Discover the Holy Quran, Surah 2 Al Baqarah Verses 122-132

[taul]

--In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

122- O Children of Israel! call to mind the special favour which I bestowed upon you, and that I preferred you to all others (for My Message).

123- Then guard yourselves against a-Day when one soul shall not avail another, nor shall compensation be accepted from her nor shall intercession profit her nor shall anyone be helped (from outside).

124- And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands, which he fulfilled: He said: "I will make thee an Imam to the Nations." He pleaded: "And also (Imams) from my offspring!" He answered: "But My promise is not within the reach of evil-doers."

125- Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and take ye the station of Abrahams as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate (therin in prayer).

126- And remember Abraham said: "My Lord, makes this a City of Peace, and feed its people with fruits, -such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day." He said: "(Yea), and such as reject Faith, -for a while will I grant them their pleasure, but will soon drive them to the torment of Fire, - an evil destination (indeed)!"

127- And remember Abraham and Isma'il raised the foundation of the House (With this prayer): "Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us: For Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-knowing.

128- "Our Lord, make of us Muslims, bowing to Thy (Will), and of our progeny a people Muslim, bowing to Thy (will); and show us our place for the celebration of (due) rites; and turn unto us (in Mercy); for Thou art the Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.

129- "Our Lord! send amongst them a Messenger of their own, who shall rehearse Thy Signs to them and instruct them in scripture and wisdom, and sanctify them: For Thou art the Exalted in Might, the Wise."

130- And who turns away from the religion of Abraham but such as debase their souls with folly? Him We chose and rendered pure in this world: And he will be in the Hereafter in the ranks of the Righteous.

131- Behold! his Lord said to him: "Bow (thy will to Me):" He said: "I bow (may will) to the Lord and Cherisher of the Universe."

132- And this was the legacy that Abraham left to his sons, and so did Jacob; "Oh my sons! Allah hath chosen the Faith for you; then die not except in the Faith of Islam."

May Allah help us act upon the guidance we receive from the Holy Quran.

 

[patriot]

2:122 (The Children of Israel can easily relate to what has just been said. 62:5.) O Children of Israel! Remember My Blessings I graced you with and how I gave you distinction over all others (of the times when you followed the Commandments).

2:123 Now remain conscious of a Day when no human being will avail another, no ransom will be taken from any of them, nor will intercession profit anyone, and none will be helped.
[Absolute Justice is about to prevail in the State of Madinah, then in this world, and ultimately in the Hereafter. 2:48, 6:164-165]

2:124 And remember when his Lord had Abraham go through trying circumstances with His Commands, and he fulfilled them. Then He said, I have appointed you an exemplary leader for all mankind. He asked, And of my offspring (will there be exemplary leaders as well)? He replied, My Covenant does not include the wrongdoers.
[Being the offspring of a great man avails none. Trying circumstances: Abraham stood up to the formidable challenge of a mighty priesthood, rampant idolatry and the tyrannical autocracy of King Nimrod Shaddad in Ur, Mesopotamia. Imam = Plumb line that ensures the verticality of a wall = An outstanding leader]

2:125 Remember, We appointed the House a means to achieve unity among all mankind, and thus, a source of peace and security. So, attain the stature of Abraham recalling his firm stand for closely following the Divine Commands. We did take a Covenant from Abraham and Ishmael, Keep My House clean of all falsehood for those who rally around it and those who strive hard for the noble objective and those who submit in humility to the Divine Commands."
[Al-Bait = The House = Kabah = The Symbolic House of God in Makkah = The meeting point for all mankind = The Source of peace, security and unity for all humanity. 2:142-143, 3:96, 5:97, 14:35, 22:25. Musalla = The ways to obey God. Maqam-e-Ibrahim = The stature of Abraham = The stand he took. Taifa = Those who might be diverse in color and geography but united in Ideology. Taaif = Watchman = Custodian = One who stands guard. Taifeen = Caretakers of humanity = Guardians of human rights. Akafa = To prevent schism and discord = Set things right. 'Aakifeen = Those who strive for a noble objective = Those who prevent divisions = Who set things right.
Ismail = Ishmael resided permanently in Makkah, while his father kept traveling between Hagar (Haajirah) in Makkah and Sarah in Canaan (Palestine). Ishmael married a woman from the Qahtani Tribe of Jurham and became the ancestor of Musta Ribah (Arabianized tribes or the early Arabs). So the Arabs are, interestingly, descendants of a Hebrew father, Ishmael and a Qahtani Jurham mother from the Arabian Peninsula. They had twelve sons in their long and happy married life. The Qahtanis are still abundantly found in Arabia. They were a wandering tribe in Southern Arabia who had settled in Makkah before Ishmael, because of the (contrary to popular legend) pre-existing well of Zam-Zam. The Wilderness of Beer-Sheba of Genesis 21:14, embraces the Southern Palestine, and Hijaz (the mid-western Arabia). Therefore, the Bible and the Quran are in agreement concerning where Ishmael and his mother Hagar had settled after moving from Canaan.
Here is a glimpse of history about Hagar and Ishmael as found in the Bible.
Genesis 17:20 - As for Ishmael, I have heard you (O Abraham); behold, I will bless him and make him fruitful and multiply him exceedingly; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
Genesis 21:17 - And God heard the voice of the lad (Ishmael); and the angel of God called to Hagar from the heavens, and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not; for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him fast with your hand; for I will make him a great nation.
Genesis 21:20 - And God was with the lad, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran (Faran, Makkah).
This history also explains why the Quran repeatedly asserts that the Arabs had not received any Scripture before the Quran. The Arabs, being the descendants of Ishmael, could only become a community long after Ishmael had passed on and when his progeny had multiplied with time. Note: The Valley was a barren land, but Abraham settled his family in the town of Makkah, near the soon to be built Kabah. So, contrary to popular legends, Abraham never left his family in the isolation of a desert]

2:126 And Abraham prayed, My Lord! Make this land a haven of peace and security, and provide its residents with plentiful sustenance; those who believe in God and the Last Day. He answered, I will also provide for those who disbelieve and let them enjoy for a short while, then I will commit them to the suffering of the Fire, a miserable destiny! [14:37, 17:18-20, 22:25, 95:3]

2:127 As Abraham and Ishmael raised the foundations of the House they prayed earnestly, Our Lord! Accept this from us. For, indeed, You alone are the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

2:128 Our Lord! Make us submissive to You and of our descendants a community submissive to You. Show us the best ways to serve You and enable us to make amends. Surely, You are the Absolver of imperfections, the Merciful. [2:186, 2:286]

2:129 Our Lord! Raise from among them a Messenger who will convey Your messages to them and instruct them in the Scripture (by personal example) and the Wisdom (behind each Command). And also teach them how to grow in goodness. You are Almighty, the Wise.
[Tazkiah from Zaku = Development of the self = Personal development = Self-actualization. This teaching will not be mere lecturing, but it will entail establishment of Deen (the Divinely Prescribed System of Life) in the individuals and in the society. Such a Benevolent society in turn helps the individual to grow in goodness and attain self-actualization. 2:231, 17:39, 33:34, 57:25]

2:130 Who would abandon the Creed of Abraham except the one who ridicules his self with folly? For, certainly, We elected him in this world for (his outstanding qualities stated in this Book). And, certainly, in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of the righteous.
[As-Saaliheen = The righteous ones = Those who perfect their personalities = Increase human potential = Who set things right = They help others = Create balance in the society = Fulfill others needs. 16:120-122]

2:131 When his Lord said to him, Submit (your will) to Me!, He said, I submit to the Lord of the Worlds.

2:132 This very legacy Abraham left to his children, and so did Jacob, saying, O My children! Indeed, God has chosen for you the Way of Life. Therefore, let not death overtake you except that you are Muslimoon (Submitters).

[Deen = The Divinely Prescribed System of Life = Al-Islam. It has more to do with the collective life of humans and the science of sociology. It concerns itself with people living in this world collectively in peace according to a Code of permanent values that ensures success in both lives. Religion (Mazhab) is more of a generic term signifying a creed involving certain rites and rituals and seeking individual salvation. Islam being a Collective System of Life is, in fact, a challenge to religion]