saving only those in the Ark, all were drowned. All these calamities were the outcome of wrongdoings of mankind. On the top of all evils is the act of concealing the truth. A person who knows any aspect of Din, does not express it, or twists it in such a manner as to please the people, to safeguard his own temporal interests will be subjected to curse by Allaah^-SWT and His creation. The Holy Prophet^-SW is reported to have said that, whoever conceals something knowingly will be made to wear reins of fire by Allaah^-SWT. However, an ignorant has no right to issue verdicts.

It is commanded that only those aspects be explained, which are needed for the guidance of people. To raise controversial issues in order to satisfy personal vanity is a serious crime. Matters that are not within the comprehension of a common man must not be discussed lest they fall prey to misconception. These guidelines not only pertain to the teaching of the Qura'an, but also to Hadith, as without it the former cannot be appropriately understood.

Hadhrat Abu Hurairah^-RAU, a renowned Companion, said that had this Ayah not been revealed, he would not have narrated any Hadith. So all those who conceal the facts that Allaah^-SWT wants to convey to mankind are criminals of the highest order, worthy of being cursed. But if they repent, make amends, follow the guidance of the Holy Prophet^-SW, and propagate the facts they had previously concealed, Allaah^-SWT will accept their repentance. He is ever Relenting and Merciful. Praise be to Him.

Those who turned away from such a generous offer of Divine Mercy and Forgiveness, opted for disbelief and died as such are accursed by Allaah^-SWT and the entire mankind. They are guilty of Allaah^-SWT's disobedience, due to which His Wrath befell the human settlements. Because of this offence against humanity they deserved to be accursed by the entire mankind. The non-believers, therefore, will always be under this curse and never will they be forgiven. They will always be under this curse and will never be given a respite. The point to take note of is that unless a person dies on disbelief it is not proper to curse him by name. However, the non-believers and the transgressors can generally be cursed without naming anyone.

When it is such a serious matter that until a non-believer dies as such, he must not be cursed, how can then a believer be cursed no matter how bad he may be. In our society women habitually curse others. If the one cursed does not deserve it, the curse is automatically reversed. Care must also be taken in the use of other words synonymous to curse. This was all about those who conceal the truth and dig ditches for themselves. As far as the believers are concerned they must only keep Allaah^-SWT in mind, as He Alone is worthy of worship and His Pleasure should be their ultimate goal. Rest, whatever others have to say, must not bother them. Your Ilaha is the only Ilaha. There is no Ilaha but He, the Gracious, the Most Merciful (Allaah^-SWT is one; there is no one like Him nor has He a partner. He alone deserves to be worshipped. His Pleasure is the desired goal and His obedience the aim of life. He is the most Merciful and the most Gracious.)