Surah Baqara- Ayah no. 87 to 93 i.e., 2:87 to 2:93
Surah Al-Baqarah: Ayah no. 87-93 i.e., 2:87-93
A- Translation
٨٧ وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَقَفَّيْنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ بِالرُّسُلِ ۖ وَآتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ ۗ أَفَكُلَّمَا جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَىٰ أَنْفُسُكُمُ اسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ فَفَرِيقًا كَذَّبْتُمْ وَفَرِيقًا تَقْتُلُونَ
[Quran 2:87] We certainly gave Musa the Kitaab (الْكِتَابَ) and followed up after him with messages. And We gave Easa son of Mary the Bayyanat (الْبَيِّنَاتِ) and strengthened him with Rooh-il-Qudoos (بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ). Is it that whenever a messenger came to you with anything that your Nafs (أَنْفُسُكُمُ) did not desire, you became arrogant, a Fareeq (فَفَرِيقًا) of you denied and a Fareeq (فَرِيقًا) did Qatal (تَقْتُلُونَ)?
٨٨ وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ ۚ بَلْ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَقَلِيلًا مَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
[Quran 2:88] And they said, “Our hearts are covered.” Rather, Allah has Lanahum (لَعَنَهُمُ) for their Kufr (بِكُفْرِهِمْ), so little is that they have Emaan (يُؤْمِنُونَ).
٨٩ وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ كِتَابٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَهُمْ وَكَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ مَا عَرَفُوا كَفَرُوا بِهِ ۚ فَلَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ
[Quran 2:89] And when a Kitaab (كِتَابٌ) came to them from Allah, it confirmed that which they have. Previously they had sought victory against those who do Kufr (كَفَرُو), but when there came to them what they recognized, they did Kufr (كَفَرُوا) concerning it. So, Allah’s La’nat (فَلَعْنَةُ) is upon the Kafireen (الْكَافِرِينَ)
٩٠ بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْا بِهِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ أَنْ يَكْفُرُوا بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بَغْيًا أَنْ يُنَزِّلَ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ عَلَىٰ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۖ فَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ عَلَىٰ غَضَبٍ ۚ وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ
[Quran 2:90] Ba’sama’ (بِئْسَمَا) is what they traded their Nafsuhum (أَنْفُسَهُمْ) for, doing Kufr (يَكْفُرُ) on what Allah has revealed, out of Baghyan (بَغْيًا) in what Allah has sent down as Fad’al (فَضْلِهِ) upon whom is chosen from among A’ebadi (عِبَادِهِ). Thus, they incurred with Ghad’abin (ِ بِغَضَبٍ) upon Ghad’ab (غَضَبٍ). And there is a demeaning Azaab (عَذَابٌ) for the Kafireen (لِلْكَافِرِينَ).
٩١ وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُوا بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُوا نُؤْمِنُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَيَكْفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَاءَهُ وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا مَعَهُمْ ۗ قُلْ فَلِمَ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنْبِيَاءَ اللَّهِ مِنْ قَبْلُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
[Quran 2:91] And when it is said to them, “Have Emaan (آمِنُوا) in what Allah has revealed,” they say, “We have Emaan (نُؤْمِنُ) in what was revealed to us,” and they reject anything besides it, although it is the Haqq (الْحَقُّ) which confirms what they have. Say, “Why did you do Qatal (تَقْتُلُونَ) Of Allah’s An’biya (أَنْبِيَاءَ) before, if you were Momineen (مُؤْمِنِينَ)?”
٩٢ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ مُوسَىٰ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْتُمُ الْعِجْلَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَأَنْتُمْ ظَالِمُونَ
[Quran 2:92] Musa came to you with Bayyanaat (بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ), yet you Attakhizu (اتَّخَذْتُمُ) the A’ajal (الْعِجْلَ) from after it, and you were Zalimoon (ظَالِمُونَ).
٩٣ وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ الطُّورَ خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَاكُمْ بِقُوَّةٍ وَاسْمَعُوا ۖ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَأُشْرِبُوا فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْعِجْلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ ۚ قُلْ بِئْسَمَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ بِهِ إِيمَانُكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
[Quran 2:93] And We took a Meesaq (مِيثَاقَكُمْ) from you, and Rafa’ana (وَرَفَعْنَا) the Toor (الطُّور) above you: “Take what We have given you firmly, and Asma’u (وَاسْمَعُوا).” They said, “We Sama’ena (سَمِعْنَا) and As’aena (عَصَيْنَا).” And Ashrabu (وَأُشْرِبُوا) in their Quloob (قُلُوبِهِمُ)– the A’jal (الْعِجْلَ) with their Kufr (بِكُفْرِهِمْ). Say, “Ba’sama’ (بِئْسَمَا) is what your Amar (يَأْمُرُكُمْ) with it your Emaan (إِيمَانُكُمْ), if you are Momineen (مُؤْمِنِينَ).”
B- THE CONCEPT:
In these ayahs 2:87-93 Allah is talking about the significance of the revelations which was sent down for the benefits of the humanity and the behavior of the people not only against the revelations but also towards the Anbiya as well. These ayahs depict how people went beyond the limit in opposition of the revelations and Anbiya just because of their arrogance, jealousy and racism, and what they did with Nabi Musa and Easa.
The ayah 2:87 is telling us that Allah has given Musa the Kitaab and followed up afterwards with Rusal- the messages, and Allah has given Easa distinct and clear support by Rooh-il- Qudoos- a process of revelations and hidayah. However, in spite of all these revelations, and Anbiya being sent to Bani Israel; whenever a Rasool would bring to them a message which they do not desire, they became arrogant and proud. Some of them started to deny the Rasool, making fun of the Ayaat and the Raool and some of them commit Qatal of the Rasool- meaning disrespected or humiliated the Rasool or killed as in the literal meanings of the word Qatal.
In the ayah 2:88 Allah is describing their own guilt after they had denied or Qatal their Rasool whereby they said “Our hearts were wrapped” at that time. But Allah is clarifying that, even after the admitting of their mistakes, they are not being honest. In fact the La’nat from Allah is because of their kufr which means that it’s the consequences of their own actions, their own Kufr that they are facing this extreme guilt and grief. Whenever Allah says the La’nat from Allah, it is normally translated as cursed by Allah, whereas it basically means to distance from or to separate someone on the basis of being angry or upset with someone. When the word is used from Allah, it means that Allah’s all the blessings, bounties and Fadal are disconnected and the person would be deprived of such pleasures of life and Allah’s blessings because of their own Kufar, their own concealing, hiding, rejecting of Allah’s Ayaat. Still, they are not truthful even in expressing their own guilt and that’s why Allah is saying that they are so little in their Emaan.
In the ayahs 2:89-90, Allah is giving us an argument about the arrogant, jealous and negative behavior of Bani Israel. When Quran was being reveled, which confirmed what was already with them, besides the fact that, they have clearly recognized the book, which is the same as they already have, they did kufr in it. The argument given by Allah is that, they used to pray for the victory against those who were against their kitaab, but since Quran was not revealed on anyone who is amongst them, they become arrogant in jealousy- they started doing kufr in it due to their jealousy and animosity about the person that Allah has chosen as Nabi for the revelation. It was the worse trade that they had done, selling their own Nafs in exchange for something that’s punishment for them in both the worlds. Because they did kufr on Allah’s revelations, so ‘they returned having Ghazab after Ghazab and for the Kafireen is a humiliating punishment’- this phrase shows the extent of the severe Azaab they have earned due to this trade. The word Ghazab is used here and we know the word Ghazab is basically a combination of not just individual destruction, sufferings and humiliation but the sufferings as a whole nation being divided into sects and groups with fighting animosity with each other. Therefore, when Allah describes the situation of the Kafireen as evidenced by ‘Ghad’ab upon Ghad’ab’ is a combination of all of these meanings which is being equated with terrible Azaab (Azaab e Moheen).
In the next ayahs 2:91 Allah has continued the arguments against the denial and Kufr of Quran by the Bani Israel. Their reluctance to have Emaan on Quran is expressed by saying that they have Emaan on what’s with them. The counter argument given by Allah is that “how can they claim to have Emaan on the book which they have, when they were the ones who did Qatal of their Nabi and Rasool who brought to them the book?”. For the next Ayahs 92 and 93, we need to keep in mind that the word A’jal is mistranslated as calf in both these ayahs. The word Aja’al is normally mistranslated as calf as if they started worshiping the calf in Musa’s absence, whereas this ayah is talking about them rushing towards Kufar. 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 that Allah never Yaghfir (provides protection against the impacts of) Shirk (4:48). Additionally, it’s the same word A’jal which is used in Ayahs 2:92-93, being mistranslated as calf here whereas the same word when used in the same context of Musa’s Quom committing sin in his absence in Ayah 7:151, is instead correctly translated there as ‘hastily, in a rush, or lacking patience’. The correct meaning of this words in ALL it’s usages in Quran means in haste, lacking patience or being in a rush. In Ayah 2:93, Allah is in fact reminding them of their falling for their impatient nature and thus committing the worst form of injustices to the Bayyinaat Ayaat of Allah, when Musa came to them with the revelation and Hidayahs and the people of Musa forgot every blessings of Allah and in their foolishness, ignorance and under the influence of Shaytan through their bad Nafs, they committing acts of Kufar in their rush and haste, they couldn’t wait for the Bayyin Ayaat of Allah to direct them towards the Hidayah and in their impatient nature, ended up committing Zulm and Kufar. Thus, Allah is calling them Zalimoon ظَالِمُونَ.
In ayah 93, Allah is reminding us and our ancestors Bani Israel about the moment (TOOR) of revelation, the moment when commandments have been raised over the people of Musa, and Allah advised them to hold these Hidayah strongly, following in complete submission and conviction what is in it. They said we Asma’u and understood. The word Sama’ is normally mistranslated as to listen and hear. However, these words are used in Quran not only in terms of listening but more in terms of to perceive (from all of one’s faculties and abilities) something or someone carefully, to give undivided attention and focus. It’s also used in terms of perceiving something with the basic aim to follow and practically apply whatever is being perceived. Therefore, here when Allah asked Bani-Israel ‘Asa’mao’ the word is used in both these meanings. However, they went astray after the guidance due to their Kufr; their Quloob engulfed with Kufar in haste. The word Ashriba as used here in this Ayah “…And Ashrabu in their Qaloob (convictions of hearts and minds) with Aja’al (haste and Hurriedness) with Kufar…” in the meanings that their hearts and minds were engulfed, overwhelmed, and absorbed with Kufar, that they did in haste and lack the patience for the Kalaam of Allah- Allah’s message to reach them. Therefore, due to their disobedience and arrogance, when Allah says “Say, “Ba’sama’ is what your Emaan commands you to do, if you are Momineen”, Allah is basically giving them a counter argument, that if you consider yourselves as Momineen, then is it Ba’isa what your Emaan is ordering you for? Which is a sarcastic phrase by Allah saying to them, it was your Emaan in which you believed, your own actions and kufr that has put you in that situation of sufferings, adversity, sadness, grief, misery, extreme difficulty, hardship, illness and poverty and disconnections from Allah’s blessings.
C- IMPLEMENTATION IN TODAY’S LIFE
These ayahs are clearly advising us to believe in all the revelations. It’s the same Kitaab- the same Hidayah that was revealed to our forefathers, Noha, Ibrahim, Musa, Easa and Mohammad. The Deen- the commandments are the same. Emaan on Allah’s revelations and Allah’s Anbiya and Rasool are linked and interconnected. We cannot claim to have Emaan on Nabi and not follow the book and the hidayah. Or vice versa i.e. we cannot claim to have Emaan on the Kitaab and not Emaan on Allah’s Anbiya and Rasool. Once we have accepted the Deen and become Momineen, then all the commandments, rules and boundaries have become a part of this Meesaq, a strong covenant between us and Allah. We all know Allah has already delivered and completed Allah’s side of the covenant which has made it Meesaq- strong and binding upon us to do our part of the covenant and obey Quran. And by upholding the commandment of Allah will not only save us from Gha’dab but will also give us Allah’s Naymat i.e. (1) Success & Prosperity in all walks of life. (2) Peace & Contentment, Law& order, protection & shield from lawlessness, death disability, destruction etc. (3) Height, benchmark, Role-model. (4) Unity- United Ummah & Nation- Common Purpose & Same set of values/beliefs.
Footnotes:
D- THE KEY-WORD VOCABULARY:
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