2. Surah Al-Baqara

البقرةThe Cow · 286 ayahsتفہیم القرآن انگلش

Read Surah Al-Baqara in the Quran reader
Ayahs 2:80–84

وَ قَالُوْا لَنْ تَمَسَّنَا النَّارُ اِلَّاۤ اَیَّامًا مَّعْدُوْدَةً١ؕ قُلْ اَتَّخَذْتُمْ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ عَهْدًا فَلَنْ یُّخْلِفَ اللّٰهُ عَهْدَهٗۤ اَمْ تَقُوْلُوْنَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ Open ayah 2:80 in the Quran reader

They also say, "The fire of Hell is not going to touch us, and even if it does at all, it will be only for a few days". 91 Say, "Have you obtained a promise from Allah which He would not break? Or, do you attribute to Allah things you do not know? Why will not the fire of Hell touch you?

بَلٰى مَنْ كَسَبَ سَیِّئَةً وَّ اَحَاطَتْ بِهٖ خَطِیْٓئَتُهٗ فَاُولٰٓئِكَ اَصْحٰبُ النَّارِ١ۚ هُمْ فِیْهَا خٰلِدُوْنَ Open ayah 2:81 in the Quran reader

Whoever earns evil and becomes engrossed in sin shall be doomed to Hell and abide therein for ever.

وَ الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ اُولٰٓئِكَ اَصْحٰبُ الْجَنَّةِ١ۚ هُمْ فِیْهَا خٰلِدُوْنَ۠ Open ayah 2:82 in the Quran reader

Only those people who believe and do good deeds, will be the dwellers of the Garden and live there for ever.

وَ اِذْ اَخَذْنَا مِیْثَاقَ بَنِیْۤ اِسْرَآءِیْلَ لَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ اِلَّا اللّٰهَ١۫ وَ بِالْوَالِدَیْنِ اِحْسَانًا وَّ ذِی الْقُرْبٰى وَ الْیَتٰمٰى وَ الْمَسٰكِیْنِ وَ قُوْلُوْا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا وَّ اَقِیْمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَ اٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَ١ؕ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّیْتُمْ اِلَّا قَلِیْلًا مِّنْكُمْ وَ اَنْتُمْ مُّعْرِضُوْنَ Open ayah 2:83 in the Quran reader

Remember that We made a solemn covenant with the children of Israel to this effect: worship none save Allah: be good to your parents, to your relatives, to the orphans and to the helpless; speak aright with the people: establish the Salat and pay the Zakat. But with the exception of a few, you all slid back from it and are paying no heed to it even now.

وَ اِذْ اَخَذْنَا مِیْثَاقَكُمْ لَا تَسْفِكُوْنَ دِمَآءَكُمْ وَ لَا تُخْرِجُوْنَ اَنْفُسَكُمْ مِّنْ دِیَارِكُمْ ثُمَّ اَقْرَرْتُمْ وَ اَنْتُمْ تَشْهَدُوْنَ Open ayah 2:84 in the Quran reader

Remember also that We made another solemn covenant with you: you shall not shed blood among yourselves nor expel one another from your homes. And you confirmed it and you are a witness to it.

91. This is a misconception entertained by all Jews, laymen as well as rabbis. They felt sure that no matter what they did, they would remain immune from hell-fire just by virtue of being Jews! The worst they could conceive of was the possibility of a transient punishment before they were transported to heaven.
Ayahs 2:85–86

ثُمَّ اَنْتُمْ هٰۤؤُلَآءِ تَقْتُلُوْنَ اَنْفُسَكُمْ وَ تُخْرِجُوْنَ فَرِیْقًا مِّنْكُمْ مِّنْ دِیَارِهِمْ١٘ تَظٰهَرُوْنَ عَلَیْهِمْ بِالْاِثْمِ وَ الْعُدْوَانِ١ؕ وَ اِنْ یَّاْتُوْكُمْ اُسٰرٰى تُفٰدُوْهُمْ وَ هُوَ مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَیْكُمْ اِخْرَاجُهُمْ١ؕ اَفَتُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتٰبِ وَ تَكْفُرُوْنَ بِبَعْضٍ١ۚ فَمَا جَزَآءُ مَنْ یَّفْعَلُ ذٰلِكَ مِنْكُمْ اِلَّا خِزْیٌ فِی الْحَیٰوةِ الدُّنْیَا١ۚ وَ یَوْمَ الْقِیٰمَةِ یُرَدُّوْنَ اِلٰۤى اَشَدِّ الْعَذَابِ١ؕ وَ مَا اللّٰهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُوْنَ Open ayah 2:85 in the Quran reader

But inspite of this, you are killing your brethren and driving them out from their homes and making unjust and aggressive alliances against one another. And when they come to you as captives, you trade on their ransoms whereas their expulsion itself was unlawful for you. Do you then believe in one part of the Scriptures and disbelieve in the other? 92 What other punishment do such people from among you deserve except an ignominious life in this world and the most grievous doom on the Day of Resurrection? Allah is not unaware of what you are doing.

اُولٰٓئِكَ الَّذِیْنَ اشْتَرَوُا الْحَیٰوةَ الدُّنْیَا بِالْاٰخِرَةِ١٘ فَلَا یُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَ لَا هُمْ یُنْصَرُوْنَ۠ Open ayah 2:86 in the Quran reader

These are the people who have preferred the worldly life to the life in the Hereafter. Therefore their torment shall not be lightened nor shall help be given to them (from any quarter) .

92. Before the advent of the Prophet (peace be on him) the Jewish tribes who lived on the outskirts of Madina had concluded an alliance with the Arab tribes of Aws and Khazraj. When the Arab tribes fought against one another each Jewish tribe fought on the side of its allies, which led to fratricide and so to a flagrant violation of the Book of God. Moreover, when the war ended the captives were ransomed. This ransom was justified on the basis of scriptural arguments; they extolled the Word of God when it permitted the ransom of prisoners of war, but attached no significance at all to the same Word of God when it prohibited mutual feuding.
Ayah 2:87

وَ لَقَدْ اٰتَیْنَا مُوْسَى الْكِتٰبَ وَ قَفَّیْنَا مِنْۢ بَعْدِهٖ بِالرُّسُلِ١٘ وَ اٰتَیْنَا عِیْسَى ابْنَ مَرْیَمَ الْبَیِّنٰتِ وَ اَیَّدْنٰهُ بِرُوْحِ الْقُدُسِ١ؕ اَفَكُلَّمَا جَآءَكُمْ رَسُوْلٌۢ بِمَا لَا تَهْوٰۤى اَنْفُسُكُمُ اسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ١ۚ فَفَرِیْقًا كَذَّبْتُمْ١٘ وَ فَرِیْقًا تَقْتُلُوْنَ Open ayah 2:87 in the Quran reader

And We gave Moses the Book and sent after him a train of Messengers in succession. Then We sent Jesus, son of Mary, with clear Signs and supported him with the Holy Spirit. 93 Then how is it that whenever a Messenger came to you wish that which did not suit your lusts, you grew rebellious against him, and repudiated some and slew others.

93. The 'spirit of holiness' signifies the knowledge derived through revelation. It also signifies the angel Gabriel who brought this revelation. It also denotes the holy spirit of Jesus, the spirit which God had endowed with angelic character. The expression 'clear proofs' refers to those signs which are likely to convince a truth-seeking and truth-loving person that Jesus is a Prophet of God.
Ayahs 2:88–89

وَ قَالُوْا قُلُوْبُنَا غُلْفٌ١ؕ بَلْ لَّعَنَهُمُ اللّٰهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَقَلِیْلًا مَّا یُؤْمِنُوْنَ Open ayah 2:88 in the Quran reader

They say, "Our hearts are secure." 94 Nay, the fact is that Allah has cursed them for their disbelief; so they are little disposed to believe.

وَ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ كِتٰبٌ مِّنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ١ۙ وَ كَانُوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ یَسْتَفْتِحُوْنَ عَلَى الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا١ۖۚ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ مَّا عَرَفُوْا كَفَرُوْا بِهٖ١٘ فَلَعْنَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَى الْكٰفِرِیْنَ Open ayah 2:89 in the Quran reader

And how are they behaving now towards a Book which has come to them from Allah? Inspite of the fact that it confirms the Scriptures which they already possessed. and, inspite of the fact that, before it came, they used to pray for a signal victory over the disbelievers, they rejected it when it came, although they recognized it. 95 May Allah's curse be upon such disbelievers!

94. They said, in effect, that they were so staunch in their beliefs that their convictions would remain unaffected regardless of what was said. Such a claim is the hallmark of those bigots whose minds are seized by irrational prejudice. Nothing can be a matter of greater shame for human beings than the so-called firmness of conviction which they often boast of. What can be more foolish than adherence to inherited beliefs and convictions when their falseness is established by overwhelmingly strong arguments? 95. Before the advent of the Prophet, the Jews were eagerly awaiting a Prophet whose coming had been prophesied by their own Prophets. In fact, the Jews used to pray for his advent so that the dominance of the unbelievers could come to an end and the age of their own dominance he ushered in. The people of Madina were witnesses to the fact that these same Jewish neighbours of theirs had yearned for the advent of such a Prophet. They often used to say: 'People may oppress us today as they wish, but when our awaited Prophet comes, we will settle our scores with our oppressors.' Since the people of Madina had themselves heard such statements they were inclined to embrace the religion of the Prophet all the more readily lest their Jewist neighbours supersede them in acquiring this honour. It was therefore astonishing for them to find that when the promised Prophet did appear those same Jews who had so eagerly looked forward to welcoming him turned into his greatest enemies. The statement 'and they recognized it' is confirmed by several contemporaneous events. The most authentic evidence in this connection is that of Safiyah, a wife of the Prophet, who was herself the daughter of one learned Jewish scholar (Huyayy b. Akhtab) and the niece of another (Abu Yasir) . She says that when the Prophet migrated to Madina both her father and uncle went to meet him and conversed with him for quite a while. When they returned home, she heard the following conversation: Uncle:Is he really the same Prophet whose advent has been prophesied in our Scriptures? Father: By God, he is. Uncle: Do you believe that? Father: Yes.. Uncle. Then what do you intend to do? Father: 1 will continue to oppose him and will not let his claim prevail as long as I live. (Ibn Hishim, Sirah, eds., Mustafa al-Saqqa' et al., 2 vols., II edition, Cairo, 137511955, see vol. 1, pp. 518 f. See also Ibn IshAq, The Life of Muhammad, tr. and notes by A. Guillaume, London, Oxford University Press, 1955, pp. 241 f. - Ed.)
Ayahs 2:90–93

بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْا بِهٖۤ اَنْفُسَهُمْ اَنْ یَّكْفُرُوْا بِمَاۤ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ بَغْیًا اَنْ یُّنَزِّلَ اللّٰهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهٖ عَلٰى مَنْ یَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهٖ١ۚ فَبَآءُوْ بِغَضَبٍ عَلٰى غَضَبٍ١ؕ وَ لِلْكٰفِرِیْنَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِیْنٌ Open ayah 2:90 in the Quran reader

What a mean thing it is with which they delude their minds. 96 They reject the Guidance which Allah has sent down merely because of their grudge why Allah has in His bounty sent it to whom He chose from amongst His servants. 97 They have thus incurred wrath after wrath, and for such disbelievers there is a disgraceful doom.

وَ اِذَا قِیْلَ لَهُمْ اٰمِنُوْا بِمَاۤ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ قَالُوْا نُؤْمِنُ بِمَاۤ اُنْزِلَ عَلَیْنَا وَ یَكْفُرُوْنَ بِمَا وَرَآءَهٗ١ۗ وَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ١ؕ قُلْ فَلِمَ تَقْتُلُوْنَ اَنْۢبِیَآءَ اللّٰهِ مِنْ قَبْلُ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُّؤْمِنِیْنَ Open ayah 2:91 in the Quran reader

When it is said to them, "Believe in that which Allah has sent down," they say, "We believe only in that which has been sent to us", and reject everything else, though it is the Truth and confirms what is with them. Well, ask them, "If you sincerely believed in what was sent down to you, why did you kill the Messengers of Allah (who were sent to you from amongst yourselves) ?

وَ لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ مُّوْسٰى بِالْبَیِّنٰتِ ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْتُمُ الْعِجْلَ مِنْۢ بَعْدِهٖ وَ اَنْتُمْ ظٰلِمُوْنَ Open ayah 2:92 in the Quran reader

(More than that:) Moses came to you with clear Signs, yet no sooner was he away from you than you transgressed and took the calf for worship.

وَ اِذْ اَخَذْنَا مِیْثَاقَكُمْ وَ رَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ الطُّوْرَ١ؕ خُذُوْا مَاۤ اٰتَیْنٰكُمْ بِقُوَّةٍ وَّ اسْمَعُوْا١ؕ قَالُوْا سَمِعْنَا وَ عَصَیْنَا١ۗ وَ اُشْرِبُوْا فِیْ قُلُوْبِهِمُ الْعِجْلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ١ؕ قُلْ بِئْسَمَا یَاْمُرُكُمْ بِهٖۤ اِیْمَانُكُمْ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُّؤْمِنِیْنَ Open ayah 2:93 in the Quran reader

Recall also to mind the Covenant We made with you while We raised the Tur over you: `Follow strictly the precepts We are giving you and give ear to Our Commandments.' Your forefathers replied, "We have heard but we will not obey." They were so prone to unbelief that they cherished the calf in their hearts. Tell them (O Muhammad) . "If indeed you are believers, yours is a strange Faith that enjoins you to do such evil things."

96. Another possible rendering of the same verse is: 'And how evil is that for the sake of which they have sold themselves', i.e. for the sake of which they have sacrificed their ultimate happiness and salvation. 97. They had longed for the promised Prophet to arise from among their own people. But when he arose among a diffirent people, a people they despised, they decided to reject him. It was as if they thought God was duty-bound to consult them in appointing Prophets, and since in this case He had failed to do so they felt they had a right to be offended by God's 'arbitrariness'.
Ayahs 2:94–95

قُلْ اِنْ كَانَتْ لَكُمُ الدَّارُ الْاٰخِرَةُ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ خَالِصَةً مِّنْ دُوْنِ النَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ صٰدِقِیْنَ Open ayah 2:94 in the Quran reader

Say to them, "If the abode of the Hereafter with Allah is exclusively reserved for you and not for the rest of mankind, then you should long for death, if you arc sincere in your claim." 98

وَ لَنْ یَّتَمَنَّوْهُ اَبَدًۢا بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ اَیْدِیْهِمْ١ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ عَلِیْمٌۢ بِالظّٰلِمِیْنَ Open ayah 2:95 in the Quran reader

Believe it that they will never wish for it, for (they are fully aware of the consequences of) what they have sent before them for the Hereafter. And Allah knows well the mentality of the transgressors.

98. This is a subtle, satirical reference to their excessive worldliness. Those who really care for the Hereafter neither set their hearts on earthly life, nor are they unduly frightened of death. The condition of the Jews was the reverse of this.
Ayah 2:96

وَ لَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ اَحْرَصَ النَّاسِ عَلٰى حَیٰوةٍ١ۛۚ وَ مِنَ الَّذِیْنَ اَشْرَكُوْا١ۛۚ یَوَدُّ اَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ یُعَمَّرُ اَلْفَ سَنَةٍ١ۚ وَ مَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهٖ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ اَنْ یُّعَمَّرَ١ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ بَصِیْرٌۢ بِمَا یَعْمَلُوْنَ۠ Open ayah 2:96 in the Quran reader

You will find that, of all mankind, they are the greediest for life, 99 nay, they are even greedier than the mushriks. Each one of them longs to have a life Of a thousand years, but a long life can, by no means, remove them away from the scourge, for Allah is watching whatever they are doing.

99. Tle Arabic text implies that the Jews were so frightened of death and so keen to remain alive that they did not mind whether they led an honourable and dignified existence, or whether their life was one of indignity and humiliation.
Ayahs 2:97–101

قُلْ مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّجِبْرِیْلَ فَاِنَّهٗ نَزَّلَهٗ عَلٰى قَلْبِكَ بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَیْنَ یَدَیْهِ وَ هُدًى وَّ بُشْرٰى لِلْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ Open ayah 2:97 in the Quran reader

Say to them, "Whoever is enemy to Gabriel, 100 should understand that he has, by Allah's command, revealed to your heart the Qur'an 101 which confirms what was revealed before it, 102 and brings Guidance and glad tidings 103 to the Believers.

مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلّٰهِ وَ مَلٰٓئِكَتِهٖ وَ رُسُلِهٖ وَ جِبْرِیْلَ وَ مِیْكٰىلَ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكٰفِرِیْنَ Open ayah 2:98 in the Quran reader

(If their enmity to Gabriel is due to this, let them understand that) whoever is enemy to Allah, His Angels, His Messengers, Gabriel and Michael, Allah is enemy to such disbelievers."

وَ لَقَدْ اَنْزَلْنَاۤ اِلَیْكَ اٰیٰتٍۭ بَیِّنٰتٍ١ۚ وَ مَا یَكْفُرُ بِهَاۤ اِلَّا الْفٰسِقُوْنَ Open ayah 2:99 in the Quran reader

We have sent down to you Revelations that clearly expound the Truth, and none but the disobedient reject them.

اَوَ كُلَّمَا عٰهَدُوْا عَهْدًا نَّبَذَهٗ فَرِیْقٌ مِّنْهُمْ١ؕ بَلْ اَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا یُؤْمِنُوْنَ Open ayah 2:100 in the Quran reader

Has it not always been so that every time they made a covenant, some of them set it aside? Nay, most of them never believe in it sincerely.

وَ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُوْلٌ مِّنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِیْقٌ مِّنَ الَّذِیْنَ اُوْتُوا الْكِتٰبَ١ۙۗ كِتٰبَ اللّٰهِ وَرَآءَ ظُهُوْرِهِمْ كَاَنَّهُمْ لَا یَعْلَمُوْنَ٘ Open ayah 2:101 in the Quran reader

And whenever a Messenger came to them from Allah, confirming that Scripture which they already possessed, some from among the people of the Book threw the Book of Allah behind their backs as though they knew nothing about it.

100. The Jews not only reviled the Prophet (peace be on him) and his followers but also God's chosen angel, Gabriel, denouncing him as their enemy, and branding him as the angel of curse rather than of blessing. 101. Since Gabriel communicated the revealed messages with God's approval the abuses of the Jews which were apparently aimed at Gabriei should be considered as directed at God. 102. They abused Gabriel because he had brought the Qur'an from God, and since the Qur'an on the whole confirms the Torah this too became a co-sharer in those abuses. 103. Here there is a subtle suggestion that the wrath of the Jews was, in fact, directed against true guidance and righteousness even though acceptance of these would have brought them good tidings as to their own success.
Ayahs 2:102–103

وَ اتَّبَعُوْا مَا تَتْلُوا الشَّیٰطِیْنُ عَلٰى مُلْكِ سُلَیْمٰنَ١ۚ وَ مَا كَفَرَ سُلَیْمٰنُ وَ لٰكِنَّ الشَّیٰطِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا یُعَلِّمُوْنَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ١ۗ وَ مَاۤ اُنْزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَیْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوْتَ وَ مَارُوْتَ١ؕ وَ مَا یُعَلِّمٰنِ مِنْ اَحَدٍ حَتّٰى یَقُوْلَاۤ اِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ١ؕ فَیَتَعَلَّمُوْنَ مِنْهُمَا مَا یُفَرِّقُوْنَ بِهٖ بَیْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَ زَوْجِهٖ١ؕ وَ مَا هُمْ بِضَآرِّیْنَ بِهٖ مِنْ اَحَدٍ اِلَّا بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِ١ؕ وَ یَتَعَلَّمُوْنَ مَا یَضُرُّهُمْ وَ لَا یَنْفَعُهُمْ١ؕ وَ لَقَدْ عَلِمُوْا لَمَنِ اشْتَرٰىهُ مَا لَهٗ فِی الْاٰخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَاقٍ١ؕ۫ وَ لَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْا بِهٖۤ اَنْفُسَهُمْ١ؕ لَوْ كَانُوْا یَعْلَمُوْنَ Open ayah 2:102 in the Quran reader

(Instead of this,) they began to follow that (magic) to which the devils falsely attributed (the greatness of) the kingdom of Solomon. 104 In fact Solomon .was never involved in any practice of disbelief, but the satans, who taught magic to the people were themselves guilty of disbelief. They were after that thing which was sent to Harut and Marut, the two angels at Babylon. Whenever these two angels taught black art to anyone, they would always give a clear warning beforehand, saying, "We are merely a trial for you; so you should not commit blasphemy. 105 But in spite of this warning, those people used to learn from the angels the art which caused division between husband and wife. 106 Although it was obvious that they could not do any harm to anyone by means of this magic without Allah's permission, yet they learnt that art which could not be profitable even for them but was actually harmful. Moreover, they knew it full well that anyone, who purchased that art, would have no share in the Hereafter. What a vile commodity it was for which they sold off their souls, if they had but known it!

وَ لَوْ اَنَّهُمْ اٰمَنُوْا وَ اتَّقَوْا لَمَثُوْبَةٌ مِّنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ خَیْرٌ١ؕ لَوْ كَانُوْا یَعْلَمُوْنَ۠ Open ayah 2:103 in the Quran reader

Had they believed in Allah and practised piety, they would have received a far better reward from AIIah, if they had but known it.

104. 'Evil ones' embraces all evil beings, whether they belong to the human species or to the jinn. Here the reference seems to be to both. When moral and material decline set in amon the Israelites, they were overwhelmed with slavery and ignorance, with misery and poverty, and with humiliation and decadence. They were thus drained of all high ambitions and increasingly turned to magic, sorcery, witchcraft, charms and amulets. They began to search for facile means such as spells that would spare them hard work and yet ensure the achievement of their desired ends. At this stage they were misled by the evil ones, who made them believe that the mighty kingdom and astonishing power of Solomon were merely due to occult sciences and magical formulae, and that by revealing those they would pass on to them the keys to success. People were so engrossed in such practices that they ignored both the Book of God and anyone who summoned them to truth and righteousness. 105. There are various opinions on the interpretation of this verse. My own conclusion is that at the time when the whole Israelite nation was chained in slavery and captivity in Babylonia God sent two angels in human form in order to test the Jews. In the same way as angels were sent to the people of Lot in the form of handsome youths (see Quran 11: 69 ff. - Ed.) , they were presumably sent to Israel in the form of divines who could work magic and sorcery. These angels at once began working their magical wonders but they warned the people that their presence among them was designed to test their faith, and that they ought not to jeopardize their After-life by the practice of magic. Despite the warning it seems that the Israelites had become so fond of their magical artifices that they continued to resort to talismans and sorcery. It should not surprise anyone that angels came down to earth in human form; angels are dutiful servants of God's kingdom, and are capable of assuming the form appropriate to the specific task they are required to perform at any particular time. Who knows how many angels may be busy performing their duties in our midst even today! One might also wonder why angels should teach people magic, which is after all intrinsically evil. In order to understand this we must remember that the nature of their task was no different from that of an undercover policeman who hands over marked currency notes to a corrupt official as a bribe with the aim of ensuring that he is caught red-handed. 106. This shows that the greatest demand was for magical arts and charms to sow discord between a man and his wife and to procure the eventual seduction of the latter. This was the depth of moral depravity to which these people had fallen. A people cannot sink to a lower level of moral degeneracy than when adulterous affairs become their favourite pastime, and when seducing a married woman is considered a boastful achievement. The matrimonial relationship is, in truth, the very foundation of man's collective life. Tle soundness of human civilization depends on the soundness of the relationship between the twosexes. Hence, nothing could be worse than the person who strikes at the very foundations of the structure which supports both him and society as a whole. There is a Tradition from the Prophet to the effect that Satan sends his agents on their missions to all parts of the world. On their return these agents report their achievements with each mentioning his own special evil act. But Satan is not completely satisfied with any of them. It is only when an agent reports that he has succeeded in separating a wife from her husband that Satan is filled with joy and embraces him. (Bukhiri, 'Talaq', 25 - Ed.) In the light of this Tradition it is understandable why the angels who were sent to the Israelites to test them were asked to disclose those magical arts which would lead to separation between a husband and his wife, for the inclination of a people to learn such arts is a sure index of its moral decadence.
Ayahs 2:104–105

یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تَقُوْلُوْا رَاعِنَا وَ قُوْلُوا انْظُرْنَا وَ اسْمَعُوْا١ؕ وَ لِلْكٰفِرِیْنَ عَذَابٌ اَلِیْمٌ Open ayah 2:104 in the Quran reader

O Believers, 107 do not say. "Ra 'ina" but say, "Unzurna " and listen 108 a to what is said; for the disbelievers deserve a painful punishment.

مَا یَوَدُّ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا مِنْ اَهْلِ الْكِتٰبِ وَ لَا الْمُشْرِكِیْنَ اَنْ یُّنَزَّلَ عَلَیْكُمْ مِّنْ خَیْرٍ مِّنْ رَّبِّكُمْ١ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ یَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهٖ مَنْ یَّشَآءُ١ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِیْمِ Open ayah 2:105 in the Quran reader

The people who have rejected the message of Truth, be they the people of the Book or the mushriks, would never like that any good be sent down to you from your Lord, but Allah chooses for His mercy whom He wills, and Allah is Most Bountiful.

107. This and the following verses inform the followers of the Prophet (peace be on him) of the machinations of the Jews against Islam and the Muslims, and dispel any doubts and misgivings they tried to create in their minds. Special attention is paid to the points raised during controversial discussions between Muslims and Jews. It is useful to note here that when the Prophet (peace be on him) arrived in Madina and the message of Islam began to spread the Jews tried to engage Muslims in controversial religious discussions. They raised all kinds of involved and suspicion-provoking problems so as to contaminate the simple and pure-hearted Muslims with the spiritual diseases from which they themselves suffered. Not only that, they resorted to sly and deceptive talk in the presence of the Prophet. 108. When the Jews visited the Prophet they tried to vent their spite by using ambiguous expressions in their greetings and conversation. They, used words which had double meanings, one innocent and the other offensive. After using quite proper expressions they would then whisper some malicious words. Ostensibly they maintained the decorum of respect and courtesy while sparing no underhand means to insult the Prophet. Later we shall encounter several examples of this kind of behaviour. The particular expression referred to here, and which the Muslims were asked to avoid using since it lent itself to abuse, was employed by the Jews when in conversation with the Prophet, whenever they wanted to request a short pause in which to finish whatever they wanted to say. They, used the expression ra'ina, which meant 'kindly indulge us' or ' kindly lend ear to us'. It was possible, however, for the expression to be used with quite a different shade of meaning. In Hebrew, for instance, there is a word similar to it which means: 'Listen, may you become deaf.' In the same language it also means arrogant, ignorant and fool. In actual conversation it was also used on occasions when one wanted to say: 'If you listen to me, 1 will listen to you.' When it was pronounced with a slight twist of the tongue it turned into ra'ina, meaning 'our shepherd'. It is because of the possibility of the word being used in these different senses that Muslims were asked to avoid it and to use instead the straightforward expression unzurna, meaning 'kindly favour us with your attention' or 'kindly grant us a while to follow (what you are saying) '. This advice was followed by the admonition to listen attentively to what the Prophet said, for the Jews used to ask for the same thing to be repeated merely because they did not pay proper attention to what the Prophet said but instead were engrossed in their own thoughts. If the Muslims were to heed what the Prophet said, they would scarcely need to make such requests.
Ayahs 2:106–107

مَا نَنْسَخْ مِنْ اٰیَةٍ اَوْ نُنْسِهَا نَاْتِ بِخَیْرٍ مِّنْهَاۤ اَوْ مِثْلِهَا١ؕ اَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَیْءٍ قَدِیْرٌ Open ayah 2:106 in the Quran reader

We bring a better verse or at least the like of it for whatever we abrogate or cause it to be forgotten. 109

اَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ لَهٗ مُلْكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ١ؕ وَ مَا لَكُمْ مِّنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ مِنْ وَّلِیٍّ وَّ لَا نَصِیْرٍ Open ayah 2:107 in the Quran reader

Do you not know that Allah has full power over everything? Do you not know that the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah alone and that you have neither any protector nor helper beside Him?

109. This is in response to a doubt which the Jews tried to implant in the minds of the Muslims. If both the earlier Scriptures and the Qur'an were revelations from God, why was it - they asked - that the injunctions found in the earlier Scriptures had been replaced by new ones in the Qur'an? How could the same God issue divergent injunctions? Furthermore, they expressed their amazement at the Qur'anic indictment of the Jews and Christians for having allowed part of the revelation to be forgotten and lost, pointing out that it was impossible that Divine revelation should be erased from human memory. In all this, their motive was not to know the truth but to cast doubt on the Divine origin of the Qur'an. In refutation God states that He being the Absolute Sovereign has unlimited authority both to abrogate previous injunctions and to cause people to forget the injunctions He wants them to forget. However, God ensures that whatever He abrogates or causes to be erased from people's memories is replaced by something equally or even more beneficial.
Ayah 2:108

اَمْ تُرِیْدُوْنَ اَنْ تَسْئَلُوْا رَسُوْلَكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوْسٰى مِنْ قَبْلُ١ؕ وَ مَنْ یَّتَبَدَّلِ الْكُفْرَ بِالْاِیْمَانِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ السَّبِیْلِ Open ayah 2:108 in the Quran reader

Would you then ask your Prophet such questions as were asked of Moses in former times? 110 In fact, anyone, who changes the way of belief for that of disbelief, has surely swerved from the Right way.

110. The Jews, who were addicted to hair-splitting arguments, instigated the Muslims to ask the Prophet a great many questions. God, therefore, cautioned the Muslims against following the example of the Jews in this matter, and admonished them against unnecessary inquisitiveness. The Prophet himself often warned the Muslims that excessive inquisitiveness (which was devoid of religious earnestness and the sincere desire to do God's will) had been the ruin of earlier religious communities. (Muslim, 'Faddil', 130; Bukhari, '1'tisim', 2 - Ed.) He stressed that people need not delve too deeply into questions left unelucidated by God or His Messenger. It was better to follow the injunctions which were clearly laid down, abstain from things prohibited, and avoid excessive inquiry about far-fetched, hypothetical issues, attending instead to questions of practical significance.
Ayahs 2:109–110

وَدَّ كَثِیْرٌ مِّنْ اَهْلِ الْكِتٰبِ لَوْ یَرُدُّوْنَكُمْ مِّنْۢ بَعْدِ اِیْمَانِكُمْ كُفَّارًا١ۖۚ حَسَدًا مِّنْ عِنْدِ اَنْفُسِهِمْ مِّنْۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَیَّنَ لَهُمُ الْحَقُّ١ۚ فَاعْفُوْا وَ اصْفَحُوْا حَتّٰى یَاْتِیَ اللّٰهُ بِاَمْرِهٖ١ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَیْءٍ قَدِیْرٌ Open ayah 2:109 in the Quran reader

Many of the people of the Book desire to turn you anyhow back to unbelief. They wish this out of the envy of their hearts though the Truth has become quite clear to them. Yet, you should show forbearance and forgiveness to them' 111 till Allah Himself enforces His judgement.

وَ اَقِیْمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَ اٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَ١ؕ وَ مَا تُقَدِّمُوْا لِاَنْفُسِكُمْ مِّنْ خَیْرٍ تَجِدُوْهُ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ١ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ بَصِیْرٌ Open ayah 2:110 in the Quran reader

(Rest assured that) Allah has full power over everything: establish the Salat and pay the Zakat. you will find with Allah whatever good you send forward for your future; Allah is watching everything you do.

111. This means that one should neither allow oneself to get angry at their spite and hostility, nor waste one's valuable time by engaging in useless debates and acrimonious polemics. It is better to wait patiently and observe how God deals with them. Instead of wasting energy in frivolous pursuits such as those menti~ above one should spend it in the remembrance of God and in acts of goodness, for it is these rather than barren controversies that will benefit man in the Life to Come.
Ayahs 2:111–112

وَ قَالُوْا لَنْ یَّدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ اِلَّا مَنْ كَانَ هُوْدًا اَوْ نَصٰرٰى١ؕ تِلْكَ اَمَانِیُّهُمْ١ؕ قُلْ هَاتُوْا بُرْهَانَكُمْ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ صٰدِقِیْنَ Open ayah 2:111 in the Quran reader

They say, "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or according to the Christians) a Christian." These are their wishful fancies. 112 Say to them, "Bring your proof, if you are right in your claim."

بَلٰى١ۗ مَنْ اَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهٗ لِلّٰهِ وَ هُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهٗۤ اَجْرُهٗ عِنْدَ رَبِّهٖ١۪ وَ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَیْهِمْ وَ لَا هُمْ یَحْزَنُوْنَ۠ Open ayah 2:112 in the Quran reader

The fact is that no one has any special claim to Paradise; whoever surrenders himself to Allah in obedience and follows the Right Way, shall get his reward from his Lord: there shall be neither fear nor grief for such people.

112. That is, all this is merely wishful thinking, even though they express thoughts as if they were really going to happen.
Ayah 2:113

وَ قَالَتِ الْیَهُوْدُ لَیْسَتِ النَّصٰرٰى عَلٰى شَیْءٍ١۪ وَّ قَالَتِ النَّصٰرٰى لَیْسَتِ الْیَهُوْدُ عَلٰى شَیْءٍ١ۙ وَّ هُمْ یَتْلُوْنَ الْكِتٰبَ١ؕ كَذٰلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِیْنَ لَا یَعْلَمُوْنَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ١ۚ فَاللّٰهُ یَحْكُمُ بَیْنَهُمْ یَوْمَ الْقِیٰمَةِ فِیْمَا كَانُوْا فِیْهِ یَخْتَلِفُوْنَ Open ayah 2:113 in the Quran reader

The Jews say that the Christians have nothing (of the Truth) and the Christians say that the Jews have nothing of it, though both read the Scripture. And those who have no knowledge of the Scripture 113 also make similar claims. Allah will surely give His judgement on the Day of Resurrection in all the matters in which they differ.

113. The reference is to the polytheists of Arabia.
Ayah 2:114

وَ مَنْ اَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ مَّنَعَ مَسٰجِدَ اللّٰهِ اَنْ یُّذْكَرَ فِیْهَا اسْمُهٗ وَ سَعٰى فِیْ خَرَابِهَا١ؕ اُولٰٓئِكَ مَا كَانَ لَهُمْ اَنْ یَّدْخُلُوْهَاۤ اِلَّا خَآئِفِیْنَ١ؕ۬ لَهُمْ فِی الدُّنْیَا خِزْیٌ وَّ لَهُمْ فِی الْاٰخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِیْمٌ Open ayah 2:114 in the Quran reader

And who could be a greater wrongdoer than the one who forbids the mention of Allah's name in places of worship and strives for their ruin? Such people do not deserve to enter the places of worship, and, if they enter at all, they should do so in fear; 114 for there is ignominy for them in this world and an awful punishment in the Hereafter.

114. Places of worship should properly remain in the custody of devout and God-fearing people, so that even if bad people did go there they would be deterred from committing misdeeds through fear of punishment. This is a subtle reference to the wrong perpetrated by the unbelievers of Makka, who had barred their own compatriots - the Muslims - from worshipping in the House of God.
Ayahs 2:115–117

وَ لِلّٰهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَ الْمَغْرِبُ١ۗ فَاَیْنَمَا تُوَلُّوْا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللّٰهِ١ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ وَاسِعٌ عَلِیْمٌ Open ayah 2:115 in the Quran reader

The East and the West, all belong to Allah: you will face Allah in whichsoever direction you turn your face: 115 Allah is All-Embracing and All-Knowing. 116

وَ قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللّٰهُ وَلَدًا١ۙ سُبْحٰنَهٗ١ؕ بَلْ لَّهٗ مَا فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ١ؕ كُلٌّ لَّهٗ قٰنِتُوْنَ Open ayah 2:116 in the Quran reader

They say "Allah has adopted a son." Allah is above such things. As a matter of fact, whatever is in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him and all are obedient to Him.

بَدِیْعُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ١ؕ وَ اِذَا قَضٰۤى اَمْرًا فَاِنَّمَا یَقُوْلُ لَهٗ كُنْ فَیَكُوْنُ Open ayah 2:117 in the Quran reader

He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth: when He decrees a thing, He merely says, "Be," and there it is.

115. God is neither eastern nor western. East and west, north and south, and indeed all places and directions are His, though He is not confined to any particular place or direction. Hence, if any place or direction is fixed for worship this does not mean that God dwells there. Likewise, changes in the direction of Prayer is not a proper subject for controversy and dispute. 116. That is, God is neither limited, mean, narrow-minded, nor poor in resources. All such notions about God, which arise from considering Him as essentially similar to human beings, are erroneous. God's realm is boundless and so is His vision and the range of His benevolence and mercy. Moreover, God's knowledge is all-embracing. He knows who remembers Him, as well as where, when and why he does that.
Ayah 2:118

وَ قَالَ الَّذِیْنَ لَا یَعْلَمُوْنَ لَوْ لَا یُكَلِّمُنَا اللّٰهُ اَوْ تَاْتِیْنَاۤ اٰیَةٌ١ؕ كَذٰلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِیْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِّثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ١ؕ تَشَابَهَتْ قُلُوْبُهُمْ١ؕ قَدْ بَیَّنَّا الْاٰیٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ یُّوْقِنُوْنَ Open ayah 2:118 in the Quran reader

The ignorant people say, "Why does not Allah Himself talk to us or why does not a Sign come to us?" 117 The people before them also talked like this, for all (who swerve from the Right Path) have the same mentality. 118 We have already shown clear Signs to those who believe; 119

117. What they meant was that God should either appear before them Himself, tell them plainly that the Qur'an was a revelation from Him, and proclaim His injunctions, or cause them to see some extraordinary sign that would convince them that whatever Muhammad (peace be on him) told them was from Him. 118. The fact is that the misguided people of the time of the revelation of the Qur'an did not raise any objection or make any demands essentially different from those of the misguided people of the past. From the remote past till today, error and misguidedness seem to have the same character, so the same doubts and objections are repeated over and over again. 119. The demand that God should speak to them directly was too absurd even to be answered. The question dealt with here concerns the demand for a sign that would convince them of the Truth. In response to this it is pointed out that many signs do exist, but all such signs are of profit only to those who are inclined to believe. As for those who are bent on disbelief, what sign can be shown to them, and to what avail?
Ayah 2:119

اِنَّاۤ اَرْسَلْنٰكَ بِالْحَقِّ بَشِیْرًا وَّ نَذِیْرًا١ۙ وَّ لَا تُسْئَلُ عَنْ اَصْحٰبِ الْجَحِیْمِ Open ayah 2:119 in the Quran reader

(what greater Sign could there be than that) We have sent you with the knowledge of the Truth and made you a bearer of good tidings and a Warner? 120 Now, you are not responsible and answerable for those who are bent upon going to Hell.

120. Why speak of other signs when the most conspicuous sign of Truth is the very person of Muhammad? Let us recall his life before the commencement of his prophethood, the conditions existing in the area where, and the people among whomn, he was born, the manner in which he was brought up and spent the first forty years of his life, and then his glorious achievements as a Prophet. What further signs could we want in support of his message?