Surah 2. Al-Baqarah

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Verses [Section]: 1-7[1], 8-20 [2], 21-29 [3], 30-39 [4], 40-46 [5], 47-59 [6], 60-61 [7], 62-71 [8], 72-82 [9], 83-86 [10], 87-96 [11], 97-103 [12], 104-112 [13], 113-121 [14], 122-129 [15], 130-141 [16], 142-147 [17], 148-151 [18], 152-163 [19], 164-167 [20], 168-176 [21], 177-182 [22], 183-188 [23], 189-196 [24], 197-210 [25], 211-216 [26], 217-221 [27], 222-228 [28], 229-231 [29], 232-235 [30], 236-242 [31], 243-248 [32], 249-253 [33], 254-257 [34], 258-260 [35], 261-266 [36], 267-273 [37], 274-281 [38], 282-283 [39], 284-286 [40]

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Quran Text of Verse 104-112یٰۤاَیُّهَاO youالَّذِیْنَwhoاٰمَنُوْاbelieve[d]!لَا(Do) notتَقُوْلُوْاsayرَاعِنَاRainaوَ قُوْلُواand sayانْظُرْنَاUnzurnaوَ اسْمَعُوْا ؕand listenوَ لِلْكٰفِرِیْنَAnd for the disbelieversعَذَابٌ(is) a punishmentاَلِیْمٌ painful مَا(Do) notیَوَدُّlikeالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelieveمِنْfromاَهْلِ(the) Peopleالْكِتٰبِ(of) the Bookوَ لَاand notالْمُشْرِكِیْنَthose who associate partners (with Allah)اَنْthatیُّنَزَّلَ(there should) be sent downعَلَیْكُمْto youمِّنْanyخَیْرٍgoodمِّنْfromرَّبِّكُمْ ؕyour Lordوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahیَخْتَصُّchoosesبِرَحْمَتِهٖfor His Mercyمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُ ؕHe willsوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahذُو(is the) Possessorالْفَضْلِ(of) [the] Bountyالْعَظِیْمِ [the] Great 2. Al-Baqarah Page 17مَاWhatنَنْسَخْWe abrogateمِنْ(of)اٰیَةٍa signاَوْorنُنْسِهَا[We] cause it to be forgottenنَاْتِWe bringبِخَیْرٍbetterمِّنْهَاۤthan itاَوْorمِثْلِهَا ؕsimilar (to) itاَلَمْDo notتَعْلَمْyou knowاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahعَلٰیoverكُلِّeveryشَیْءٍthingقَدِیْرٌ (is) All-Powerful اَلَمْDo notتَعْلَمْyou knowاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahلَهٗfor Himمُلْكُ(is the) Kingdomالسَّمٰوٰتِ(of) the heavensوَ الْاَرْضِ ؕand the earthوَ مَاAnd notلَكُمْ(is) for youمِّنْfromدُوْنِbesidesاللّٰهِAllahمِنْanyوَّلِیٍّprotectorوَّ لَاand notنَصِیْرٍ any helper اَمْOrتُرِیْدُوْنَ(do) you wishاَنْthatتَسْـَٔلُوْاyou askرَسُوْلَكُمْyour Messengerكَمَاasسُىِٕلَwas askedمُوْسٰیMusaمِنْfromقَبْلُ ؕbeforeوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیَّتَبَدَّلِexchangesالْكُفْرَ[the] disbeliefبِالْاِیْمَانِwith [the] faithفَقَدْso certainlyضَلَّhe went astray (from)سَوَآءَ(the) evennessالسَّبِیْلِ (of) the way وَدَّWish[ed]كَثِیْرٌmanyمِّنْfromاَهْلِ(the) Peopleالْكِتٰبِ(of) the Bookلَوْifیَرُدُّوْنَكُمْthey could turn you backمِّنْۢfromبَعْدِafterاِیْمَانِكُمْyour (having) faithكُفَّارًا ۖۚ(to) disbelieversحَسَدًا(out of) jealousyمِّنْfromعِنْدِ(of)اَنْفُسِهِمْthemselvesمِّنْۢ(even) fromبَعْدِafterمَا[what]تَبَیَّنَbecame clearلَهُمُto themالْحَقُّ ۚthe truthفَاعْفُوْاSo forgiveوَ اصْفَحُوْاand overlookحَتّٰیuntilیَاْتِیَbringsاللّٰهُAllahبِاَمْرِهٖ ؕHis CommandاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahعَلٰیonكُلِّeveryشَیْءٍthingقَدِیْرٌ (is) All-Powerful وَ اَقِیْمُواAnd establishالصَّلٰوةَthe prayerوَ اٰتُواand giveالزَّكٰوةَ ؕ[the] zakahوَ مَاAnd whateverتُقَدِّمُوْاyou send forthلِاَنْفُسِكُمْfor yourselvesمِّنْofخَیْرٍgood (deeds)تَجِدُوْهُyou will find itعِنْدَwithاللّٰهِ ؕAllahاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahبِمَاof whatتَعْمَلُوْنَyou doبَصِیْرٌ (is) All-Seer وَ قَالُوْاAnd they saidلَنْNeverیَّدْخُلَwill enterالْجَنَّةَthe Paradiseاِلَّاexceptمَنْwhoكَانَisهُوْدًا(a) Jew[s]اَوْorنَصٰرٰی ؕ(a) Christian[s]تِلْكَThatاَمَانِیُّهُمْ ؕ(is) their wishful thinkingقُلْSayهَاتُوْاBringبُرْهَانَكُمْyour proofاِنْifكُنْتُمْyou areصٰدِقِیْنَ [those who are] truthful بَلٰی ۗYesمَنْwhoeverاَسْلَمَsubmitsوَجْهَهٗhis faceلِلّٰهِto Allahوَ هُوَand heمُحْسِنٌ(is) a good-doerفَلَهٗۤso for himاَجْرُهٗ(is) his rewardعِنْدَwithرَبِّهٖ ۪his Lordوَ لَاAnd noخَوْفٌfearعَلَیْهِمْ(will be) on themوَ لَاand notهُمْtheyیَحْزَنُوْنَ۠(will) grieve

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Translation of Verse 104-112

104. O you men of Faith! say not (to the prophet) ‘Rai’na’¹²² (Listen to us), but say ‘Unzurna’ (Look upon us) and listen to him with attention; for the infidels there is a grievous punishment.

105.Neither those who disbelieve among the people of the Book nor those who associate others with Allah would like that anything good should come down to you from your Lord. But Allah specially chooses whom He wills for His mercy and Allah is Most Bountiful.

106. We bring in place of Our verses (commands) which We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, better ones or the like of them¹²³. Do not you know that Allah has power over all things ?

107. Do you not know that it is Allah alone to whom the sovereignty of the Heavens and Earth belongs; and that you have no friend or helper beside Allah?

108. Would you then ask your Messenger such questions¹²⁴ as were asked of Moosa before? And whoever exchanges Faith with Unbelief, has strayed from the straight path.

109. Many of the people of the Book wish through selfish envy that they could turn you back from your belief to unbelief, though the Truth has become manifest to them. (yet) Forgive and be indulgent until Allah gives Command. Verily Allah has power over all things.

110. And establish Salat and pay Zakat ; and you will find with Allah all the good that you send for your souls forward (for the Hereafter); verily Allah is watching all that you do.

111. And they say: “None will enter Paradise unless he is a Jew or a Christian”. These are their own (vain) fancies¹²⁵, Say: “Bring your proof, if you are truthful (in your claim).”

112. Nay, whoever submits his whole self to Allah (in obedience) and performs good deeds, his reward is with his Lord; there shall be neither fear nor grief¹²⁶ for them.

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Commentary

122. This relates to the mischief of the Jews, against the Quran and Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.). Some hypocrites from amongst the Jews used to attend the meetings of the prophet with ulterior motives. Wherever an occasion arose calling for the Prophet’s attention they used to say. Rai’na’ which means we beg your pardon; but they would pronounce this word in such a way that it would sound as. Raee’na which means our goatherd. In view of this mischief of Jews, Muslims were advised not to use this word but to use the word ‘Unzurna’ which means, ‘Look at us’. There was an element of derision in the words as pronounced by the Jews. In this way a line of distinction could be drawn between the sincere followers and the hypocrites.

123. Here an objection of the Jews is answered. Their argument against the Quran was why should the Quran, while confirming Tohra as a revealed Book from Allah, abrogate it. Does Allah change His Shariah’? “The answer of the Quran is this: the law of the Torah which is forgotten by the Jews or abrogated by Allah is replaced by, a better Law. Allah is thus taking mankind to a higher place in the matter of Shariah (Law).

Secondly, a finer point is that Allah is not bound to prescribe the same Shariah (for the followers of Muhammad (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) which he had laid down for the Bani- Israel Allah the all powerful Ruler of the Universe can replace any of His earlier laws by a new Law. None has the right or the authority to question his sovereignty, since all are his powerless slaves. It must be remembered here that what Allah is abrogating or replacing is not His deen, (Religion) but Shariah (Law). Different prophets beginning with Adam, were sent at different times to different countries. A Shariah suitable to a time and clime was revealed to each one of them. Thus there were differences in the Shariah revealed to different prophets. The Deen (religion)of them all however was the same. It has always been Islam. It taught mankind to believe in one God, in all His prophets and the Hereafter. The differences in the Shariah are accounted for by the needs and circumstances of the different period and people. Allah has then been replacing His Shariah from time to time with wisdom. The last and final amendments to His Shariah were revealed through the Quran for all mankind and for all times. Unreflecting people confuse Deen with Shariah and think that there have been different types of Deen (religion) and that following anyone of them guaranteed the guidance to the right path. The fact is that the Shariah (Law) which Allah commands his followers to obey in all their dealings has been finally sealed in the last edition of his Deen viz. the Quran. For a true believer, therefore, it is necessary to accept Prophet Muhammad (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) as the last in the series of the prophets and to accept the teachings of the Quran and Prophet Muhammad, is the final code of life in all matters. Well-being in this world and ultimate salvation of man depends as much on right belief (Deen or religion) as on right cunduct in accordance with Allah’s Shariah (Law), which has been finally presented to the world through the Quran and the teachings of prophet Muhammad (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam).

It may be noted that in the previous Shariahs and the last Shariah quite a number of commands are common, even then some commands of the previous Shariahs which were given in particular circumstances for particular things have been cancelled taking into consideration the needs of the moment. For example the Jews were asked to observe Sabbath, but now in its place command is given to offer Friday salat, which is of higher value spiritually. Similarly formerly Baitul Maqdis was fixed as the Qibla, but now the Masjid-i-Haram has been made the Qibla, which is the most holy mosque.Therefore, now the Shariah of Muhammad, Sallal Lahu Alaihi wa Sallam, is the one to be compulsorily obeyed. This Shariah is perfect and is the last edition of the series of the Divine Shariahs. And final salvation depends on following this Shariah only.

Many of the people of the Book wish through selfish envy that they could turn you back from your belief to unbelief, though the Truth has become manifest to them. (yet) Forgive and be indulgent until Allah gives Command. Verily Allah has power over all things. (Al-Quran)

124.The questions asked of Moosa were intended as objections.

125.These are the creations of their own imagination. Allah has never mentioned that the paradise is reserved for the Jews or the Christians and that others will not be admitted in it. The claim about Allah’s preference in favour of certain religious groups is a product of the imagination of some people, attributing it to God. They have veiled the truth about the religion and have made it doubtful for the common man.

126. To achieve salvation and deserve paradise, it is necessary that a man should surrender himself totally to Allah, this is the real meaning of being Muslim. Secondly, a man must sincerely follow the tenets of this Shariah. This is the fundamental principle of religion and all the prophets were agreed on this.