Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 212–215

2. Al-Baqara · The Cow

Madinan286 verses

زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ۘ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍۢ

2:212Worldly life has been glamorized for the faithless, and they ridicule the faithful. But those who are Godwary shall be above them on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah provides for whomever He wishes without any reckoning.

كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فِيمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ ۚ وَمَا ٱخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتُ بَغْيًۢا بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ فَهَدَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

2:213Mankind were a single community; then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of good news and warners, and He sent down with them the Book with the truth, that it may judge between the people concerning that about which they differed, and none differed in it except those who had been given it, after the manifest proofs had come to them, out of envy among themselves. Then Allah guided those who had faith to the truth of what they differed in, by His will, and Allah guides whomever He wishes to a straight path.1

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ

2:214Do you suppose that you will enter paradise though there has not yet come to you the like of [what befell] those who went before you? Stress and distress befell them and they were convulsed until the apostle and the faithful who were with him said, ‘When will Allah’s help [come]?’ Behold! Allah’s help is indeed near!2

يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ ۖ قُلْ مَآ أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍۢ فَلِلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍۢ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٌۭ

2:215They ask you as to what they should spend. Say, ‘Let whatever wealth you spend be for the parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, and the traveller.’ Allah indeed knows whatever good you do.3

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 213

1.Apparently the question arises in this ayat that if all people belonged to one community and one religion then why was it necessary for Allah to send the different Holy books and Apostles? And did these differences started from them? The reply to this is given by Fakhruddin Razi in seven big sized pages and the compiler of Manar had given in twenty two pages. But it is an obvious thing that Allah had created the human being on clean and simple nature but he had many aspect of contradictions. Contradiction of capabilities, knowledge and civilisation, thinking and point of view and the most dangerous of them the difference of wealth. Man opposed on these very basis and on the first day itself Qabil killed Habil. So the Lord of the Universe started the series of prophets and Shariats so that the solution of the differences could be found. And that is why Allah who has created people of different capabilities was also bound that He should make clear the path of truth. Thus the honourable prophets performed this duty. Now the true believers got the right way and the evil and selfish ones disregarded this and this rejection was on the basis of obstinacy and rebellion. Otherwise they all were aware of the need and of coming of the prophets and shariats.

Verse 214

2.Some people wrongly think they would enter the heaven without any trouble but Allah has said, giving the reference to the most difficult circumstances that Paradise is not a charity. It is a result of examinations. When the Prophets of the past communities began to pray for divine help what can be said about you? One should spend his life between this hope and fear that Heaven is a reality and only servants will enter it but only after trial and tribulations.

Verse 215

3.In the ayat apparently the question is regarding wealth and in the reply the way of spending is mentioned. But actually in a most beautiful way, instead of stating the amount or quantity the use is mentioned that after the relatives it is to be received by all the servants of Allah and needy people and it is not going to be wasted. Thus the more you spend the better it is.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    The dispute may be of any type its result is limited to excess and one party definitely oppresses the other. Therefore one should refrain from casual differences, and in natural differences also we must follow the law of nature.

  2. 2

    It is not the impatience and non-reliance of the prophets. It is the best graphic description of Paradise and Hell.

  3. 3

    Maa: Though it is used for essence in logic but in Arabic idiom it is also used for condition. And the Quran was only revealed in Arabic.

  4. Benefit

    The human society in the initial stage was absolutely simple and individual. Then for improvement of life society developed. This gave birth to interdependence, which in tum created the necessity of leadership. The leadership was provided in consonance with human nature and if after this there were some wretched people who could not come to the right path even after this clear guidance. they have themselves to blame.