Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 120–126

2. Al-Baqara · The Cow

Madinan286 verses

وَلَن تَرْضَىٰ عَنكَ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَلَا ٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ هُوَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ ۗ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم بَعْدَ ٱلَّذِى جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ ۙ مَا لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِىٍّۢ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ

2:120Never will the Jews be pleased with you, nor the Christians, unless you followed their creed. Say, ‘Indeed it is the guidance of Allah which is [true] guidance.’ And should you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you will not have against Allah any guardian or helper.

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ يَتْلُونَهُۥ حَقَّ تِلَاوَتِهِۦٓ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِۦ ۗ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْخَٰسِرُونَ

2:121Those to whom We have given the Book follow it as it ought to be followed: they have faith in it. As for those who deny it—it is they who are the losers.1

يَٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّى فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

2:122O Children of Israel, remember My blessing which I bestowed upon you, and that I gave you an advantage over all the nations.

وَٱتَّقُوا۟ يَوْمًۭا لَّا تَجْزِى نَفْسٌ عَن نَّفْسٍۢ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌۭ وَلَا تَنفَعُهَا شَفَٰعَةٌۭ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ

2:123Beware of the Day when no soul will compensate for another, neither will any ransom be accepted from it, nor will any intercession benefit it, nor will they be helped.

۞ وَإِذِ ٱبْتَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ رَبُّهُۥ بِكَلِمَٰتٍۢ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّى جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًۭا ۖ قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى ۖ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِى ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

2:124When his Lord tested Abraham with certain words and he fulfilled them, He said, ‘I am making you the Imam of mankind.’ Said he, ‘And from among my descendants?’ He said, ‘My pledge does not extend to the unjust.’2

وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا ٱلْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةًۭ لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًۭا وَٱتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ مُصَلًّۭى ۖ وَعَهِدْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلْعَٰكِفِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ

2:125And [remember] when We made the House a place of reward for mankind and a sanctuary, [declaring], ‘Take the venue of prayer from Abraham’s Station.’ We charged Abraham and Ishmael [with its upkeep, saying], ‘Purify My House for those who go around it, [for] those who make it a retreat and [for] those who bow and prostrate.’*

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِۦمُ رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْ هَٰذَا بَلَدًا ءَامِنًۭا وَٱرْزُقْ أَهْلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُم بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ ۖ قَالَ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَأُمَتِّعُهُۥ قَلِيلًۭا ثُمَّ أَضْطَرُّهُۥٓ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ

2:126And when Abraham said, ‘My Lord, make this a secure town, and provide its people with fruits—such of them as have faith in Allah and the Last Day,’ He said, ‘As for him who is faithless, I will provide for him [too] for a short time, then I will shove him toward the punishment of the Fire and it is an evil destination.’3

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 120

1.Every nation of the world thinks that its beliefs are the best. They want everyone to cultivate the same views. Allah has given only one answer to this behaviour. That guidance is from Allah. Thus whichever belief is proved be from Allah is the correct one and others are useless. Then to prevent the people from following the selfish desires also the Prophet (s.a.) is addressed so that the seriousness of the problem is understood. Otherwise there is no possibility of all this from the Prophet (s.a.). But when he is addressed in this way what can be said about others?

Verse 122

2.We have already discussed about Bani Israel’s supremacy that it was in return of the best of bounties. It has no connection with their personal behaviour or character. And intercession indicates the intercession of those whom they had made their intercessors. Otherwise it had no relation with the special servants of Allah who are qualified to intercede.

Verse 124

3.According to some traditions words denote the command to slay the son and in some there are ten rules, (1) cleanliness and neatness, such as (2) Shaving moustaches, (3) keeping long beard, (4) combing hair, (5) brushing teeth, (6) picking the teeth, (7) shaving pubic and armpit hair (8) cutting nails (9) having post-coition bath, (10) doing istinga, cleaning after a natural evacuation etc. which are the permanent divine laws. And in some traditions it denotes ten moral qualities: Certainty, knowledge, Recognition, tawheed, purification, bravery, loyalty, generosity, aloofness, Amr-bil-Maroof, Nahi Anil-Munkar, reliance, hardwork and patience. And in some it denotes the words of existence and infallible personalities (from Tafseer-e-Ayyashi)

4.Remember, when bad deeds of sons of Ibrahim (a.s.) disqualify them from leadership what can be said about other families. Character is alone the first condition for the leadership of community.

Verse 126

5.To provide food is common but it is not a sign of proximity of Allah or salvation. Those who lead the best life in the world can also go to hell.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said that the recitation as it behoves to be recited denotes the recitation accompanied with contemplation, gaining lesson and insight. And this type of recitation was only performed by the Imams (a.s.). (Tafseer Ayyashi, Usoole Kafi)

  2. 2

    According to a tradition of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) recorded in Manaqib of Ibne Maghazali ‘zulm’ indicates idol worship and an idolater cannot be an Imam.

  3. Benefit

    Please note that in the 125th ayat Muthaba is derived from Thaub, which denotes returning towards one’s center.

  4. 3

    Praying for fruits in a barren valley is an expression of the greatness of the House. After this the question seems foolish that what did Fatima Binte Asad eat for the three days she was inside the Ka‘ba. The prayer of Ibrahim (a.s.) was answered and Ali (a.s.) is the member of the House of Allah.

  5. Benefit

    We should know that divine prophethood is receiving of divine revelation and Messengership is the conveying of divine message to the people. For this ones personal capacity is sufficient. However, the duty of the Imam is to take the people to the aimed destination. This is a higher stage than the previous two. That is why it necessitates a test and a chalked out programme so that the work can be accomplished properly. It is not necessary for an Imam to be a prophet or a messenger. If anyone who is infallible leads the community according to the programme of a prophet he is called an Imam. Just as is the case of the Purified Imams (a.s.) after the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.).