Surah Baqara- Ayah no. 49-61 i.e. 2:49 – 2:61
Surah Al-Baqarah – Ayah no. 49-61 i.e., 2:49-61
A- Translation
٤٩ وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَاكُمْ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ ۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُمْ بَلَاءٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ
[Quran 2:49] And when we rescued you from the people of Firaun who inflicted on you Suua’a (سُوءَ) Azaab (الْعَذَابِ), Yuzabbehuna (يُذَبِّحُونَ) your Abna’aukum (أَبْنَاءَكُمْ) and sparing your Nissa (نِسَاءَ). Therein was a Bala (بَلَاءٌ) from your Great Rabb (رَبِّكُمْ).
٥٠ وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ الْبَحْرَ فَأَنْجَيْنَاكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ
[Quran 2:50] And when We Faraqna (فَرَقْنَا) the sea for you; so, We rescued you, and We drowned the people of Firaun as you Tanzaruna (تَنْظُرُونَ).
٥١ وَإِذْ وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْتُمُ الْعِجْلَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَأَنْتُمْ ظَالِمُونَ
[Quran 2:51] And when We made covenant with Musa for forty nights. Then you Attakhiztum (اتَّخَذْتُمُ) the A’ajal (الْعِجْلَ) from after him, and you were the Zwalimoon (ظَالِمُونَ).
٥٢ ثُمَّ عَفَوْنَا عَنْكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
[Quran 2:52] But We Afa’una (عَفَوْنَا) you from after that, so that you be Tashkaroon (تَشْكُرُونَ).
٥٣ وَإِذْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَالْفُرْقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
[Quran 2:53] And when We gave Musa the Kitaab (الْكِتَابَ) and the Furqaan (وَالْفُرْقَانَ), so that you Tahtaduna (تَهْتَدُونَ).
٥٤ وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّكُمْ ظَلَمْتُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ بِاتِّخَاذِكُمُ الْعِجْلَ فَتُوبُوا إِلَىٰ بَارِئِكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ عِنْدَ بَارِئِكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
[Quran 2:54] And when Musa to his Quoma (لِقَوْمِهِ), “O Quom (قَوْمِ), you have done Zulm (ظَلَمْتُمْ) to Infusakum (أَنْفُسَكُمْ) with Atakhizu (بِاتِّخَاذِكُمُ) the A’jala (الْعِجْلَ). So Fatoubu (فَتُوبُو) to your maker, and Fa’aqtalu (فَاقْتُلُو) your Anfusekum (أَنْفُسَكُمْ); this is Khair (خَيْرٌ) for you in the sight of your Maker.” Then, Allah Ataba (فَتَابَ) upon you. Indeed, Allah is the Tawaabu (لتَّوَّابُ) the Raheem (الرَّحِيمُ).
٥٥ وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ
[Quran 2:55] And when you said, “O Musa, we will not have Emaan (نُؤْمِنَ) in you unless we Nara (نَرَى) Allah Jaharatan (جَهْرَةً).” And the S’aaiqata (الصَّاعِقَةُ) Akhaztakum (فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ) you while you were Tanzurun (تَنْظُرُونَ).
٥٦ ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
[Quran 2:56] Then We Ba’as’nakum (بَعَثْنَاكُمْ) you from after your death, so that you be Tashkaroon (تَشْكُرُونَ).
٥٧ وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْغَمَامَ وَأَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَىٰ ۖ كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ ۖ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَٰكِنْ كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ
[Quran 2:57] And We shaded you with clouds, and We sent down to you Mannu Sallwa (الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَىٰ); “Eat of the Tayyebaat (طَيِّبَاتِ) that We have given to you as Rizq (زَقْنَاكُمْ).” They did not Zalamuna (ظَلَمُونَا) Us, but they Yazlemon (َ يَظْلِمُونَ) their Anfusahum (أَنْفُسَهُمْ).
٥٨ وَإِذْ قُلْنَا ادْخُلُوا هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَدًا وَادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُولُوا حِطَّةٌ نَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَايَاكُمْ ۚ وَسَنَزِيدُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
[Quran 2:58] And when We said, “Enter this city, and eat from it freely as per your Shayyit (شِئْتُمْ); but enter the gate in Sajda (سُجَّدًا), and say, ‘Hatta (حِطَّةٌ).’ We will Naghfir (نَغْفِرْ) for you, your Khat’aa (خَطَايَاكُمْ), and will augment the Mohseneen (الْمُحْسِنِينَ).”
٥٩ فَبَدَّلَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا قَوْلًا غَيْرَ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُمْ فَأَنْزَلْنَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا رِجْزًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ
[Quran 2:59] But the Zalamu (ظَلَمُو) among them Quolan (قَوْلًا) Ghair (غَيْرَ) than what was Qeela (قِيلَ) to them, so We Anzalna (فَأَنْزَلْنَا) A’ala (عَلَى) those Zalamu (ظَلَمُو) Rijzan (رِجْزًا) from the sky with what they Kaanu (كَانُوا) Yufseqoon (يَفْسُقُونَ).
٦٠ وَإِذِ اسْتَسْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبْ بِعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ ۖ فَانْفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا ۖ قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَشْرَبَهُمْ ۖ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا مِنْ رِزْقِ اللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ
[Quran 2:60] And when Musa asked for remedy for his Quom (لِقَوْمِهِ). Then We Qulna (فَقُلْنَا), “Adrib (اضْرِبْ) the rock with your staff.” Thereupon from it, became apparent in twelve eyes; Indeed, all people knew their Mashrabahim (مَشْرَبَهُمْ). “Kulu (كُلُوا) and Ashrabu (اشْرَبُوا) from Allah’s Rizq (رِزْقِ), and do not behave wickedly on the earth as Mufseedeen (مُفْسِدِينَ).”
٦١ وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَنْ نَصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ وَاحِدٍ فَادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنْبِتُ الْأَرْضُ مِنْ بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّائِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا ۖ قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ الَّذِي هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِالَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ ۚ اهْبِطُوا مِصْرًا فَإِنَّ لَكُمْ مَا سَأَلْتُمْ ۗ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ وَالْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ
[Quran 2:61] And when you said, “O Musa, we cannot NaSabr (نَصْبِرَ) one kind of food, so call to your Rabb (رَبَّكَ) to produce for us of what the earth grows: of its herbs, and its cucumbers, and its garlic, and its lentils, and its onions.” He said, “Would you substitute Adna (أَدْنَىٰ) with what is Khair (خَيْرٌ)? Descend to any nearby settlement where you will have that for which you asked.” And Darabat (ضُرِبَتْ) upon them the Zillat (الذِّلَّةُ) and Maskanata (الْمَسْكَنَةُ), and faced with Ghazab (بِغَضَبٍ) from Allah. That was because they Kanu (كَانُوا) Yukfaron (يَكْفُرُونَ) Allah’s Ayaat (بِآيَاتِ) and Yuqtalon (يَقْتُلُونَ) the Nabieen without Haqq(الْحَقِّ). That was because they disobeyed and transgressed.
C- THE CONCEPT:
In these ayahs of chapter 2 from verse 49 to 61, Allah is talking to Bani Israeil i.e., all of us telling us about our forefathers, and the people of Nabi Musa. Allah is giving us a flash back of all of Allah’s blessing, favors and bounties, which our ancestors had been blessed with, over the period of time in spite of the fact that they were ungrateful and disobedient to Allah. Since they had Nabi Musa among them therefore, they have been given so many chances of Touba. These verses highlight five significant such favors by Allah.
In the ayah 2:49 Allah is reminding us about our forefathers that when Allah rescued them form the misery of the situation where Firaun and his people were killing their stronger people and sparing their weaker ones like oppressed, weak, vulnerable, elderly, orphans, weaker males and females, etc. People of Musa were in great misery and bringing them out of that misery was a huge favor by Allah which not only had indebted them to Allah to be more obedient to Allah and Allah’s messenger, but it also made evident their true characteristics and behaviors in terms of their responses.
In the ayah 2:50 the biggest help of Allah to Bani-Israel, was to rescue them from their biggest enemy Firaun and his people who were chasing them, and Allah made an obvious and distinct sense to the people of Musa about the sea ahead and its deepness and non-swimmable conditions. Therefore, they were able to avoid falling into the waters and drowning. Whereas on the other hand, due to the harsh weather and less visibility Firaun and his people were unable to identify the sea ahead and its deepness therefore the whole army fell into the waters and drowned in front of the eyes of the people of Musa were watching them drown.
In the ayahs from 51 to 54, Allah is telling us about another favor- the 2nd one- the extraordinary Fazal given by Allah to our ancestors- the people of Musa. When Musa left his people for forty nights in order to obey what Allah had ordained him; the people of Musa forgot every blessing of Allah and in their foolishness, ignorance and under the influence of Shaytan through their bad Nafs, they rushed towards Kufar. Here we need to keep in mind that the word A’ajal in Ayah 2:51 and 2:54 is mistranslated as calf whereas at many other places including Ayah 7:150, it’s translated as haste or hurry. The basic meanings of the word are in terms of rushing, hasting towards something, with lack of patience for instance in Ayah 7:150 with the same context of Nabiy Musa, “And when Musa returned to his Quom, angry and grieved, Qala, ‘With Ba’as is what you have done in my absence from after me A’ajiltum Amar of your Rabb….” means that upon returned Musa was aggrieved over the fact that his Quom has not been patient for the Amar of their Rabb, and acted on their human nature of haste, hurriedness and rush. The same meanings of the word is used in Ayah 2:51 as well, “And when we appointed Musa for forty nights, you Attakhaztum (seize) the A’ejla from after him and you were Zalimona. Then we Afu’na (give you in abundance) from after that so that you may do Shukar”. Which is normally mistranslated as if they started worshiping the calf in Musa’s absence, whereas this ayah is talking about them rushing towards Kufar, as mentioned in Ayah 2:93. Had it been that they started worshipping a calf, then Allah would never Afua’a them (give them in abundance) or Aghfir them (provide protection) since Allah has clearly mentioned in Quran a SHIRK will not be Yaghfir (Ayah 4:48). Similar meanings of the word are in Ayah 2:54, “…Indeed, you have done Zulm on your Nafs by seizing the A’ejla so do Touba (make a U-turn) to your creator and Qatal your Nafs…” Musa was not asking them to kill themselves, but by taking on the A’ejal- their nature of haste and rush, they have in fact gone against their Nafs-e-Mut’mainna and Musa was asking them to Qatal- restrain, control their Nafs-e-Ammara which had influenced them to rush towards Kufar. Musa warned his people and ask them to crush and kill their bad Nafs/Shaytan who made them commit that big sin. When they would reject following their bad Nafs (thereby doing Qatal of their Nafs), and would get back on the right path by starting to obey Allah, this would be best in the eyes of Allah and then their Touba will be accepted by Allah. Which means that Allah will be with them again being RAHEEM to help them stay on the righteous path and do good deeds. Bani Israel were not only Afu’a- given in abundance, beyond their Haqq, but also they were given through Musa, Allah’s Nabi, the Kitaab. The Nabi/Rasool and the Book are Allah’s 3rd significant favor to Bani Israel- which was the distinct Hidaya, a Furqan, separating Haqq from Ba’til, the ultimate criterion of right and wrong.
In the ayahs 55 and 56, Allah is telling us another- the 4thunique favor of Allah to the Bani Israel. When the people of Musa said to Musa, that they will never have Emaan until they see Allah face to face by their own eyes. They manipulated Musa to take them uphill to see Allah and due to bad weather, they were struck by lightning. They all got fainted but survived/raised by the grace of Allah so that they do Touba and obey Allah and Allah’s messenger.
In the ayahs 57 and 58, Allah is telling us Allah’s 5th blessing to the humanity as whole and to the Bani Israel in particular. As per the commandments of Allah, water vaporizes in the hot air and form clouds, then air blows these clouds over dry land and showers water over land as Allah’s blessings of Rain and water from the sky, so that the land gets nourished and produces thousands of Rizq, as food and Allah’s Nai’mat to eat and drink. This blessings/favor is called Mann o Salwa. Once our ancestors, Bani Israel got settled by the grace of Allah, they got Allah’s bounties to live and eat as per the satisfaction of their soul and being. In return Allah advised them to obey Allah, follow Allah’s commandments, calls for Allah’s righteous path and Allah would forgive them their mistakes and Allah would increase Mohsineen in their good deeds.
In 2:59-61, after all the above 5 huge favors to our ancestors, the Bani Israel, the people of Musa, went under the influence of shaytan- they changed Allah’s ayahs and guidance- became liars, Faasiq creating Fasaad on earth. Their time came to face Allah’s Azaab which was sent down as a plague/an epidemic like a virus or a disease from the sky. Due to the misery of the Bani Israel, Musa asked Allah for remedy of this plaque. Allah asked Musa to show Allah’s ayahs the scripture to these thankless, stone hearted people. As we all know there were 12 leaders/tribes and once Musa showed them Allah’s Ayaat, each tribe identified what exactly they were doing wrong, against the teachings and commandments of Allah. They made Touba / a U-turn back on to the right path of HAQ and justice. Thus, they were advised by Allah to obey and follow Allah and live with each other in peace by avoiding destruction, corruption, Fasaad among people and on the land.
In ayah 2:61 Allah is telling us a unique behavior of humans that we as humans, cannot stay happy or grateful. We need changes; we want more; we are ignorant, arrogant, selfish and ungrateful. These are the same behavior traits as existed in our ancestors because after all these blessings, bounties and favors by Allah, they become ignorant and ungrateful. Since they were at their own land, and cultivating their own corps, they were able to grow few items only but with peace, tranquility and respect. Due to this human nature, they start asking Musa for more Rizq and variety in their food. Musa advised them to go to the nearby city to get what they desire. They went to the city- since they had nothing to trade, no land and no cultivation- they become poor, needy, and humiliated by city people. Finally, they came back to Musa with humiliation because they were among the Kafireen- those who denied the Ayaat of Allah- they were ungrateful and disobedient to Allah and his messenger. Without Haqq, they ended up Qatal of Allah’s Nabi as whatever he was saying they didn’t follow or paid attention, rendering him and Allah’s message ineffective and useless. Without the Haqq, the due right of anything that the Nabi did or said, they humiliated him, and they were transgressors in their wrongful wishes. Since the Bani Israel chased their desires to get more Rizq, then what they had already been provided for by Allah as a bounty, they went against the teachings of Musa under the influence of Shaitan. The result was the humiliations and disrespect for them since they were ungrateful and fell victim of their own Evil Nafs.
D- IMPLEMENTATION IN TODAY’S LIFE
Through these ayahs, Allah has not only told us about what our forefathers narrating us the story of the nation of Musa, but have also highlighted all the major and significant favors on us and our forefathers. Through this story of Bani-Israel Allah has warned us about the acts of Shaytaan which works through our own desires, working its way through our own thoughts. The Evil Nafs- Nafs Al-Ammara compels us towards the wrong path, encouraging us to do evil deeds and pushes ourselves to commit sins. The Lessons from these ayahs and the story of Bani-Israel is that we must control our desires and stay on the righteous path so that we get the bounties that is destined along the righteous path. This is extremely important for us to control our desires and suppress the Evil-Nafs- which is under the influence of Shaiytan. By not suppressing the first evil thought that appears in our own hearts and minds, the first desire that we want to fulfill that can divert us from our righteous path, if we let go of this first desire, following it and chasing it, this creates a snow-balling effect leading from one desire to the next and compelling us on the path of Baatil. We must kill and suppress our desires emanating from our own thoughts that come to our hearts and minds all the times compelling us to do evil deeds, so that we can follow and strive for what Allah asks us to do by following the righteous path.
Foot Notes:
B- THE KEY-WORD VOCABULARY:
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