سورة البقرة
Surah Name: Al-Baqarah Meaning: The Cow
Key Points
- Revealed at Madinah
- The Longest Surah of the Qura'an.
- This Surah, with reference to its revelation, is Madni and some of its yat and injunctions pertain to the very last period of the revelation of the Qura'an, but in order of placement it is in the very beginning. The Qura'an, an answer to the prayer contained in al-Fatihah, begins with this Surah. There was a basic difference in the life patterns of Makkah and Madinah. The addressees of Divine Revelation at Makkah in general, were the pagans and the idolaters; but at Madinah there were also people who considered themselves to be the nearest to Allaah-SWT and the true followers of Prophet Musa-AS (Moses). Whereas, in reality, over the passage of time, they had not only forgotten his teachings, but had also distorted the Divine Scriptures. They had replaced worship with rituals, and true faith with absurd beliefs. Despite this they claimed to be on the right path. The Qura'an in the first place, highlighted the difference between belief and disbelief. Thus the very first yat of this Surah also spells out the fundamentals of Islam
- Total Number of Ruku / Sections 40
- Total Number of Ayat/ Verses 286
- Surah / Chapter number 2
- Ruku / Section 38 contains Ayat/ Verses 8
- Siparah/ Volume 1, 2 & 3
Surah Al-Baqarah
Surah Baqarah Ruku 38
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الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُم بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ سِرًّا وَعَلاَنِيَةً فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
Allatheena yunfiqoona amwalahum bi(a)llayli wa(al)nnahari sirran waAAalaniyatan falahum ajruhum AAinda rabbihim wala khawfun AAalayhim wala hum yahzanoon(a) The people who spend of their wealth night and day, secretly and openly, for them is their reward with their Rubb; and they will neither have any fear nor will they grieve. |
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الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لاَ يَقُومُونَ إِلاَّ كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُواْ إِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَا وَأَحَلَّ اللّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا فَمَن جَاءهُ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ فَانتَهَىَ فَلَهُ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللّهِ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
Allatheena yakuloona a(l)rriba la yaqoomoona illa kama yaqoomu allathee yatakhabbatuhu a(l)shshaytanu mina almassi thalika biannahum qaloo innamaalbayAAu mithlu a(l)rriba waahalla Allaahu albayAAa waharrama a(l)rriba faman jaahu mawAAithatun min rabbihi fa(i)ntaha falahu ma salafa waamruhu ila Allaahi waman AAada faolaika ashabu a(l)nnari hum feeha khalidoon(a) The people who devour usury will not stand up (from their graves) except as stands a person made insane by Shaitan’s embrace. This is because they had said that trading is like usury. And Allaah has allowed trading and has forbidden usury. So, to whoever (person) reaches the admonition from his Rubb and he refrains, then whatever he gained previously is his, and his (inner) affair rests with Allaah. And whoever returns to it (repeats it), then these people are the inmates of Hell; they will remain in it forever. |
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يَمْحَقُ اللّهُ الْرِّبَا وَيُرْبِي الصَّدَقَاتِ وَاللّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ أَثِيمٍ
Yamhaqu Allaahu a(l)rriba wayurbee a(l)ssadaqati wa(A)llahu la yuhibbu kulla kaffarin atheem(in) Allaah eliminates usury and increases charity. And Allaah does not befriend any unbelieving sinner. |
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إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَوُاْ الزَّكَاةَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
Inna allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo a(l)ssalihati waaqamoo a(l)ssalata waatawoo a(l)zzakata lahum ajruhum AAinda rabbihim wala khawfun AAalayhim wala hum yahzanoon(a) Indeed, those people who believed and performed righteous deeds and established Salah and gave Zakat, for them is their reward with their Rubb, they will have neither fear nor will they grieve. |
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يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَذَرُواْ مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo ittaqoo Allaaha watharoo ma baqiya mina a(l)rriba in kuntum mumineen(a) O believers! Be conscious of Allaah and forgo the remaining balance of usury, if you are (true) believers. |
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فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُواْ فَأْذَنُواْ بِحَرْبٍ مِّنَ اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُؤُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لاَ تَظْلِمُونَ وَلاَ تُظْلَمُونَ
Fain lam tafAAaloo fathanoo biharbin mina Allaahi warasoolihi wain tubtum falakum ruoosu amwalikum la tathlimoona wala tuthlamoon(a) Then if you do not (comply with this), be prepared for a war with Allaah and His Messenger. And if you repent, your principal sum shall be yours. Do not transgress, and you will not be transgressed against. |
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وَإِن كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍ وَأَن تَصَدَّقُواْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
Wain kana thoo AAusratin fanathiratun ila maysaratin waan tasaddaqoo khayrun lakum in kuntum taAAlamoona And if (the debtor is) in straitened circumstances, grant him leave till the time of ease; and if you remit it altogether, it is better for you, if you knew (its reward). |
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وَاتَّقُواْ يَوْمًا تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى اللّهِ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لاَ يُظْلَمُونَ
Wa(i)ttaqoo yawman turjaAAoona feehi ila Allaahi thumma tuwaffa kullu nafsin makasabat wahum la yuthlamoon(a) And be conscious of the Day when you will be brought before Allaah, then every person will get full reward for his deeds, and they will not be wronged. |
Secrets Of Revelation
Those who spend their possessions... nor shall they grieve.
Those who spend in Allaah-SWT's Ways in public or in private and are the first to answer any call for it without let or hindrance, indeed follow the most illustrious Companion and the first Caliph, Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddiq-RUA. The poet of the East 'Allama Iqbal-RUA has exquisitely sketched his noble profile in a piece or Persian verse:
He kept our master at peace from foes
Of our valley of Sina, he was the sage;
His wealth was the rainfall that made the crops of the Ummah grow,
He was the second of the two, in the cave, in Badar and in the grave.
The acts of charity by the Companions-RUA and their sacrifices have adorned history and amazed the heavens. A people the like of whom the sun did not witness before, nor can hope for it ever after. Immense rewards await them for their devotions. They shall neither fear any wrong nor have any regrets over their past, nor any reservations for the future. Their tomorrow would always be brighter than today.
So anyone who will spend in the Cause of Allaah-SWT can hope for excellent rewards. Alms mean giving away wealth purely for seeking Allaah-SWT's Pleasure and without any vested interests. Directly opposite to it is usury, which means taking someone's wealth without returning anything against it.
Those who devour usury... therein they shall abide forever
Here the expression, "Those who devour usury" alludes to those who take it irrespective of how they utilize it, whether on food or clothing or construction of houses, etc. All forms fall in the category of "devouring", as the one who takes it is in complete possession of the usury money and can use it any way he likes and there is no way it can ever be returned. On the Yaum al Qiyamah (Day of Judgement), such people will be standing as if Satan has rendered them lunatic by embracing them.
This shows that due to the influence of Satan and Jinn, a person can lose senses or become a lunatic. The Qura'an, ‘Hadith’ and repeated observations, prove this fact. Physicians also agree that one of the causes of epilepsy, lunacy or unconsciousness could be the influence of Jinn. It must also be remembered that the requital is directly related to the action. In this world the usurer is so callous that he neither bothers about Allaah-SWT's Commandments nor the distress and the misery of the poor. When he will rise on the Day of Resurrection, he would be in a state of lunacy as if possessed by a Jinn. This is because when he was alive, he used to say that usury was the same as trading; because the aim of trading is to earn profit and increase the wealth and usury also increases wealth, so why was trading allowed and usury forbidden? But he forgets that Allaah-SWT, the Sovereign Master has allowed the one and disallowed the other, as He knows what is good and what is bad for His creation than the creation knows itself. The first thing is that Allaah-SWT is the Ruler. When He decrees, the matter is decided and no one has the right to challenge or question His decision.
Secondly the person claiming usury to be lawful was merely relying on the logical reasoning, while the decision is authoritative. Allaah-SWT is not only the ruler but also the Rubb the Creator of all the systems of the world, aware of his creations, as well as of that, which is beneficial or harmful for them. So when He has declared usury as prohibited, it certainly has some pernicious aspects, whether we understand this partially or fail to comprehend it at all. It is possible for us to foresee our personal gain or loss to an extent, but the global effects of an act can only be known to the All-Knowing.
Anyone who after having received the Divine decision refrains from dealings involving usury and stops taking it retains whatever he has already taken Apparently his penitence is accepted, though only Allaah-SWT, the Reckoner, knows his inner intention. But if after repenting, he once again starts taking usury; this act will lead him into Hell, even if he believes it to be prohibited. However, a person who takes interest believing it to be prohibited will not be condemned to Hell forever. (Allaah-SWT knows the best).
According to the Holy Prophet-SW, the flesh formed by prohibited food deserves to burn in Fire, because it is a great sin. Ibn-e-Kathir and TafsIr-e-Mazhari have quoted a ‘Hadith’ saying that usury involves seventy sins of which the least is committing adultery with one's mother. May Allaah-SWT protect us! Such a sin will take a person to Hellfire and if he believes usury to be lawful, it is downright disbelief and he will be condemned to Hell forever. For details with regard to difference between trading and usury Tafsir-e-Mazhari or Mu'arif al-Qura'an may be consulted.
Allaah-SWT destroys usury and augments charity...does not love any ingrate sinner
Allaah-SWT encourages charity and wipes out usury. He dislikes and is furious with the non-believers who believe usury to be lawful, and sinners indulging in such a major offence. Such characters earn His Wrath. It must be remembered that those dealing in usury, whether on giving or receiving end, as well as the one who scribe the contract, are equally guilty. Moreover a usurer does not achieve the motive for which he indulges in such transactions, as Allaah-SWT declares that He abolishes usury.
It is a common sight that betting renders many millionaires broke within no time. Wealth is not acquired for its own sake; neither are gold and silver edible commodities. The real purpose of wealth is to acquire things of bodily comfort. A usurer seldom spends on his own comforts and even if he does, Allaah-SWT denies him the peace of mind, the inner comfort. What is the use of palatial abodes where one cannot sleep without taking tranquillizers? And lastly all the wealth amassed will be left behind and will surely invoke eternal torment in the ‘Akhirah\ (hereafter).
Tafsir-e-Mazhari quotes a ‘Hadith’ with reference to the Night of Ascension. The Holy Prophet-SW witnessed some people lying on the way. They had transparent bellies as big as large cellars, infested by snakes. Then from a distance came the sound of people rushing. These unfortunate souls tried their best to remove themselves from the way but their bellies would not budge an inch and they were over-urn by a mob. Angle Jibril-AS identified these victims as usurers, and the people over-running them as the hordes of Pharaoh, who are brought to the fire every morning and evening. They scream while running: ‘O Allaah-SWT, let Yaurn al Qiyamah never come!' According to another ‘Hadith’ the Holy Prophet-SW witnessed some people in a canal of blood. They would struggle to the bank but an angel would stuff their mouths with stones and they would stumble back into it. Angel Jibril-AS said that they were usurers. Such dreadful punishments are being inflicted in ‘Barzakh’ (interim period) while much more awaits them in the ‘Akhirah’.
As for the charity, Allaah-SWT puts Barakah in the wealth off the donor. His heart is at peace and he experiences such pleasure in a shack, which a usurer yearns for in his palace. Charity will be increased a thousand times in the ‘Akhirah’, to an extent that a date given in Allaah-SWT's Way will grow to the size of mount ‘Uhad’. People spending in His Way have never been seen broke; they are rather blessed with contentment. They live peaceful lives and their rewards in the ‘Akhirah’ are unimaginable. The highest reward, of course, is Allaah-SWT's pleasure, which a usurer can never dream of!
Surely those who believe...And on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
The right and the only path leading to eternal bliss has been highlighted; it is to believe in Allaah-SWT and to act righteously. Faith is consummated when one's conduct is governed by one's beliefs. All aspects of one's life, ethical as well as practical, must be controlled by the faith that one claims to have. And then one should exert all possible efforts in worships. He should establish Salat with full devotion and pay Zakat promptly and must perform all the physical and the monetary acts of worship devotedly. For such people await great rewards with Allaah-SWT and they shall neither fear nor grieve. They are the ones who are grateful to Allaah-SWT for His Blessings and hope for more in the future.
O you who believe! ... Do not wrong others, and you shall not be wronged.
The believers are persuaded to fear Allaah-SWT and never fail to seek His Pleasure. Because usury has been declared prohibited by Him, so they must waive off all that is left. If they are true to their word and believed from the core of their hearts, they will understand that there is no alternative but to obey. However, if they do not give up usury, their faith is a hoax and they must get ready for war with Allaah-SWT and His Prophet-SW! In other words, it is the duty of a Muslim ruler to forcibly abolish usury, and to declare Jihad against those involved in its transactions if they are a strong group, until they submit.
The same rule applies to Salat, Fasting and Zakat. Anyone who denies will be renegade, deserving death penalty. If they are a large group, it will be obligatory for the Muslim ruler to declare Jihad against them, until they submit or are slain If a person neither denies nor fulfils these obligations, he will be a malefactor and will be imprisoned until he submits. If he dies without repentance, no funeral Salat will be offered for him and he will not be buried in a Muslim graveyard.
Those who repent are entitled to receive the principal amount. So neither be cruel to others by claiming more, nor withhold the payment of principal amount to anyone. It proves a point that if a usurer fails to repent, his principal amount will also be confiscated. If the creditor finds the debtor in dire straits, he must be patient and kind by giving him respite to return the principal amount until affluence. And if the debtor is a destitute then remit him the debt altogether for the sake of Allaah-SWT. This would be a source of earning great reward, if only one could understand!
If the debtor is in difficulty... and none shall be wronged.
According to the Holy Prophet-SW, those who grant the poor respite in the payment of debts, or waive it off completely for Allaah-SWT's sake shall be under the shade of His ‘Arsh on the Day when there will be no other shade. So it is best to prepare for that day and reserve a place of protection. That is the Day when every individual will be requited and no one shall be wronged. Each person would be judged in terms of his precepts and practices and the requital will be totally fair, without the slightest error.
