1-7 God-fearing rewarded, Unbelievers reproved Following the ''muqatta'at
, Al-Baqara begins with the declaration that the Quran is free of doubt and contains guidance for those who possess taqwa. Taqwā is grammatically linked to the triliteral root w-q-y evoking wariness, a sense of care and protection. These people, known as God-fearing (muttaqin), are defined as those who believe in al-ghaib (Unseen, ghayb, lit. “absent”), Next is a detailed description of munafiqs,
defined here as those who say they believe in God and the Last Judgment, but do not actually believe in them. It is said that they try to deceive God and the mumins
(believers) but they deceive themselves without perception, that in their hearts is a disease which God increases, and that they will be punished with a painful torment. The munafiqs
are also said to spread fasad (disorder/mischief) in the land, while claiming to spread peace, and to call the believers fools. To the believers they say they believe, but when they go back to their devils, they tell confess their disbelief, but they do not know that God deceives them and increases their deviation. They are then called those who engage in a profitless trade, the purchase of error with guidance. The munafiqs'' are then likened to a person who starts a fire and feels safe in its immediate surrounding, but God extinguishes the fire and the person is covered in darkness. The Quran then calls them deaf, dumb, and blind. Another example given is that of a person wandering in rain, thunder and lightning in darkness, such that they would have to thrust their fingers into their ears out of the fear of death. The lightning is so bright that it almost takes away their sight, but they walk toward it whenever it strikes, and stay put when it is dark. Mankind is then asked to worship God to acquire
taqwa, and a description of God's creations follows: the earth as a resting place, the sky as a canopy, and rain sent from the sky to bring forth fruit and provision. They are then advised to not set up others in worship beside God. Those who doubt that the Quran was revealed to Muhammad are then challenged to produce a
surah similar to it. It is then said that they will never be able to fulfill this challenge and are asked to fear
Hell, which is described as being fueled with men and stones and specifically prepared for the
kafirs. The stories in this chapter are told to help the reader understand the theological conception of truth in Islam.
8-20 The hypocrites Q2:8-20 in Surah Al Baqarah refer to the hypocrites (
Munafiqun). In the Meccan phase of Muhammad, there existed two groups, the Believers and the Mushrikeen (non-believers). However, after Hijrah (Emigration to Medina) Muhammad had to deal with the opposition of those who openly accepted Islam while secretly plotting against Muslims. Their leader was
Abd-Allah ibn Ubayy who was about to be crowned king before the arrival of Muhammad in
Medina. The hypocrites benefitted from the Muslims while not losing their association with the disbelievers. They were considered disloyal to both parties and inclined towards those who benefited them the most in the worldly sense The surah also sheds light on the concept of
Nifaq, which is opposite of sincerity. It is of two types: 1) Nifaq in belief: outwardly showing belief however in reality there is no belief 2) Nifaq in practice: where people believe however they act like hypocrites. The signs of a hypocrite are lying, breaking promises, not keeping an amaanah or trust and when they argue they curse or use bad language. According to a prominent scholar, Kamaluddin Ahmed, Nifaq is something that is within the heart, hence no one knows of its existence except God. Therefore, no one can be called a hypocrite or
Munaafiq through one's own self-assessment. This would amount to making Takfeer i.e. calling someone a
Kafir (non-believer) since Nifaq (hypocrisy) in belief is kufr.
26 Commences with
۞ (
rubʿ al-ḥizb), an Islamic symbol.
87-105 is preserved in the
Ṣan‘ā’1 lower text. :
Indeed, We gave Moses the Book and sent after him successive messengers. And We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the holy spirit. Why is it that every time a messenger comes to you ˹Israelites˺ with something you do not like, you become arrogant, rejecting some and killing others?() Condemnation of
alcoholic beverages and
gambling is also first found in the chapter, and it is one of only four chapters in the Quran to refer to
Christians as
Nazarenes instead of the more frequent terms
People of the Book or "Helpers of Christ." Al-Baqarah contains several verses dealing with the subject of warfare. Q are quoted on the nature of
battle in Islam. The surah includes a few Islamic rules related to varying subjects, such as: prayers, fasting, striving on the path of God, the pilgrimage to Mecca, the change of the direction of prayer (
Qiblah) from
Jerusalem to
Mecca, marriage and divorce, commerce, debt, and a great many of the ordinances concerning interest or usury.
al-Jalalayn says, "summon to bear witness the debt two witnesses men mature Muslim free men; or if the two witnesses be not men then one man and two women". == Structure ==