Surat Al Baqarah (245-255)

{مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً وَاللهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْسُطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ} [البقرة: 245]

245- Those who give of their money for Jihad or for any good work out of devotion and good self, Allah will accept that from Him and double the reward for Him in a way that does not expect.

Allah gives more sustenance to some people than others for wisdom and benefit that He destines. So, spend and do not be miser because Allah is the Provider of sustenance and in Whose Hands is all good.

You shall be back to Him on the Day of the Recompense to reward or retribute you for the actions you did; if they are good, you shall be rewarded and if not, you shall be punished.

 

{أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى المَلَإِ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مُوسَى إِذْ قَالُوا لِنَبِيٍّ لَهُمُ ابْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ قَالَ هَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِنْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ القِتَالُ أَلَّا تُقَاتِلُوا قَالُوا وَمَا لَنَا أَلَّا نُقَاتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ وَقَدْ أُخْرِجْنَا مِنْ دِيَارِنَا وَأَبْنَائِنَا فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ القِتَالُ تَوَلَّوْا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْهُمْ وَاللهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ} [البقرة: 246]

246- Look at a group of people from the Children of Israel who came after Moses [peace be upon him] when their lofty people said to their prophet: Appoint a king for us to abide by his opinion in war and to fight in the case of Allah against his enemies.

Their prophet said to them: What if I answered your request and then asked you to fight but you did not abide by what you have promised?

They said: How can we do not fight while our homes have been taken away, our children have been captured, and we have been away from our wives; this is a good reason to obey you and fight.

However, when a king was appointed to lead them in war; it was the time for fighting; and were asked to set out for fight, they did not keep their promises but few of them.

Allah is All-Knowing about their forsaking Jihad and breaking the promises and shall punish them for that severely.

 

{وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا قَالُوا أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ المُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِنَ المَالِ قَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ اصْطَفَاهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي العِلْمِ وَالجِسْمِ وَاللهُ يُؤْتِي مُلْكَهُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ} [البقرة: 247]

247- When they asked their prophet to appoint a king for them, he said to them: Allah has chosen Talut as your king.

They said: How could he be our king and he is not from the royal dynasty, but he is only an ordinary person, therefore, we are more entitled of kingdom than him. Moreover, he does not have much money to act like a king.

Their prophet said to them: Allah has chosen him from among you to be your king, and Allah gave much knowledge, a powerful body-built, a great patience in war, and more knowledge of it than you. Indeed, Allah gives whomever He wants what He wants because He is the sovereign, not you. He is the Bestower of favors, gives whomever He wants of the poor and make them rich, and He is All-Knowing of those who deserve kingdom and those who do not.

 

{وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ آَيَةَ مُلْكِهِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَكُمُ التَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَبَقِيَّةٌ مِمَّا تَرَكَ آَلُ مُوسَى وَآَلُ هَارُونَ تَحْمِلُهُ المَلَائِكَةُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآَيَةً لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ} [البقرة: 248]

248- Their Prophet said to them: The evidence of selecting Talut as your king is that he shall bring for you the coffin [where the belongings of Moses and Aaron were kept] wherein is peace and tranquillity so that you feel safe. He also shall bring along other things that belong to the people of Moses and the people of Aaron [i.e., the stick of Moses and tablets of the Torah]. This coffin will be carried by the angles of Allah and shall put it at Talut.

Verily, in that is a great sign and a lesson for you that denote to his sovereignty over you if you are truthful.

 

{فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طَالُوتُ بِالجُنُودِ قَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ مُبْتَلِيكُمْ بِنَهَرٍ فَمَنْ شَرِبَ مِنْهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي وَمَنْ لَمْ يَطْعَمْهُ فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي إِلَّا مَنِ اغْتَرَفَ غُرْفَةً بِيَدِهِ فَشَرِبُوا مِنْهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْهُمْ فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَهُ هُوَ وَالَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا مَعَهُ قَالُوا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا اليَوْمَ بِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِ قَالَ الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُمْ مُلَاقُو اللهِ كَمْ مِنْ فِئَةٍ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِيرَةً بِإِذْنِ اللهِ وَاللهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ} [البقرة: 249]

249- When Talut, the king of the Children of Israel set out with his troops and with the people who set out with him from the Children of Israel, he said to them. Allah shall test your obedience by a river, which its water is sweet. So, whoever drinks thereof will not take part in the war except if he takes a handful of water and whoever does not drink, he may accompany me.

So, most of them drank because they were thirsty except for a few out of obedience to Allah.

The wisdom of that trial was to distinct the hesitating weak from the firm people. So, those who drank were not of strong will and obedience, therefore, they were not fit for war and fight. Yet, their action indicated weakness and that they would be dependent on the rest of the soldiers. Because of their weak will, perhaps they will spread panic and the spirit of defeat among the army. Therefore, their king separated them and did not allow them to take part in the great war which awaits them.

When Talut set out with the rest of the believing soldiers, who were few, and met the great army of Goliath, they said: We have no power to fight them because they are too many. Their scholars and the pious of them who believe in the encounter of Allah and His reward said: A group who are few in number but with strong belief, determination, and reliance on Allah and extract their source of power from Allah and His Promise of victory and reward shall gain victory over a large group who do not depend but on their apparent power by the will of Allah. Their large number will not avail them as long as Allah is not with them, whereas the group of few numbers will not be harmed as long as Allah's Support and Victory are with them. Indeed, Allah shall give support and victory to the group that will observe patience and provide it with aid and success, so go forth and do not slow down pace.

The believers are different in the power of certainty and will.

 

{وَلَمَّا بَرَزُوا لِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِ قَالُوا رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى القَوْمِ الكَافِرِينَ} [البقرة: 250]

250- When they met Goliath and his large army, they observed patience, put their trust in Allah, supplicated Him for victory, and said: O Allah, make our determination firm, fill our hearts with tranquility and satisfaction, make us firm when we encounter our enemy, and make us victorious over the unbelievers.

 

{فَهَزَمُوهُمْ بِإِذْنِ اللهِ وَقَتَلَ دَاوُودُ جَالُوتَ وَآَتَاهُ اللهُ المُلْكَ وَالحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَهُ مِمَّا يَشَاءُ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَفَسَدَتِ الأَرْضُ وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى العَالَمِينَ} [البقرة: 251]

251- Thus, the Muslim army, who are few in number, gained victory with the will of Allah and David killed Goliath, the leader of the unbelievers' army. David was a soldier in the army of Talut then Allah granted him sovereignty after Talut, bestowed His Favor upon him by giving him prophethood, and increased his knowledge out of His Knowledge.

Though Allah had prepared some people to resist or fight other in fights, battlefields, competitions, and races as he supported the Children of Israel by the fight of Talut and the bravery of David, people would have been destroyed.

Therefore, the favor and bounty are Allah's Alone where He bestowed His Mercy upon His Servants and prepared some of them to defend the rest; He has all wisdom, right, and power.

 

{تِلْكَ آَيَاتُ اللهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِالحَقِّ وَإِنَّكَ لَمِنَ المُرْسَلِينَ} [البقرة: 252]

252- They are the signs of Allah and true stories that Allah has revealed to you, O noble Prophet, to make the people believe in you, consider, and realize the facts. They would not know those stories and narrations unless you told them out of Allah's revelation and knowledge for you are, surly, a sent Prophet from Him.

{تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ كَلَّمَ اللهُ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٍ وَآَتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ البَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ القُدُسِ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللهُ مَا اقْتَتَلَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ البَيِّنَاتُ وَلَكِنِ اخْتَلَفُوا فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ آَمَنَ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ كَفَرَ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللهُ مَا اقْتَتَلُوا وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ} [البقرة: 253]

253- We gave preference to some messengers over others. Allah spoke to some of them such as Moses [peace be upon him], whereas We raised some of them degrees over the others such as Muhammad [peace be upon him] whom Allah gave preference over mankind. He is the Messenger of Allah to all mankind and the message of Islam which he brought with abrogated all previous messages. We gave Jesus, son of Mary [peace be upon him], powerful signs and miracles such as giving life to the dead by the will of Allah along with other sings. Those signs and miracles proved the authenticity of Jesus' prophethood and the truthfulness of his mission to the Children of Israel. Moreover, We supported him with Gabriel [peace be upon him] to aid and help him.

The followers of the messengers fought one another after they had disagreed with one another although all their prophets were callers to the worship of Allah, the One. Despite the clear signs and proofs that were clear before the believers, some of them have disbelieved, whereas some have believed. If Allah willed, they would not engage in fight but that was His Will to destroy disbelief with faith and to establish the sound `Aqidah [Islamic faith] on earth in order to spread it and in order that the people know it.

 

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا أَنْفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لَا بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خُلَّةٌ وَلَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَالكَافِرُونَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ} [البقرة: 254]

254- O believers, the worldly life is a chance for doing pious acts. Therefore, spend of the sustenance that Allah had given you before the worldly life ends and no action would be accepted from any of you. Let it be known that the Day of the Recompense is coming and it has no bargaining or purchase in order to gain profits. There will be no money for anyone to ransom themselves. Neither friends nor relatives will benefit you. There will be no mediation to intercede for you or to expiate your sins but the whole matter will be with Allah.

The disbelievers will be the worst losers on that Day because they have denied the truth, oppressed themselves by refusing to follow the truth, and oppressed others by blocking the way of obedience before them and deprived them of abundant good, so they will bear their own sins and the sins of others on the Day of the Recompense.

 

{اللهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الحَيُّ القَيُّومُ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ العَلِيُّ العَظِيمُ} [البقرة: 255]

255- He is Allah, the One and the Only, Whom is worshipped truly. He is the Alive, the Permanent, and the Everlasting Who does not die or vanish. He is the Eternal and His Ownself has neither beginning nor end. He is the Ever-Existing Who runs everything and maintains everything. He never wanes, takes nap or sleeps. He is Free of imperfection or fault [He may be Glorified] and He is never neglectful.

All that in heaven and on earth is owned to Him and under His Dominance and Will.

No body dare to ask for the intercession except by His Leave because everyone belongs to Him, under His Will, asks His Permission, and intercedes according to the limits permissible to them. He has the dominance, greatness, and glory.

His Knowledge is absolute, inclusive, complete, and encompassing all the creatures: their past, present, and future, what they conceal and what they show publicly. However, they do not know anything of His Knowledge except that which He reveals to them in a way that suits their conditions and needs, and by the means He bestowed on them on earth and in heavens [until it becomes manifest to them that this [the Qur'an] is the truth.] [Fussilat: 54].

His Chair encompasses the heavens and the earth.

He is never burdened by maintaining all that on earth, in heavens, or that in between. It is easy for Him to do so because He is the Watcher over all creatures. Nothing of their movements is hidden from Him and all things are tiny and small in compare to His Ability and Greatness, whereas all creatures need His Perseverance and Maintenance.

He is the Supreme High, Glorious, Powerful, the Sublime over His Creatures, the Exalted over all things and peers, and the Great Who is greater than everything.

No matter a human is high, he does not transgress the station of servitude to Allah, the Great.

This is Ayat-ul-Kursy that has a great status. It was reported in authentic Hadiths that it is the greatest Ayah in the Glorious Qur'an. It was authentically reported that the Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him] said: "Whoever recites Ayat-ul-Kursy after each obligatory Salah, nothing will prevent him from entering Paradise."