HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Al-Baqara, alternatively transliterated Al-Baqarah ( ar, الْبَقَرَة, ; "The Heifer" or "The Cow"), is the second and longest chapter (''
surah A ''surah'' (; ar, سورة, sūrah, , ), is the equivalent of "chapter" in the Qur'an. There are 114 ''surahs'' in the Quran, each divided into '' ayats'' (verses). The chapters or ''surahs'' are of unequal length; the shortest surah ('' Al-K ...
'') of the
Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , sing.: ...
. It consists of 286 verses ('' āyāt'') which begin with the "
mysterious letters Mysterious may refer to: * ''Mysterious'' (album), a 1988 album by Shizuka Kudō * "Mysterious" (song), a 2005 song by Jentina * "Mysterious", a song by Scorpions from the 1999 album ''Eye II Eye'' * Mysterious Walker (1884-1958), American baseb ...
" ("''muqatta'at''") A.L.M. In recitation the names of the letters (''
alif Alif may refer to: Languages * Alif (ا) in the Arabic alphabet, equivalent to aleph, the first letter of many Semitic alphabets ** Dagger alif, superscript alif in Arabic alphabet * Alif, the first letter of the Urdu alphabet * Alif, the eighth ...
, lām, and mīm'') are used, not their sounds. Caner Dagli, ''2 The Cow al-Baqarah'',
Study Quran ''The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary'' is a 2015 English-language edition of the Quran edited by Seyyed Hossein Nasr and published by HarperOne. Caner Dagli, Maria Massi Dakake, and Joseph Lumbard prepared the translation, wrote t ...
The sūrah encompasses a variety of topics and contains several commands for Muslims such as enjoining fasting on the believer during the month of Ramadan; forbidding interest or usury (''
riba The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...
''); and several famous verses such as The Throne Verse, Al-Baqara 256, and the final two or three verses. The sūrah addresses a wide variety of topics, including substantial amounts of law, and retells stories of
Adam Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
, Ibrahim (Abraham) and Mūsa (Moses). A major theme is guidance: urging the pagans ( Al-Mushrikeen) and the
Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...
s of
Medina Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
to embrace Islam, and warning them and the hypocrites (
Munafiqun In Islam, the ''munafiqun'' ('hypocrites', ar, منافقون, singular ''munāfiq'') or false Muslims or false believers are a group decried in the Quran as outward Muslims who were inwardly concealing disbelief (“kufr”) and actively ...
) of the fate God had visited in the past on those who failed to heed his call. ''Al-Baqara'' is believed by Muslims to have been revealed at
Medina Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
over a long period after the
Hijrah The Hijrah or Hijra () was the journey of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina. The year in which the Hijrah took place is also identified as the epoch of the Lunar Hijri and Solar Hijri calendars; its date e ...
, with the exception of the riba verses which Muslims believe were revealed during the
Farewell Pilgrimage The Farewell Pilgrimage ( ar, حِجَّة ٱلْوَدَاع, Ḥijjatu Al-Wadāʿ) refers to the one Hajj pilgrimage that Muhammad performed in the Islamic year 10 AH, following the Conquest of Mecca. Muslims believe that verse 22:27 of the Qur ...
, the last Hajj of Muhammad.Mahmoud Ayoub, ''The Qurʾan and its interpreters'', pg. 55. Albany:
State University of New York Press The State University of New York (SUNY, , ) is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led ...
, 1984.
In particular, verse 281 in this chapter is believed to be the last verse of the Quran to be revealed, on the 10th day of ''Dhul al Hijjah'' 10 A.H., when Muhammad was in the course of performing his last Hajj, 80 or 90 days before he died.


Summary

*1-20 Unbelievers and
hypocrites Hypocrisy is the practice of engaging in the same behavior or activity for which one criticizes another or the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform. In moral psychology, it is the ...
reproved *21-38 Exhortation to the worship of the true God *39-102 Jews and Christians urged to accept the claim of
Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monot ...
to be a prophet of God *102-112 The opposition of
Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...
and
Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
to Muhammad's prophetic pretensions combated *113 The doctrine of abrogation enunciated *115 A
Qibla The qibla ( ar, قِبْلَة, links=no, lit=direction, translit=qiblah) is the direction towards the Kaaba in the Sacred Mosque in Mecca, which is used by Muslims in various religious contexts, particularly the direction of prayer for the s ...
declared to be redundant *116-141 The Jews denounced and the religion of Abraham declared to be the true Islam *142-153 The Jews finally abandoned and the Arabs accepted by the adoption of
Makkah Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow val ...
as the Qibla of Islam *154-163 The Bereaved friends of those slain at the
Battle of Badr The Battle of Badr ( ar, غَزْوَةُ بَدِرْ ), also referred to as The Day of the Criterion (, ) in the Qur'an and by Muslims, was fought on 13 March 624 CE (17 Ramadan, 2 AH), near the present-day city of Badr, Al Madinah Provin ...
comforted *164-172 Mekkans exhorted to faith in God, and directed to observe the law respecting forbidden meats *173-176 Law concerning lawful and unlawful food (delivered at Madina) *177 The sum of Muslim duty *178-179 The law of
retaliation Revenge is committing a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. Francis Bacon described revenge as a kind of "wild justice" that "does... offend the law ndputteth the law out of office." ...
*180-182 The law concerning bequests *183-185 The law concerning
fasting Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (see " Breakfast"), or to the metabolic state achieved after co ...
*186-187 The fast of Ramadan *188-202 The
pilgrimage to Mecca The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried o ...
and war for the faith *203-206 Hypocrites and true believers contrasted *207-208 Exhortation to a hearty acceptance of Islam *209 The doom of infidels pronounced *210-212 The Jews reproached *213 Suffering to be patiently endured *214-242 Sundry laws relating to alms giving, war,
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are ...
, orphans etc. *243-253 The duty of warring in defence of religion enjoined by
precept A precept (from the la, præcipere, to teach) is a commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action. Religious law In religion, precepts are usually commands respecting moral conduct. Christianity The term is en ...
, and illustrated by the history of former prophets *255 The Throne Verse *256-257 Lā irāhā fid deen - Do not force anyone to become Muslim, for Islam is plain and clear, and its proofs and evidence are plain and clear. Therefore, there is no need to force anyone to embrace Islam. *258-260 The doctrine of the resurrection illustrated *261-274 Exhortation and encouragement to alms giving *275-277
Usury Usury () is the practice of making unethical or immoral monetary loans that unfairly enrich the lender. The term may be used in a moral sense—condemning taking advantage of others' misfortunes—or in a legal sense, where an interest rate is ch ...
forbidden *278-283
Debts in Islam Islamic banking, Islamic finance ( ar, مصرفية إسلامية), or Sharia-compliant finance is banking or financing activity that complies with Sharia (Islamic law) and its practical application through the development of Islamic econom ...
including the longest verse in the Quran *284-286 The three verses of Paradise.


Theme and subject matter


1-7 God-fearing rewarded, Unbelievers reproved

Following the ''muqatta'at'', Al-Baqara begins with the declaration that the Quran is free of doubt and contains guidance for those who possess '' taqwa''. Taqwā is grammatically linked to the
triliteral root The roots of verbs and most nouns in the Semitic languages are characterized as a sequence of consonants or "radicals" (hence the term consonantal root). Such abstract consonantal roots are used in the formation of actual words by adding the vowel ...
w-q-y evoking wariness, a sense of care and protection. These people, known as God-fearing (''
muttaqin Fear of God may refer to fear itself, but more often to a sense of awe, and submission to, a deity. People subscribing to popular monotheistic religions for instance, might fear Hell and divine judgment, or submit to God's omnipotence. Chri ...
''), are defined as those who believe in '' al-ghaib'' (Unseen, ghayb, lit. “absent”), offer ''
salah (, plural , romanized: or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːh, ( or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːtʰin construct state) ), also known as ( fa, نماز) and also spelled , are prayers performed by Muslims. Facing the , the direction of the Kaaba wi ...
'', spend ''
zakat Zakat ( ar, زكاة; , "that which purifies", also Zakat al-mal , "zakat on wealth", or Zakah) is a form of almsgiving, often collected by the Muslim Ummah. It is considered in Islam as a religious obligation, and by Quranic ranking, is ...
'' from what is provided to them, believe in
Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monot ...
's prophethood and that of the other
prophets In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings from the s ...
, and the books revealed to them. There follows a description of the ''
kafir Kafir ( ar, كافر '; plural ', ' or '; feminine '; feminine plural ' or ') is an Arabic and Islamic term which, in the Islamic tradition, refers to a person who disbelieves in God as per Islam, or denies his authority, or reject ...
s'' and '' munafiqs''. The first of these verses uses the word ''kafir'' to describe one who conceals the truth, and Muhammad is advised that they will not believe despite his efforts because God has sealed their hearts and hearing, and covered their eyes (so that they will not be able to see, hear, or comprehend guidance), and that they will be punished with a great torment. Next is a detailed description of ''munafiqs,'' defined here as those who say they believe in God and the
Last Judgment The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...
, but do not actually believe in them. It is said that they try to deceive God and the '' mumins'' (believers) but they deceive themselves without perception, that in their hearts is a disease which God increases, and that they will be punished with a painful torment. The ''munafiqs'' are also said to spread '' fasad'' (disorder/mischief) in the land, while claiming to spread peace, and to call the believers fools. To the believers they say they believe, but when they go back to their devils, they tell confess their disbelief, but they do not know that God deceives them and increases their deviation. They are then called those who engage in a profitless trade, the purchase of error with guidance. The ''munafiqs'' are then likened to a person who starts a fire and feels safe in its immediate surrounding, but God extinguishes the fire and the person is covered in darkness. The Quran then calls them deaf, dumb, and blind. Another example given is that of a person wandering in rain, thunder and lightning in darkness, such that they would have to thrust their fingers into their ears out of the fear of death. The lightning is so bright that it almost takes away their sight, but they walk toward it whenever it strikes, and stay put when it is dark. Mankind is then asked to worship God to acquire ''taqwa'', and a description of God's creations follows: the earth as a resting place, the sky as a canopy, and rain sent from the sky to bring forth fruit and provision. They are then advised to not set up others in worship beside God. Those who doubt that the Quran was revealed to Muhammad are then challenged to produce a ''surah'' similar to it. It is then said that they will never be able to fulfill this challenge and are asked to fear Hell, which is described as being fueled with men and stones and specifically prepared for the ''kafirs''. The stories in this chapter are told to help the reader understand the theological conception of truth in Islam.


8-20 The hypocrites

Q2:8-20 in Surah Al Baqarah refer to the hypocrites (Munafiqun). In the Meccan phase of Muhammad, there existed two groups, the Believers and the Mushrikeen (non-believers). However, after Hijrah (Emigration to Medina) Muhammad had to deal with the opposition of those who openly accepted Islam while secretly plotting against Muslims. Their leader was Abd-Allah ibn Ubayy who was about to be crowned king before the arrival of Muhammad in Medina. The hypocrites benefitted from the Muslims while not losing their association with the disbelievers. They were considered disloyal to both parties and inclined towards those who benefited them the most in the worldly sense The surah also sheds light on the concept of Nifaq, which is opposite of sincerity. It is of two types: 1) Nifaq in belief: outwardly showing belief however in reality there is no belief 2) Nifaq in practice: where people believe however they act like hypocrites. The signs of a hypocrite are lying, breaking promises, not keeping an amaanah or trust and when they argue they curse or use bad language. According to a prominent scholar, Kamaluddin Ahmed, Nifaq is something that is within the heart, hence no one knows of its existence except God. Therefore, no one can be called a hypocrite or
Munaafiq In Islam, the ''munafiqun'' ('hypocrites', ar, منافقون, singular ''munāfiq'') or false Muslims or false believers are a group decried in the Quran as outward Muslims who were inwardly concealing disbelief (“kufr”) and actively s ...
through one's own self-assessment. This would amount to making Takfeer i.e. calling someone a Kafir (non-believer) since Nifaq (hypocrisy) in belief is kufr. 26 Commences with ۞ ('' rubʿ al-ḥizb''), an Islamic symbol. 87-105 is preserved in the
Ṣan‘ā’1 lower text The Sanaa palimpsest (also Ṣanʽā’ 1 or DAM 01-27.1) or Sanaa Quran is one of the oldest Quranic manuscripts in existence. Part of a sizable cache of Quranic and non-Quranic fragments discovered in Yemen during a 1972 restoration of the ...
. :''Indeed, We gave Moses the Book and sent after him successive messengers. And We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the
holy spirit In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or over his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts ...
. But is it otthat every time a messenger came to you, Children of Israel with what your souls did not desire, you were arrogant? And a party f messengersyou denied and another party you killed. 2:87' Condemnation of
alcoholic beverage An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The c ...
s and
gambling Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of Value (economics), value ("the stakes") on a Event (probability theory), random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy (ga ...
is also first found in the chapter, and it is one of only four chapters in the Quran to refer to
Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
as Nazarenes instead of the more frequent terms
People of the Book People of the Book or Ahl al-kitāb ( ar, أهل الكتاب) is an Islamic term referring to those religions which Muslims regard as having been guided by previous revelations, generally in the form of a scripture. In the Quran they are ident ...
or "Helpers of Christ." Al-Baqarah contains several verses dealing with the subject of warfare. Q2:190-194 are quoted on the nature of
battle in Islam From the time of the Muhammad, the Muhammad in Islam, final prophet of Islam, many List of Muslim empires and dynasties, Muslim states and empires have been involved in warfare. The concept of jihad, the religious duty to struggle, has long been ...
. The surah includes a few Islamic rules related to varying subjects, such as: prayers, fasting, striving on the path of God, the pilgrimage to Mecca, the change of the direction of prayer ( Qiblah) from
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
to
Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow val ...
, marriage and divorce, commerce, debt, and a great many of the ordinances concerning interest or usury.


255 "The Throne Verse"

Quran 2 includes many verses which have virtues like the special Verse of the Throne (Aayatul Kursi). Muhammad is reported to have said, “Do not turn your houses into graves. Verily,
Satan Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an entity in the Abrahamic religions that seduces humans into sin or falsehoo ...
does not enter the house where Surat Al-Baqarah is recited.” uslim, Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmed Ad-Darimi also recorded that Ash-Sha`bi said that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "Whoever recites ten Ayat from Surat Al-Baqarah in a night, then Satan will not enter his house that night. (These ten Ayat are) four from the beginning, Ayat Al-Kursi (255), the following two Ayat (256-257) and the last three Ayat." Verse 255 is " The Throne Verse" ( '). It is the most famous verse of the
Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , sing.: ...
and is widely memorized and displayed in the
Islamic world The terms Muslim world and Islamic world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is practiced. In ...
due to its emphatic description of God's omnipotence in Islam. Verse 256 is one of the most quoted verses in the Quran. It famously notes that "There is no compulsion in religion". Two other verses, 285 and 286, are sometimes considered part of "The Throne Verse".


256 No compulsion in religion


282 "Verse of Loan and Women's testimony"

Verse 2:282 covers two specific
Islamic jurisprudence ''Fiqh'' (; ar, فقه ) is Islamic jurisprudence. Muhammad-> Companions-> Followers-> Fiqh. The commands and prohibitions chosen by God were revealed through the agency of the Prophet in both the Quran and the Sunnah (words, deeds, and ...
issues: (1) undertaking a loan and (2) the status of women's testimony.
Amin Ahsan Islahi Amin Ahsan Islahi ( ur, مولانا امین احسن اصلاحی; 1904 – 15 December 1997), was a Pakistani Muslim scholar best known for his Urdu exegesis of the Quran, '' Tadabbur-i-Quran'' "Pondering on the Quran", which he based ...
in his ''
Tafsir Tafsir ( ar, تفسير, tafsīr ) refers to exegesis, usually of the Quran. An author of a ''tafsir'' is a ' ( ar, مُفسّر; plural: ar, مفسّرون, mufassirūn). A Quranic ''tafsir'' attempts to provide elucidation, explanation, in ...
of Surah al-Baqarah'' says when there is a loan transaction for a specific period of time, it must be formally written down. Both the lender and the debtor must trust the writer. There must be two witnesses: two men, or one man and two women. The security of the writer must be guaranteed. The length of the contract should be stated exactly. al-Jalalayn says, "summon to bear witness the debt two witnesses men mature Muslim free men; or if the two witnesses be not men then one man and two women"


Moses

Moses is referenced several times in Al-Baqara : *Appraisals of Moses
Q2:136
*The prophet whom God spoke to: Q2:253 *The Torah: Q2:41-44; 2:53; 2:87 *Moses' miracle: Q2:56, Q2:60, Q2:92, Q2:211 *Moses and the Pharaoh **Moses and his followers were safe: Q2:50 **Pharaoh's and his army: Q2:50 **The Pharaoh punished the Israelites: Q2:49 *Travel to the Promised Land **The Israelites entered the Promised Land: Q2:58 **Moses' dialogue with God: Q2:51 **The Israelites worshipped the calf: Q2:51-54, Q2:92-93 *Refusal of the Israelites: Q2:246-249 *Attributes of the Israelites: Q2:41-44; 2:55-59; 2:61-71; 2:74-76; 2:83; 2:93-6; 2:100-101; 2:104; 2:108; 2:140-142; 2:246-249


See also

*
Ayatul Kursi The Throne verse ( ar, آيَةُ ٱلْكُرْسِيِّ, ''Ayat Al-Kursi'') is the 255th verse of the 2nd chapter of the Quran, Al-Baqarah ( Q2:255). The verse speaks about how nothing and nobody is regarded to be comparable to Allah. This ...
* Al-Baqara 256 * Verse of Loan


Notes


References


External links


Q2:30
50+ translations, islamawakened.com *
"The Cow"
a manuscript, dating from the 13th-century, of the ''al-Baqarah'' via the
World Digital Library The World Digital Library (WDL) is an international digital library operated by UNESCO and the United States Library of Congress. The WDL has stated that its mission is to promote international and intercultural understanding, expand the volume ...

Qur'anic Verses
a manuscript for ''al-Baqarah'' from the 13th-century {{DEFAULTSORT:Baqarah Cattle in literature Chapters in the Quran Cattle in religion Jihad