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

Key Points

Surah Al-Baqarah

Secrets Of Revelation

Say, "Who is... a guidance and good news for believers".

When the scholars of Bani Israil failed on the front of logic and tradition, the situation evolved into a Mubahalah. Failing at that too, they had no option but to accept the truth, yet they were not willing to do so. Now they came up with another excuse that they would have certainly believed in the Holy Prophet^-SW, being sure that he was incontrovertible, but there was a hurdle! He claims that the revelations are brought to him by Archangel Jibril^-AS, who used to bring destruction to their nation and hardships for their ancestors. Had it been some other angel, for instance Mikail^-AS, they would have certainly accepted the Message. Since they did not get along well with Angel Jibril^-AS, they could not follow the teachings of the Holy Prophet^-SW.

All this was fabricated by the scholars of Bani Israil to satisfy the common ignorant Jew, but Allaah^-SWT exposed their lie by revealing these Ayat. Addressing the scholars, Allaah^-SWT says that these enemies of Jibril^-AS must be asked whether they have to develop a relationship with him or have to simply accept the Message he brings unto the Qalb of the Holy Prophet^-SW by Allaah^-SWT's command. Here the term "Bi izn-Allaah" (by Allaah^-SWT's leave) makes it clear that it is Allaah^-SWT's Message and the angel is deputed only to convey, while the venue of its descent is the most Sacred Qalb of the Holy Prophet^-SW.

Mind and Qalb

The question may be asked that when the centre of knowledge is the human mind, why is this revelation sent unto the Qalb? Be informed that knowledge is of two kinds: physical and spiritual. The function of the mind is to learn, store and apply the knowledge of material or physical sciences. The physical body is made of matter, so its requirements are material. The brain is also material. It determines the needs of the body and finds ways of fulfilling them. This is the reason why faith is not the prerequisite for learning physical skills; a non-believer can also become a doctor, a scientist or an engineer.

The second category is knowledge of normative or spiritual sciences. The spirit belongs to the Realm of Command; the mind does not have the capability to attain the knowledge related to that Realm. It is the function of Qalb located inside the physical heart, a vital organ of the Spirit. The knowledge about Allaah^-SWT's Greatness, His Attributes, the Transcendental Truths, Spirit, Barzakh, Akhirah, Life after Life, the Reckoning, the concept of Reward and Punishment, Paradise and Hell, can only be acquired through the spiritual sciences and the centre of this knowledge is the Qalb. If the brain could perceive this knowledge, the most superior brain in the world was that of the Holy Prophet^-SW, and the Message would have been revealed unto his noble mind. But the point of descent of Divine Revelation is his Qalb, which is the purest of all. Thus to acquire the knowledge of these sciences, doors of the Qalb have to be opened. The sublimity of Divine Revelation is evident by the fact that it is addressed to the purest Qalb of the Holy Prophet^-SW, as it is beyond the access of the mind. In fact, it reforms the human mind; and it is beyond any mind to reform Allaah^-SWT's Message.

The Qura'an As A Verifier

The Qura'an corroborates and confirms all the preceding Divine Scriptures in two ways. Firstly, it re-emphasises the topics discussed by the previous Scriptures, such as the Supreme Being and His Attributes, the Day of Judgement, the Reckoning or the Paradise and Hell and so on. The second verification is circumstantial. All preceding Books had augured the raising of the Holy Prophet^-SW and the revelation of the Final Book. Thus his raising and the revelation of the Qura'an have actually proved their prophecy as true. Another fact clearly highlighted here is that no Book will be revealed after the one revealed to the Holy Prophet^-SW. Had it been so, the Qura'an, in addition to confirming the previous Books, would also have given information on the ones to come, in advance. But it only mentions the past and dismisses the possibility of any later Divine Revelation. Any future claimant would, therefore, be an impostor.

The Qura'an guides the mankind to the correct path in the most accurate manner. If the entire social structure and the systems of life adopted by people throughout history are studied in comparison to it, it will be seen that the best code of life is the one offered by the Qura'an. This is the only code, or guidance, which provides instructions from birth till the Akhirah, whereas all the rest are silent on events beyond death. The Qura'an gives out to its believers spiritual ecstasy and glad tiding that unfold to them pleasures of the Akhirah, providing hem a degree of satisfaction and peace undiminished by worldly upheavals.

And whoever is an enemy...so Allaah^-SWT is an enemy of the non-believers.

These were the miracles of this great Revelation, which the Bani Israil could never accept because they were suffering from infidelity and animosity with Allaah^-SWT. He declares that whoever turns against Him and becomes a foe of the angels, His Messengers, Angels Jibril^-AS and Mikail^-AS, He Himself is the enemy of such non-believers. In other words the real cause is enmity with Allaah^-SWT and this indeed is the reason of hostility towards His angels and Prophets^-AS.

Similarly, whosoever is an enemy of any of Allaah^-SWT's chosen people, in fact is the enemy of every one of them, rather of Allaah^-SWT Himself . According to the Hadlth: "I have two ministers in the heavens and two on the earth; the former are Jibril^-AS and Mikail^-AS and the latter are Abu Bakr ^RAU and 'Umar^-RAU. Therefore, anyone who is hostile to any of these two great Companions^-RAU will antagonize Allaah^-SWT. He is the enemy of those who indulge in disbelief, and as a result of His wrath, they develop a hatred for the Aulia, His Messengers and His Angels. On the contrary, when Allaah^-SWT is pleased with someone, He instils in him the love of the Aulia and takes him to their audience, i.e. He blesses him with pious friends.

We have sent to you... most of them do not believe,

And He revealed not one but many clear signs; the Qura'an by itself is a great miracle. Apart from it there are countless miracles of the Holy Prophet^-SW. The non-believers do not deny these out of any logical reasoning, but their hearts have lost the capacity to accept the truth because of their wickedness. These Jews have been breaking their covenants generation after generation. Whenever Allaah^-SWT took a promise, most of them broke it and very few practically remained on the right path. They are in the same state now, and despite the covenant in the Torah, very few believe in the Holy Prophet^-SW. The majority of them are rebellious.

And whenever came to them...as if they did not know.

Now the greatest of all Messengers of Allaah^-SWT has arrived, who corroborates their Book. If they deny him, what will they do with the prediction made about him in the Torah, which they claim to be true? They do know the reality and recognize the Holy Prophet^-SW. His qualities and character traits, even his physical features, have been described in their Book. But see how they ignore its teachings and pretend as if they do not know anything. Instead of following the Holy Prophet^-SW they are after learning the skills once practised by the devils during the era of Prophet Sulaiman^-AS.

And they followed...if 'they only knew!

With genuine there is always a counterfeit, so much so that there liars who claim to be God, impostors claiming to be Prophets and imitators claiming to be saints. Similarly, during the auspicious reign of Prophet Sulaiman^-AS, who ruled not only over the people and the Jinn, but also over the beasts, the birds and the winds. Many zealots came up with the idea of controlling the Jinn. Satan, taking advantage of the situation, taught them incantations. Whosoever recited these would receive all possible assistance from Satan, so that this demonology could flourish.

The Basis of Magic and its Effects

This is what became the basis of magic, which is practised even today. It stems from disbelief and atheism. The words used are usually blasphemous. Even when Qura'an's Ayat are used, they are scribed in a forbidden manner, for example, with menstrual blood. Moreover the sorcerers always prefer to remain unclean, an act liked by Satan. Just as there are two methods used in magic, so are there two types of effects it produces. Firstly, it affects the vision or the power of imagination and causes various hallucinations. In reality there is nothing, just like the magicians of the Pharaoh, who had cast a spell over the eyes of the spectators. Because of its effect, Prophet Musa^-AS took those ropes as snakes crawling on the ground. In fact the ropes were merely ropes, but the faculty of imagination had been influenced to observe these as snakes. The second possible effect of magic is metamorphosis, i.e. changing the victim entirely in nature such as to transform a person into a statue, or an animal. It is a long discussion whether metamorphosis is possible or not; most scholars agree that it is not. Allaah^-SWT knows best.

In short, the Bani Israil ignored the Divine Books and took to Satanic guidance until Allaah^-SWT deputed two angels to Babylonia, who informed people of the difference between magic and the Divine Words, and also of the evil influences of magic. The teachings of Allaah^-SWT's Prophets^-AS generally highlighted that magic was a malpractice. But to elaborate on its forms and other details was not commensurate with their high office. From the angels who manage the affair of the universe, Allaah^-SWT appointed two for this purpose. The Prophets^-AS mission pertains to Shari'ah and guidance. For example, the Holy Prophet^-SW proclaimed gambling as forbidden, and also explained the reason that in all games of chance loss was sure while gain was only a probability. But how the gambling would be actually arranged, with cards or with something else, was not discussed. It would have amounted to making people aware of the techniques, and any vicious mind could actually utilize them to gamble. Similarly, elaborating on the techniques or methods of magic does not befit the status of any Prophet^-AS. Therefore, Allaah^-SWT assigned this job to Harut^-AS and Marut^-AS, the angels in human form. Evidence was provided that they were the angels, just as the Prophethood is substantiated by miracles. They warned the people against practicing witchcraft. They informed them that this knowledge neither originates from Prophet Sulaiman^-AS nor does it befit any Prophet^-AS. It is completely Satanic. They also explained the details of the black art; the effects of various techniques applied, and also clarified the prevailing misconceptions about miracle and sorcery. The latter was the practice and creation of the Jinn and the devils.

The Difference between Witchcraft and Miracle

In witchcraft the cause is there, but is concealed from the spectators, while a miracle is above all the causes, and is directly a Divine Act. This is a subtle matter, and beyond perception of the common man. A simpler explanation is that a miracle is manifested to support the Divine Code of Life, to confirm the Prophethood, and to establish Allaah^-SWT's Rule, whereas a sorcerer or an enchanter always strives to establish his own superiority. Likewise the action manifested for the revival of faith will be a Karamah, while an extraordinary act aimed at establishing personal authority would be nothing but witchcraft. The former would be based on a pure and chaste precept while the latter stands on impurity of words and actions.

See Allaah^-SWT's Mercy! He assigned two angels for educating people on right and wrong, who stayed amongst them for as long as He wished. See also the demonology and perversion of Bani Israil. Those angels, before telling the detail of what constituted magic, always warned the people that it was plain disbelief and that they has been sent as a trial for them, so beware of becoming non-believers by indulging in the nefarious formula of magic.

But the Bani Israil would specially learn the love charms by which to create differences between man and wife, to promote illicit amour. And this the Jews continued till the noble period of the Holy Prophet^-SW. It is ironical that this business is flourishing amongst the Muslims today, rendering many of them faithless. It must, however, be remembered that a sorcerer cannot do anything that he wants, nor should anyone fear his magic. They can do no harm unless Allaah^-SWT permits. In other words, if Allaah^-SWT withdraws His protection from a person, he becomes vulnerable to the evil tricks of the sorcerers. But if a person has faith and follows the tenets of Islam, Allaah^-SWT will surely protect him and no. harm can come to him. When Asim bin Labid, the Jew, cast a spell on the Holy Prophet^-SW, Allaah^-SWT informed His Prophet^-SW about the whole plot. Soon, all the witchcraft used like the comb, his hair and dates were recovered from the well and the well was cleaned off.

Effects of Magic

This proves that magic does have an effect even on the Prophets^-AS. Everyone is subjected to its effects in the same way as one's appetite or thirst is subjected to natural laws. But magic cannot harm the Prophets^-AS and falls flat, likewise, a single Tawajjuh of an accomplished Shaikh can wash away the effects of spells of the sorcerers, knitted over a lifetime. But the unfortunate people who ignore Allaah^-SWT are always ruled by sorcerers like the Hindus trapped in the cobwebs of their Pundits, or the fallacious sects who are always the captives of witchcraft. These innovators spend a lifetime in learning such skills, which may result in some temporal gain, but always end up in harm and eternal disgrace. No real benefit can ever be had from them under any circumstances.

The Bani Israil also know very well that whosoever spends his time in acquiring the knowledge of the demonology instead of learning the Divine Book, has no share in the eternal bliss and is condemned to perpetual humiliation. What a horrifying fate they choose for themselves! Indeed all their endeavours shall be of no consequence and will lead them nowhere save Hell. Had they opted for righteousness; had they believed in and followed the teachings of the Holy Prophet^-SW, they would have certainly found a generous reward awaiting them in the Akhirah. This discussion brings out another lesson. Anyone who lives against the Holy Prophet's^-SW Sunnah is simply ignorant, regardless of the fact that he is known as an intellectual in the society. The essence of all wisdom and acumen lies in adherence to the Holy Prophet^-SW.