Surah Baqarah (61-82)
Qur’anic Exegesis
وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَامُوسَى لَنْ نَصْبِرَ عَلَى طَعَامٍ وَاحِدٍ فَادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنْبِتُ الْأَرْضُ مِنْ بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّائِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ الَّذِي هُوَ
And recall when you said: ‘Moses we shall never be content with one type of food[1]; so, call on your Lord to bring forth for us some green herbs, cucumbers, garlic[2], lentils and onions which the earth produces.’[3] He answered: ‘Would you exchange that which is better for what is inferior?’[4] [Then
أَدْنَى بِالَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ اهْبِطُوا مِصْرًا فَإِنَّ لَكُمْ مَا سَأَلْتُمْ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ الذِّلَّةُ وَالْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِنْ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ(61)
go] live in some Egypt[5]. There you shall find all that you have asked for’. [This is what they kept on doing] and shame and misery were stamped upon them[6] and they earned the wrath of Allah[7]. This was because they went on disbelieving His revelations and kept on slaying His prophets unjustly. This was because they showed disobedience and crossed all limits set by Allah.[8] (61)
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالنَّصَارَى وَالصَّابِئِينَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ(62)
[It is evident from this that the law of retribution is absolutely unbiased. Therefore,][9] those who profess faith in Muhammad and those [before them] who became Jews[10] and those who are called Christians[11], and Sabaeans[12] – whoever among them believes in
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ الطُّورَ خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَاكُمْ بِقُوَّةٍ وَاذْكُرُوا مَا
Allah and in the Last Day and does righteous deeds – shall be rewarded by their Lord and [in His gracious presence] they shall have nothing to fear nor shall they grieve [there].[13] (62)
And recall[14] when We made a covenant with you[15] and raised
فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ فَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَكُنتُمْ مِنْ الْخَاسِرِينَ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ الَّذِينَ اعْتَدَوْا مِنْكُمْ فِي السَّبْتِ فَقُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُونُوا قِرَدَةً
Mount Sinaiabove you[16] [emphasizing]: ‘Grasp strongly what We have given you[17] and bear in mind [what is written in it][18] so that you may be secure [from the wrath of God][19].’ Yet even after this you turned away[20], and but [in reality] had it not been for Allah’s grace and mercy you would have surely been among the astray [owing to your attitude]. And you have heard of [those among you] who violated the sanctity of the Sabbath[21] so We said to them: ‘Go
خَاسِئِينَ فَجَعَلْنَاهَا نَكَالًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا وَمَا خَلْفَهَا وَمَوْعِظَةً لِلْمُتَّقِينَ(63-66)
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً قَالُوا أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا
and become detested apes’[22]. In this way, We made that [city[23] of theirs in which they violated the Sabbath] an example for those around and a means of admonition to the God fearing. (63-6)
And recall[24] when Moses said to his people: ‘Allah commands you to slaughter a cow[25] [in order that you may swear
قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنْ الْجَاهِلِينَ قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا هِيَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا فَارِضٌ وَلَا بِكْرٌ عَوَانٌ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ فَافْعَلُوا مَا تُؤْمَرُونَ قَالُوا ادْعُ
oaths on its blood[26]]’. They replied: ‘Are you joking with us?’[27] ‘I seek refuge with Allah from becoming such a reckless[28] person!’ he rejoined. They said: ‘Call on your Lord that He make known to us what should the cow be like’. Moses replied: ‘Your Lord says: “Let her be neither an old cow nor a young cow, but in between.” Do, therefore, as you are being bidden.’[29] They went on: ‘Call on
لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَاءُ فَاقِعٌ لَوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا هِيَ إِنَّ الْبَقَرَ تَشَابَهَ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَمُهْتَدُونَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ الْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِي الْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَا شِيَةَ فِيهَا قَالُوا الْآنَ جِئْتَ بِالْحَقِّ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ(67-71)
وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسًا فَادَّارَأْتُمْ فِيهَا وَاللَّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبُوهُ
your Lord that Hemake known to us what her colour shall be’. Moses replied: ‘Your Lord says: “Let the cow be golden[30], a bright golden[31] pleasing to those who see [her]’. They said ‘Call on your Lord to fully explain to us the exact type of cow required for we are confused in this matter of cows. And if Allah wills we shall be rightly guided’.[32] Moses replied: ‘Your Lord says: “Let her not be a working cow that ploughs the earth and waters the field; a cow of one colour and no other colour should be mixed in it.”’ ‘Now you have brought a clear picture,’[33] they answered. In this way they slaughtered that cow, and it did not look that they would do so. (67-71)
And recall also the incident when you slew a man. Then [you swore false oaths and] started to blame one another for the deed[34] and Allah decided to make known what you were concealing. So, We said: ‘Strike[35] this [corpse] with a piece of that [cow which
بِبَعْضِهَا كَذَلِكَ يُحْيِ اللَّهُ الْمَوْتَى وَيُرِيكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ(72-73)
ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً وَإِنَّ مِنْ الْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الْأَنْهَارُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْمَاءُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ(74)
has been sacrificed for swearing oaths on it, and it came to life again]. In this manner, Allah will restore the dead to life and He shows you His signs that you may show understanding.[36] (72-3)
[You persisted in this attitude of denial[37] until] after this your hearts became as hard as if they were rocks or even harder; and there are some rocks from which rivulets flow and there are some which break asunder and water gushes from them and others which tumble down for fear of Allah[38]. [It is a fact that you have persisted in this attitude] and Allah is not unaware of what
أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ
you do.[39] (74)
[Believers! In spite of this[40]] you expect that they will accept what you say and [these are the people] a group of which has been listening to the Word of Allah and after understanding it fully has been altering it[41] deliberately[42]. [And these are the people]
إِلَى بَعْضٍ قَالُوا أَتُحَدِّثُونَهُمْ بِمَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيُحَاجُّوكُمْ بِهِ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ أَوَلَا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ وَمِنْهُمْ أُمِّيُّونَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا أَمَانِيَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتَابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَذَا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًافَوَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ
when they meet the faithful declare: ‘We accept’[43]. But when alone they say to each other: ‘Must you preach to them what Allah has revealed to you so that they may dispute with you about it in your Lord’s presence. Have you no sense?’ Do they not know that Allah has knowledge of all they hide and all that they reveal? [and these are the people] among whom are the illiterate[44] who consider the book of God to be only a collection of their fancies[45] and act on their conjecture – Woe to those that write the shari‘ah with their own hands[46] and then declare: ‘This is from Allah,’ in order to gain some paltry price. So woe to them because of what their hands have written and woe to them because of that what they earn [through this means] – [and these
لَهُمْ مِمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ وَقَالُوا لَنْ تَمَسَّنَا النَّارُ إِلَّا أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَةً قُلْ أَاتَّخَذْتُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَهْدًا فَلَنْ يُخْلِفَ اللَّهُ عَهْدَهُ أَمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ بَلَى مَنْ كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً وَأَحَاطَتْ بِهِ خَطِيئَتُهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ(75-82)
are the people who] claim: ‘The Fire shall not touch us except for a few days’[47]. Ask them: ‘Did Allah make you such a promise [for if He has made such a promise], Allah will not break His promise – or do you fabricate against God what you have no knowledge of?’[48] Truly[49], those who have committed evil and their sin has totally encompassed them are the companions of Hell[50]; in it they shall remain forever. And those who accepted faith and did righteous deeds are the companions of Paradise[51]; forever they shall abide in it. (75-82)
(Translated from Ghamidi’s Al-Bayan by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)