Discover the Holy Quran, Surah 2 Al Baqarah Verses163-189

[taul]

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



164- Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the right and the day; in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; In the rain which Allah Sends down from the skies, and the life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth; in the change of the winds, and the clouds which they Trail like their slaves between the sky and the earth;- (Here) indeed are Signs for a people that are wise.

165- Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides Allah, as equal (with Allah): They love them as they should love Allah. But those of Faith are overflowing in their love for Allah. If only the unrighteous could see, behold, they would see the penalty: that to Allah belongs all power, and Allah will strongly enforce the penalty.

166- Then would those who are followed clear themselves of those who follow (them): They would see the penalty, and all relation between them would be cut off.

167- And those who followed would say: "If only We had one more chance, We would clear ourselves of them, as they cleared themselves of us." Thus will Allah show them (The fruits of) their deeds as (nothing but) regrets. Nor will there be a way for them out of the Fire.

168- O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, Lawful and good; and do not follow the footsteps of the evil one, for he is to you an avowed enemy.

169- For he commands you what is evil and shameful, and that ye should say of Allah that of which ye have no knowledge.

170- When it is said to them: "Follow what Allah hath revealed." They say: "Nay! we shall follow the ways of our fathers. What! even though their fathers Were void of wisdom and guidance?

171- The parable of those who reject Faith is as if one were to shout Like a goat-herd, to things that listen to nothing but calls and cries: Deaf, dumb, and blind, they are void of wisdom.

172- O ye who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him ye worship.

173- He hath only forbidden you dead, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides of Allah. But if one is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, - then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful.

174- Those who conceal Allah.s revelations in the Book, and purchase for them a miserable profit, - they swallow into themselves naught but Fire; Allah will not address them on the Day of Resurrection. Nor purity them: Grievous will be their penalty.

175- They are the ones who buy Error in place of Guidance and Torment in place of Forgiveness. Ah! what boldness (They show) for the Fire!

176- (Their doom is) because Allah sent down the Book in truth but those who seek causes of dispute in the Book are in schism Far (from the purpose).

177- It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces. Towards east or West, but it is righteousness- to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah.fearing.

178- O ye who believe! the law of equality is prescribed to you in case of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman. But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude, this is a concession and a Mercy from your Lord. After this whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty.

179- In the Law of Equality there is (saving of) Life to you, o ye men of understanding; that ye may restrain yourselves.

180- It is prescribed, when death approaches any of you, if he leave any goods that he make a bequest to parents and next of kin, according to reasonable usage; this is due from the Allah.fearing.

181- If anyone changes the bequest after hearing it, the guilt shall be on those who make the changes. For Allah hears and knows (All things).

182- But if anyone fears partiality or wrong-doing on the part of the testator, and makes peace between (The parties concerned), there is no wrong in him: For Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

183- O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-

184- (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will, - it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew.

185- Ramadhan is the (month) in which was send down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if anyone is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.

186- When My servents ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me: Let them also, With a Will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way.

187- Permitted to you, on the nights of fasts, is the approach to your wives. They are your garments and ye are their garments. Allah knoweth what ye used to do secretly among yourselves; but He turned to you and forgave you; so now associate with them, and seek what Allah Hath ordained for you, and eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast Till the night appears; but do not associate with your wives while ye are in retreat in the mosques. Those are Limits (set by) Allah. Approach not nigh thereto. Thus doth Allah make clear His Signs to men: that they may learn self-restraint.

188- And do not eat up your property among yourselves for vanities, nor use it as bait for the judges, with intent that ye may eat up wrongfully and knowingly a little of (other) people's property.

189- They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage. It is no virtue if ye enter your houses from the back: It is virtue if ye fear Allah. Enter houses through the proper doors: And fear Allah. That ye may prosper.

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

 

[longliveIK]

gr8

 

[patriot]

2:164 (God never ordains blind faith.) Indeed, there are ample signs in the creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of the night and the day, the ships that roam the ocean for the benefit of mankind, the water that God sends down from the heights, thereby giving life to the land after it had been lifeless, in dispersing a great variety of creatures therein, in the currents of winds and the clouds made subservient between the high atmosphere and the earth. All these are clear signs for those who use their intellect.
[Einstein correctly pointed out, The Universe is too organized to be the result of an accident. See 6:73. Sama = Sky = Heaven = Atmosphere = Canopy = Height]

2:165 Yet, among mankind there are those who choose others as equals to God. They love them as they should love God. But the believers are staunch in their love for God. Oh, if only the transgressors could see themselves when they see the doom! They will realize then that all power belongs to God alone, and that God is Stern in punishment.
[3:30-31, 7:3. In the Quran, reverence or love of God invariably denotes obeying His Commands. Hubb = Love = Adoring by obeying = To revere by following commands. Nidd = False god = One who tries to play god. Example: Pharaoh tried to equal God 43:51. Andaad = Those who play god = Political tyrants = Religious leaders who issue edicts contrary to the Divine Revelation. God being stern in punishment means His Law of Requital favoring none]

2:166 Then those who were followed (the political and religious leaders) will renounce their followers, as soon as they see the impending doom, and all their mutual bonds will be rent asunder.

2:167 The followers will say, If a return were possible for us, we would renounce them as they have renounced us. Thus will God let them experience their own deeds as anguish; but they will not emerge from the Fire of Regret.

2:168 (Declaring things Permissible or Forbidden is trying to rival God.) O Mankind! Partake and enjoy the Lawful and decent things of the earth, and do not follow the footsteps of the Satan. Indeed, he is an open enemy to you.
[Satan, the rebellious desire, and satanic people lead people into transgressing. Mubeen = Open = Obvious = Known = Sure 7:22]

2:169 He teaches you to create inequities in the society, lewdness and stinginess amounting to shame, and that you should say about God what you do not know.
[Fahasha = Lewdness = Stinginess to the point of shame = Indecent acts. The satans in the society set up rules contrary to the Divine Revelation. They make their own lists of Permissible and Forbidden and teach people that accumulation of wealth is perfectly alright. Nay, spend on Gods servants all that is beyond your needs. 2:21-22, 2:219, 41:10]

2:170 When it is said unto these (satans), "Follow what God has revealed", they say, "Nay! We follow that wherein we found our ancestors. "What! Even though their ancestors (and the ancient Imams) were lacking in understanding and were not rightly guided?
[5:104, 10:78, 11:62, 11:87, 21:53, 34:43, 38:7, 43:23. Hudan and derivatives = Prominent = Bright = Lighted = Clearly visible = Leading = Guidance = Lighthouse = A well-lit road = A landmark of identification in the desert or sea]

2:171 The likeness of such blind followers is that (of a herd of sheep) which hear the shepherds call, but hear in it nothing more than a sound and a shout. Deaf, dumb, blind, for they use not their reason and, hence, fail to attain good common sense.
[This is subhuman level of existence 7:179. Unq = Shepherds call. Shepherd here pertains to religious leaders who have learned some meaningless words or tenets, and a herd of sheep is the masses that blindly follow them. Kufr embraces blind following in addition to denying or concealing the truth. Perceptual senses alone cannot distinguish human beings from the rest of the Animal Kingdom. It is the data processing or intellectual analysis that makes them distinct]

2:172 O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Enjoy the clean, decent and aesthetically pleasing things that We have provided for all of you. And render thanks unto God if it is indeed He Whom you obey. [2:168]

2:173 He has forbidden you: dead meat (carrion), blood, swine-flesh, and anything (not just meat) that has been dedicated to other than God (be it a person, an idol or a tomb 5:3). But if one is forced by necessity, neither intending disobedience, nor exceeding, it will not be a violation that hurts his self. Indeed, God is Forgiving, Merciful.
[6:121, 6:145. Ithm = A violation that drags down the self = An act that hurts the human self = Anything that makes it difficult to rise up = An impediment to activity = Any action that depletes individual or communal energy. Ghafarah = Helmet and armor. Forgiveness involves protection from the detrimental effects of faults]

2:174 Surely, those who conceal the Book of God, and barter it away for a trifling gain, they eat into their bellies nothing but Fire. God will not even address them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He make their selves grow. Theirs will be an awful suffering.
[Those who conceal the Book = The ones who start making their own lists of the Lawful and Unlawful, and thus, usurp the Divine Right of Law-making. Also note that this verse clearly mentions the ongoing growth and evolution of the self in the Hereafter. Tazkiah from Zaku = Growth = Purity from vice = Development of the self = Self-actualization]

2:175 It is they who take error in exchange for Guidance, and torment in exchange for the protection of forgiveness. How steadfast are they in their pursuit of the Fire!

2:176 This is so, because God has revealed the Book in absolute Truth; therein is no contradiction. Obviously, those who set their own views against the Book, split deeply into sects and fall into mutual disputes.
[4:82, 25:30. Shaqq and derivatives = To split = Fall apart = Schism = Fall into disputes = Opposition = Oppose one another = Splitting of personality = Break apart the unity = Enmity]

2:177 (One consequence of this schism is their pre-occupation with rituals, with each sect leaving the Revelation aside and taking delight in its own set of dogmas they call religion. 30:320.)
Righteousness and exponential development of the self depends not on whether you turn your faces to East or West. But righteousness is that:
? One has conviction in God,
? And the Last Day,
? And the Angels,
? And the Book,
? And the prophets.
? And that he gives his cherished wealth to:
? Family and relatives,
? Orphans,
? Widows,
? Those left helpless in the society,
? And those whose hard-earned income fails to meet their basic needs,
? Those whose running businesses have stalled,
? The ones who have lost their jobs,
? Whose life has stalled for any reason,
? The disabled,
? The needy wayfarer, son of the street, the homeless, the one who travels to you for assistance,
? Those who ask for help, and
? Those whose necks are burdened with any kind of bondage, oppression, crushing debts and extreme hardship of labor.
? (And righteous are) those who strive to establish the institution of Salaat, (2:3. 2:53)
? And help set up the Economic System of Zakaat.
? They are true to their pledge whenever they make one.
? And they remain steadfast in physical or emotional distress and in times of peril.
It is they who have proven themselves to be true, and it is they who are living upright.
[2:4, 3:91-92 Yateem, Miskeen, Ibn-is-Sabeel, Fir-Riqaab, carry all the meanings rendered above. Please also note that the Quran has named above the well-known five Articles of Faith. But belief in Taqdeer = Predetermined destiny, has been interjected in the fabricated Ajami accounts as the sixth article of Faith by Imams, making Muslims fatalistic in their thought and behavior. The Quran nowhere mentions Taqdeer or the predestined fates of individuals. Qadar or Taqdeer always denote the Law, the due measure of all things appointed by God. And man determines his own destiny by following or defying those Laws]

2:178 (Security of life is the cornerstone of a civilized society.) O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! The Law of Just Recompense (Qisaas) has been prescribed for you in dealing with murder. If a free person has committed murder, that free person will face the Law. If a servant has committed murder, that servant will face the Law. And if a woman has committed murder, that woman will face the Law. If the victims kin pardons the guilty, the murderer must be appreciative and pay an equitable compensation to the kin in handsome gratitude. This pardon is a concession and Mercy from your Lord. Whoever, after this, trespasses this Law will have an awful doom in the Court of God.
[See 4:92-93, 5:32, 17:33, 42:40. Color, creed, race, status or gender of the victim or the offender will have no bearing before the Justice System]

2:179 For, there is life for you in the Law of Just Recompense, O You who possess understanding! This is so that you may live in security. [Hence, Qisaas is a deterrent and not revenge]

2:180 Regarding proper dispensation of property, it is prescribed for you, when death approaches any of you, and he is leaving behind much wealth, that he set up a will for parents and family in a decent, equitable manner. This is a binding duty on the upright.
[Any oversight or leftover from the will shall be distributed according to portions Divinely assigned in 4:11-12. Please remember that most Muslims forget this point, and some authorities even revoke 4:11-12! How can a father will to impart equal portions to two of his sons when one of them might be righteous and needy, and the other one wicked and prodigal? When death approaches any of you carries the reminder that it is always close and unpredictable. At the same time, it takes into account the final assets of a person]

2:181 If anyone tampers with a will after hearing it, the guilt befalls those responsible for altering. Certainly, God is Hearing, Knowing. [A will shall be attested by two trustworthy witnesses. 5:106]

2:182 (The one who makes a will, the testator, is likely to make errors.) So, if anyone, who has heard the will, fears some bias or diminishing of a due right, and then makes a mutually acceptable correction between the concerned parties, he will not be harming himself. Indeed, God is Absolver of imperfections, Source of all beneficence. [Ithm = A violation that drags down human potential or harms the self]

2:183 (Creating an ideal society requires discipline and self-restraint among the individuals.) O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Abstinence (from food, drink and sex during the daytime) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you so that you get empowered against evil.
[I have translated Saum as Abstinence instead of the common fasting since it involves more than fasting, such as abstaining from intimate husband-wife relationship. Moreover, Saum literally means self-restraint, and not fasting, hence, it includes desisting from common vices such as impatience, anger, unfair criticism, envy etc. Taqwa = Journeying in security = Being careful = Getting empowered against evil = To avoid overstepping the Laws = Exercising caution = Strengthening ones self = Preserving the self against deterioration = Good conduct. Muttaqeen = Those endowed with Taqwa]

2:184 Just for a fixed number of days. But if any of you is sick or he is on a journey, he may make up the same number of days later. For those who can go through Abstinence only with hardship, there is a ransom: the feeding of an indigent. Any additional charity will bring additional reward. However, if you knew better, going through the training program of Abstinence is good for you.

2:185 The month of Ramadhan has been chosen for this collective training since this is the month in which the Quran was revealed, a Guidance for mankind, clearly explaining the why of every Rule. And it is the Criterion of right and wrong. Hence, whoever witnesses this month should participate in the program of Abstinence. But if any of you is sick or on a journey, let him practice Abstinence for the same number of days later. God desires for you ease, and He desires for you no hardship. The postponement is to enable you to complete the period. The objective of this training is to establish the supremacy of God (on earth) for, He has shown you a well-lighted road, and for you to show gratitude.
[The entire Quran was revealed upon the Prophets heart (down-loaded) in Ramadhan of 610 CE in the order as we see today. Thereafter, it was conveyed to people in stages. The concepts therein are not defunct theories and empty hypotheses. It has a Permanent Universal Code of Values and Laws. The yearly training of Abstinence in this month connects the Message with intensive reflection and study. Note: The Quran does not forbid menstruating women from praying or participating in the program of Abstinence. However, a menstruating woman may be considered unwell. The only thing forbidden by the Quran during menstruation is intimate husband-wife relationship. Shukr does not mean just verbal thanks. It involves showing gratitude in practice by sharing the God-given bounties with others. 2:87-97, 2:185 2:222, 2:233, 7:189, 9:32-33, 14:1, 16:2, 17:85-86, 26:193, 31:14, 42:52, 44:1-4, 46:15, 70:4, 81:17-19, 97:1]

2:186 (This training program has nothing to do with asceticism. The mystics think that self-denial will bring them close to God.) So, when My servants ask you about Me, surely, I am Near. I respond to the call of him who calls, whenever he calls unto Me. Let them, then, respond to Me and believe in Me, so that they might follow the right way.
[Gods response = A sincere caller will be shown the right direction = This Divine Writ, Al-Quran has answers to all their questions. 3:193-195, 7:56, 8:24, 32:15-16, 40:60, 42:25-26]

2:187 (Abstinence is only for the daytime.) It has been made Lawful for you to go unto your wives on the night of the Abstinence. They are your garments and you are their garments - close to each other, source of mutual comfort, complementing each other, trustworthy and keepers of privacy, reason for dcor, and redressers of faults. God knows that you would have deprived yourselves and so He turns to you and pardons your misconceptions. So, now you may have intimate relations with them and, besides, seek all good that God has ordained for you. You may eat and drink until you can discern the white streak of light against the black streak of night at daybreak. Then complete the Abstinence until sunset. Do not have intimate relations with them while on special assignments in the Centers of the Divine System. These are the bounds set by God - so come not near violating them. It is thus that God explains His Commands unto mankind clearly, so that they understand and live upright.
[Itikaaf = Special task = To be deputed = Extra duty = Unique assignment. Aakifoon = Those on Itikaaf. Unfortunately, under the Ajami (alien) influences, the concept given to Itikaaf has reduced this Sublime Ordinance to ten days of ascetic and ritualistic isolation in a mosque in the third part of Ramadhan. Obviously, this invented practice violates the Quranic injunctions against monasticism and human rights. (57:27). Libaas = Garment = Raiment embraces all the meanings rendered]

2:188 (When you abstain from the Permissible during the annual training period, you empower yourselves to easily refrain from the Forbidden.) So, knowingly, do not devour the wealth and property of one another in a wrongful manner, nor bribe the officials or the judges to deprive others of their rightful belongings. This kind of behavior drags down your own humanity and harms the collective welfare of the society. [Ithm carries all the meanings given in the last sentence]

2:189 (Self-control is a life-long commitment extending beyond the month of Ramadhan.) They ask you (O Messenger) about the phases of the Moon. Say, They are calendars to help mankind determine certain seasons such as Hajj. But know that righteousness can never be achieved by entering the System through the back door of ritualism. Only he who lives an upright life attains it. Enter the Divinely ordained Way of Life straightforward as you must enter houses through their gates. Live upright so that you may reap a rich harvest. [2:138, 2:177, 2:208. There is no such thing as a part-time Muslim]