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Quran-Tafsir.org

Surah Al-BaqarahPart I (A yahs 1-75 )


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For an introduction to our tafsirs and for a discussion of the Basmallah, which is the first ayah of

this Surah, please see our tafsir of Surah Fatihah, which is also on Quran-Tafsir.org

2. Alif. Lam. Meem.

These letters which begin some of the Surahs of the Quran are known as Huruf

muqattat. No one knows their true meaning except Allah (swt). For our part we simply have to

believe that they are from Allah (swt) and so we accept that they are a part of the Quran. It is

not right for us to question their purpose if Allah (swt) did not reveal their purpose. Allah (swt)

has told us in Surah Al-Imran that there are certain ayahs in the Quran that are known as

Mutashabiyatayahs, these are ayahs whose true meaning is only known to Him (swt). Since our

knowledge is very limited and since Allah (swt) has not told us about these ayahs we should not

delve into their meaning. Part of our submission to Allah (swt) is for us to recognize the limits of

our knowledge and the limits of our intellect and to not question or think into those issues that

we do not know about. So the safest position concerning these ayahs is to say they are from

Allah (swt) and their meaning is Known Only to Allah (swt).

Some scholars have said that even though we do not know their meaning, we do know

their purpose. They say that that the purpose of these letters is to remind the Arabs and in fact

all mankind that this Quran is in the Arabic language. In other Surahs of the Quran, for example

in Surah Yusuf, Allah (swt) explicitly mentions that this is an Arabic Quran. The scholars say that

these letters serve the same purpose as those ayahs, that is to remind the people that this Quran

has not been revealed in some ancient or alien language but it has been revealed in pure Arabic.

The reason why Allah (swt) reminds the people that this is an Arabic Quran will become clear in

ayah 24. This is the ayah where Allah (swt) challenges all of mankind to produce even Surah like

the Surahs in Quran. Allah (swt) challenges all of mankind and tells them that if they had any


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doubt whatsoever that this Quran was from Him (swt), then they only had to produce one small

Surah like the Surahs the Quran contains. So with these letters Allah (swt) is reminding the

people of this challenge and telling them that this Quran is in a language that they know. If it is

really from the mind of a human being then why are they unable to reproduce it? Why can they

even not produce one small Surah? Thus we see that by placing these Arabic letters at the

beginning of these Surahs Allah (swt) reminds us that this is an Arabic Quran. Allah (swt) also

reminds us that it could only have come from Him (swt) because no one can face the challenge

of the Quran and produce a Surah similar to it. Allah (swt) Knows best!

Mawdudi tells us in his tafsir of this ayah how it was common practice at the time of the

Prophet (saw) for poets and orators to begin their works with some letters from the Arabic

language. So when the Quran was revealed no one questioned the purpose of these letters. Its

usage was accepted by both the companions of the Prophet (saw) and the enemies of this

Message, both of whom were experts in the Arabic language. It was only later when the use of

these letters in poetry and prose declined did some people question as to why Allah (swt) is

beginning the Surahs of the Quran with these letters. Some people then started to give meanings

to these letters that were not supported by any ayah of the Quran or hadith of the Prophet

(saw). For example in this ayah, they would say Alif is for Allah (swt), Lam is for Gibreel and

Mim is for the name of the Prophet (saw). But there is no evidence for this whatsoever from

the Quran or the Sunnah, so how can we accept it? If Allah (swt) did not tell us the meanings of

these letters, then who are we to put a meaning of them?

So in conclusion concerning these letters we simply accept that they are from Allah (swt).

The general meaning that we can take from them is that they are a reminder to all people that

this Quran is in the Arabic language. Only what is in Arabic is truly the Quran. Any translation will

only capture a portion of the meaning. This also reminds us that the challenge of the Quran is

still open to all mankind because the Arabic language is still with us today. It is not an ancient or

forgotten language. We also know that the use of these letters was something that was common

at the time that the Quran was revealed and no one questioned their usage at that time. It was


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later that ignorant people started putting meanings for these letters because they could not

explain their usage. We have to save ourselves from becoming like them. We have to save

ourselves from speaking about the Quran or Sunnah without knowledge. So for our part we

simply accept that these letters are from Allah (swt), and we do not delve into their details. May

Allah (swt) guide us to the knowledge that will benefit us and protect us from knowledge that will

not benefit us!

May Allah (swt) guide us to the knowledge that will help us to better worship and serve

Him (swt) and save us from that knowledge that will distract us from that worship and servitude!

All that should matter is worshipping and serving Allah (swt) so that He (swt) gives us His (swt)s

Pleasure. Every piece of knowledge that we learn should help us to reach the goal of the

Pleasure of Allah (swt). If it does not, then we do not need it. May Allah (swt) guide us!

3. This is the Book in which there is no doubt. A guidance for the Muttaqoon.

This is the first ayah of the Surah that has a meaning that we can understand, so in

many ways this really is the first ayah of the Surah. You can even say that this is the first ayah in

the Quran. Why is this? It is because this is the first ayah that appears in the Quran after Surah

Fatihah. Remember how Surah Fatihah was a prayer for guidance. The Quran is the answer to

that prayer and this is the first ayah in that answer. So ponder deeply on the meaning of this

ayah and think to yourself as to why Allah (swt) would make this ayah as the first statement in

His (swt)s response to your prayer.

Allah (swt) begins this ayah by describing the Quran. There are two important attributes

of the Quran that Allah (swt) tells us about in this ayah. The first is that this is a Book in which

there is no doubt. The second is that it is guidance for the Muttaqoon. So in Surah Fatihah you


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were asking for guidance. In this ayah Allah (swt) is telling you that He (swt) has given you a

Book that has no doubt in it. Allah (swt) also tells us you that this Book is your guidance, but in

order to get the guidance that is in this Book you have to be among the Muttaqoon.

Just a note about the way in which this ayah is read in Arabic. Ibn Kathir said that when

we are reading this ayah, it is better to stop after the words fi-hi rather than stopping after the

word ghayb. In this way the guidance becomes an attribute of the Quran rather than the Quran

simply containing guidance. In other words the Quran does not simply have guidance but it IS

guidance itself. So Insha Allah when we read this ayah it is better to read it in this way.

So the first thing that Allah (swt) tells us about the Quran is that it has no doubt in it

whatsoever. Everything in the Quran is the Truth without even the smallest shred of doubt in it.

So everything in the Quran must be part of our Aqeedah. Our Aqeedah is the belief that we

have in our hearts concerning which have no doubt whatsoever, the scholars say that our

Aqeedah is tied into our hearts like a strong knot. Every single news or information that is

presented in the Quran should be in our Aqeedah because everything in the Quran is certain

with no doubt in it whatsoever. You should be as certain as to what is in the Quran as you are of

your fingers that you see in front of you right now. This is what Allah (swt) means when He (swt)

tells us that the Quran has no doubt in it whatsoever.

Then Allah (swt) describes the Quran as guidance for the Muttaqoon. The

Muttaqoonare those who always have Taqwa. To have Taqwa is to always remember Allah

(swt), it is to always remember that Allah (swt) Knows every single action that you do. This

awareness that your Lord is watching you at this moment and that He (swt) will take you into

account for everything that you say and do is what Taqwais. It is a state of mind and it is those

righteous actions that result from that state of mind. The people who are always remembering

Allah (swt), the ones who know that He (swt) will call them to account for everything that they

do, they are the ones who will strive never to do anything that is displeasing to Him (swt). They

will always strive to their utmost for Allah (swt) to perform the actions that He (swt) is pleased

with, and they will strive to their utmost to restrain themselves from the actions that He (swt) is


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displeased with. This is because they remember Allah (swt) and they are afraid of standing

before Him (swt) and having to account for their actions. They are afraid of being called to

account for their sins by Allah (swt). That is why they try their best to save themselves from sin.

To save themselves from being disobedient to Allah (swt). They are the ones who have Taqwa.

They are the ones who are the Muttaqoon.

For such people the Quran is guidance. For them the Quran is the answer to their prayer

when they called out to Allah (swt). Recall that prayer that we made in Surah Fatihah to Allah

(swt) where we asked Him (swt) to guide us on how to worship and serve Him (swt). We asked

Him (swt) to guide us to Siratul Mustaqeem. The Path of those actions that He (swt) is pleased

with. The Path of the prophets, the true, the martyrs and the righteous. The Path of those who

have earned His (swt)s Pleasure and not the Path of those Who earn His (swt)s anger or of

those who go astray. This then is the Path that the Quran is a guidance to. The Quran is the

guide to this Path that leads to the Pleasure of Allah (swt) and His (swt)s Paradise. To walk on

this Path is to follow the guidance in this Book. It is do the actions that Allah (swt) is pleased

with, and to stay away from the actions that He (swt) is displeased with. It is even to have the

emotions and feelings that Allah (swt) likes and to remove from ourselves the emotions and

feelings that He (swt) dislikes. This is what the Quran shows us how to do and so that is how it is

guidance. What greater gift can there be than this? What greater bounty can be conferred upon

us than this? When we realize the Glory and the Majesty and the Tremendousness of our Lord,

then what could we desire other than Him (swt)? Other than for Him (swt) to be pleased with us?

So realize now that the Quran is the key that leads to Him (swt). If you hold fast to this Book, if

you follow its path, then it will lead you to Him (swt). What then can be more valuable than this

Book? What then should occupy more of your time than this Book? May Allah (swt) allow all the

sincere people in this Ummah to benefit from this guidance that He (swt) has sent to us!


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4. The ones who have Iman in the Ghayb, and establish the Salah, and from what we

have given them they spend.

We saw in the previous ayah how Allah (swt) told us that the Quran was guidance for

the Muttaqoon. We said that the Muttaqoon are the ones who are always aware of Allah (swt),

and as a result of that awareness they always try to do what is pleasing to Him (swt). In this

ayah Allah (swt) tells us what it is that is pleasing to Him (swt). This is what the Muttaqoon do

that makes them eligible for the guidance that is in the Quran.

The first thing that the Muttaqoon do that earns the Pleasure of Allah (swt) is that they

have Iman in the Ghayb. Linguistically the word Ghaybmeans anything that is hidden from the

view of humans, anything that cannot be seen. But in this ayah Allah (swt) uses the word Ghayb

to refer to everything in the unseen that He (swt) has told us about in the Quran. The Quran

gives us a lot of information that is from the Ghayb, it tells us about many things that we have

not sensed at all. Examples of these are the Perfect Names of Allah (swt), descriptions of the Day

of Judgment, descriptions of Paradise and Hellfire, and events of the previous prophets and the

past nations. All of this are things that we have never seen or heard of. For example you have

never seen Paradise with your own eyes nor have you seen what happened when Musa (as)

went to Firaun, but you still believe in it even though it is in the unseen. You believe in it because

your Lord has told you about it in His (swt)s Book.

So the first requirement that we must fulfill to be worthy of this guidance is to have in

Iman in everything that is in the Quran, even if it is in the unseen. When something is part of

our Aqeedah then we have Iman in that thing. To have Iman in something is to believe in it with

utmost certainty. To believe in it without a shadow of doubt. As Ali (ra) once said Even if I see

the fire in front of me today, it would not increase my certainty in it. The meaning of this


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statement is that Ali (ra) already believed in the Hellfire with utmost certainty that even if he (ra)

saw it with his own eyes it would not increase his (ra)s belief in it. So the first condition that we

must fulfill to be eligible for the guidance of the Quran is to believe in all that it has with utmost

certainty. If we find ourselves reading an ayah of Quran and we doubt what it is saying in any

way then we have already removed ourselves from that group of people that are eligible for the

guidance of this Book. In fact, we have even removed ourselves from being Muslim because part

of the requirements of our Aqeedah is that we believe in everything that the Quran says without

the shadow of a doubt. May Allah (swt) save us from having doubts! May Allah (swt) allow all of

us to always have that level of certainty of what He (swt) has told us in the Quran!

All of the scholars agree that to have belief in what Allah (swt) revealed is a precondition

to any of our actions. The actions that we do for Allah (swt) must come from our belief in Him

(swt) and from our belief in what He (swt) has told us through His Messenger (saw). The reason

why we do our actions must be because we are aware that Allah (swt) is observing us and that

He (swt) will take us to account for what we do. If we simply do righteous actions because they

feel good to us, or to please some other human beings then we cannot expect Allah (swt) to

reward us for that action. So we cannot underestimate how important it is for us to have the

correct belief in Allah (swt) and all that He (swt) has told us in the Quran.

The second condition that we must fulfill to be eligible for the guidance that is in the

Quran is that we establish Salah. Our prayer is the most important of all actions that we do for

Allah (swt). Of all the commands that were ever given to us from Allah (swt), Salah is the only

Law that Allah (swt) Himself told the Prophet (saw) about. All of the other laws in Islam,

hundreds and hundreds of them, were revealed by the angel Gibreel (as). Salah is the only Law

that was revealed by Allah (swt) directly to the Prophet (saw) when he (saw) met his Rabb on

the miraj. This shows how important this command is for us to fulfill. The scholars all agree that

there is no excuse whatsoever for a Muslim not to pray. If he cannot pray standing, he can pray

sitting, if he cannot pray sitting, he can pray lying down, if he cannot move his hands while lying

down, he can pray with his eyes. No matter what his condition is he must always pray.


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We should also notice the verb that Allah (swt) uses. When Allah (swt) describes the

Muttaqoon He (swt) does not simply say that they make Salah but He (swt) says that they

establish Salah. This means that they make their Salah in the most perfect way. This means

that the Salah must be made on time, it must be made with all the necessary preconditions such

as having wudu, facing the qibla, covering the awra and so forth. It must also be made with

tranquility and concentration. When you are standing and reciting the Quran, you should think

about the words that you are reading. When you make ruku and sujood you must feel that

feeling of humility and fear because of the One whom you are standing before. If you are praying

one of the obligatory Salah then it is also best that you make it in congregation, and it is even

better if that congregation is in the masjid. Thus we see that Allah (swt) is not simply telling us

to make the Salah but He (swt) is calling on us to establish the Salah. The Salah is a matter of

great importance and so it must be implemented in a way that reflects its importance.

Just a few of the many ahadith of the Prophet (saw) where he (saw) has stressed the

importance of Salah include the narration of when a man once came to the Prophet (saw) and

asked him (saw) as to what deed was most virtuous. The Prophet (saw) replied by saying

Salah, the man asked again and again and again and again he got the same reply. The fourth

time the Prophet (saw) finally replied Jihad in the way of Allah. There is also the hadith where

the Prophet (saw) once gave the Sahabah (ra) a beautiful example by saying If a person had a

stream outside his door and bathed in it five times a day, do you think he will have any filth left

on him? The Sahabah replied by saying that he would not, the Prophet (saw) replied by saying

That is like the five daily prayers. Allah wipes away the sins by them. May Allah (swt) always

help us to remember these words of our Prophet (saw)! May Allah (swt) make us always be

constant in our Salah!

The lesson that we can take from this part of the ayah is to remember that Salah is the

most important obligation that any Muslim has. If you find yourself being deficient in your Salah,

for example you do not pray all of your Salah on time or you even miss your Salah or you always

find yourself hurrying through your Salah such that it becomes like an exercise routine for you,


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then you have to realize what a grave situation you are in. You are failing to properly perform the

most important command that Allah (swt) gave you. If this is your condition then before you

start thinking about doing any work for Islam and the dawah you have to work on improving

your Salah. Always think about Allah (swt) and think about all that He (swt) has done for you.

Allah (swt) is the One Who created you and He (swt) is the One Who is sustaining you at this

very moment. Remember how one day soon you will return to Him (swt). You will stand alone

and naked before Allah (swt) and the first thing that He (swt) will ask you about is your Salah. If

your Salah is not present then He (swt) will not look at any of your other deeds. Where then do

you think that you will end up? May Allah (swt) allow us all to establish the Salah for our Rabb,

the One to Whom we will all return!

The next condition that Allah (swt) tells us to fulfill in order to be being eligible for the

guidance of Quran is to spend out of what He (swt) has given. This is the third action that the

Muttaqoon do that makes them eligible to receive the guidance that is in the Quran. They spend

out of what Allah (swt) has provided for them. Notice the significance of the language here; first

Allah (swt) lets us know that the wealth that the Muttaqoon spend is something that He (swt)

has given them. They are not spending out of something that they own, but they are spending

from something that really belongs to Allah (swt). So by spending in the way of Allah (swt) they

are giving the wealth that they have back to its real Owner. Spending here could refer to the

obligatory Zakat that is due on the wealth of all Muslims who are required to pay this, or it could

refer to any voluntary spending that any Muslim does to seek the Pleasure of Allah (swt). This

could be spending on ones family, ones relatives and on the poor. Spending also does not need

to be restricted to money. Anything that you have which you give away to seek the Pleasure of

Allah (swt) is considered spending. So it could be spending your time and efforts in this dawah. It

could even be spending your time and efforts in earning a living if you do it for the Pleasure of

Allah (swt) and to provide for your family as He (swt) has commanded you to do. Anything that

you have which you give seeking only the Pleasure of Allah (swt) would qualify as what spending

in this ayah refers to. Even a moment of your life where you simply stop and say Al-Hamdulilah


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to glorify and give thanks to your Rabb would be spending that moment in your life for Allah

(swt). The key fact to keep in mind is what Allah (swt) has reminded us at the beginning of this

part of the ayah and that is that what we are spending does not belong to us. It really belongs to

Him (swt), so we should have no hesitation in spending it to seek His (swt)s Pleasure. May Allah

(swt) enable us to spend everything that He (swt) has given us to seek His (swt)s Pleasure!

Al-Qurtubi also brings our attention to the verb yunfiqunin this ayah. He notes how it is

derived from the word Nafaqawhich means to bring something out. Notice how we bring our

wealth out from our pockets and spend it in the way of Allah (swt), similarly Allah (swt) will bring

our reward out and give it to us on the Day of Judgment. So this shows us how the word that

Allah (swt) uses matches the reality that He (swt) is describing perfectly. In each and every

word of the Quran you will find a similar deep and profound meanings. May Allah (swt) give us

all the ability to look for and discover these meanings that are in His (swt)s Book!

As we have said, one of the ways we can spend our wealth in the way of Allah (swt) is to

pay the Zakat that is obligatory on our wealth. This then brings us to the next most important

obligation that Allah (swt) has laid down upon us after the Salah. That is the Zakat that is due on

the wealth of all Muslims. As soon as the wealth that you have passes the Nisab, it becomes

obligatory on you to spend a portion of it for Allah (swt). The Nisabis the amount of wealth that

has to be exceeded in order for the Zakat to become obligatory. It is an obligation upon all

Muslims who have wealth that is more than this Nisabto spend a portion of their wealth for Allah

(swt) in Zakat. Allah (swt) brings our attention to the importance of Zakat in this ayah.

Unfortunately today we can see many Muslims are negligent of their Zakat. We see today

in the Ummah that many Muslims, even those who are constant in their Salah and who fast in

Ramadan and who make the pilgrimage, neglecting this obligation of Zakat. This is because the

materialistic society in which we live puts in us such a love for wealth that we do not want to part

with it for any reason. We see so much poverty and suffering in the world, that we are afraid

that something similar would happen to our families if we give away our money for the sake of

Allah (swt). What we forget are four important facts. First is that we are on this earth to worship


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and serve Allah (swt) and so that is all that should matter for us. So we should forget about the

things of this world and we should focus on gaining the Pleasure of Allah (swt). Second is that

the Zakat is an obligation so we have to do it no matter what. When an action is an obligation

that is laid down by Allah (swt) then there can be no excuse for not performing that action.

Thirdly we do not know the future so we cannot say for certain that we will be poor tomorrow if

we give money in Zakat today. It could very well be that you will be poor tomorrow if you do not

give Zakat and you may be rich tomorrow if you do give in Zakat. How can you claim to know the

future? Finally when it comes to our wealth and our money we have to remember that it comes

from Allah (swt). If we have our trust in Allah (swt) and spend in His (swt)s way, then we have

to trust and believe that Allah (swt) will replace what we have spent with something that is even

better, either in this life or the next. When we realize that Allah (swt) is the One Who is providing

for us and not ourselves then we should never hold back in spending what Allah (swt) has made

obligatory upon us.

If we still feel this desire to hold on to our wealth then we must remind ourselves of

several narrations where the Prophet (saw) has told us about the importance of Zakat and the

consequences of not paying it on our wealth. One especially terrifying hadith is when the Prophet

(saw) brings our attention to the Day of Judgment by saying Whoever is made wealthy by Allah

and does not pay Zakat on his wealth, then on the Day of Standing his wealth will be made like a

bald-headed poisonous snake with two poisonous glands. It will encircle his neck and bite his

cheeks saying I am wealth, I am your treasure. Can you imagine yourself in such a

predicament? Can you imagine yourself being constricted by this huge snake that is biting you?

The only way that you can save yourself from this monster is by giving your Zakat. May Allah

(swt) save us from this reality! May Allah (swt) enable us to always pay Zakat on our wealth on

the day that it becomes due!

Notice how in this ayah Allah (swt) describes the Muttaqoon as those who submit

themselves to Him (swt) completely. Allah (swt) shows how the Muttaqoon submit to Him (swt)

with their hearts and minds by believing with utmost certainty in all that He (swt) has told them


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in the Quran. They also submit to Allah (swt) with their entire body when they perform the Salah.

In the sujood every single limb of their body is in prostration to Allah (swt). In the Salah

everything that was permissible like eating and talking becomes forbidden, you must give your

whole body for Allah (swt). Finally they submit to Allah (swt) with their wealth, provisions and

time when they spend it in the way of Allah (swt). Giving it all way and never thinking about how

much they are giving, caring instead only on earning the Pleasure of Allah (swt) with it! These

are the Muttaqoon, they submit to Allah (swt) with everything that they have. May Allah (swt)

make us from among the Muttaqoon!

While all scholars agree that Surah Baqarah is one of the most important Surahs of the

Quran, they say that the first four ayahs of this Surah,Ayatul Kursiand the two that follow it,

and the last four ayahs are especially important and significant. Insha Allah we will discuss these

ayahs when we come to them, but we should remember how the ayah that we are discussing

now is among those first four. In his tafsir of this ayah Sayyid Qutb notes how these four ayahs

describe the perfect model of the Muslim Community. We should remember that this Surah was

one of the first to be revealed after Hijra when the Prophet (saw) had established the Islamic

State in Madinah. So when that first community of believers was established in Madinah that was

when Allah (swt) revealed these ayahs to describe how the Muslim Community should think and

behave. The essence and the foundation of the believers are described in these four ayahs. Any

believer, regardless of who he or she is, must have the characteristics that Allah (swt) is

describing in this Surah. They have to believe what is in the Quran with utmost certainty, they

have to establish the Salah and they have to spend in the way of Allah (swt) out of what He

(swt) has provided them. Once they do this then the believers are then joined by the strongest of

bonds. Our belief, our salah and our spending in the way of Allah (swt) are the foundation of our

lives. Everything that we do revolves around these actions. That is why Allah (swt) describes the

believers as performing these actions. These actions are the cornerstone of their lives and it what

unites them together.


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5. And the ones who have Iman in all that was revealed to you and all that was

revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain.

In this ayah Allah (swt) continues with the description of the Muttaqoon. The ones for

whom the Quran is a guide to the Pleasure of Allah (swt). We saw in the previous ayah how Allah

(swt) told us that they have Iman in the Ghayb, they establish the Salah on time and with all of

its conditions, and they spend what Allah (swt) has given them both in the obligatory Zakat and

voluntary charity. Such was the description of the people who will receive the guidance from this

Book. In this ayah Allah (swt) continues with such a description.

Allah (swt) begins this ayah by telling us how they believe in all that was revealed to the

Prophet (saw). The Prophet (saw) is who is being referred to by the pronoun you because he

(saw) was the only one who received the revelation of the Quran. Once again we see Allah (swt)

stressing the importance of believing in all that was revealed to the Prophet (saw). Everything

that we do is based on our Aqeedah, and we take our Aqeedah from the words of the Prophet

(saw). The Prophet (saw) is a man whom we believe and trust with utmost certainty has been

sent to us from our Creator and Sustainer. So we believe in what he (saw) tells us even if it may

seem to contradict the reality that we know. For example the Prophet (saw) told us about the

time of Musa (as) and all of the miracles that Allah (swt) allowed him (as) to perform such as

turning the sticks into snakes and making his hand glow white. Some one who does not have this

trust in the Prophet (saw) that may find this fact hard to believe. But we know that the Prophet

(saw) is indeed the Messenger of Allah (swt), so everything that he (saw) has told us we believe

in without a shadow of doubt. We would not believe such a story like the story of Musa (as) from

any one else, but from the Prophet (saw), we believe in it with even more certainty than we

believe the reality that we see around us at this moment.


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that Allah (swt) revealed to our Prophet (saw). The divine laws that Allah (swt) revealed for the

previous nations is not applicable to our Ummah. The evidence for this is 49th ayah of Surah

Maidah where Allah (swt) says, For every one of you We have ordained a Divine Law and a

methodology. This ayah is a clear evidence that each nation was given its own Law to follow.

The Law of one nation is not applicable to another nation. So for example in Surah Anam, ayah

146 Allah (swt) tells us that the Jews were forbidden the fat of ox and sheep. Now of course this

prohibition does not apply to our Ummah. We can consume such meat if we desire and it would

not be a sin for us. But it would have been a sin for them to do so. Thus we see that they had

their Law from Allah (swt) and we have our Law from Allah (swt). So although we believe in

everything that was revealed to the previous prophets as being from Allah (swt), we do not

follow their Law. The only Law that we follow is the Law that was revealed to the Prophet (saw).

This Law abrogates all the previous laws that were revealed before it. Now all of mankind is

obligated to follow this Law.

Another point that we have to be careful about when we say that we believe in what was

revealed to the prophets before us is that we have to always bear in mind that the scriptures

which exist today with the Jews and Christians is not what was revealed to the previous

prophets. Allah (swt) Himself has told us in the Quran how the Jews and Christians changed the

books of revelation that were sent to them with their own hands. They have put in these books

stories and fables that are not only fabricated, but they are also completely contradictory to the

reality and the truth. For example in their books they have put fabricated stories of the prophets

committing sins and doing lewd and perverted actions. Sins that are so corrupted that they would

not even be acceptable for any Muslim, let alone a prophet of Allah (swt). They made up stories

of their prophets committing these horrible sins so that they can commit these sins themselves.

But the worst corruption of all that is in their books is what they say about Allah (swt). We know

how the Christians have ascribed a son to Allah (swt) and the Jews claim that He (swt) can make

mistakes, may Allah (swt) protect us from such blasphemy and heresy! We do not even like to

write such kufr in the same page as the Words of Allah (swt)! With such corruption and


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blasphemy in the books of the Jews and Christians, how can we ever accept anything that is in

them? How can we distinguish between what is in them that is the Truth from Allah (swt) and

what is in them that has been fabricated by these evil men? So the best course of action for us to

follow is what the Prophet (saw) told us to do. If we find anything in their books that contradicts

what is in the Quran or Sunnah, such as the ascribing of divinity to Isa (as), then we should

automatically reject it. If we find something in their books that does not clearly contradict Quran

and Sunnah then we should neither believe in it nor reject it. The reason for this is because, even

if it does not contradict the Quran or Sunnah, we still cannot be certain that it is from Allah (swt).

It still may be something that was fabricated.

Mawdudi tells us that another condition that we need to fulfill in order to be eligible for

the guidance that is in the Quran is that we must believe that Prophethood is the way in which

we can be guided, both as individuals and as a society. We all need guidance to attain the

Pleasure of Allah (swt). But we do not by ourselves know how to reach that goal. So we have to

believe that the only way to attain the Pleasure of Allah (swt) is to follow the Messenger (saw)

that Allah (swt) sent. If we think that we do not need the Prophet (saw), that we can find out

what is pleasing to Allah (swt) by ourselves or by some saint or wise man or imam, then we are

no longer eligible for the guidance that is in the Quran. To be eligible for this guidance we have

to believe that the way to attain the Pleasure of Allah (swt) can only be shown by prophets and

messengers that He (swt) sends.

In the final part of this ayah Allah (swt) describes the Muttaqoon as those who are

certain of the Hereafter. The word that Allah (swt) uses in this ayah is yaqeen, which means

certainty without the shadow of a doubt. We recall the narration of Ali (ra) where he (ra) said

that he (ra) believes in the Fire as if he (ra) is seeing it right now, that is the level of certainty

that we must have about the Hereafter. The stronger our belief in the Hereafter is, the less will

be our attachment to this world, and the less our attachment is to this world, the more serious

and more diligent we would be in serving Allah (swt). So we see a direct link between certain

belief in the Hereafter and being constant in worshipping and serving Allah (swt). It is our


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certainty in the Hereafter that makes us realize the limitation of our stay in this world. That

realization should motivate us to do the actions that are pleasing to Allah (swt). Especially when

we know that we are going to stand in front of Allah (swt) and be judged for each and every

single one of our actions.

Mawdudi also reminds us that to be certain of the Hereafter is to realize what true

success and failure is. When you realize that this world is only a temporary place that is doomed

to destruction you will not get attached to it. You will not seek your success in it. You will not

look for the final victory in it. Rather you will realize that the only purpose this world serves is to

spend as many moments in it in worship and service to Allah (swt). So we must always be

reminding ourselves that we are going to leave this world. As the Prophet (saw) told us, we must

always remember the destroyer of pleasures and that is our death. The truth of the matter is that

we all know that the Hereafter is a certain reality, Allah (swt) has told us about it in the Quran so

many times. But what happens is that we fall so in love with the pleasures of this world, that we

deceive ourselves into thinking that this world will never end. Shaitan comes and tricks us into

thinking that we will live forever, or that our death will not be for many years. Then Shaitan

reminds us how good it will feel when we satisfy our desires, and he tells us that we will have

time to make repentance in the future. We must always be aware that these are tricks of Shaitan

and as Allah (swt) has told us in other ayahs of the Quran the plan of Shaitan is weak. The

emotions and the desires are no match for the firm conviction that we have in the reality of the

Hereafter. Our only task is to remind ourselves of the certainty of the Hereafter whenever

Shaitan tries to prompt us with our desires. One day soon we will leave this world and we will be

standing before Allah (swt). Then it will be told to us to either go to Paradise or to go the Hellfire.

Either of these places then will be our final destination. We must be absolutely certain of this

reality and when we do, then Insha Allah, Allah (swt) will make us eligible for the guidance of the

Quran. May Allah (swt) grant us that certainty in the Hereafter! May that certainty then make us

constant in always abiding by the Law of Allah (swt)!


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6. These are the ones that are on guidance from their Rabb, and these are the

successful.

This is the last ayah in this series of four ayahs where Allah (swt) described the true

believers, the Muttaqoon, the ones who receive the guidance from the Quran. These are the

ones whom we want to model in every aspect of our lives. Recall that as Surah Fatihah ended we

stated our goal, and that was the Pleasure of Allah (swt). We asked Allah (swt) to guide us to the

Straight Path that leads to this goal. The path of those whom He (swt) has blessed and not the

paths of those who earn His (swt)s wrath or of those who go astray. That is the goal that we

said we would turn towards the Quran with. In these four ayahs Allah (swt) has given us the role

model that we should strive to emulate if we want to reach that goal.

In these four ayahs we can clearly see that Allah (swt) is telling us that the Quran itself is

that guidance which we seek. The Quran is the beacon of light that illuminates the Path that

leads to the Pleasure of Allah (swt). But to even be able to traverse this Path there are certain

preconditions that we must fulfill. First we must believe in the unseen. We must have certainty in

a reality that exists beyond what our senses can perceive. If we are not able to do that, then we

have already disqualified ourselves from being able to benefit from the guidance that is contained

in Quran. The second precondition that we must have is that we must be among those who

establish the Salah. If we are not among those who are constant in our prayers, and if we are

not among those who at least try to make their prayer with concentration and humility, then we

have again taken ourselves out of that group for whom the Quran was sent. The third

precondition is that we must spend out of what Allah (swt) has provided us. If we are among

those who love to hold on to our wealth even though it was Allah (swt) who gave it to us or if we

are among those are stingy with our time or our efforts, then we should not hope of receiving

this guidance from the Quran. The next condition that we must fulfill is that we must believe in


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all that was revealed to the Prophet (saw) and all that was revealed to the prophets and

messengers before him (saw). If we do not accept the fact that Allah (swt) sent guidance though

prophets and messengers, or if we think that human beings can live without the guidance that

comes through the messengers, then already we have disqualified ourselves from receiving the

guidance that is in the Quran. The final condition that must be fulfilled is that we must have

absolute certainty in the Hereafter. We must believe in the life after this one with as much

certainty as we believe in this life. The Hereafter must become a reality for us. So just as you are

certain that you will got to work or school tomorrow, you must be certain that you will stand

before Allah (swt) on the Last Day. You must be certain that you will stay for all eternity in the

Fire or the Garden. May Allah (swt) save us from the Fire and place us in the Garden! If we have

any doubt in the Hereafter, if we think of it as merely stories, or even if we are unable to realize

the sheer reality and inevitability of it, then we have already disqualified ourselves from being

eligible from the guidance that is in the Quran. How terrible would that be then? How terrible

would it be if we ourselves disqualify ourselves from being eligible for the guidance of the Quran

by failing to have these prerequisites? The Quran is the only beacon that lights the Path leading

to the Pleasure of Allah (swt). The one goal that all creation was created to seek. How terrible

would it be if we ourselves remove ourselves from this Path before we even start to walk it?

So we must strive with our utmost to have all of the preconditions that Allah (swt) has

told us about in these four ayahs. None of it easy, it requires effort. But we have to remember

that we are walking on a Path that leads to the most noble of purposes and that is to attain the

contentment of the Lord and Master of the universe. Can we expect such a Path to be without

effort? Can we expect such a Path to be without difficulties? So we have to tread this Path no

matter how difficult it becomes. To give us strength we have to remind ourselves of the great

reward that Allah (swt) promises for those who tread this Path. This reward is what Allah (swt)

tells us about in this ayah. Paradise and the Pleasure of Allah (swt) is what awaits us in the

Hereafter if we tread this path. But the reward which Allah (swt) give us in this world is what

leads to this.


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What is the reward that Allah (swt) gives for those who choose to tread this path? Those

who strive to have the conditions that He (swt) told us about in the previous ayah? Allah (swt)

says These are the ones that are on guidance from their Rabb. What could be better

than being on guidance from Allah (swt)? In the life of this world you will never feel lost or

without direction. You will have clear purpose to your life. There will be a reason for your

existence. What could be better than that? Can you even imagine the kind of life you would be

living if you were not on guidance from Allah (swt)? You would think yourself to be only an

animal, a descendant of a monkey, living this life only to satisfy your desires. You do not care

you who you hurt or who you do injustice do. All that matters for you is satisfying your animal

desires. Furthermore even while you are satisfying your animal desires you would be distraught

and in despair because you do not know the true purpose of your creation. You do not know

what will happen to you when you die, and you would always have that fear in the deepest

corners of your mind that your death is coming closer and closer. Worst of all is that you would

have been heedless of Allah (swt). This is the life you would be living were it not for the guidance

of your Lord. Can you imagine a life for yourself without knowing Allah (swt)? How Perfect and

Pure is Allah (swt) and how could you have ever lived without knowing Him (swt)?

So to be on guidance from Allah (swt) is to be saved from that existence. The more

guidance that Allah (swt) gives you, the clearer your life becomes. The more guidance that you

have, the more that each moment in your life you will know what will earn the Pleasure of Allah

(swt). There will be no confusion or no doubt in your life, for every second and for every choice

you will know what it is that pleases Allah (swt), and so you will know what to do. This then is

the bounty of Allah (swt) and the gift of Allah (swt) for His (swt)s sincere servants in the life of

this world. This is the reward that Allah (swt) will give us if we met the preconditions and walk on

the Straight Path. Guidance from Allah (swt) is the greatest of gifts in the life of this world. It is

what leads to Allah (swt). It is what helps us to fulfill the purpose of our existence. So the best of

rewards in the life of this world that we should hope for is the guidance from Allah (swt). This is

especially true for the situation that Muslims face today. So low have we sunk, and so much has


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our understanding of this Din declined that only a few people can be said to fully understand this

Din. Everyone else has some corruption or some weakness in their understanding of the Din. So

in all this confusion that we find ourselves, we always have to pray to Allah (swt) to guide us to

the Path that leads to His (swt)s Pleasure. To the correct understanding of our religion, to the

correct way to worship and serve Him (swt). This guidance from Allah (swt) is the goal that we

should all be seeking when we are in this world. This Quran is that guidance and to attain it we

have to fulfill the preconditions that Allah (swt) has listed above. Once we have met the

preconditions, once we have proven ourselves worthy, then Insha Allah Allah (swt) will grant us

that guidance. That knowledge on how to please Him (swt). May Allah (swt) allow the sincere

Muslims in this Ummah to receive the guidance that is in the Quran!

Mawdudi also reminds us that if we want to make ourselves eligible to receive this

guidance, we also have to implement the mission of the Quran in our lives. This is because the

Quran was not revealed as a Book to be read while you are reclining on your couch or to be

studied in a monastery while you are detached from reality. Rather the Quran was revealed to

raise a movement that will uproot the very foundations of the society that it was sent to. It was

sent to completely transform a society that lived to serve the desires and passions of men into a

society that submitted and worshiped the Creator and Master of the universe. For us to receive

the guidance that is in the Quran, we have to take up this mission as well. We have to commit

ourselves to this life of dawah to establish the Law of Allah (swt) in the land and then to spread

His (swt)s Message to all mankind. A group or a movement needs to be formed that works

towards such a goal. The details on the formation of such a group are beyond the scope of this

work. But what must be kept in mind is that the goal of such a movement must be to establish

the Law of Allah (swt) in the land, and then to spread His (swt)s Message to mankind. It is clear

from the Seerah of the Prophet (saw) that such was his (saw)s mission when he (saw) worked in

the dawah. In the beginning he (saw) worked to form a party or a group. The purpose of this

group was to transform a society that ruled by the laws of man into a society that submitted

completely to Allah (swt). This is the exact same goal that any movement or group working for


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the dawah today must commit itself to. This is because the situation that we find ourselves in

today is identical to the situation that the Prophet (saw) was in. We also find ourselves in a world

of kufr and there is no land where the Law of Allah (swt) is fully implemented. Although there is

much that is wrong with the Muslim Ummah today, there is nothing that is worse than the fact

that we are living without the Law of Allah (swt). Almost all the problems that our Ummah is

facing today can be traced back to this problem. So an effort must be made to restore the

Islamic State. To bring back the Law of Allah (swt) to the earth. Only then can the dawah to

mankind be carried properly. Only then can the Muslim Ummah be saved from oppression.

Mawdudi tells us that in order to be eligible for the guidance from the Quran, one needs to be

part of this effort. The guidance will not come to you if you simply study the Quran without

participating in this effort. Now we are not saying that you need to join an Islamic movement or

that you yourself should start such a movement. Most of us are nowhere near that level. But you

still need to do what you can. If the best that you can do is simply talk to the people that you

know about the importance of the Islamic State, and our obligation to live under it, then this is

what you must do. If the best that you can do is study Islam some more and study Arabic some

more so that you can bring yourself to the level of a dawah carrier, then this is what you must

do. We all need to what we can, only then can we receive this guidance.

We should also always remember that our goal should never be establishing the Islamic

State, rather it should only be attaining the Pleasure of Allah (swt). The Pleasure of Allah (swt) is

what we are all striving for, and this dawah is but one of many steps to reach that goal. But the

Pleasure of Allah (swt) can only be obtained if we receive the guidance from Allah (swt) on how

to properly serve and worship Him (swt). The guidance of Allah (swt) is the Quran. The Quran is

the guidance that shows us how to worship and serve Allah (swt) in order to attain His (swt)s

Pleasure. But in order to get that guidance from the Quran we need to commit ourselves to this

life of dawah. So when we work in this dawah we will be working to attain the Pleasure of Allah

(swt) and Insha Allah at the same time Allah (swt) will grant us the guidance of the Quran. This

guidance then will allow us to obtain our goal. So you see how it is two way street, you work in


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this dawah to attain the Pleasure of Allah (swt) and then while you are working in this dawah,

Allah (swt) will give you the guidance from the Quran in order to attain His (swt)s Pleasure. How

wonderful is our Lord, and how wonderful is what He (swt) is promising us! May Allah (swt) help

us to realize this! May Allah (swt) allow all of us to live the mission for which the Quran was

revealed, and in doing so to receive the guidance that it contains! May that guidance then

illuminate the Path that leads to His Pleasure! Noting matters in this life except attaining the

Pleasure of Allah (swt)!

In the second part of this ayah Allah (swt) says and these are the successful. So we

see that the first reward that Allah (swt) grants for those who choose to have the conditions

mentioned in the previous ayahs and those who work in the dawah is that He (swt) grants them

Guidance. He (swt) opens for them the doors of the Quran and lets the light of guidance flow out

from it. With this Light He (swt) illuminates for them the Straight Path that leads to His (swt)s

Pleasure! The destination of this Path is the second reward that Allah (swt) gives them. The

second reward is that Allah (swt) will make those who walk on this path to be among the

successful. But what does Allah (swt) mean here by success? Is it to be found in this world? Is it

to obtain some position? Is it to make a six-figure salary? Is it to own a mansion? What is the

success that Allah (swt) talks about in this ayah? If we read the Quran then we would know that

the only real success and the only real failure is in the Hereafter. To be banished to the hellfire

and to earn the Wrath of Allah (swt) is the real failure. To be granted the Garden and to earn the

Pleasure of Allah (swt) is the real success. So no set back or sorrow in this world should be

considered a failure. Even if the dawah works for years and years without the Islamic State being

established, as long as its members are sincerely seeking the Pleasure of Allah (swt) and striving

to the best of their ability then it should not be considered a failure. Similarly nothing in this

world can considered a success, not the largest of mansions, not the most beautiful of wives, not

the respect and admiration of all people, not even the establishment of the Islamic State, none of

that is success. The only real success is to be admitted into the Paradise of Allah (swt) and to

receive the Pleasure of Allah (swt).


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So the lesson for us is to realize that the description which Allah (swt) has given of the

true believers or the Muttaqoon in these four ayahs is the ideal that we want to achieve. They

are the ones who will benefit from the guidance of the Quran and they are the ones who will be

successful in the Hereafter. Is there anything that is worth our life besides that? Is there any

higher goal that we should be striving to achieve? This is the true purpose of our existence and

so this is what we must always be striving for. To please our Creator to the best of our ability.

However if we find ourselves falling somewhat short of the ideal Muslim community that

Allah (swt) has described in these four ayahs we must not despair. For example we may not

always pray our Salah with tranquility and concentration, we may find it difficult to give in charity

as much as we like, and sometimes we may even forget the fact that Allah (swt) is observing us

and that He (swt) Knows what we are doing for every second of our existence. We may even

commit acts of disobedience to Allah (swt). When this happens we must not fall into total

despair, instead we have to remember that we are all human and that we all mistakes. We all

have weaknesses and so we all commit sins. So we should not despair when we fall into sin.

What is important is that we recognize our sin and that we try our best to recover from it. What

is important is that we see this model that Allah (swt) has given us in these ayahs as the ideal

that we want to achieve and we constantly strive to achieve that ideal. So even if we sometimes

find ourselves falling short of this ideal, we must always be striving to achieve it. No matter how

many times we fall down we have to always pick ourselves up and keep on trying. In the end it is

for our efforts that we seek the reward from our Lord and Master. Allah (swt) judges us for our

intentions and our efforts, not for the results of our actions. He (swt) is the One Who will bring

about the results. All that He (swt) wants to see from us is that we make our best effort. May

Allah (swt) help us to realize this! May Allah (swt) allow us to become this model community of

believers that He (swt) has described in these ayahs!


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7. Surely the ones who do kufr, it all is the same on them whether you warned them

or not, they will not believe.

In the previous four ayahs of this Surah we saw Allah (swt) describe the true believers or

the Muttaqoon. The ones who have such a strong belief in Allah (swt) that they are always

conscious of Him (swt). Because of this awareness they always strive only do the actions that are

pleasing to Him (swt). Now in this ayah Allah (swt) brings to our attention the opposite of this

ideal. These are the people who turn away from Allah (swt) and who do what is displeasing to

Him (swt). So in the previous four ayahs Allah (swt) had given us the model that we should try to

follow, the ideal that we should try to be like. In this ayah Allah (swt) presents the opposite of

that ideal; the kind of people whom we should try to avoid becoming at all costs. May Allah (swt)

save us from ever becoming like these people!

Allah (swt) describes these people whom He (swt) is displeased with as the ones who do

kufr. In his tafsir of this ayah Al-Qurtubi describes the word kufras being derived from the root

word kafarawhich he says indicates covering and hiding. He further explains Night is called

kafir because it covers everything in darkness. Kafircan also mean a sea or a huge river

(because it covers what is underneath the water) and it also used with the meaning of cultivator

someone who covers seeds with the earth. So the first question that we have to ask ourselves

is why did Allah (swt) use a word such as this to describe those who do not believe in His

Message? Because the linguistic definition of this word does not suggest rejection or disbelief, it

only means covering. Why then does Allah (swt) use this word to describe the ones who did not

accept this Message? If we study the life of the Prophet (saw), it would become clear to us why

Allah (swt) used a word such as this to describe those who did not follow this Message.


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There was no one whom the Prophet (saw) presented this Message who was not

convinced that he (saw) was truly the Messenger from Allah (swt). In other words everyone who

received this Message knew that the man they saw in front of them had indeed been sent to

them by Allah (swt). They were all certain that this Message was the Truth. They were certain

because this Message came with undeniable proofs. On the one hand the Prophet (saw) came

with the Quran which were words that none among them could reproduce, words which were so

powerful that when all of them heard it they knew that it could not be produced by the mind of a

human being. In addition to this linguistic miracle, the Quran itself had descriptions of events

that no man from among them could ever have known about. These were events that were

witnessed by no one except Allah (swt), examples of such events are when the angels came to

Maryam (as) when she was alone in the temple or when the brothers of Yusuf (as) plotted

together in secret. Just the fact that these stories are in the Quran show that this Book could not

be from any except Allah (swt). Neither the Prophet (saw) nor any of the Arabs at his time could

ever have known about these events.

Not only was the Quran itself a proof that it could only have been sent by Allah (swt),

but also the Prophet (saw) himself was a proof that he (saw) could only have been sent by Allah

(swt). For the Arabs of Makkah, they had known the Prophet (saw) all of their lives and they

knew that he (saw) was not a liar or a man of deception. On the contrary they had known

nothing but honesty and integrity from him (saw) through his (saw)s life in Makkah. So they

were certain that he (saw) spoke the Truth when he (saw) said that he (saw) was a Messenger

from Allah (swt). Similarly for the Jews of Madinah, they had descriptions in their scripture of the

final Messenger and these descriptions fit the Prophet (saw) exactly. So they also were certain

that this man who had come to them was indeed sent from the Lord and Master of the universe.

Now, from both the Arabs and the Jews, the ones who were sincere and who had a pure heart,

the ones who had a real desire to worship and serve Allah (swt) as He (swt) had created them

to, they believed in the Prophet (saw) and followed him (saw). The ones who were selfish and

had a perverted heart, the ones who only wanted to serve themselves and satisfy their desires


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instead of worshipping and serving their Creator and Sustainer they did kufrto this Message that

the Prophet (saw) brought to them from Allah (swt). They covered the Truth that they knew in

their hearts by rejecting and disbelieving in this Message. They rejected this Message even when

they were certain that it was the Truth from Allah (swt). That is why Allah (swt) described what

they are doing as kufr or covering. They are covering the Truth of this Message that they knew

very well.

Allah (swt) begins their description in this ayah with the Arabic word innato stress

certainty and surety. Whenever Allah (swt) begins an ayah with this word the description that

follows is definite without any doubt to it whatsoever. In fact there is no word in English to

denote this much certainty and definitiveness. After this word to stress certainty Allah (swt) then

says the ones who do kufr, it all is the same on them whether you warned them or

not, they will not believe. Here Allah (swt) tells the Prophet (saw) that it is all the same on

the disbelievers if he (saw) warns them or not, they will not believe. This is because they know

that this Message is the Truth and still they have willfully chosen to reject it. They had made up

their minds not to listen to this Message from their Creator, so no amount of warning and no

amount of evidences is going to convince them otherwise. So no matter how much warning the

Prophet (saw) gives them and no matter how many evidences he (saw) presents them with, they

will not believe in this Message. That is why Allah (swt) stresses with emphasis and certainty to

the Prophet (saw) that no matter how many times he (saw) warned them, they were not going

to believe. They are a people who had preferred the temporary life of this world to the

everlasting world that will come after this. They had chose to live a life where they serve their

worthless selves rather than serving the Lord and Master of this universe, the One who created

them and is keeping them alive for every second of their existence. So here Allah (swt) is telling

the Prophet (saw) that because these people had decided to reject this Message even after they

were certain that it was the Truth, they were not going to believe in it no matter how many times

that he (saw) warned them. The Prophet (saw) could have reminded them of the consequences

of rejecting this Message again and again they were still not going to believe.


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This shows us the worthlessness and the vileness of these people. How evil are a people

who would turn away from Allah (swt) when they know that He (swt) is the Real and the True?

The Perfect One and the Pure One. The One Who deserves that they submit to Him (swt). They

would purposely turn away from their Creator and Sustainer and from the life of worship and

servitude for which He (swt) created them. Even when they are certain that this Message is the

Truth they would still reject it. Thus Allah (swt) is telling the Prophet (saw) that he (saw) should

not waste any of the blessed moments of his (saw)s life with such filth.

So this ayah is actually a consolation for the Prophet (saw). The Prophet (saw) was so

kind and tender hearted that he (saw) would have loved for all of mankind to be guided to the

Straight Path. But here we see that Allah (swt) is telling the Prophet (saw) that there are some

people who are so evil, so sick and so selfish that no matter how much they are warned, they will

not believe. They will always and forever insist on following their erring ways. Thus Allah (swt)

tells the Prophet (saw) here that he (saw) should not be grieved by them or even to waste his

(saw)s time with such people. They will not believe no matter how much warning they are given.

Before we leave this ayah let us comment once again on the choice of words that Allah

(swt) uses in this ayah. Allah (swt) is not saying that they will not believe no matter how many

times you tell them or teach them but He (swt) is saying that they will not believe no matter

how many times you warn them. The word to warn in this ayah is andhara, and Al-Qurtubi

says that it means to give warning to the people while there is still time for them to take

measures to avoid that thing they are being warned about. So the Prophet (saw) is warning them

in this ayah about a punishment that is approaching them while there is still time for them to

save themselves from that punishment. The Prophet (saw) is not merely telling them about this

punishment but he (saw) is WARNING them. Some people criticize Islam for being a fear-based

religion, but such people fail to realize that fear is often one of the strongest of motivators.

There are many forces that push the human to reject this Message such as their desires or their

pride or their loyalty to their tribe or family. But at the same time there are also many forces

which push the human to accept this Message such as the signs in the universe that testify to


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Allah (swt) and to His (swt)s complete Oneness and Sovereignty. Every ayah of the Quran is also

a sign that brings us closer to accepting this Message, each one has such depth of meaning and

such perfection in its usage of the language that there is no way that it could be produced by the

mind of a human. All of these signs bring our hearts closer to accepting this Message. In addition

to the many signs that Allah (swt) has placed in the universe and in the Quran, there is also a

great reward promised for those who believe and a strict punishment promised for those who

refuse to believe. So this threat of punishment is in fact a Mercy for the people because it is an

incentive for them to believe in this Message. It is almost as if Allah (swt) is saying that if you

are rejecting this Message because of desires I will give you something that is much more

deserving of your desires and that is Paradise, and if you are rejecting this Message because of

fear I will give you something that is much more worthy of your fear and that is the Hellfire. This

Message is a clear evidence, a good news and a warning. But the warning is what is most

appropriate for people who are stubborn and close-minded. That is why Allah (swt) refers to the

Prophet (saw) in this ayah as warning the people.

Other scholars have commented on this word andharaand have said that it also gives

the meaning of a warning that is given from love and compassion. It is not a warning that is only

meant to put fear in the hearts but it is a warning that comes from genuine concern and

compassion for the people. It is similar to the warning that you would give to your child to stay

away from fire. Allah (swt) loves the people and He (swt) is giving them this warning of the

punishment while there is still time for them to save themselves from it. He (swt) is giving them

this warning only because of the Love that He (swt) has for them. Allah (swt) Knows that this is

what is best for us even if we may not realize it ourselves. That is why Allah (swt) has sent us

this Message. That is why He (swt) has given us this warning. But how many people will heed

the warning that their Lord and Master is giving them?


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8. Allah has placed a seal on their hearts and on their hearing. And over their vision is

a covering. And for them is a tremendous punishment.

In this ayah Allah (swt) tells the Prophet (saw) exactly why it is that the disbelievers will

never follow this Message no matter how many times it is that they are warned. Allah (swt) tells

us how He (swt) has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and over their eyes is a covering.

These are the faculties through which one can receive this Message. Because they have chosen

to turn away from this Message, because they have willfully decided to reject this Message, Allah

(swt) has closed off all of the faculties through which they can receive this Message. This is their

punishment in the life of this world for choosing to reject this Message.

To correctly understand this ayah we have to create the following analogy. Allah (swt)

presents man with two paths, one is a steep path filled with trials and difficulties, but this path

ends in Paradise and the Pleasure of Allah (swt). The other path is an easy path filled with

desires and laziness, but it ends in the Wrath of Allah (swt) and the Hellfire. The point at which

man is presented with these two choices is when the Messenger of Allah (swt) comes to him and

presents him with the choice either of accepting this Message or turning away from it. To accept

this Message is to walk the steep path and to turn away from it is to walk the path of laziness

and desires. Allah (swt) tells us in this ayah about those who turn away from the steep path and

choose the path of laziness and desires. The ones who prefer serving themselves to serving their

Creator and Sustainer. Allah (swt) tells us that for such people who reject this Message and turn

away from following the Messenger, He (swt) leaves them in the path of laziness and desires.

Even though Allah (swt) could have put them on Straight Path that leads to His (swt)s Pleasure,

He (swt) does not. Rather He (swt) allows them to wander in that path that leads to the Hellfire.

Not only that, but as Allah (swt) tells us in this ayah He (swt) also seals up their senses and their


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comprehension so that they will never receive this Message. So that they will never choose the

correct path. This is only because they chose to turn away from this Message when it was

presented to them. They chose to turn astray so Allah (swt) allows them to go astray.

Now it is important to realize that we cannot in any way ascribe any kind of injustice to

Allah (swt) because of this. First because Allah (swt) Himself tells us in Quran that He (swt) does

not do injustice to anyone. Second because we have very little knowledge, we ourselves do not

even really know what justice is. Is there any value that you as a human being with your limited

senses and faculties can place on a crime? So how can you by yourself decide what is the most

fitting punishment for a crime? To reject the Creator and Sustainer, to oppose His Message, how

do you know that this is not a punishment that is not worthy of the Fire? We have so little

knowledge yet we are so proud and confident of that knowledge that we are ready to pass

judgments on the One Who has all the Knowledge. May Allah save us from that! We have to

realize that for these people Allah (swt) gave them the choice to accept or reject this Message.

He (swt) presented them with the Message clearly and they clearly saw all of its proofs and

evidences. Despite this, despite their certain knowledge that this Message was the Truth, they

decided to turn away from it. That is why Allah (swt) allowed them to go astray. That is why

Allah (swt) sealed their hearts. Could they then deserve anything less as a punishment?

Before the eyes and the ears, Allah (swt) mentions the heart first. The scholars say that

this is because the heart is the locus of reflection. It is the place where we reflect and

contemplate on the Signs of Allah (swt), it is where we make the decision on whether to accept

this Message or not. Our limbs and our tongue are nothing but servants of our heart. Allah (swt)

tells us in this ayah about those who decided to turn away from this Message that He (swt) has

sealed their hearts. This means that the Truth of this Message will not penetrate into their hearts.

Even if they see all of the signs and evidences, it will not lead them to accept this Message. The

door through which faith can enter them has been closed. So now they will never believe in this

Message. This shows us how important our hearts are. How we must always make certain that

they are always attached to Allah (swt).


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The Prophet (saw) recognized the importance of the heart and so he (saw) always made

the prayer O Allah, Who makes hearts firm, make our hearts firm in your obedience. In this

prayer the Prophet (saw) is asking Allah (swt) to keep his heart firm on this Din. We should also

always be in the habit of making the same prayer. This is because the word which Allah (swt)

uses in this ayah for heart, qalbis derived from something that always turns. So even if we find

ourselves in obedience to Allah (swt) today, we cannot be certain that we will be tomorrow.

There are so many forces that are working to take us away from this Path. Our hearts may be

firm on Islam today but the word which Allah (swt) uses to describe them gives the meaning that

they can turn at anytime. So we should realize from this as well how we are always in need of

Allah (swt) at every moment of our lives. We even need Him (swt) to keep our hearts steady on

Islam. The Prophet (saw) realized this and that is why he (saw) always made this prayer. If the

Prophet (saw) was frequent in making this prayer then how can we excuse ourselves from it?

How can we be certain that we will be steadfast on this Din tomorrow? If we think that we will be

then we have not realized the nature of our hearts.

This ayah then shows us how much we are in need of Allah (swt) and how terrible it

would be if we are deprived of His (swt)s guidance. Allah (swt) has the Power to open hearts

just as He (swt) has the Power to close them. How fortunate are we then that Allah (swt) has

opened our hearts for us and allowed the light of Islam to enter it. We should always be grateful

to Allah (swt) for this favor and we should constantly strive even harder to please Him (swt) in

order to show our gratitude.

This ayah also shows us the terrible situation of the ones who turn away from this

Message. Without a doubt they will have a terrible punishment in the next world, but even in this

life they have the terrible punishment of their hearts being sealed. The fact that their hearts have

been sealed is a punishment for them in this world. So once again we see how fortunate we are

that Allah (swt) has opened our hearts for the light of this guidance to enter. Because of this

great gift that Allah (swt) has given us we must always strive to do the actions that He (swt) is

pleased with. We must always have the fear that Allah (swt) could seal our hearts if we are


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disobedient to Him (swt), and that fear should make us strive further in our obedience to Him

(swt). Al-Qurtubi notes how Mujahid, one of prominent classical mufasir, said that the heart is

like a hand and sins are like the fingers on that hand. Each sin we commit is like a finger that

closes down on the hand and eventually when all the fingers come down the hand is sealed. The

sins cover the heart and they create a barrier which prevents the guidance from Allah (swt) from

entering. This shows how we must always strive to be obedient to Allah (swt) and it shows how

we must always try our best to keep away from sin. It shows the fear that we must have for

Allah (swt), the One Who has the Power to close and open hearts. We turn to Allah (swt) in

complete humility and devotion, and we beg and plead of Him (swt) to keep our hearts open to

the light of the Quran.

After Allah (swt) tells us that He (swt) has sealed has their hearts, He (swt) then tells us

that their hearing is sealed as well. It is sealed so that the sound of Quran cannot enter it. They

hear the ayahs of the Quran being recited. They know that these could not have been composed

by the mind of human being, but still the realization then they must be from Allah (swt) does not

fall into their minds. So because their hearing has been sealed they do not hear the Quran as it

was meant to be heard, as a Miracle from Allah (swt). Thus the Quran does not serve to guide

them to Allah (swt). They hear the word but they do not understand the Miracle. May Allah (swt)

save us from that fate!

Allah (swt) also tells us that there is a covering over their vision. It is like a blindfold that

has been thrown over their eyes. This is so that they do not see the Signs of Allah (swt) that are

around them in the universe. They see the creation of Allah (swt) all around them, they see that

everything they can sense is weak and limited. So then can see that everything that they can

sense has the attributes of creation and thus must have a Creator. But this observation does not

lead them to the realization that behind this universe is Allah (swt). They do not realize that this

universe that they see around them could only have come from Allah (swt). They do not realize

this fact, they are completely blind to it because over their eyes is a covering. So while the

believers look around the universe and see the Signs for Allah (swt) in everything that they can


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sense, these disbelievers see only the material things of this universe. They are blind to the fact

that all of these material things point to the Creator Who originated them.

So we see that Allah (swt) has prevented the guidance from reaching them on multiple

levels. On the one hand their hearts are sealed so that they cannot comprehend this Message,

they do not realize the Truth of it. But on top of that the senses which perceive the Truth of this

Message are also closed. The hearing with which they can listen to the ayahs of Quran are

closed, and the vision with which they can perceive the signs of Allah (swt) in the created

universe is covered. So we see how terrible is their punishment in the life of this world because

they have chosen to turn away from this Message that their Creator has sent them. Even before

they face the terrible punishment of the Hereafter, they have the terrible punishment of being

barred from comprehending this Message. May Allah (swt) save us from ever becoming like

them! May Allah (swt) give us the enabling grace to always be obedient to Him (swt)! May Allah

(swt) save us from the sins that can close the hearts! May Allah (swt) open our hearts and our

hearing and may He (swt) lift all the veils from our vision!

In the final part of this ayah Allah (swt) tell us that for them is a tremendous

punishment. So in the first part of this ayah Allah (swt) had told us about the punishment that

they would receive in the life of this world. The sealing of their hearts and senses so that they

are not able to comprehend this Message. In this part of the ayah Allah (swt) tells us about the

punishment that they will receive in the Hereafter. Even the adjective that Allah (swt) uses to

describe this punishment should tell us how terrible it will be. It should tell us how terrifying it

will be. It should tell us how much we should want to avoid it. When Allah (swt) refers to a

punishment as great or tremendous, can you imagine what kind of a punishment it will be?

How painful and intense it will be? Such is what they deserve for turning away from the One Who

created them and the One Who keeps them alive for every moment of their existence. Allah (swt)

gave them the choice to choose Him (swt) but they chose themselves, so this is what they

deserve. If you do not realize the greatness of the evil that they have done then you do not

realize how much we are all in debt to Allah (swt). You would not even be living at this moment


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were it not for Allah (swt), how much then are you in debt to Him (swt). Every moment that

passes in your life, every breath that you take is only a gift from Him (swt), for which you have

done nothing to deserve. So how much then are you in debt to Him? How evil then are those

who refuse to even acknowledge Him (swt)? These people enjoy their lives and they enjoy all of

the bounties and favors that Allah (swt) bestows on them but they do not even want to show the

least amount of gratitude to Him (swt). They do not even want to acknowledge Him (swt). How

then can you say that they are not deserving of this punishment?

Not only does Allah (swt) deserve to be worshipped because of all that He (swt) has

done for us but He (swt) also deserves to be worshipped because of Who He (swt) IS. Can you

even begin to realize Allah (swt)? Can you even begin to realize how Tremendous and Sublime

and Majestic He (swt) IS? He (swt) has all the attributes of perfection. In every way He (swt) is

Perfect with no weakness or deficiency in Him (swt) whatsoever. Everything in the creation is

worshipping and glorifying Allah (swt) to the utmost of its ability. These people however refuse

to. They think that they are above having to submit themselves to Him (swt). What then can you

say about such people? Even when the Message from Allah (swt) reaches them and they know

that this Message is true they still will not bow down before the Lord and Master. Is there any

good whatsoever in such people? Are not such people deserving of this punishment? What they

have done to Allah (swt) is far worse than what He (swt) has done to them. May Allah (swt)

save us from becoming like these people! May Allah (swt) allow us to always realize how much

we are in debt to Him (swt)! May Allah (swt) make us to always remember all that He (swt) has

done for us! How we would not even be existing at this moment if it were not for His (swt)s

Grace, His (swt)s Mercy and His (swt)s Love on our worthless selves! May Allah (swt) help us to

realize Him (swt) and realize why He (swt) is deserving that we submit ourselves to Him (swt)!

May Allah (swt) make us realize that there is no point to life whatsoever except to spend every

moment of it in worship and servitude to Him (swt)! Only when we reach this realization will we

worship and serve Allah (swt) as He (swt) deserves!


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9. And of mankind, there are those who say We believe in Allah and the Last Day.

But they do not believe.

The scholars have said that Allah (swt) has divided the first part of Surah Baqarah into

three sections. In this first four ayahs Allah (swt) tells about the believers, then He (swt) tells

about the disbelievers for two ayahs, and then for thirteen ayahs Allah (swt) tells us about the

Munafiqoonor the hypocrites. The fact that Allah (swt) spends such a large number of ayahs

describing the hypocrites shows how important it is that we as a Muslims know about them. One

reason why it is important to know about them is so that we are aware of their presence within

our community. Another reason is so that we can save ourselves from becoming like them. These

ayahs were originally revealed about the hypocrites in Madinah. People like Abdullah ibn Ubay

and others like him. They are the ones who pretended to be Muslims all the while they hated the

Prophet (saw) and they hated Islam. They said with their tongues that they had submitted to this

Message but in their hearts they had not. In their hearts they hated this Message and they

wanted to destroy it. Although these ayahs were revealed about those hypocrites at the time of

the Prophet (saw), the meaning of these ayahs holds true for all hypocrites after them as well.

Even the hypocrites who exist in the midst of our community today.

Before we discuss the hypocrites we should notice even the way in which Allah (swt) has

divided mankind in these ayahs. Allah (swt) has not divided mankind based on the color of their

skin, or the language that they speak or the land in which they originate. There is no distinction

in these ayahs between Arab and non-Arab. There is no distinction in these ayahs between black

and white. None of this matters to Allah (swt). We can see from these ayahs that what matters

to Allah (swt) is the belief that you have in your heart and how you behave based on that belief.

This is what matters. This is what we are being tested on while we are on this earth. On the Day

of Judgment we will never be questioned

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