Surah Al-Baqarah 2:113-121 - Quran Translation Commentary

113. And the Jews say that the Christians have nothing (to base their claim to truth upon) and likewise the Christians say that the Jews have nothing, although both read the Scriptures. And even those who have no knowledge¹²⁷ (of the Scriptures) make similar claims. Surely, Allah will give His judgment on the Day of Resurrection concerning the differences¹²⁸ between them.

114. And who can be a greater wrong–doer than he who forbids¹²⁹ reciting of Allah’s name in the mosques and strives to ruin them (the mosques)? Such people have no right to enter them except in fear. For them there is nothing but disgrace in this world and extreme punishment¹³⁰ in the next.

115. To Allah belong East and West¹³¹ and there is Allah’s countenance,¹³² wherever you turn. Verily, Allah is All-pervading¹³³ and All-knowing.

116. And they say: “ Allah has taken a son.” Glory be to Him (Who is above such kinships). Nay, (in fact), all that is in the heaven and on the earth belongs to Him; all are subservient¹³⁴ to Him.

117. He is The Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decides about a thing, He merely commands it “Be” and there it is.

118. And the ignorant say: “Why does Allah not talk to us (directly) or why do some signs not come to us ?”¹³⁵ People before them too uttered such words. Their hearts are alike. We had indeed made clear (Our) signs to those people who (are disposed to) believe.

119. Verily, We have sent you (O prophet) with the truth as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. And you will not be answerable¹³⁶ about the people of hell-fire.

120. And the Jews will not be pleased with you nor will the Christians, till you follow their form of religion. Tell them: “The Guidance of Allah is the only Guidance.” Were you to follow their desires after the knowledge that has reached you, then you would have no friend or helper to protect you from Allah (His wrath).

121. Among the people to whom We have sent the Book there are those who read it as it should be read; they are the ones that believe¹³⁷ in it (Quran) sincerely. And those who reject it are the losers.

Commentary

127. This alludes to the illiterate idolaters of Arabia who had no Divine scripture.

128. The followers of one religion declare the religion of other people to be false. This has created a great dispute between the followers of different religions. Quran has offered convincing proofs and arguments to establish its being a revelation from Allah. If people do not see this clear Truth, then the only thing to be accomplished is that Allah should hold His court and give His clear and unambiguous Judgment for mankind to see the Truth with their own eyes. Quran says that for this clear judgment, Allah has fixed the Day of Judgment. On that day, man will not only know what is Truth and what is falsehood but he will also face the consequences of following the True Faith or rejecting it.

129. This alludes to the activity of the jews, who on account of their internal fighting, destroyed the mosques and laid them waste. This also alludes to the high-handedness and the aggressiveness of the idolaters of Makka who had forbidden Muslims to offer prayers in the Kaa’ba’s Masjid-e-Haram. This also stresses the sanctity of the mosques, the houses of Allah, in which the mischievous and destructive elements have no right to enter, save when they enter not with the intention of causing destruction but with fear of Allah.

130. Those people who do not respect the worshipping places of Allah and try to ruin them or those who in their riotous and destructive activities destroy them or desecrate them are warned by Quran of disgrace in this world and extreme punishment in the next world. Obviously those who do not respect the worshipping places of Allah are themselves not worthy of being respected. They rightly deserve disgrace and ignominy. Thus those who indulge in this mean activity because of their hatred of Islam or enmity of Muslims, are in fact acting against their own selves and for their own destruction. Little do they realise this.

131. The Jews and the Christians both had Bait-ul-Maqdis which is in Jerusalem (Palestine) as their Qibla (the direction which one faces while praying). Since Mariam (Mary) had sat in seclusion for prayer in the eastern side in this place, the Christians made the eastern side as their ‘Qibla’ (or direction for offering prayer). And probably as a counter to this, the Jews selected the opposite direction, that is the western side as their Qibla. The verse refers to this dispute about East and West.

132. This means that Allah is not confined to any place, He is every where and in every direction. Fixing a direction for prayer does not mean that Allah is confined to that direction only, but Allah fixes a direction for some religious significance. So if Allah commands to offer prayers facing a particular direction and subsequently He commands to change that direction. that should not be made a subject of dispute. The main point is not the direction, but obeying the command of Allah.

133. That is His Kingdom is as vast as His vision. To regard Him as limited to a narrow– minded being on the analogy of our finitude and limitations is nothing but folly.

134 . The entire contents of the earth and the heavens are Allah’s property. Nobody has the power or the authority to escape from his jurisdiction. All are his slaves. How can He have sons and daughters? He is holy, free and above all such kinships.

135. What they demanded was that Allah should speak to them directly or should show them some signs or a miracle, so that they may be convinced of the prophethood of Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), The Quran answers that this is no new demand other misguided communities or people had in the past demanded the same thing from their prophets. Apart from miracles, the signs, which proved beyond doubt the prophethood of Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), were readily available and the greatest sign of all was the holy Quran itself which is the clear and undeniable proof of the prophethood of Muhammad (p.b.u.h.).

But nothing can convince those who are determined to deny and oppose the Truth revealed by the Quran.

136. It means that the responsiblity of the prophet is only to deliver Allah’s Message to the people, to give glad tidings to the believers and to warn the rejectors of the Message against the dire consequences of their rejection. The prophet will not be responsible for those non-believers and infidels who, by opposing have earned Hellfire for themselves.

137. This alludes to those righteous people of the Scriptures who read ‘Torah’ and the ‘Gospel’ sincerely. When they found that the Quran is according to the prophecies in their scriptures they readily accepted Quran as a Divine Book and joined the band of believers.

This verse explains that the right of reciting Allah’s Book is that it should be acted upon.