Surah Baqarah (40-60)
Qur’anic Exegesis
يَابَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِي الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ وَإِيَّايَ فَارْهَبُونِ وَآمِنُوا بِمَا أَنزَلْتُ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا مَعَكُمْ وَلَا تَكُونُوا
[It is for this very purpose[1] that this Qur’an has been revealed, so][2]O Progeny of Israel[3], recall My favour[4] which I had bestowed upon you[5]. Keep my covenant[6], and I will keepyours
أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍ بِهِ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا وَإِيَّايَ فَاتَّقُونِ وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا الْحَقَّ
and keep fearing Me only[7] and profess faith in this [Qur’an] which I have revealed in confirmation of what you have[8]. And be not the very first to deny it[9] and do not sell My verses for a paltry
بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا الْحَقَّ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَارْكَعُوا
price[10] and fear My wrath only[11]. And do not mingle truth with falsehood[12], nor try to deliberately conceal the truth[13]. And establish
مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ
the Salahand pay the Zakah[14] and bow down [before the Almighty] with these [people] who bow[15]. Would you enjoin what
أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ
is right[16] on others and forget it yourselves even though you read the book of God[17]. Have you no sense? [To tread on this path] seek help from [the trait of] perseverance[18] and from the prayer[19]. Indeed, all this is exacting[20], but not to those who fear the
الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُمْ مُلَاقُو رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ(2: 40-46)
يَابَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِي الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّي فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا لَا تَجْزِي نَفْسٌ عَنْ نَفْسٍ شَيْئًا وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَلَا يُؤْخَذُ
Almighty[21], who know[22] they have to meet their Lord[23] and that to Him they have to return [one day][24]. (40-6)
O Progeny of Israel, recall the favour I had bestowed upon you[25], and [recall that] I exalted you above the people of the world[26]. And guard yourselves against the day[27] when no soul shall
مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَاكُمْ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ وَفِي ذَلِكُمْ بَلَاءٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمْ الْبَحْرَ فَأَنْجَيْنَاكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ
be of use to another in anyway and no intercession shall be accepted and no compensation be taken from it nor will people be helped[28]. (47-8)
And recall when We rescued you from Pharaoh’s people[29]. They would brutally torture you, slaying your sons[30] and sparing your women[31] and in this there was a great trial for you by your
وَإِذْ وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَى أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْتُمْ الْعِجْلَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَأَنْتُمْ ظَالِمُونَ ثُمَّ عَفَوْنَا عَنْكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ وَإِذْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَالْفُرْقَانَ
Lord. (49)
And recall when We parted the sea taking you along with Us[32] and in this manner saved you and drowned Pharaoh’s people [in the same sea] before your very eyes. (50)
And recall when We made the promise[33] of forty nights with Moses. Then in his absence you made that calf[34] thus doing
لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ يَاقَوْمِ إِنَّكُمْ ظَلَمْتُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ بِاتِّخَاذِكُمْ الْعِجْلَ فَتُوبُوا إِلَى بَارِئِكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ عِنْدَ بَارِئِكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَامُوسَى لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ
injustice to your souls. Yet after that We pardoned you so that you might be grateful. (51-2)
And recall when We gave Moses the Book which was the Criterion[35] [between good and evil] so that you might receive guidance [through it]. (53)
And recall when Moses said to his people: ‘You have done injustice to your souls my people by worshipping this calf. So turn in penitence to your Creator[36] and for this slay[37] these people
حَتَّى نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمْ الصَّاعِقَةُ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ
among you [with your own hands]. This will be best for you in your Creator’s sight.[38]’ [Consequently, when you did this], He forgave you. Indeed, He is very Forgiving, Ever Merciful. (54)
And recall when you said to Moses: ‘We will not believe in you until we see God with our own eyes’[39]; then a thunderbolt[40] struck you while you were helplessly looking on.
مَوْتِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ الْغَمَامَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَى
Then We revived you from this death[41] of yours so that you might become grateful. And We made the clouds draw their shadow over you and sent down upon you Mann[42] and Salwa[43].
كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَكِنْ كَانُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ وَإِذْ قُلْنَا ادْخُلُوا هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَدًا وَادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُولُوا حِطَّةٌ نَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَايَاكُمْ وَسَنَزِيدُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ فَبَدَّلَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا
‘Eat these pure things We have provided you[44].’ [Alas! Those on which We bestowed this favour disregarded it] and [in this way], they did not do injustice to Us, but they had been doing injustice to their own souls[45]. (55-7)
And recall when we said: ‘Enter this city[46]; then eat from it to your hearts’ content and [take heed] that enter[47] its gate bowing down your heads[48] [in humility] and pray: “O Lord forgive our sins”[49], and We shall forgive your sins and [those among you] who
قَوْلًا غَيْرَ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُمْ فَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا رِجْزًا مِنْ السَّمَاءِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ وَإِذْ اسْتَسْقَى مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبْ بِعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ فَانفَجَرَتْ
adopt a befitting attitude, We shall bestow more favour on them’. But the wrongdoers replaced that which they were told with other words[50]. So We let loose on these wrongdoers a punishment from heaven[51] because of the disobedience they were [guilty of]. (58-9)
And remember when Moses prayed for water for his people; so We said to him: ‘Strike this rock with your staff’. [He struck the rock and] thereupon twelve springs gushed from it[52] such that
مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَشْرَبَهُمْ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا مِنْ رِزْقِ اللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ(2: 47-60)
(Translated by Shehzad Saleem)