Al-Baqarah (Arabic:الْبَقَرَة,’al-baqarah;lit. "The Heifer" or "The Cow"), also spelled asAl-Baqara, is the second and longest chapter (surah) of theQuran.[1] It consists of 286 verses (āyāt) which begin with the "muqatta'at" lettersalif (ا),lām (ل), andmīm (م).[2][3] TheVerse of Loan, the longest single verse in the Quran, is in this chapter.
The sūrah encompasses a variety of topics and contains several commands for Muslims such as enjoining fasting on the believer during the month ofRamadan;[4] forbidding interest or usury (riba); and several famous verses such asThe Throne Verse,Al-Baqara 256, and the final two or three verses. The sūrah addresses a wide variety of topics, including substantial amounts oflaw, and retells stories ofAdam,Ibrahim (Abraham) andMūsa (Moses). A major theme is guidance: urging thepagans (Al-Mushrikeen) and theJews ofMedina to embraceIslam, and warning them and the hypocrites (Munafiqun) of the fate God had visited in the past on those who failed to heed his call.[5]
Al-Baqara is believed by Muslims to have beenrevealed in a span of 10 years starting from 622 inMedina after theHijrah, with the exception of the riba verses which Muslims believe were revealed during theFarewell Pilgrimage, the last Hajj of Muhammad.[6][7] In particular, verse 281 in this chapter is believed to be the last verse of the Quran to be revealed, on the 10th day ofDhu al-Hijja 10 A.H., when Muhammad was in the course of performing his last Hajj, 80 or 90 days before he died.[8]
256-257Lā ikrāhā 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.
Following themuqatta'at, Al-Baqara begins with the declaration that the Quran is free of doubt and contains guidance for those who possesstaqwa.[10] Taqwā is grammatically linked to thetriliteral root w-q-y evoking wariness, a sense of care and protection.[11] These people, known asGod-fearing (muttaqin), are defined as those who believe inal-ghaib (Unseen, ghayb, lit. “absent”),[11] offersalah, spendzakat from what is provided to them, believe inMuhammad's prophethood and that of the otherprophets, and the books revealed to them.[10]
There follows a description of thekafirs andmunafiqs. The first of these verses uses the wordkafir 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.[12] Next is a detailed description ofmunafiqs, defined here as those who say they believe in God and theLast Judgment, but do not actually believe in them. It is said that they try to deceive God and themumins (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. Themunafiqs are also said to spreadfasad (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. Themunafiqs 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.[13]
Mankind is then asked to worship God to acquiretaqwa, 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 asurah similar to it. It is then said that they will never be able to fulfill this challenge and are asked to fearHell, which is described as being fueled with men and stones and specifically prepared for thekafirs.[14]
The stories in this chapter are told to help the reader understand the theological conception of truth in Islam.[15]
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 wasAbd-Allah ibn Ubayy who was about to be crowned king before the arrival of Muhammad inMedina. 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 ofNifaq, which is opposite of sincerity. It is of two types:
1) Nifaq in belief: outwardly showing belief however in reality there is no belief[16]
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 orMunaafiq through one's own self-assessment. This would amount to making Takfeer i.e. calling someone aKafir (non-believer) since Nifaq (hypocrisy) in belief is kufr.
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 theholy spirit. Why is it that every time a messenger comes to you ˹Israelites˺ with something you do not like, you become arrogant, rejecting some and killing others?(2:84)
Al-Baqarah contains several verses dealing with the subject of warfare. Q2:190-194 are quoted on the nature ofbattle in Islam.
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) fromJerusalem toMecca, marriage and divorce, commerce, debt, and a great many of the ordinances concerning interest or usury.[5]
"Do not turn your houses into graves. Verily,Satan does not enter the house where Surat Al-Baqarah is recited." [Muslim, 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 (2:255), the following two Ayat (2:256-257) and the last three Ayat."
Verse 255 is "The Throne Verse" (آية الكرسيʾāyatu-l-kursī). It is the most famous verse of theQuran and is widely memorized and displayed in theIslamic world due to its emphatic description of God's omnipotence in Islam.
Verse2:282 covers two specificIslamic jurisprudence issues: (1) undertaking a loan and (2) the status of women's testimony.
Amin Ahsan Islahi in hisTafsir 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.[21][22]
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".[23]
The structure represents a chiastic organization commonly found in the Quran. A chiastic structure, or ring composition, arranges themes or ideas in a mirrored sequence (e.g., A-B-C-D-C’-B’-A’) to emphasize central points and highlight relationships between corresponding elements.[24]
Page 19-21 tells the story ofAbraham and his relationship with Mecca and his son. Abraham made a prayer to Allah that Mecca would be safe and prosperous for its people until the end of time (2:126). The next verses then talk about how Abraham and Ishmail built the Kaaba and their prayer that their offspring would be righteous Muslims and Allah would send to them prophets so that they may be guided (2:127-130). This chapter also reaffirms that Abraham was neither a Christian, Jew, nor polytheist, but rather a monotheist, who submitted to Allah (2:131-136).
Later verses discuss the story of Abraham with the Nimrud (Nemrod) who refused to believe and professed himself to be God. Abraham brings forth to him the parable that Allah can bring the dead to life and let those alive be dead, and Nimrud responds by claiming he can do the same by killing someone. Abraham then brings the parable of how God raises the Sun from the East and challenged him to raise it from the West at which he was silenced.
The final discussion of Abraham in this chapter, is when he asks of God to show him how he raises the dead (2:260).
^Wherry, Elwood Morris (1896).A Complete Index to Sale's Text, Preliminary Discourse, and Notes. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, and Co. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
^Mubarakpuri, Safiur Rahman (2000).Tafsir Ibn Kathir (10 Volumes; Abridged). Darussalam. pp. 118–134.ISBN9781591440208.
^R. G. Ghattas and Carol B. Ghattas,A Christian Guide to the Qur'an: Building Bridges in Muslim Evangelism, pg. 40. Kregel Academic, 2009.ISBN9780825493423
^Kathryn Kueny,The Rhetoric of Sobriety: Wine in Early Islam, pg. 66. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2001.ISBN9780791450536
^Karen Steenbrink, "Muslims and the Christian Other: Nasara in Qur'anic Readings." Taken fromMission is a Must: Intercultural Theology and the Mission of the Church, pg. 200. Eds. Frans Jozef Servaas Wijsen and Peter J. A. Nissen. Volume 40 of Church and Theology in Context Series.Amsterdam:Rodopi, 2002.ISBN9789042010819
^Farrin, Raymond (2014).Structure and Qur'anic interpretation: a study of symmetry and coherence in Islam's holy text. Islamic Encounter. Ashland, Oregon: White Cloud Press.ISBN978-1-935952-98-5.
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