سورة البقرة   


Surah Name: Al-Baqarah Meaning:The Cow

  • Revealed at Madinah
  • The Longest Surah of the Quran.
  • This Surah, with reference to its revelation, is Madni and some of its Aayat and injunctions pertain to the very last period of Quranic revelation, but in order of placement it is in the very beginning. The Quran, 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 Allah-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 Quran in the first place, highlighted the difference between belief and disbelief. Thus the very first Aayat of this Surah also spells out the fundamentals of Islam
  • Total Number of Rukū / Sections 40
  • Total Number of Āyāt / Parts 286
  • Sūrah / Chapter number 2
  • Rukū / Section 20 contains Āyāt / Parts 4
  • Siparah/ Volume 1 & 2

bismillah

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلاَفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَالْفُلْكِ الَّتِي تَجْرِي فِي الْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ النَّاسَ وَمَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ مِنَ السَّمَاء مِن مَّاء فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الأرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَاحِ وَالسَّحَابِ الْمُسَخِّرِ بَيْنَ السَّمَاء وَالأَرْضِ لآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ

Inna fee khalqi a(l)ssamawati wa(a)lardi waikhtilafi allayli wa(al)nnahari wa(a)lfulki allatee tajree fee albahri bima yanfaAAu a(l)nnasa wama anzala Allahu mina a(l)ssamai min main faahya bihi alarda baAAda mawtiha wabaththa feeha min kulli dabbatin watasreefi a(l)rriyahi wa(al)ssahabi almusakhkhari bayna a(l)ssamai wa(a)lardi laayatin liqawmin yaAAqiloon(a)

Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, and in the ships sailing upon the ocean laden with what profits mankind, and in the water which Allah-SWT sends down from the heavens, thereby reviving the earth after its death, and in all species of beasts that He-SWT scatters through it, and in the change of the winds, and in the clouds harnessed between the heavens and the earth; (those) are signs for people who are wise.

(2:164)


وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ أَندَاداً يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلّهِ وَلَوْ يَرَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ إِذْ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ أَنَّ الْقُوَّةَ لِلّهِ جَمِيعاً وَأَنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعَذَابِ

Wamina a(l)nnasi man yattakhithu min dooni Allahi andadan yuhibboonahum kahubbi Allahi wa(a)llatheena amanoo ashaddu hubban lillahi walaw yara allatheenathalamoo ith yarawna alAAathaba anna alquwwata lillahi jameeAAan waanna Allaha shadeedu alAAathab(i)

And some people take for worship others besides Allah-SWT , loving them as they should love Allah-SWT . And those who believe love Allah-SWT passionately. If only the unjust saw now what they shall see when they see the punishment; that surely all power belongs to Allah-SWT . And Allah-SWT is severe in requital.

(2:165)


إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ الَّذِينَ اتُّبِعُواْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ وَرَأَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ الأَسْبَابُ

Ith tabarraa allatheena ittubiAAoo mina allatheena ittabaAAoo waraawoo alAAathaba wataqattaAAat bihimu alasbab(u)

When those who were followed will disown those who followed them and they would witness the punishment and all their relations would be cut off.

(2:166)


وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ لَنَا كَرَّةً فَنَتَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُمْ كَمَا تَبَرَّؤُواْ مِنَّا كَذَلِكَ يُرِيهِمُ اللّهُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ حَسَرَاتٍ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَا هُم بِخَارِجِينَ مِنَ النَّارِ

Waqala allatheena ittabaAAoo law anna lana karratan fanatabarraa minhum kamatabarraoo minna kathalika yureehimu Allahu aAAmalahum hasaratin AAalayhim wama hum bikharijeena mina a(l)nnar(i)

And the followers would say, “If we could possibly return, we would disown them as they have disowned us.” Thus will Allah-SWT show them their deeds as bitter regrets. And they shall never get out of the Fire.

(2:167)


In The Name of Allah-SWT the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
SECRETS OF REVELATION:

Indeed in the creation of the heavens and... are signs for people who are wise.

Manifestations Of Unity


The opponents found this very hard to digest that Allah-SWT Alone was worthy of worship and the Creator, the Master and the Provider for the entire creation, always showering His-SWT Mercy over everything. At the time of the revelation of Quran in particular, every individual had his own idol, and for different affairs, there were separate idols to turn to, which even today can be seen in all evil religions, as man thinks according to his intellect and comprehension. But to understand that there is only one Rabb-SWT of the entire Universe and He-SWT Alone is taking care of all affairs is beyond the access of the intellect. To discover these realities, it is imperative to benefit from the lights of Prophethood, as that alone can lead to the apex of understanding. This is so important that without these lights, people go astray even after taking Shahadah. The era of the Holy Prophet-SW was an exemplary period, followed by the era of Companions-RAU and the period of Taba’in. Thereafter although the impact of La Ilaha (None worthy of worship) was so forceful that none of its believers could carve out an idol from clay, but a whole army of imaginary trouble-shooters and helpers can still be observed. The reason is that people take Shahadah as a ritual, generation after generation, without paying attention to the underlying realities. These can only be discovered with the help of the lights of Prophethood, whereas their hearts are void of these lights. However, to understand Unity, clear signs are there in the creation, which if observed end studied carefully can turn one’s direction towards Allah-SWT and His-SWT Prophet-SW.

 

These manifestations are discussed here, for example, the creation of the heavens, the abode of angels therein and their duties in the administration of the world or the creation of Bait al-Mamur and Bait al-‘Izzah (shrines of the angels in the heavens), which are the sources for the descent of Divine Lights. The heavens with many such realities enjoy the status of a Secretariat to administer the world; and the formation of the earth, and its being the centre of attention for all the planets, its treasures, its stocks of food and water, and its capacity to hold mankind in its lap; the alternation of days and nights, play a definite role in the affairs of the world. And where the heat of the sun is vital to sustain life, darkness is no less important; and to sustain this system, the creation of oceans, enabling heavy ships to sail carrying the resources of human survival and material benefits, from one continent to another; and the process of sending water from the skies or clouds, for it is poured down in exact quantity at the proper time, according to the precise requirement; drop by drop it saturates the land, making the rivers overflow; all this is nothing but a proof of His-SWT is Omnipotence.

 

Had this down pour been in the volume of a river, it would have destroyed the settlements, but not so! It pours down in a way that it penetrates through every vein of the soil, completely refreshing it. The wind blows in an appropriate manner in accordance with the seasons, animating and nourishing everything; sometimes it blows hot and cold, at others, from the East or the West, and controls that sea of water suspended between the heavens and the earth in the form of clouds, which when pours rapidly, becomes intolerable; imagine the result if it falls down as a whole. In short, all matters are inter-dependant and their timely and perfect coordination is the source of life on earth. And all that is happening, is ample proof of Allah-SWT’s Unity. Had there been more than one Rabb, this system would have been destroyed long ago as a result of mutual conflicts.

 

To understand this reasoning an unbiased and straight thinking is required. Allah-SWT forbid, if any aspect of this great system was in the hands of anyone else but Allah-SWT , a conflict was bound to arise, leading to the desolation of the earth. But this is not so. Everything is happening at its proper time. From the highest tips of the ‘Urush to the lowest point of the earth, everything is carrying out the tasks assigned to it. Certainly it is run by the only one Supreme Ruler, Who Alone is worthy of worship.

 

And some people take for worship ...and Allah-SWT is severe in requital.

Believers And Love For Allah-SWT


There are some people who pin their hopes on others besides Allah-SWT , and thus appoint them as partners in the Divinity. Therefore, the love, which should have been for Allah-SWT Alone, is dedicated to their self-proclaimed gods, as they expect benefits from them. But the believers never do so, they love Allah-SWT most ardently.

 

The love of polytheists is gain-oriented, which forces them to bow before different gods for the fulfillment of varying desires. If life or wealth and the children of a polytheist are at stake, and since his love for these things exceeds the love for his idol, he abandons the latter but holds on to the former. This attitude is totally foreign to a believer. He, by nature, loves life, wealth and his children, but not to an extent that these could allure him away from Allah-SWT.On the contrary, he is willing to sacrifice them all in the cause of Allah-SWT , but never thinks of abandoning Him-SWT or His-SWT Zikr, because all affiliations are subservient to the love for Allah-SWT.The essence of Tasawwuf is that Allah-SWT is remembered so much that His-SWT name is embedded in the heart and mind, to an extent that nothing else remains indispensable save Him-SWT .

 

When those who were followed,... And they shall never get out of the Fire.


It would have been far better, had the transgressors learnt a lesson from the calamities, that no one can avert them except Allah-SWT.And how, when in deep trouble they forget everyone else but Him-SWT . If this is the state in worldly turmoil, the eternal seizure is much more severe. Who will then come to their rescue because all powers and authority rest with Allah-SWT ? The ungodly leaders will be weary of their followers, let alone being of any help to them, because their own sins will be enough to drag them into the Fire. But all those who were led to the wrong path by these leaders will add to their burden, and since all hopes would have gone, they will find no way of escaping their fate. The leaders of the malefactors will see for themselves how the companionship of evil people is about to take them to Hell. They will long for a return to the world to get with these disciples. But all this will be to make them more wistful and grieved and nothing will benefit either group. And they will burn in Hell forever!

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