بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Benefits from the Basmallah
1- Starting with Bismillah is for the purpose of seeking Assistance in Allaah.
2 –The Basmallah comprises of three names; Allaah, ar-Rahmaan and ar-Raheem, besides this Surah (some counted the Basmallah as being part of Surah al-Faatihah), there is no other Aayah in the Quraan which combines these names: Allaah, ar-Rahmaan and ar-Raheem.
This is so that the slave knows the name of the object of worship – Allaah. He Alone deserves our worship alone, none other than Him. There is nothing that is extolled (in truth) besides him.
As for ar-Rahmaan and ar-Raheem then we are seeking Allaah’s assistance through His Mercy (Rahmaan) and Compassion (Raheem).
Therefore, if we recognize Him being our Lord Alone, then because of these two other names, He will have Mercy upon His Slaves.
Benefits from Surah al-Faatihah
ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
“The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” [1:2]
1-The Names (and/or Attributes) ar-Rahmaan and ar-Raheem, are repeated again after reciting them in the Basmallah.
This is to show that having the ability to Praise Allaah and thank Him (in the first Aayah) is only from the Mercy of Allaah .
-That the slave recognises that we have been given great attention to the Names and Attributes of Allaah; His Mercy, Kindness, Provision and all other favours of His upon His Creation.
Therefore, reciting ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem in the Basmallah in the Basmallah is in seeking His Assistance.
As for reciting ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem in Surah al-Faatihah, then this comes in the context of praise and giving thanks.
2-The difference between ar-Rahmaan and ar-Raheem:
Ar-Rahmaan is on the scale of (فعلان) which is an attribute or an adjective describing Allaah being full of Mercy.
Ar-Raheem is on the scale of (فعيل) which implies the action or the verb of Allaah have Mercy.
So ar-Rahmaan describes Allaah but ar-Raheem is an action of Allaah, the Most High.
Therefore the Aayah is saying, “The One Who is Tremendous in Mercy and constantly Gives it.”
For this reason, these names cannot be given to anyone besides Allaah.
3-Some stated that ar-Rahmaan is general for all of His Creation, whereas as ar-Raheem is specific to the believers
For this reason, ar-Rahmaan comes before ar-Raheem in these Aayat, as ar-Rahmaan is for the Dunya and ar-Raheem is for the Aakhirah.
Meaning, He is ar-Rahmaan to all in the Dunya but in the Aakhirah, He is ar-Raheem to the believers alone.
إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ
“You (Alone) we worship” [1:4]
4-The pronoun (You) comes before verb (we worship) shows specification – meaning, “We do not worship anything besides you.”
5-It also highlights on how to gain the Assistance of Allaah; by specifying and bringing forward His mention before asking Him to fulfill your needs (TN: similar to supplicating, “Oh Allaah! Give me...”).
(TN: It also shows respect, as we do not mention ourselves before mentioning Allaah).
إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ
“ You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).” [1:4]
6-This shows the importance of having sincerity before doing acts of worship. In this Aayah, the Slave specifies Allaah in worship and then gives an example of worship – Dua’a in seeking His Assistance.
ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٲطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ
“Guide us to the Straight Way. ” [1:5]
7-The words “Straight Way” is repeated twice in this Surah because:
-Showing the favour of Allaah upon His Slaves by giving them the Straight Path.
-It describes what steadfastness upon the religion is – obedience to Him.
-How to gain the same characteristics as the pious and the Siddiqoon (truthful).
صِرَٲطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ غَيۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
“The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians). “ [1:6-7]
8-The previous Aayah shows how we can gain the Favour of Allaah but this shows how we can abstain from the Anger of Allaah and how to avoid misguidance.
9-In this Aayah we are supplicating for the Favour of Allaah and not be removed from it, lest falling into misguidance and His Anger.
10-This Aayah is also proof that all good is from Allaah and that bad and evil are present because of shortcomings of the creation.
11-We have etiquettes of asking Allaah, thus asking Allaah to give us with “those Whom He has favoured” as all good is from Allaah, and we don’t attribute evil to Allaah by saying, “Save us from Those Who you caused to be Angry with.” Rather, these people have “earned His Anger” because of their own shortcomings. Therefore, the one who is supplicating to Allaah, supplicates with Praise and Affirming His Lofty Names and Attributes.
Benefits from Surah al-Baqarah
ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيۡبَۛ فِيهِۛ هُدً۬ى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ
“This is the Book (the Qur'an), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqun [the pious and righteous persons who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)].” [2:2]
”there is no doubt” meaning for those who want to seek the truth and correct understanding. Otherwise, the Kuffaar are full of doubt in this book.
خَتَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ وَعَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِمۡۖ وَعَلَىٰٓ أَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡ غِشَـٰوَةٌ۬ۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ۬
“Allah has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearings, (i.e. they are closed from accepting Allah's Guidance), and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be a great torment.” [2:7]
-In this Aayah the word “hearing” comes before “eyes” or seeing, because hearing (or listening) is more receptive than seeing. So many people believed in message of the Prophet by listening to his words and the knowledge that he brought. For this reason, Allaah has never Sent a Prophet who was mute, however He has Sent Prophets who were (or went) blind (such as Ya’qoob).
مَثَلُهُمۡ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى ٱسۡتَوۡقَدَ نَارً۬ا فَلَمَّآ أَضَآءَتۡ مَا حَوۡلَهُ ۥ ذَهَبَ ٱللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمۡ وَتَرَكَهُمۡ فِى ظُلُمَـٰتٍ۬ لَّا يُبۡصِرُونَ
“Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see.” [2:17]
In this Aayah, the word light has been referred to “illumination” as well as “light”. The difference between is that illumination is overwhelming, however, the misguidance of the hypocrites has been described as losing light in its totality, thus the difference between the wording is more prudent.
أَوۡ كَصَيِّبٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَـٰتٌ۬ وَرَعۡدٌ۬ وَبَرۡقٌ۬ يَجۡعَلُونَ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمۡ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِہِم مِّنَ ٱلصَّوَٲعِقِ حَذَرَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۚ وَٱللَّهُ مُحِيطُۢ بِٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ
“Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder, and lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allah ever encompasses the disbelievers (i.e. Allah will gather them all together).” [2:19]
The parable between many darkness and misguidance is that both darkness and misguidance both have many forms. Darkness appears at night, cloudiness, rain, storms etc.
Therefore the causes for misguidance and darkness are plenty, however the religion of truth and its light is only one (hence the word light or “نور” in the Quraan is used in a singular and not in plural).
Therefore Kufr and Shirk is of various types whereas al-Emaan can only be of one type.
وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأَدَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ
“And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves before Adam.". And they prostrated except Iblis (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allah).” [2:34]
The details of the story of Aadam and Iblees has not been explained here as stories are explained in more detail according to context and the messages surrounding the story.
قُلۡنَا ٱهۡبِطُواْ مِنۡہَا جَمِيعً۬اۖ فَإِمَّا يَأۡتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدً۬ى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ
“We said: "Get down all of you from this place (the Paradise), then whenever there comes to you Guidance from Me, and whoever follows My Guidance, there shall be no fear on them, nor shall they grieve.” [2:38]
This Aayah comes after the repentance of Aadam, which is proof that we are commanded not to follow the mistake but to follow the state after repentance (Ikhlaas and regret for sin the past).
وَءَامِنُواْ بِمَآ أَنزَلۡتُ مُصَدِّقً۬ا لِّمَا مَعَكُمۡ وَلَا تَكُونُوٓاْ أَوَّلَ كَافِرِۭ بِهِۦۖ وَلَا تَشۡتَرُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِى ثَمَنً۬ا قَلِيلاً۬ وَإِيَّـٰىَ فَٱتَّقُونِ
And believe in what I have sent down (this Qur'an), confirming that which is with you, [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)], and be not the first to disbelieve therein, and buy not with My Verses [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] a small price (i.e. getting a small gain by selling My Verses), and fear Me and Me Alone. (Tafsir At-Tabari, Vol. I, Page 253). [2:41]
“and buy not with My Verses [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] a small price (i.e. getting a small gain by selling My Verses),” the parable of trade with the Aayaat of Allaah is that selling religious knowledge means they have no virtue for it, thus exchanging something priceless (the religion) for something worthless (worldly gain).
وَإِذۡ نَجَّيۡنَـٰڪُم مِّنۡ ءَالِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ يَسُومُونَكُمۡ سُوٓءَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبۡنَآءَكُمۡ وَيَسۡتَحۡيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمۡۚ وَفِى ذَٲلِكُم بَلَآءٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ عَظِيمٌ۬
“And (remember) when We delivered you from Fir'aun's (Pharaoh) people, who were afflicting you with a horrible torment, slaughtering your sons and sparing your women, and therein was a mighty trial from your Lord.” [2:49]
In this Aayah the word “slaughtering” has been used whereas in other Aayat the word “killing” has been used. This is proof that killing a person’s child in oppression is from the worst forms of punishments, thus described as slaughtering otherwise it has been described as killing in its general terms.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ
“Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians” [2:62]
In this Aayah the order is Jews, Christians and then the Sabians (agnostics, some of whom were monotheists and others polytheists). In Surah al-Hajj the order is Jews, Sabians and then the Christians (22:17).
The reason for the order in Surah al-Baqarah is to show honour to the People of the Book, Jews and then the Christians.
As for their mention being brought forward in Surah al-Hajj before the Christians is for two reasons: using their chronological order as the Sabians existed before the coming of ‘Esaa bin Maryam [Peace be upon him].
Secondly, the Christians had fallen into Shirk in their beliefs, that’s why the Aayah in Surah al-Hajj couples the Christians with the Mushriks and the Majoos (fire-worshipers):
“Verily, those who believe (in Allah and in His Messenger Muhammad ), and those who are Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians, and the Magians, and those who worship others besides Allah.” [Surah al-Hajj 22:17]
وَإِذۡ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوۡمِهِۦۤ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأۡمُرُكُمۡ أَن تَذۡبَحُواْ بَقَرَةً۬ۖ
Until
وَإِذۡ قَتَلۡتُمۡ نَفۡسً۬ا فَٱدَّٲرَٲٔۡتُمۡ فِيہَاۖ وَٱللَّهُ مُخۡرِجٌ۬ مَّا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡتُمُونَ
“And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said to his people: "Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow." They said, "Do you make fun of us?"” [2:67]
Until,
“And (remember) when you killed a man and fell into dispute among yourselves as to the crime. But Allah brought forth that which you were hiding. So We said: "Strike him (the dead man) with a piece of it (the cow)." Thus Allah brings the dead to life and shows you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) so that you may understand.” [2:72-73]
In this story, it occurred that a man killed another in order to take his cow. So as part of finding the killer, Allaah Ordered the Children of Israel to kill a cow. After the series of events, Aayah #72 and #73 explains the parable of life and death. So the reason why Allaah Commanded them to slaughter a cow before finding the culprit, was to explain the favour of Allaah upon them (that they have a Messenger and Wahy from Allaah to guide them) and that the process of making Tawbah for such a severe sin is long and difficult. Also shows that the favour of Allaah upon them is plenty and this doesn’t outweigh sins that a person may fall into.
وَقَالُواْ لَن تَمَسَّنَا ٱلنَّارُ إِلَّآ أَيَّامً۬ا مَّعۡدُودَةً۬ۚ
“And they (Jews) say, "The Fire (i.e. Hell-fire on the Day of Resurrection) shall not touch us but for a few numbered days” [2:80]
The Jews split in this regard (3:24). One sect stated that they will be punished for their sins for a period of seven days in the Dunya. Others from them argued that they will be punished for forty days – the same duration in which they worshipped the calf in. Thus after sinning, they split and divided. Yet, they arrogantly claimed that the rewards in the Hereafter is only for them.
After being given the details these Aayah, Allaah Says:
وَلَن يَتَمَنَّوۡهُ أَبَدَۢا بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَيۡدِيہِمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمُۢ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
“But they will never long for it because of what their hands have sent before them (i.e. what they have done). And Allah is All-Aware of theZalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers).” [2:95]
They have committed a series of sins – such as Kufr, sins, killing the Prophet and claimed that they will be redeemed - despite this, they fear and hate death. This is because they have no support in Allaah and they have no promise of reward or being safe from the threat of punishment.
إِنَّ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ هُوَ ٱلۡهُدَىٰۗ وَلَٮِٕنِ ٱتَّبَعۡتَ أَهۡوَآءَهُم بَعۡدَ ٱلَّذِى جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِۙ
“Say: "Verily, the Guidance of Allah (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) that is the (only) Guidance. And if you (O Muhammad Peace be upon him ) were to follow their (Jews and Christians) desires after what you have received of Knowledge (i.e. the Qur'an)” [2:120]
The meaning of guidance and knowledge here refers to the Qiblah. The People of the Book and the Mushriks tried to claim that the Muslims are misguided because their Qiblah had been changed from Bayt al-Maqdis to the Ka’bah.
Therefore, following this ruling and praying in the direction of the Qiblah is true guidance and knowledge.
However this differs to the meaning of guidance and knowledge in its general sense. The Quraan mentions guidance and knowledge in relation to following the correct religion and not being divided into sects, and not specifically the Qiblah to Makkah.
وَإِذۡ قَالَ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمُ رَبِّ ٱجۡعَلۡ هَـٰذَا بَلَدًا ءَامِنً۬ا وَٱرۡزُقۡ أَهۡلَهُ ۥ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ مِنۡہُم بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِۖ
And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said, "My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day.
Ibraaheem makes this Dua’a twice in the Quraan, once here in Surah al-Baqarah and this is before he left his wife Hajar and Ismaa’eel there alone. And again in Surah Ibraaheem (14:35) in which he supplicated for the land of Makkah and its people to be blessed (and made a sanctuary) upon his return. It was then that Ismaeel had grown and they built the Ka’bah and Makkah had become an inhabited town.
تِلۡكَ أُمَّةٌ۬ قَدۡ خَلَتۡۖ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبۡتُمۡۖ وَلَا تُسۡـَٔلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ
That was a nation who has passed away. They shall receive the reward of what they earned and you of what you earn. And you will not be asked of what they used to do. [2:134 and 141]
This Aayah appears twice in close succession and the reason for this is to establish negation and affirmation. Negation that they, the Prophets before us, were not upon the religion that the People of the Book presumed them to be upon, rather they were monotheistic Muslims.
As for the second time it was mentioned, then it comes in the context of affirmation – that those Prophets including Ibraaheem, Ismaeel, Ishaaq, Yaqoob and their offspring, were adherent to the religion of al-Islaam.
Therefore the warning is against following something they were free from and differing with them upon it.
And Allaah Knows best.
And Allaah Knows best.
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