Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 94–101

2. Al-Baqara · The Cow

Madinan286 verses

قُلْ إِن كَانَتْ لَكُمُ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَالِصَةًۭ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا۟ ٱلْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ

2:94Say, ‘If the abode of the Hereafter were exclusively for you with Allah, and not for other people, then long for death, should you be truthful.’

وَلَن يَتَمَنَّوْهُ أَبَدًۢا بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

2:95But they will not long for it ever because of what their hands have sent ahead, and Allah knows best the wrongdoers.

وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ حَيَوٰةٍۢ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۚ يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍۢ وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ أَن يُعَمَّرَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ

2:96Surely, you will find them the greediest for life, of all people even the idolaters. Each of them is eager to live a thousand years, though it would not deliver him from the punishment, were he to live [that long]. And Allah watches what they do.1

قُلْ مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّۭا لِّجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُۥ نَزَّلَهُۥ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدًۭى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

2:97Say, ‘Whoever is an enemy of Gabriel [should know that] it is he who has brought it down on your heart with the will of Allah, confirming what has been [revealed] before it and as a guidance and good news for the faithful.’2

مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّۭا لِّلَّهِ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَجِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَىٰلَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَدُوٌّۭ لِّلْكَٰفِرِينَ

2:98[Say,] ‘Whoever is an enemy of Allah, His angels and His apostles and Gabriel and Michael, [let him know that] Allah is the enemy of the faithless.’

وَلَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ءَايَٰتٍۭ بَيِّنَٰتٍۢ ۖ وَمَا يَكْفُرُ بِهَآ إِلَّا ٱلْفَٰسِقُونَ

2:99We have certainly sent down manifest signs to you, and no one denies them except transgressors.

أَوَكُلَّمَا عَٰهَدُوا۟ عَهْدًۭا نَّبَذَهُۥ فَرِيقٌۭ مِّنْهُم ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

2:100Is it not that whenever they made a covenant, a part of them would cast it away? Rather, the majority of them do not have faith.

وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌۭ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌۭ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ كِتَٰبَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

2:101And when there came to them an apostle from Allah, confirming that which is with them, a part of those who were given the Book cast the Book of Allah behind their back, as if they did not know [that it is Allah’s Book].

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 94

1.Desire for death is the best specimen of love for Allah and faith in the hereafter. Death is the means for meeting Allah and the final recompense. Now if someone is a real friend of Allah he cannot commit suicide but will definitely desire for death. Suicide is disliked by the beloved and this way cannot lead one to meet the beloved. The same is the case of belief in the hereafter. That death is the best way that leads to it. Those who have a firm belief in the bounties of the hereafter remain impatient for death. Those who do not have firm belief in a good result are the ones who are fearful. The Jews claimed the hereafter was in their share then why did not they wish for death? Actually through these ayats those believers are also examined who announce that our Paradise is guaranteed yet they are worried of death. Such people should always be prepared for death; rather they should continue to wish for it.

Verse 97

2.Jibreel (a.s.) raised the Mount Sinai and also brought the Holy Quran. Thus the Jews became his enemies. The Holy Quran has mentioned a clear standard in this regard. That whoever conveys the message of someone else, his enemy is actually the enemy of the sender of the Message. If only opponents of the preachers of Islam had understood the reality of their opposition and evaluated their selves.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Some people have related this word to Naas. That is the Jews were more greedy for life than all the people, even the polytheists.

    Benefit: It is said that Alf in the 96th ayat denotes a long age. It does not mean a thousand years. Allah knows best. The word Jibreel occurs twice in the ayat and Mikal once. Both times it is Jibreel and not Jibraeel and it is Mikal and not Mikaeel. According to some scholars Jabr denotes power and Eel is the name of God. Therefore Jibraeel is the name of power of God which is the angel’s existence and honor.

  2. 2

    Ibn Surya and the Jews of Fadak posed some questions to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). How do you sleep? The Prophet (s.a.) replied: The eyes sleep but the heart remains awake. Which part of the parents is present in the child? Bones and nerves are from the father and flesh and blood from the mother. Why does the child sometimes resemble the maternal uncle and sometimes the paternal uncle? It depends on whose genes are dominant. Who brings divine revelation upon you? Jibraeel. They said all this is correct but if Mikaeel brings the revelation we would accept Islam, because Jibraeel is the angel of punishment. The concerned ayat was revealed after this. - Majmaul Bayan.