(Revealed after Hijrah)
This, the longest Surah of the Qur’an, was revealed at Medina in the first four years after the Hijrah and is known as Al-Baqarah. The name was used by the Holy Prophet himself. The Surah seems to have derived its title from vv. 68-72 where an important incident in the life of the Jewish nation is briefly mentioned. For a long time, the Jews had lived in Egypt as serfs and slaves under the cruelest bondage of the Pharaohs who were cow-worshippers. As is generally the case with subject races, they had borrowed from, and slavishly imitated, many customs and habits of the Egyptians and consequently had come to possess a strong liking, bordering on adoration, for the cow. When Moses told them to sacrifice a particular cow which symbolised their object of worship, they made a great fuss about it. It is this incident to which vv. 68-72 refer. Besides Al-Baqarah, the Surah possesses another name—Az-Zahra’, and both this Surah and Al-e-‘Imran are jointly known as Az-Zahrawan—The Two Bright Ones (Muslim). The Holy Prophet is reported to have said: 'Everything has its peak, and the peak of the Qur’an is Al-Baqarah' (Tirmidhi). The Surah is placed next to Al-Fatihah because it embodies answers to all the important problems which at once confront the reader when he turns from Al-Fatihah to a study of the main Book. Though generally connected with all the other Surahs, Al-Fatihah possesses a special relationship with Al-Baqarah which constitutes the fulfilment of the prayer, 'Guide us in the straight path... Thy displeasure.' Indeed Al-Baqarah with its discourses upon the Signs, the Book, the Wisdom and the Means of purification (2:130), constitutes an appropriate and comprehensive reply to that great prayer.
It is sometimes said that the Qur’an starts with this Surah as its very opening verse, viz. "This is a perfect Book; there is no doubt in it," shows; while Al-Fatihah being, as it were, the Qur’an in miniature though forming its integral part, possesses an independent and peculiar position of its own (15:88). The subject-matter of this long Chapter is epitomized in its 130th verse. This verse contains a prayer of the Patriarch Abraham in which he implores God to raise a Prophet among the Meccans who should (1) recite to them the Signs of God; (2) give the world a Scripture containing perfect laws of the Shari‘ah; (3) explain the wisdom underlying them; and (4) should lay down principles and rules of conduct which should bring about complete spiritual transformation in their lives and should make them a great and powerful nation, fit to lead the whole world. The four great objects for which Abraham prayed have been dealt with in this Chapter in the same order in which he prayed for them. The "Signs" are discussed in the first 168 verses, the "Book" and "Wisdom" in vv. 169-243 and lastly "the Means of national progress" in vv. 244-287. "The recital of the Signs" refers to the arguments about the truth of the Holy Prophet; "the teaching of the Book and Wisdom" to the laws of the Shari‘ah laid down in the Surah and the wisdom or philosophy which underlies them, and last of all in elucidation of the subject of the spiritual change spoken of in Abraham’s prayer it refers to the principles that lead to national awakening.
The Surah has 40 sections and 287 verses. It opens with a statement of three fundamental beliefs—belief in God, Revelation and Life after death and two practical ordinances about Prayer and Zakat, the rest being an extension and explanation of these principles and ordinances. In response to the prayer for guidance, the Qur’an claims to present a perfect code of laws which comprises all the truths that were found in earlier revealed Scriptures, with much more that they did not contain, and claims also to guide man to the highest pinnacle of spiritual glory. The second section decries and deprecates mere verbal profession of faith which has no deep roots in the heart. The third section, however, lays down standards and criteria by which the truth of the Qur’an can be tested and verified. And for this purpose, it draws pointed attention to the process of evolution working in the physical universe. This process is to be seen in the spiritual realm also. Then mention is made of the first link in this spiritual chain—of Adam, the first man, to whom God revealed His Will. In the 4th section we are told that objections are being raised against the Holy Prophet. But these objections cannot detract from his truth even as they could not detract from Adam’s truth. The next twelve sections—5th to 16th—dispose of the objection, viz. where was the necessity of a new revelation when God had already revealed Himself to Adam? It is stated that in harmony with progressive evolution in the spiritual system, God has been sending down His revelation in every age, every succeeding revelation being an improvement upon the preceding one. Moses was the Founder of a new Shari‘ah. He was followed by a galaxy of Divine Messengers who were opposed and persecuted by the Israelites. Persistent defiance of Divine commandments on the part of the Israelites and their iniquities made them lose their title to Divine grace. Hence Prophethood, in accordance with biblical prophecies, was transferred to the House of Ishmael and the Holy Prophet was raised in the barren and arid Valley of Mecca with the most perfect and complete Law. This filled the Israelites with rage though they had no right to fret and fume at their being deprived of Prophethood. They opposed the Holy Prophet and spared no pains to bring him to naught. But opposition to Divine purpose has never succeeded. The next two sections dispense with the objections of the Israelites as to why the Holy Prophet has given up the Qiblah of all the former Prophets in favour of the Ka‘bah. They are told that in the first place facing a certain direction in Prayers or fixing a particular place as the Qiblah cannot be an object to be sought after, it only serves to bring about and maintain unity among a people. Secondly, in the prayers which Abraham had offered for the sons of Ishmael, it was prophesied that Mecca would one day become a place of pilgrimage for them and the Ka‘bah their Qiblah. In the 19th section it is mentioned that the Holy Prophet will meet strong opposition from disbelievers in the discharge of his onerous mission, and this opposition will continue till the Fall of Mecca. The 20th section draws attention to the supreme truth that all that is stated above is not an idle guess or conjecture; the very creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of day and night and other natural phenomena bear incontrovertible testimony to its truth inasmuch as, on the one hand, the law of nature points to the existence of a spiritual law and to a process of progressive evolution in it and, on the other, the whole universe seems to be working in support of the Holy Prophet. With the 21st section begins a description of the ordinances of the Shari‘ah and the wisdom underlying them; and first of all directions have been laid down for using lawful (Halal) and wholesome (Tayyib) food, because human actions are governed by man’s mental condition and his mental condition is strongly influenced by the food he eats. In the 23rd section substance of Islamic teaching is given which consists of belief in God, Life after death, revealed Scriptures and Divine Messengers. Doing good to others, worship and contributions to national funds are also mentioned as constituents of righteous conduct. To these, observance of patience under trials and fulfilment of solemn promises are added. Maintenance of justice, legitimate help of relatives and observance of social laws, of which the law of inheritance occupies a most prominent place, are also regarded as important. In the next section stress is laid on devotional exercises which purpose is fulfilled by the Islamic Fast. Sections 24th and 25th deal with rites and laws pertaining to Pilgrimage which plays a very important role in bringing about national unity and solidarity among Muslims. In section 26th light is shed on the philosophy of ordinances of the Shari‘ah which should be shown due regard because outward acts have a very potent effect on inward purity. Then it is stated that the laws of the Shari‘ah are disregarded because men generally do not like to spend their time and money in the cause of God and they adduce lame excuses to shirk their duty in this respect. In fact, no progress is possible without sacrifice and believers are exhorted to spend their hard-earned wealth in the way of Allah so that full religious freedom may be established. In section 27th we are told that when religious freedom is interfered with, fighting becomes obligatory and sacrifice of life and money necessary. Then it is stated that, in order to while away their time and to seek mental relief, people indulge in drinking, and in order to collect money to meet the expenses of war, they have recourse to gambling. Islam condemns these evil practices. Next, we are told that war leaves behind many orphans who should be properly looked after, and in this connection, Muslims are enjoined not to contract marriage with idolatrous women because it is calculated to disturb the harmony of their domestic life. In sections 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st, we are told not to have sexual intercourse with women in their monthly courses which is a sort of temporary separation. These instructions are followed by laws that govern divorce which is more or less a permanent separation and then by laws that concern suckling and also treatment of widows. Sections 32nd and 33rd deal with principles that have a special bearing on national awakening and by observing which alone a people can make real progress, and Muslims are told that a people who seek to occupy an honoured place among the powerful nations must be prepared to face death to promote the cause of truth and righteousness. In section 34th it is mentioned that man’s stay on earth is but temporary and he should spare no effort to establish real connection with his Creator, and this is only possible by deep meditation on Divine attributes. Then in Ayatul-Kursiyy, which the Holy Prophet has termed as one of the best and most exalted Qur’anic verses, a brief but very comprehensive mention is made of God’s attributes and it is said that no compulsion is needed to exhort a person to establish his connection with the Possessor of such noble and sublime attributes. Then in the 35th section it is stated that whereas moral righteousness takes place in an individual directly through God’s own grace, moral transformation comes about among nations through the instrumentality of Divine Messengers, and hints that both these kinds of reformation are decreed to take place four times among the progeny of Abraham. Next, it is said that both collective effort and national cooperation are essential for moral transformation to take place on national scale; the results in this respect of the concerted and collective efforts and mutual cooperation of true believers are far in excess of their sacrifices. Then all transactions based on interest are strictly forbidden and the giving and taking of interest has been denounced as tantamount to waging war against God and His Prophet because transactions based on interest are against the spirit of mutual help and cooperation and of doing good to fellow beings. Muslims are further told that they should entertain no apprehension that no progress is possible without interest. God has decreed that eventually destruction will overtake nations which give or take interest. Next, it is stated that one way of rendering mutual help and cooperation is to advance money on loan but all transactions dealing with lending and borrowing money should be properly written down. The Surah ends on the beautiful note that whereas the above-mentioned directions are necessary for bringing about moral transformation among a people, the best, the safest and the surest means to raise their moral standard and to effect real and true righteousness and purity of character among them is that they should have firm faith in the Word of God, constantly keep in view, reflect and meditate upon His attributes and should seek Divine help by prayer sincerely offered to Him. This is, in brief, a summary of the subject-matter of this longest of the Qur’anic Surahs and the moral is forcefully brought home directly to the disbelievers in general and to the People of the Book in particular that in the Holy Prophet is fulfilled the prayer of the Patriarch Abraham and thus if the Holy Prophet is rejected, Abraham will have to be regarded as a liar and an impostor and consequently the whole Mosaic Dispensation and Christianity also will be dubbed as tissues of lies and falsehoods. Indirectly, the truth of the Message of Islam has been made clear for the whole world to accept because the creation of man possesses a great and sublime object and that object can only be fulfilled by believing in the message embodied in the Qur’an which alone now contains the right Shari‘ah and sheds light on the wisdom and philosophy of its ordinances and by believing in and acting upon which alone can purity of the heart and Divine Realisation be attained.