Surah Al-Baqarah 2:83-86 - Quran Translation Commentary

(2:83) And (recall) when We took compact with the Children of Israel: ‘You shall not serve any other than Allah; to be good to the parents, the kindred, orphans, and the needy.¹⁷⁹ You shall speak kindly to the people,¹⁸⁰ establish Prayers, and give in charity'. But you turned away all but a few of you, while you were backsliders.

(2:84) And, when We took compact with you: ‘You shall not shed your own blood, and you shall not drive out each other from your dwellings.' Then you confirmed it and bear witness to it yourselves.

(2:85) Yet, you are the very people who slaughter your own people and drive out a number of them from their dwellings, helping others against them in violation and rebellion.¹⁸¹ When they are brought to you as captives, you ransom them out, while it was unlawful for you to have expelled them. Do you then believe in part of the Scripture and disbelieve in part? So, what can be the reward of those of you who do that but degradation in the present life, to be returned to the most terrible chastisement on the Day of Resurrection? And Allah is not unaware of what you do.

(2:86) These are a people that have purchased the life of this world at the price of the Next; so their chastisement shall not be lightened nor shall they be helped.

Commentary

179. While being good to the parents involves kind behavior toward them and their obedience in all matters except those that involve a sin, being good to the kindred, the orphans and the needy primarily means to help them materially which, of course, does not exclude services of other kind. Islam is totally opposed to the egocentric life of the Western type.

It might also be noted that in the Qur'an, the rights of the parents always follow the rights of Allah Himself. `Abdullah Ibn Mas`ud reports in a hadith preserved by Bukhari and Muslim that he asked the Prophet: عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَيّ الْعَمَلِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ: "الصّلاَةُ لِوَقْتِهَا" قَالَ قُلْتُ: ثُمّ أَيّ؟ قَالَ: "بِرّ الْوَالِدَيْنِ" قَالَ قُلْتُ: ثُمّ أَيّ؟ قَالَ: "الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ الله" "What deed is the most virtuous?" The Prophet replied: "Prayer at its specified hour." "And then what?" I asked. "To be good to the parents," he replied. "And then?" I asked. He replied: "Jihad in the way of Allah."

According to another hadith: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ. قَالَ: قَالَ رَجُلٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللّهِ مَنْ أَحَقّ بِحُسْنِ الصّحْبَةِ؟ قَالَ "أُمّكَ. ثُمّ أُمّكَ. ثُمّ أُمّكَ. ثُمّ أَبُوكَ. ثُمّ أَدْنَاكَ أَدْنَاكَ". A man asked the Prophet, "Who deserves my services most"? He replied, "Your mother; then your mother, then your mother, then your father, and then those who follow (of the kinsfolk), and then those who follow." عن أبي هريرة قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: (إن للرحم لسانا يوم القيامة تحت العرش يقول يا رب قطعت يا رب ظلمت يا رب أسيء إلي فيجيبها ربها ألا ترضين أن أصل من وصلك وأقطع من قطعك).‏ As regards the kindred, Abu Hurayrah (ra) reports a hadith that the rahm (literally womb, but here, the factor by which people are linked together in relationship by birth) would speak up, from below the `Arsh, on the Day of Reckoning complaining, 'O Lord! I have been oppressed, I have been mistreated, I have been severed.' Allah will reply, 'Are you not satisfied that I should cut him off who cut you off, and join him who joined you?' (Razi).

With regards to the covenant itself, the Jews acknowledge that they had entered into such a bond with God. Says the Jewish Encyclopedia (Majid): "Abrahamic covenant ... was renewed on Mount Sinai when, before the giving of the Law, Israel as a people pledged itself to keep His covenant (vol. IV. p. 319)."

180. The most important right of the people is that they should receive from a Muslim the message of salvation. According to Ibn `Abbas, by the words, "you shall speak kindly to the people," the allusion is to the delivery of the message of Islam to those who are ignorant of it. As for those who are already Muslims, bidding unto good, and forbidding the wrong is, according to Sufyan Thawri, their most important right (Ibn Kathir). But of course there are many other rights that arise in different situations. The least that one can do is to meet the people with a cheerful face as states a hadith: "لاَ تَحْقِرَنّ مِنَ الْمَعْرُوفِ شَيْئاً، وَلَوْ أَنْ تَلْقَىَ أَخَاكَ بِوَجْهٍ طَلْقٍ". "Do not treat minor good deeds as something insignificant; at least meet the people with a cheerful face" (Ibn Kathir from Muslim, Tirmidhi through Abu Dhar).

In contrast, to grin at the people and treat them with greatest outward respect without any feeling whatsoever in the heart, is all the good that is required of an individual in modern cultures. Islam has no use for such hypocrisy (Au.).

181. At the time of the revelation of these verses, the Jews of Madinah were divided into three tribes: Banu Qaynuqa`, Banu Nadir, and Banu Qurayzah. The Madinan pagans were divided into two tribes, Khazraj and Aws. The two had been at war with each other for over a century. Banu Qaynuqa` and Banu Nadir were allies of Khazraj, while Banu Qurayzah allied themselves with Aws. When fighting took place between the two pagan tribes, the Jews took active part and freely slaughtered the Jews allied to the other tribe. Further, when the fighting reached the very heart of their dwellings, they drove them out and pillaged their homes.

Nonetheless, when the fighting ceased, and the very Jews they had fought and driven out were brought as captives, they hastened to ransom them saying that they had a compact with God to that effect. Hence the revelation asked: "Do you believe in a part of the Book and disbelieve in a part?" (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

Ibn Kathir also reports that after a battle fought near Kufa in a place called Langer, Salman al Farsi purchased a Jewish slave girl for 700 Dirhams. A little later he was in the company of a well known Jewish figure, Ra`s al Jalut. Salman mentioned to him the slave girl he had purchased for 700, and asked him whether he was interested in buying her. Ra`s al Jalut consented and offered 1400. Salman told him he had hoped to sell her for 4000. Ra`s al Jalut told him that at that price he was not interested in her. Salman told him: "But you must, for, that is an ordinance of your religion." Then, bending forward, Salman whispered to him the verse of the Tawrah concerning freeing of slaves. A surprised Ra`s al Jalut asked him if he was Salman al Farsi (who was known for having acquired learning in various religions before Islam). When Salman nodded in affirmation, the man went in and brought him 4000 Dirhams. Salman kept half of it and returned him the rest.