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Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 111-112

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وَقَالُوۡا لَنۡ يَّدۡخُلَ الۡجَـنَّةَ اِلَّا مَنۡ كَانَ هُوۡدًا اَوۡ نَصٰرٰى​ؕ تِلۡكَ اَمَانِيُّهُمۡ​ؕ قُلۡ هَاتُوۡا بُرۡهَانَکُمۡ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ صٰدِقِيۡنَ‏ ﴿2:111﴾ بَلٰى مَنۡ اَسۡلَمَ وَجۡهَهٗ لِلّٰهِ وَهُوَ مُحۡسِنٌ فَلَهٗۤ اَجۡرُهٗ عِنۡدَ رَبِّهٖ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:112﴾

(2:111) They say: “None shall enter the Garden unless he be a Jew or (according to the Christians), a Christian.” These are their vain desires.112 Say: “Bring your proof if you are speaking the truth.” (2:112) (None has any special claim upon reward from Allah.) Whoever submits himself completely to the obedience of Allah and does good will find his reward with his Lord. No fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve. 

Notes

112. That is, all this is merely wishful thinking, even though they express thoughts as if they were really going to happen.

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Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 110-110

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وَاَقِيۡمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّکٰوةَ  ​ؕ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوۡا لِاَنۡفُسِكُمۡ مِّنۡ خَيۡرٍ تَجِدُوۡهُ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ ​ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ بَصِيۡرٌ‏ ﴿2:110﴾

(2:110) Establish Prayer and dispense Zakah. Whatever good deeds you send forth for your own good, you will find them with Allah. Surely Allah sees all that you do. 

Notes

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Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 109-109

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وَدَّ کَثِيۡرٌ مِّنۡ اَهۡلِ الۡكِتٰبِ لَوۡ يَرُدُّوۡنَكُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ اِيۡمَانِكُمۡ كُفَّارًا ۖۚ حَسَدًا مِّنۡ عِنۡدِ اَنۡفُسِهِمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الۡحَـقُّ​ ۚ فَاعۡفُوۡا وَاصۡفَحُوۡا حَتّٰى يَاۡتِىَ اللّٰهُ بِاَمۡرِهٖ ​ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى کُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيۡرٌ‏ ﴿2:109﴾

(2:109) Out of sheer envy many People of the Book would be glad to turn you back into unbelievers after you have become believers even though the Truth has become clear to them. Nevertheless, forgive and be indulgent111towards them until Allah brings forth His decision. Surely Allah is All-Powerful.

Notes

111. This means that one should neither allow oneself to get angry at their spite and hostility, nor waste one’s valuable time by engaging in useless debates and acrimonious polemics. It is better to wait patiently and observe how God deals with them. Instead of wasting energy in frivolous pursuits such as those mentioned above one should spend it in the remembrance of God and in acts of goodness, for it is these rather than barren controversies that will benefit man in the Life to Come.

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Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 108-108

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اَمۡ تُرِيۡدُوۡنَ اَنۡ تَسۡـئَـلُوۡا رَسُوۡلَـكُمۡ كَمَا سُـئِلَ مُوۡسٰى مِنۡ قَبۡلُ​ؕ وَمَنۡ يَّتَبَدَّلِ الۡکُفۡرَ بِالۡاِيۡمَانِ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ السَّبِيۡلِ‏  ﴿2:108﴾

(2:108) Or would you ask your Messenger in the manner Moses110 was asked before? And whoever exchanges faith for unbelief has surely strayed from the Right Way. 

Notes

110. The Jews, who were addicted to hair-splitting arguments, instigated the Muslims to ask the Prophet a great many questions. God, therefore, cautioned the Muslims against following the example of the Jews in this matter, and admonished them against unnecessary inquisitiveness. The Prophet himself often warned the Muslims that excessive inquisitiveness (which was devoid of religious earnestness and the sincere desire to do God’s will) had been the ruin of earlier religious communities. (Muslim, ‘Fadail’, 130; Bukhari, ‘1’tisim’, 2 – Ed.) He stressed that people need not delve too deeply into questions left unelucidated by God or His Messenger. It was better to follow the injunctions which were clearly laid down, abstain from things prohibited, and avoid excessive inquiry about far-fetched, hypothetical issues, attending instead to questions of practical significance.

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Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 106-107

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مَا نَنۡسَخۡ مِنۡ اٰيَةٍ اَوۡ نُنۡسِهَا نَاۡتِ بِخَيۡرٍ مِّنۡهَآ اَوۡ مِثۡلِهَا ​ؕ اَلَمۡ تَعۡلَمۡ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيۡرٌ‏ ﴿2:106﴾ اَلَمۡ تَعۡلَمۡ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ لَهٗ مُلۡكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ وَمَا لَـکُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ مِنۡ وَّلِىٍّ وَّلَا نَصِيۡرٍ‏ ﴿2:107﴾

(2:106) For whatever verse We might abrogate or consign to oblivion, We bring a better one or the like of it.109 Are you not aware that Allah is All-Powerful? (2:107) Are you not aware that the dominion of the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah, and that none apart from Allah is your protector or helper?

Notes

109. This is in response to a doubt which the Jews tried to implant in the minds of the Muslims. If both the earlier Scriptures and the Qur’an were revelations from God, why was it – they asked – that the injunctions found in the earlier Scriptures had been replaced by new ones in the Qur’an? How could the same God issue divergent injunctions? Furthermore, they expressed their amazement at the Qur’anic indictment of the Jews and Christians for having allowed part of the revelation to be forgotten and lost, pointing out that it was impossible that Divine revelation should be erased from human memory. In all this, their motive was not to know the truth but to cast doubt on the Divine origin of the Qur’an. In refutation God states that He being the Absolute Sovereign has unlimited authority both to abrogate previous injunctions and to cause people to forget the injunctions He wants them to forget. However, God ensures that whatever He abrogates or causes to be erased from people’s memories is replaced by something equally or even more beneficial.

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Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 104-105

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يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَقُوۡلُوۡا رَاعِنَا وَ قُوۡلُوا انۡظُرۡنَا وَاسۡمَعُوۡا ​ؕ وَلِلۡڪٰفِرِيۡنَ عَذَابٌ اَلِيۡمٌ‏ ﴿2:104﴾ مَا يَوَدُّ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا مِنۡ اَهۡلِ الۡكِتٰبِ وَلَا الۡمُشۡرِكِيۡنَ اَنۡ يُّنَزَّلَ عَلَيۡڪُمۡ مِّنۡ خَيۡرٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يَخۡتَصُّ بِرَحۡمَتِهٖ مَنۡ يَّشَآءُ ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ ذُو الۡفَضۡلِ الۡعَظِيۡمِ‏ ﴿2:105﴾

(2:104) O you who believe!107 Do not say (to the Prophet): Ra’ina (Lend ear to us), but say Unzurna (Favour us with your attention) and pay heed (to him).108 A painful chastisement awaits the unbelievers. (2:105) The unbelievers, be they the People of the Book or those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity, do not wish that any good should be sent down upon you from your Lord. But Allah chooses for His mercy whomsoever He wills. Allah is Lord of Abounding Bounty. 

Notes

107. This and the following verses inform the followers of the Prophet (peace be on him) of the machinations of the Jews against Islam and the Muslims, and dispel any doubts and misgivings they tried to create in their minds. Special attention is paid to the points raised during controversial discussions between Muslims and Jews. It is useful to note here that when the Prophet (peace be on him) arrived in Madina and the message of Islam began to spread the Jews tried to engage Muslims in controversial religious discussions. They raised all kinds of involved and suspicion-provoking problems so as to contaminate the simple and pure-hearted Muslims with the spiritual diseases from which they themselves suffered. Not only that, they resorted to sly and deceptive talk in the presence of the Prophet. 

108. When the Jews visited the Prophet they tried to vent their spite by using ambiguous expressions in their greetings and conversation. They, used words which had double meanings, one innocent and the other offensive. After using quite proper expressions they would then whisper some malicious words. Ostensibly they maintained the decorum of respect and courtesy while sparing no underhand means to insult the Prophet. Later we shall encounter several examples of this kind of behaviour. The particular expression referred to here, and which the Muslims were asked to avoid using since it lent itself to abuse, was employed by the Jews when in conversation with the Prophet, whenever they wanted to request a short pause in which to finish whatever they wanted to say. They, used the expression ra’ina, which meant ‘kindly indulge us’ or ‘ kindly lend ear to us’.

It was possible, however, for the expression to be used with quite a different shade of meaning. In Hebrew, for instance, there is a word similar to it which means: ‘Listen, may you become deaf.’ In the same language it also means arrogant, ignorant and fool. In actual conversation it was also used on occasions when one wanted to say: ‘If you listen to me, 1 will listen to you.’ When it was pronounced with a slight twist of the tongue it turned into ra’ina, meaning ‘our shepherd’. 

It is because of the possibility of the word being used in these different senses that Muslims were asked to avoid it and to use instead the straightforward expression unzurna, meaning ‘kindly favour us with your attention’ or ‘kindly grant us a while to follow (what you are saying)’. This advice was followed by the admonition to listen attentively to what the Prophet said, for the Jews used to ask for the same thing to be repeated merely because they did not pay proper attention to what the Prophet said but instead were engrossed in their own thoughts. If the Muslims were to heed what the Prophet said, they would scarcely need to make such requests.

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Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 101-103

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وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمۡ رَسُوۡلٌ مِّنۡ عِنۡدِ اللّٰهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمۡ نَبَذَ فَرِيۡقٌ مِّنَ الَّذِيۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡكِتٰبَۙ کِتٰبَ اللّٰهِ وَرَآءَ ظُهُوۡرِهِمۡ كَاَنَّهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:101﴾وَاتَّبَعُوۡا مَا تَتۡلُوا الشَّيٰطِيۡنُ عَلٰى مُلۡكِ سُلَيۡمٰنَ​​ۚ وَمَا کَفَرَ سُلَيۡمٰنُ وَلٰـكِنَّ الشَّيٰـطِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا يُعَلِّمُوۡنَ النَّاسَ السِّحۡرَ وَمَآ اُنۡزِلَ عَلَى الۡمَلَـکَيۡنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوۡتَ وَمَارُوۡتَ​ؕ وَمَا يُعَلِّمٰنِ مِنۡ اَحَدٍ حَتّٰى يَقُوۡلَاۤ اِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ فِتۡنَةٌ فَلَا تَكۡفُرۡؕ​ فَيَتَعَلَّمُوۡنَ مِنۡهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُوۡنَ بِهٖ بَيۡنَ الۡمَرۡءِ وَ زَوۡجِهٖ​ؕ وَمَا هُمۡ بِضَآرِّيۡنَ بِهٖ مِنۡ اَحَدٍ اِلَّا بِاِذۡنِ اللّٰهِ​ؕ وَيَتَعَلَّمُوۡنَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمۡ وَلَا يَنۡفَعُهُمۡ​ؕ وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمُوۡا لَمَنِ اشۡتَرٰٮهُ مَا لَهٗ فِى الۡاٰخِرَةِ مِنۡ خَلَاقٍ​ؕ وَلَبِئۡسَ مَا شَرَوۡا بِهٖۤ اَنۡفُسَهُمۡ​ؕ لَوۡ کَانُوۡا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏  ﴿2:102﴾ وَلَوۡ اَنَّهُمۡ اٰمَنُوۡا وَاتَّقَوۡا لَمَثُوۡبَةٌ مِّنۡ عِنۡدِ اللّٰهِ خَيۡرٌ ؕ​ لَوۡ كَانُوۡا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:103﴾

(2:101) And whenever a Messenger from Allah came to them, confirming what they already possessed, a party of those who had been given the Scripture flung the Book of Allah behind their backs as if they knew nothing, (2:102) and then followed what the evil ones falsely attributed to the Kingdom of Solomon104 even though Solomon had never disbelieved; it is the evil ones who disbelieved, teaching people magic. And they followed what had been revealed to the two angels in Babylon – Harut and Marut – although these two (angels) never taught it to anyone without first declaring: “We are merely a means of testing people; so, do not engage in unbelief.”105 And yet they learned from them what might cause division between a man and his wife106. They could not cause harm to anyone except by the leave of Allah, and still they learned what harmed rather than profited them, knowing well that he who bought it will have no share in the World to Come. Evil indeed is what they sold themselves for. Had they but known! (2:103) Had they believed and been God-fearing Allah’s reward would have been better! Had they but known! 

Notes

104. ‘Evil ones’ embraces all evil beings, whether they belong to the human species or to the jinn. Here the reference seems to be to both. 

When moral and material decline set in among the Israelites, they were overwhelmed with slavery and ignorance, with misery and poverty, and with humiliation and decadence. They were thus drained of all high ambitions and increasingly turned to magic, sorcery, witchcraft, charms and amulets. They began to search for facile means such as spells that would spare them hard work and yet ensure the achievement of their desired ends. At this stage they were misled by the evil ones, who made them believe that the mighty kingdom and astonishing power of Solomon were merely due to occult sciences and magical formulae, and that by revealing those they would pass on to them the keys to success. People were so engrossed in such practices that they ignored both the Book of God and anyone who summoned them to truth and righteousness. 

105. There are various opinions on the interpretation of this verse. My own conclusion is that at the time when the whole Israelite nation was chained in slavery and captivity in Babylonia God sent two angels in human form in order to test the Jews. In the same way as angels were sent to the people of Lot in the form of handsome youths see (Quran 11: 69 ff. – Ed.), they were presumably sent to Israel in the form of divines who could work magic and sorcery. These angels at once began working their magical wonders but they warned the people that their presence among them was designed to test their faith, and that they ought not to jeopardize their After-life by the practice of magic. Despite the warning it seems that the Israelites had become so fond of their magical artifices that they continued to resort to talismans and sorcery. 

It should not surprise anyone that angels came down to earth in human form; angels are dutiful servants of God’s kingdom, and are capable of assuming the form appropriate to the specific task they are required to perform at any particular time. Who knows how many angels may be busy performing their duties in our midst even today! 

One might also wonder why angels should teach people magic, which is after all intrinsically evil. In order to understand this we must remember that the nature of their task was no different from that of an undercover policeman who hands over marked currency notes to a corrupt official as a bribe with the aim of ensuring that he is caught red-handed. 

106. This shows that the greatest demand was for magical arts and charms to sow discord between a man and his wife and to procure the eventual seduction of the latter. This was the depth of moral depravity to which these people had fallen. A people cannot sink to a lower level of moral degeneracy than when adulterous affairs become their favourite pastime, and when seducing a married woman is considered a boastful achievement. The matrimonial relationship is, in truth, the very foundation of man’s collective life. The soundness of human civilization depends on the soundness of the relationship between the two sexes. Hence, nothing could be worse than the person who strikes at the very foundations of the structure which supports both him and society as a whole. 

There is a Tradition from the Prophet to the effect that Satan sends his agents on their missions to all parts of the world. On their return these agents report their achievements with each mentioning his own special evil act. But Satan is not completely satisfied with any of them. It is only when an agent reports that he has succeeded in separating a wife from her husband that Satan is filled with joy and embraces him. (Bukhari, ‘Talaq’, 25 – Ed.) In the light of this Tradition it is understandable why the angels who were sent to the Israelites to test them were asked to disclose those magical arts which would lead to separation between a husband and his wife, for the inclination of a people to learn such arts is a sure index of its moral decadence.

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Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 99-100

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وَلَقَدۡ اَنۡزَلۡنَآ اِلَيۡكَ اٰيٰتٍۢ بَيِّنٰتٍ​​ۚ وَمَا يَكۡفُرُ بِهَآ اِلَّا الۡفٰسِقُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:99﴾ اَوَکُلَّمَا عٰهَدُوۡا عَهۡدًا نَّبَذَهٗ فَرِيۡقٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ​ؕ بَلۡ اَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:100﴾

(2:99) We surely sent down to you clear verses that elucidate the Truth, (verses) which only the transgressors reject as false. (2:100) Is it not that every time they made a covenant with Allah a party of them set it aside? The truth is that most of them do not truly believe.

Notes

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Surah Yusuf,12: 99-104

فَلَمَّا دَخَلُوۡا عَلٰى يُوۡسُفَ اٰوٰٓى اِلَيۡهِ اَبَوَيۡهِ وَقَالَ ادۡخُلُوۡا مِصۡرَ اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ اٰمِنِيۡنَؕ‏﴿12:99﴾ وَرَفَعَ اَبَوَيۡهِ عَلَى الۡعَرۡشِ وَخَرُّوۡا لَهٗ سُجَّدًا​ۚ وَقَالَ يٰۤاَبَتِ هٰذَا تَاۡوِيۡلُ رُءۡيَاىَ مِنۡ قَبۡلُقَدۡ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّىۡ حَقًّا​ؕ وَقَدۡ اَحۡسَنَ بِىۡۤ اِذۡ اَخۡرَجَنِىۡ مِنَ السِّجۡنِ وَجَآءَ بِكُمۡ مِّنَ الۡبَدۡوِ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ اَنۡ نَّزَغَ الشَّيۡطٰنُ بَيۡنِىۡ وَبَيۡنَ اِخۡوَتِىۡ​ؕ اِنَّ رَبِّىۡ لَطِيۡفٌ لِّمَا يَشَآءُ​ؕ اِنَّهٗ هُوَ الۡعَلِيۡمُ الۡحَكِيۡمُ‏ ﴿12:100﴾رَبِّ قَدۡ اٰتَيۡتَنِىۡ مِنَ الۡمُلۡكِ وَ عَلَّمۡتَنِىۡ مِنۡ تَاۡوِيۡلِ الۡاَحَادِيۡثِ​ ۚ فَاطِرَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ اَنۡتَ وَلِىّٖ فِى الدُّنۡيَا وَالۡاٰخِرَةِ​ ۚ تَوَفَّنِىۡ مُسۡلِمًا وَّاَلۡحِقۡنِىۡ بِالصّٰلِحِيۡنَ‏﴿12:101﴾ ذٰلِكَ مِنۡ اَنۡۢبَآءِ الۡغَيۡبِ نُوۡحِيۡهِ اِلَيۡكَ​ۚ وَمَا كُنۡتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ اِذۡ اَجۡمَعُوۡۤا اَمۡرَهُمۡ وَهُمۡ يَمۡكُرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿12:102﴾ وَمَاۤ اَكۡثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوۡ حَرَصۡتَ بِمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ‏﴿12:103﴾ وَمَا تَسۡـئَلُهُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۡ اَجۡرٍ​ؕ اِنۡ هُوَ اِلَّا ذِكۡرٌ لِّـلۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ‏  ﴿12:104﴾

(12:99) And when they went to Joseph,68 he took his parents aside and said (to the members of his family): “Enter the city now, and if Allah wills, you shall be secure.” (12:100) And after they had entered the city, Joseph raised his parents to the throne69 beside himself, and they (involuntarily) bowed in prostration before him.70 Joseph said: “Father! This is the fulfilment of the vision I had before – one that My Lord has caused to come true. He was kind to me when He rescued me from the prison, and brought you from the desert after Satan had stirred discord between me and my brothers. Certainly my Lord is Subtle in the fulfilment of His will; He is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (12:101) My Lord! You have bestowed dominion upon me and have taught me to comprehend the depths of things. O Creator of heavens and earth! You are my Guardian in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die in submission to You, and join me, in the end, with the righteous.”71 (12:102) (O Muhammad), this is part of news from the Unseen that We reveal to you for you were not present with them when Joseph’s brothers jointly resolved on a plot. (12:103) And most of the people, howsoever you might so desire, are not going to believe. (12:104) You do not seek from them any recompense for your service.72 This is merely an admonition to all mankind.73

Notes

68. It is worthwhile to take notice of the total number of Prophet Jacob’s family members that migrated to Egypt with him, for it is closely connected with the problem that is raised concerning the total number of the Israelites who emigrated from there some five hundred years after this. According to the Bible, the total number of the family members was 70, including Prophet Joseph and his two sons, and excluding those daughters-in-law who did not belong to the family of Prophet Jacob. But according to the census figures given in Numbers, their number was about two million when they were counted in the wilderness of Sinai in the second year, after they come out of the land of Egypt. The problem is this: how is it possible that these three score and ten souls of his house had multiplied into two million souls during five hundred years or so? 

It is obvious that no family can multiply to such a large number in five hundred years merely by the generative process. Thus the only other way in which their number could have been increased was proselytism. And there are sound reasons to believe that this must have been so. The Israelites were the descendants of Prophets. They had migrated to Egypt because of the power Prophet Joseph enjoyed there. And we have seen that he made full use of every opportunity he got for carrying out the work of the mission of Prophethood. Therefore it may reasonably be expected that the Israelites would have done their very best to convert the Egyptians to their faith of Islam during the five centuries of their power in Egypt. As a result of this the Egyptian converts to Islam would not only have changed their religion but also their culture so as to make them look quite different from the other Egyptians and look like the Israelites. Naturally the non Muslim Egyptians would have declared them to be foreigners just as the Hindus treat the Indian Muslims of today. By and by they themselves would have accepted this position and become members of the Israelite nationality. Afterwards, when the Egyptian nationalists began to persecute the alien Israelites, the Muslim Egyptians were also made a target of their tyranny. So when the Israelites migrated from Egypt, they, too, left their country along with them and began to be counted among them. 

The above mentioned explanation is confirmed by the Bible also. For instance, it says “that when they left Egypt, the children of Israel journeyed from Remases to Suceoth….and a mixed multitude went up also with them….” (Exodus 12: 37-38) and “the mix multitude that was among them fell a lusting”. (Numbers 11: 4). Then by and by these non-Israelite converts to Islam began to be called the stranger. “One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance forever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. One law and the one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.” (Numbers 15: 15-16). “And I charged your judges at that time, saying: Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.” (Deut. 1: 16). Now it is not an easy thing to find out the exact term which was applied in the original Scriptures to the Egyptian converts to Islam, and which was afterwards changed into the stranger by the translators. 

69. According to the Talmud, “when Joseph learned that his father was upon the way, he gathered together his friends and officers, and soldiers of the realm, attired in rich garments,….and formed a great company to meet Prophet Jacob on the way and escort him to Egypt. Music and gladness filled the land, and all the people, the women and the children, assembled on the house tops to view the magnificent display.” (H. Polano, p. 111). 

70. The interpretation of this verse has given rise to some serious misunderstandings, which are against the very fundamentals of the divine guidance. So much so that some people have gone to the extreme of making it lawful to prostrate before kings and saints as a mark of respect. Others more strict on this point have explained it away, saying, “In the former divine laws, it was unlawful only to prostrate in worship before others than Allah, though it was permissible to prostrate before others if it was done without the intention of worship, but now in the divine law given to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) it has been made absolutely unlawful. 

Such misunderstandings as these have resulted from taking the words in this verse to mean “to perform sajadah” in the technical sense in which it is now used in the Islamic code, that is, “lying flat in such a way that the hands, the knees and the forehead touch the ground,” whereas the word sujjadan has been used here in its literal meaning of sajud “to bow down”. The parents and brothers of Prophet Joseph bowed down before him in accordance with the ancient custom among the people of the age, (and the custom is still in vogue among some people), who used to bow down before others to show their gratitude, or welcome them, or merely to salute them by placing their hand on the breast. There are many instances of this in the Bible. “….and when he (Abraham) saw them (the three men) corning towards him, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself towards the ground.” (Please refer to Arabic translation: Gen. 18: 32). Further on it says that when the children of Heth gave a field and a cave as a burying place for Sarah, Prophet Abraham was so grateful to them that “he stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth,” (Gen. 23: 7) and “Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.” (Gen. 23: 12). In both cases the words `bowed down’ have been translated into (Sajada). 

These and other like instances in the Bible are a conclusive proof of the fact that in this (verse 100), the Quran has not used the word in its technical Islamic sense but in its literal sense. 

Besides, those commentators are absolutely wrong who suppose that in the former laws, sajadah in the present Islamic sense was allowed as a mark of respect laws. For instance, during the Babylonian captivity of the Children of Israel, king Ahasuerus promoted Haman above all the princes and commanded all his servants to bow and reverence him, but Mordecai, who was a holy and righteous man among the Jews, bowed not, nor did him reverence. (Esther3: 1-2). The Talmud has elaborated this point in a way that is worth reading: 

The servants of the king said to Mordecai: “Why wilt thou refuse to bow before Haman, transgressing thus the wishes of the king? Do we not bow before him?” “Yea are foolish,” answered Mordecai, “aye, wanting in reason. Listen to me. Shall a mortal, who must return to dust be glorified? Shall I bow down before one born of woman, whose days are short? When he is small he cries and weeps as a child; when he grows older sorrow and sighing are his portion; his days are full of wrath and anger, and at the end he returns to dust. Shall I bow to one like to him? No, I prostrate myself before the Eternal God, who lives forever. To Him the great Creator and Ruler of the Universe, and to no other will I bow.” (The Talmud Selections by H. Polano, p. 172). 

This speech which was made by a believer from among the Israelites a thousand years before the revelation of the Quran, is conclusive on the point. Thus there is absolutely no room for the performance of sajadah before any other than Allah.

71. The few sentences that were uttered by Prophet Joseph (peace be upon him) at the happiest occasion of his life help depict the most graceful pattern of the virtues of a true believer. There is the man from the desert, whom his own brothers had, out of jealousy, attempted to kill, now sitting on the throne after passing through many vicissitudes of life. All the members of his family have been forced by famine to come before him for help. The same jealous brothers, who had made an attempt on his life, are now standing before him with downcast heads. Had there been a “successful man of the world” in his place, he would have used this opportunity for boasting of his greatness and bragging of his successes, and giving vent to his grievances and hurling malicious taunts at his defeated enemies. In utter contrast to this, the true man of God behaves in a quite different way. Instead of boasting and bragging of his own greatness, he is grateful to his God Who had shown grace to him by raising him to such a high position of power, and for arranging his meeting with his people after such a long period of separation. Instead of giving vent to his grievances against his brothers, making taunts at them for their ill treatment, he does not make even a mention of such things but puts up a defense for them, saying that it was all due to Satan, who had stirred up strife between them: nay, he even puts it forward as a blessing in disguise, being one of the mysterious ways of Allah by which He had fulfilled His design of raising him to the throne. After saying these things in a few concise sentences, he at once turns to his Lord in gratitude for bestowing on him kingdom and wisdom, instead of letting him rot in the prison, and prays to Him to keep him as His faithful and obedient servant as long as he was alive, and to join him with the righteous people after his death. What a pure and high pattern of character. 

It is strange that this speech of Prophet Joseph has neither found a place in the Bible nor in the Talmud, though these books are full of irrelevant and unimportant details of this story and others. It is an irony that these Books are void of those things that teach moral values and throw light on the real characters and the mission of the Prophets. Now that this story has come to an end, the readers are again reminded that this story of Prophet Joseph as given in the Quran is not a copy of the story given in the Bible and the Talmud for there are striking differences between them. A comparative study of these Books will show that the story in the Quran differs from that given in the other two Books in several very important parts. The Quran contains additional facts in some cases and omits certain facts in other cases or even refutes some parts as contained in the Bible and the Talmud. Therefore there is absolutely no room for anyone to allege that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) related this story merely in the form he heard it from the Israelites. 

72. In order to grasp the full significance of the underlying admonition implied in it, we must keep in view the background of the revelation of this story given in the introduction to this Surah. The Quraish themselves had invited the Prophet (peace be upon him) to a meeting that had been arranged for putting him to a test which was to show whether he was a true Prophet or not. When he arrived there, they put this question to him without any previous notice or intimation: why did the Israelites go to Egypt? In answer to this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited this Surah then and there. As they themselves knew that this was an abrupt question and there had been no preparation for its answer beforehand, it was expected that they would believe in his Prophethood. But they were so obdurate that they did not believe in him even then. As Allah was aware of their intentions, he informed His Messenger beforehand, as if to say: Though you have come out successful in the test, to which they themselves put to you, yet most of them are not going to believe it because they are not sincere in their quest for the truth. That is why they will not believe even now when the revelation of this Surah has proved conclusively that the Quran is not being forged by you but is being sent down by Allah Himself. As their real aim and intention is to reject your message anyhow, they will now invent another excuse for their denial. 

This is not meant to remove any misunderstanding the Prophet (peace be upon him) might have cherished, but is merely an indirect warning to the questioners that Allah knew their intentions well. This was meant to warn them like this: O obdurate people, this Surah has been placed before you to serve as a mirror for you. You demanded a proof from Our Messenger that he was not forging the Quran: had you been reasonable and sincere people, you would have accepted the truth that has been established according to your own test, but you are obdurate people and are still denying it. 

73. This is another admonition more subtle than the one given above. Though this, too, has been addressed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), it is meant for the unbelievers, as if to say: O people, consider your attitude towards the message from another point of view. Had you noticed anything in the mission and the message of Our Prophet that might have smelt of any self interest whatsoever, you would have been justified in rejecting it as the work of a selfish person. But you yourselves have experienced it that he has absolutely no self interest in his work and demands no recompense for the message, which is nothing but instruction for all the people of the world. Therefore you should listen to it and consider it without prejudice and make your decisions about it on merit and merit alone.

2:80-82, Uncategorized

Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:80-82

وَقَالُوۡا لَنۡ تَمَسَّنَا النَّارُ اِلَّاۤ اَيَّامًا مَّعۡدُوۡدَةً ​ ؕ قُلۡ اَتَّخَذۡتُمۡ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ عَهۡدًا فَلَنۡ يُّخۡلِفَ اللّٰهُ عَهۡدَهٗۤ​ اَمۡ تَقُوۡلُوۡنَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:80﴾ بَلٰى مَنۡ كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً وَّاَحَاطَتۡ بِهٖ خَطِيْۤـئَتُهٗ فَاُولٰٓـئِكَ اَصۡحٰبُ النَّارِ​​ۚ هُمۡ فِيۡهَا خٰلِدُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:81﴾وَالَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ اُولٰٓـئِكَ اَصۡحٰبُ الۡجَـنَّةِ ​​ۚ هُمۡ فِيۡهَا خٰلِدُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:82﴾

(2:80) They say: “The Fire will certainly not touch us except for a limited number of days.”91Say (to them): “Have you received a promise from Allah – for Allah never breaks His promise – or do you attribute to Allah something about which you have no knowledge?” (2:81) Those who earn evil and are encompassed by their sinfulness are the people of the Fire, and there will they abide; (2:82) those who believe and do righteous deeds are the people of the Garden, and there will they abide. 

Notes

91. This is a misconception entertained by all Jews, laymen as well as rabbis. They felt sure that no matter what they did, they would remain immune from hell-fire just by virtue of being Jews! The worst they could conceive of was the possibility of a transient punishment before they were transported to heaven.