Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 89–93

2. Al-Baqara · The Cow

Madinan286 verses

وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ كِتَٰبٌۭ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌۭ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ وَكَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُوا۟ كَفَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ۚ فَلَعْنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ

2:89And when there came to them a Book from Allah, confirming that which is with them—and earlier they would pray for victory over the pagans—so when there came to them what they recognized, they denied it. So may the curse of Allah be on the faithless!1

بِئْسَمَا ٱشْتَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمْ أَن يَكْفُرُوا۟ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بَغْيًا أَن يُنَزِّلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ ۖ فَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ عَلَىٰ غَضَبٍۢ ۚ وَلِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌۭ مُّهِينٌۭ

2:90Evil is that for which they have sold their souls, by defying what Allah has sent down, out of envy that Allah should bestow His grace on any of His servants that He wishes. Thus, they earned wrath upon wrath, and there is a humiliating punishment for the faithless.2

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ نُؤْمِنُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَيَكْفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَآءَهُۥ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ مُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ ۗ قُلْ فَلِمَ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنۢبِيَآءَ ٱللَّهِ مِن قَبْلُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

2:91And when they are told, ‘Believe in what Allah has sent down,’ they say, ‘We believe in what was sent down to us,’ and they disbelieve what is besides it, though it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say, ‘Then why would you kill the prophets of Allah formerly, should you be faithful?’

۞ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَكُم مُّوسَىٰ بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذْتُمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمْ ظَٰلِمُونَ

2:92Certainly Moses brought you manifest proofs, but then you took up the Calf in his absence and you were wrongdoers.3

وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَٰقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ ٱلطُّورَ خُذُوا۟ مَآ ءَاتَيْنَٰكُم بِقُوَّةٍۢ وَٱسْمَعُوا۟ ۖ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَأُشْرِبُوا۟ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ ۚ قُلْ بِئْسَمَا يَأْمُرُكُم بِهِۦٓ إِيمَٰنُكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

2:93And when We took covenant with you and raised the Mount above you, [declaring], ‘Hold on with power to what We have given you, and do listen!’ They said, ‘We hear, and disobey,’ and their hearts had been imbued with [the love of] the Calf, due to their unfaith. Say, ‘Evil is that to which your faith prompts you, should you be faithful!’

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 89

1.On the basis of prophecies in their books the Jews used to tell their enemies that when the Prophet arrives they shall all be destroyed. But when Prophet came to them, they denied him also. It is actually a bad bargain of the soul that one opts for worldly comforts in exchange of everlasting punishment.

Verse 91

2.The Jews addressed here are not the killers of past Prophets. The killers were their forefathers but since their philosophy was same and the descendants were satisfied with the acts of their forefathers they are also supposed to be murderers. Which is an open law of Islam; that one who is satisfied with an act is considered an equal partner in it. Those who are satisfied with the killers of the infallible Imams are labelled as accursed due to this very fact.

Verse 93

3.When falsehood enters the depths of the heart, there is neither effect of the exhortation of the Prophet nor any fear of the chastisement. The Jews accepted it verbally but had a firm intention of disobedience in their hearts. Some selfish Muslims also behave in the same way and this was expressed after the death of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). The Quran has called such a belief to be the worst kind of be lief.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    To wish for victory. The Jews used to threaten the polytheists saying that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) would arise and an of you shall be exterminated.

  2. 2

    Baghi means injustice. Here it denotes jealousy.

    Benefit: In the 90th ayat Isterah is used in the meaning of selling. That those people have sold their souls at the worst rate.

  3. 3

    The calf that was manufactured by Samiri.

  4. Benefit

    According to the prophecy of their religious book when the Jews passed between the Mt. Eir and Uhud they halted and inhabited the place because a prophet was supposed to rise from there. When King Tabey learnt of this, he attacked and plundered them. When he decided to settle there, the Jews said that it was the centre of a prophet’s mission and no kingdom could be established there. So he left the two tribes, Aws and Khazraj there and departed. Due to the oppression of Aws and Khazraj the Jews threatened them that a prophet would arise and finish them off. However, when the Prophet (s.a.) finally arrived, the Jews themselves opposed him and all their knowledge and understanding proved useless.