Verses 147–156
2. Al-Baqara · The Cow
Madinan286 verses
ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۖ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُمْتَرِينَ
2:147This is the truth from your Lord; so do not be among the skeptics.1
وَلِكُلٍّۢ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ ۚ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا۟ يَأْتِ بِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ
2:148Everyone has a cynosure to which he turns; so take the lead in all good works. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you all together. Indeed Allah has power over all things.
وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
2:149Whencesoever you may go out, turn your face towards the Holy Mosque. Indeed it is the truth from your Lord, and Allah is not oblivious of what you do.2
وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِى وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
2:150And whencesoever you may go out, turn your face towards the Holy Mosque, and wherever you may be, turn your faces towards it, so that the people may have no allegation against you, neither those of them who are wrongdoers. So do not fear them, but fear Me, that I may complete My blessing on you and so that you may be guided.
كَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولًۭا مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْكُمْ ءَايَٰتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُوا۟ تَعْلَمُونَ
2:151Even as We sent to you an apostle from among yourselves, who recites to you Our signs and purifies you, and teaches you the Book and wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know.
فَٱذْكُرُونِىٓ أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِى وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ
2:152Remember Me and I will remember you, and thank Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me.*
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ
2:153O you who have faith! Take recourse in patience and prayer; indeed Allah is with the patient.3
وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ لِمَن يُقْتَلُ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَمْوَٰتٌۢ ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَآءٌۭ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تَشْعُرُونَ
2:154Do not call those who were slain in Allah’s way ‘dead.’ No, they are living, but you are not aware.4
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ
2:155We will surely test you with a measure of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth, lives, and fruits; and give good news to the patient5
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
2:156—those who, when an affliction visits them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him do we indeed return.’6
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 148
1.This verse also indicates towards the reappearance of Imam-e-Asr (a.s.) and the Second Coming (Rajat) when Allah will bring together all the communities.
Verse 150
2.Another wisdom behind the change of Qibla is that by this the Jewish allegation was put to rest that Muslims were praying towards their Qibla, and this proves that our religion is correct and there is no divine religion except our. The Holy Quran has declared, indeed Baitul-Muqaddas is a Qibla but Allah Who has made it the Qibla also has the right to change it. Now if Jews have true faith in Allah as they had accepted the first command of Allah they must now accept this command also.
3.The last stage of Allah’s bounty is that a person will enter Jannatul Firdaos and this could be achieved only by obeying the commands of Allah and not through fabricated means.
Verse 152
4.Before remembrance of Allah’s name reference is made to the teaching of the laws of the Shariah. So that these teachings should be made the means of His remembrance and Allah should not be remembered in self-made ways. The remembrance of Allah is actually the remembering of His law and rules. Without which it is meaningless.
Verse 154
5.After seeking of help with patience and prayer the mention of getting slain in Allah’s way proves that one who dies in the way of Allah makes patience and prayers as the foundations of his Jihad. Patience is his wasila (medium) and Salat his aim. Just as in Battle of Siffeen Amirul Momineen (a.s.) has said: We are fighting for these very prayers.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
The Muslims are told that they must not fan into arguments regarding the Qibla. The truth has become clear, and they must now work as they are told. Just as those having the recognition of Ulil Amr are advised that they must not waste their time in debates. Rather they must obey as commanded in the ayat.
- 2
Their repetition is due to the importance of the matter. The only difference is that in the previous ayat the addressee was only the Prophet (s.a.) and now the Muslims are also addressed.
Benefit
Regarding the 152nd ayat it is the view of some commentators that the remembrance of Allah, obedience, supplication, glorification, worldly affairs, seclusion, excess of bounties, worship, struggle of self, truthfulness, sincerity and mention of a person could be through the Lordship and the remembrance of Allah and in comparison to this, mercy, longing, bounty, hereafter, social intercourse, conditions, severity, help and assistance, guidance and salvation could become apparent through increase in mercy.
- 3
When Allah has promised that He would be with the patient ones the Muslims must welcome the calamities so that they may be as the patient ones and become eligible for Allah’s company.
Benefit: In the 153rd ayat patience shows the personal capacity and prayer indicates the connection with the Almighty and this strength is the best fountainhead.
- 4
Martyrs in the path of Allah are alive and their life cannot be denied. However, the common people cannot perceive this. In spite of being unable to perceive this they are commanded not to call them dead. This proves that Islam is not merely intellectual privitation. It is faith in divine commandments.
- 5
The fruits denote children.
- 6
This phrase was uttered the first time by Ali (a.s.) on the martyrdom of Hamza (r.a.) and he has said that Inna lillaah is the ownership of Allah and Inna Ilaihe Raajeoon is the confession of our mortality.