Verses 38–48
2. Al-Baqara · The Cow
Madinan286 verses
قُلْنَا ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِنْهَا جَمِيعًۭا ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدًۭى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
2:38We said, ‘Get down from it, all together! Yet, should any guidance come to you from Me, those who follow My guidance shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ
2:39But those who are faithless and deny Our signs, they shall be the inmates of the Fire and they shall remain in it [forever].
يَٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَوْفُوا۟ بِعَهْدِىٓ أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ وَإِيَّٰىَ فَٱرْهَبُونِ
2:40O Children of Israel, remember My blessing which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill My covenant that I may fulfill your covenant, and be in awe of Me [alone].1
وَءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَآ أَنزَلْتُ مُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ وَلَا تَكُونُوٓا۟ أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍۭ بِهِۦ ۖ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِى ثَمَنًۭا قَلِيلًۭا وَإِيَّٰىَ فَٱتَّقُونِ
2:41And believe in that which I have sent down confirming that which is with you, and do not be the first ones to deny it, and do not sell My signs for a paltry gain, and be wary of Me [alone].*
وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ بِٱلْبَٰطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
2:42Do not mix the truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth while you know.
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱرْكَعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلرَّٰكِعِينَ
2:43And maintain the prayer, and give the zakat, and bow along with those who bow [in prayer].*
۞ أَتَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
2:44Will you bid others to piety and forget yourselves, while you recite the Book? Do you not exercise your reason?
وَٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلْخَٰشِعِينَ
2:45And take recourse in patience and prayer, and it is indeed hard except for the humble
ٱلَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَٰقُوا۟ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
2:46—those who are certain that they will encounter their Lord and that they will return to Him.2
يَٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّى فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
2:47O Children of Israel, remember My blessing which I bestowed upon you, and that I gave you an advantage over all the nations.3
وَٱتَّقُوا۟ يَوْمًۭا لَّا تَجْزِى نَفْسٌ عَن نَّفْسٍۢ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا شَفَٰعَةٌۭ وَلَا يُؤْخَذُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌۭ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ
2:48Beware of the day when no soul will compensate for another, neither any intercession shall be accepted from it, nor any ransom shall be received from it, nor will they be helped.
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 40
1.Israel was the title of Yaqoob (a.s.). The greatest blessing on Bani Israel was that innumerable Apostles came among them. They took an oath from them to obey the commands of Allah and Allah promised them divine rewards, but they did not fulfill their promise. They also did not believe in this Quran which did not oppose the Taurat, rather it testified to it.
Verse 41
2.Whatever the Bani Israel had done with the Taurat the Muslims did the same to the ayats of the Quran. They could not sell the words so they began to deal in the meaning and interpretation. They mixed truth with falsehood and concealed the truth. The result is same for both of them.
Verse 43
3.In Jewish prayers, there was no Ruku so they were invited to do Ruku (bow down) and also drew their attention towards the congregation prayer that the criteria of participation in Jamat prayer or its last limit is the Ruku. After that the Rakat (unit of Prayer) will not be counted.
Verse 45
4.In whose minds the philosophy of Prayers is the proximity of Allah and they are certain of recompense and reward for them there is no difficulty to pray whether in the morning, afternoon or evening. If one forgets Allah it is difficult at every time.
Verse 47
5.The greatness of Bani Israel is not due to their personal character, but it is the effect of divine favours in form of messengers and prophets they were given; as the greatest number of prophets were born among them. If only they had valued those favours !
Verse 48
6.Ungratefulness to divine blessings, hiding of the truth and to mix the truth with falsehood are great offences against whom no one can save us from chastisement. The intercession that is denied in this ayat is of their own companions and not the chosen ones of Allah because they would never intercede for such people. According to the traditions, patience denotes fasting. It is an established matter that no weapon is more powerful than prayer and fasting. There is no better way for seeking help from Allah. The progeny of Muhammad (a.s.) prayed and fasted so much that they themselves became the best channel of asking from Allah. That is why, traditions say that 14 patience is half the faith and Ali (a.s.) is said to be Kulle Imaan (Complete faith).
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
‘Isra’ means devotee and ‘iel’ means God, that means Israel is the devotee of God. Allah the Almighty has stated in Surah Baqarah that Allah, the Mighty first bestowed Bani Israel ten bounties. After that they committed ten bad deeds, so Allah then sent ten types of chastisements to punish them.
Benefit
In Ayat no. 41 the Holy Quran has stated that this incident is present in Taurat and Injeel and we cannot argue about it.
Benefit
In Ayat no. 43 Allah says to keep up prayers, pay the Zakat and bow down with those who bow.
- 2
Zan Yaqeen means assurance. This word is used for those who had no real faith on Allah.
- 3
This points to the realities of this time as it is indicated about the selection of Maryam’s (a.s.).
Benefit
Shifaat-Intercession is not the action to please God or change His decision. Intercession is for good people and of their good deeds only and not for the unjust people.