Surah al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2 : 23
Translations
Pickthall
Yusuf Ali
Qur'an Dictionary
| Click word/image to view Qur'an Dictionary | ||
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| Word | Arabic word | |
| (2:23:1) |
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| (2:23:2) kuntum you are |
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| (2:23:3) |
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| (2:23:4) raybin doubt |
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| (2:23:5) |
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| (2:23:6) nazzalnā We have revealed |
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| (2:23:7) |
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| (2:23:8) ʿabdinā Our slave |
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| (2:23:9) fatū then produce |
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| (2:23:10) bisūratin a chapter |
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| (2:23:11) |
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| (2:23:12) mith'lihi like it |
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| (2:23:13) wa-id'ʿū and call |
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| (2:23:14) shuhadāakum your witnesses |
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| (2:23:15) |
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| (2:23:16) dūni other than |
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| (2:23:17) l-lahi Allah |
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| (2:23:18) |
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| (2:23:19) kuntum you are |
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| (2:23:20) ṣādiqīna truthful |
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Explanatory Note
The Jews of Madinah used to raise doubts about the truth of the Prophet Muĥammad’s message, while the hypocrites, like the pagan Arabs of Makkah, were sceptical and called it into question. Therefore we find the Qur’ān challenging them all, as indeed it challenges mankind in general.
The challenge starts off with emphasising an important fact by describing the Prophet Muĥammad as God’s ‘servant’. This description is significant in a number of ways: it is, first, an honour to the Prophet himself and an indication that to be a ‘servant’ of God is the highest honour a human being can attain. Second, it affirms the essence of servitude to God in the universal human context, calling on all men to submit only to God and renounce all partners that may be associated with Him. The Prophet Muĥammad, who attained the highest position of honour as a recipient of divine revelations, is also honoured by being described as a servant of God.
The challenge is also related to the opening of this sūrah, which points out that the Qur’ān was composed of the very same letters the Arabs were familiar with in their language. If they were in any doubt as to its truth or veracity, they were free to produce anything, even one sūrah, comparable to it, and they could call any witnesses they wished to testify in their favour. The Prophet’s claim had already been supported by God.
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أي: ولن تفعلوا ذلك أبداً، وهذه أيضاً معجزة أخرى، وهو أنه أخبر خبراً جازماً قاطعاً مقدماً غير خائف ولا مشفق أن هذا القرآن لا يعارض بمثله أبد الآبدين، ودهر الداهرين، وكذلك وقع الأمر لم يعارض من لدنه إلى زماننا هذا، ولا يمكن، وأنَّى يتأتى ذلك لأحد . ابن كثير: 1/58 [Be first to translate this...]
The word; duwn = lesser. Allah could have used the word ‘ghayr’ which means ‘without’. Meaning; call your witnesses ‘without’ (ghayr) Allah if you are truthful.
But Allah said; min duwn-illah = (call your witnesses) [who are] inferior to Allah. Allah is telling them that even if you did bring any witnesses or critics or helpers to produce a chapter similar to the Quran – they are inferior than Allah and lesser than Him. So call any of them besides Allah – you will not be able to produce similar to this Qur’an.
3. Surah Overview
The scholars are unanimous that Surah al-Baqarah is Madani and that it was the first Surah revealed in Madinah. [Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Fath al-Bari no. 160/8].
Despite it being the first Surah to be revealed in Madinah, it contains Ayaat from a later period also. In fact, according to Ibn Abbas [as mentioned in Ibn Kathir] the last Ayat revealed to the Prophet was Ayat no. 281 from Surah al-Baqarah and this occurred 8 days or so before his death [which corresponds to the year 11 Hijri].
In order to understand the meaning of this Surah, we should know its historical background:
1. At Makkah, the Quran generally addressed the polytheist Quraysh who were ignorant of Islam, but at Madinah it was also concerned with the Jews who were acquainted with the creed of Monotheism, Prophethood, Revelation, the Hereafter and Angels. They also professed to believe in the law which was revealed by God to their Prophet Moses, and in principle, their way was the same (Islam) that was being taught by Prophet Muhammad. But they had strayed away from it during the centuries of degeneration and had adopted many un-Islamic creeds, rites and customs of which there was no mention and for which there was no sanction in the Torah. Not only this: they had tampered with the Torah by inserting their own explanations and interpretations into its text. They had distorted even that part of the Word of God which had remained intact in their Scriptures and taken out of it the real spirit of true religion and were now clinging to a lifeless frame of rituals. Consequently their beliefs, their morals and their conduct had gone to the lowest depths of degeneration. The pity is that they were not only satisfied with their condition but loved to cling to it. Besides this, they had no intention or inclination to accept any kind of reform. So they became bitter enemies of those who came to teach them the Right Way and did their utmost to defeat every such effort. Though they were originally Muslims, they had swerved from the real Islam and made innovations and alterations in it and had fallen victims to hair splitting and sectarianism. They had forgotten and forsaken God and begun to serve material wealth. So much so that they had even given up their original name “Muslim” and adopted the name “Jew” instead, and made religion the sole monopoly of the children of Israel. This was their religious condition when the Prophet went to Madinah and invited the Jews to the true religion. That is why more than one third of this Surah has been addressed to the children of Israel. A critical review of their history, their moral degeneration and their religious perversions has been made. Side by side with this, the high standard of morality and the fundamental principles of the pure religion have been put forward in order to bring out clearly the nature of the degeneration of the community of a prophet when it goes astray and to draw clear lines of demarcation between real piety and formalism, and the essentials and non-essentials of the true religion.
2. At Makkah, Islam was mainly concerned with the propagation of its fundamental principles and the moral training of its followers. But after the migration of the Prophet to Madinah, where Muslims had come to settle from all over Arabia and where a tiny Islamic State had been set up with the help of the ‘local supporters’ (Ansar), naturally the Quran had to turn its attention to the social, cultural, economic, political and legal problems as well. This accounts for the difference between the themes of the Surahs revealed at Makkah and those at Madinah. Accordingly about half of this Surah deals with those principles and regulations which are essential for the integration and solidarity of a community and for the solution of its problems.
After the migration to Madinah, the struggle between Islam and disbelief (Kufr) had also entered a new phase. Before this the Believers, who propagated Islam among their own clans and tribes, had to face its opponents at their own risk. But the conditions had changed at Madinah, where Muslims from all parts of Arabia had come and settled as one community, and had established an independent city state. Here it became a struggle for the survival of the Community itself, for the whole of non-Muslim Arabia was bent upon and united in crushing it totally. Hence the following instructions, upon which depended not only its success but its very survival, were revealed in this Surah:
a. The Community should work with the utmost zeal to propagate its ideology and win over to its side the greatest possible number of people.
b. It should so expose its opponents as to leave no room for doubt in the mind of any sensible person that they were adhering to an absolutely wrong position.
c. It should infuse in its members (the majority of whom were homeless and indigent and surrounded on all sides by enemies) that courage and fortitude which is so indispensable to their very existence in the adverse circumstances in which they were struggling and to prepare them to face these boldly.
d. It should also keep them ready and prepared to meet any armed menace, which might come from any side to suppress and crush their ideology, and to oppose it tooth and nail without minding the overwhelming numerical strength and the material resources of its enemies.
e. It should also create in them that courage which is needed for the eradication of evil ways and for the establishment of the Islamic Way instead. That is why God has revealed in this Surah such instructions as may help achieve all the above mentioned objects.
At the time of the revelation of Al-Baqarah, all sorts of hypocrites had begun to appear. God has, therefore, briefly pointed out their characteristics here. Afterwards when their evil characteristics and mischievous deeds became manifest, God sent detailed instructions about them. [REF: Mawdudi]
10. Wiki Forum
11. Tafsir Zone
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Overview (Verses 23 - 25) A Divine Challenge The Jews of Madinah used to raise doubts about the truth of the Prophet Muĥammad’s message, while the hypocrites, like the pagan Arabs of Makkah, were sceptical and called it into question. Therefore we find the Qur’ān challenging them all, as indeed it challenges mankind in general, saying: “If you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce one sūrah comparable to it and call upon all your witnesses, other than God, if what you say is true.” (Verse 23) The challenge starts off with emphasizing an important fact by describing the Prophet Muĥammad as God’s ‘servant’. This description is significant in a number of ways: it is, first, an honour to the Prophet himself and an indication that to be a ‘servant’ of God is the highest honour a human being can attain. Second, it affirms the essence of servitude to God in the universal human context, calling on all men to submit only to God and renounce all partners that may be associated with Him. The Prophet Muĥammad, who attained the highest position of honour as a recipient of divine revelations, is also honoured by being described as a servant of God. The challenge is also related to the opening of this sūrah, which points out that the Qur’ān was composed of the very same letters the Arabs were familiar with in their language. If they were in any doubt as to its truth or veracity, they were free to produce anything, even one sūrah, comparable to it, and they could call any witnesses they wished to testify in their favour. The Prophet’s claim had already been supported by God. This challenge remained open throughout the Prophet’s life, and has done so ever since. The Qur’ānic argument stands just as firmly today as it has through the centuries. The Qur’ān remains today the unique work it was on the first day it was revealed, clearly distinguished from anything men can ever produce. Thus, God’s words, and His warning, remain true: “But if you fail, as you will certainly do, then guard yourselves against the fire, fuelled by men and stones, prepared for the unbelievers.” (Verse 24) It is a remarkable challenge indeed, but what is even more remarkable is the absolute certainty with which it is made. Were any of the unbelieving Arabs able to take up the challenge, they would not have hesitated for a moment. The Qur’ānic assertion of the futility of their task, and the endurance of that assertion, are in themselves manifest and irrefutable proof of its superior nature. The opportunity remains wide open for anyone or any group to pick up the gauntlet and try their best to match the Qur’ān and refute its claims of divinity and superiority. But this has not happened and, as the Qur’ān clearly states, will never happen. That is the Qur’ān’s final word for posterity. Anyone with any real knowledge or appreciation of literary styles, or expertise in philosophy, psychology, social science, or any other science at all, will not fail to recognize that whatever the Qur’ān has to say in any field of knowledge is something unique, unlike anything human beings would say. Argument over this fact can only arise from blind ignorance or sheer prejudice. The stern warning to “guard yourselves against the fire, fuelled by men and stones” should, therefore, come as no surprise to those who may fail in their challenge to God but persist, nevertheless, with their rejection of the truth. The use of the word ‘stones’ here is intriguing. This fire is prepared for the unbelievers, described earlier in the sūrah as those whom “God has sealed their hearts and ears” and whose ‘eyes are covered.” (Verse 7) They are the ones who have failed to take up God’s challenge, and persisted, nevertheless, in their rejection of His message. They are effectively stone-like, although they have a human form. Hence the connection between humans and stones in this verse. The expression amply conveys the horror of the awesome scene in which people and stones are consumed by fire. In total contrast, we are given the scene of bliss which awaits the believers: “To those who believe and do good deeds give the good tidings that they shall reside in gardens through which running waters flow. Whenever they are offered fruits therefrom, they say, ‘We have been given the same before’, for they shall be provided with what looks similar. They shall also have pure spouses and they shall reside there for ever.” (Verse 25) The interesting aspect of this life of eternal bliss, besides the chaste, pure spouses, is the similar types of fruit offered to the believers, which they somehow feel they were given previously, either in this world or in heaven. This apparent similarity seems to introduce an element of recurring surprise; every time the fruits are found to be different, adding to an atmosphere already filled with pleasure, abundance and enjoyment. The combination of apparent similarity and difference of essence is a phenomenon clearly discernible in God’s creation, indicating, for one thing, that the world we know is much greater than it seems to us. Take man as an example. Overall, people look the same and possess the same limbs and organs, with essentially the same physical, biological and chemical constitution. But how far does this similarity go? How different can people be in their habits and aptitudes? For, despite the striking physical similarity, such differences can be vast indeed. Variety and diversity in God’s creation can be great indeed. There is variety in living species and in human races; there is diversity in shapes and features, as well as qualities and characteristics. Yet, this vast, multitudinous, diversified and inexhaustible universe goes back to a basic single cell which is made up of the same constituent parts. Who, with all these manifest marvels and astounding proofs of God’s power and omnipotence, dare reject God and fail to submit to Him alone in total awe and reverence? |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
Mawdudi
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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Overview (Verses 23 - 25) A Divine Challenge The Jews of Madinah used to raise doubts about the truth of the Prophet Muĥammad’s message, while the hypocrites, like the pagan Arabs of Makkah, were sceptical and called it into question. Therefore we find the Qur’ān challenging them all, as indeed it challenges mankind in general, saying: “If you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce one sūrah comparable to it and call upon all your witnesses, other than God, if what you say is true.” (Verse 23) The challenge starts off with emphasizing an important fact by describing the Prophet Muĥammad as God’s ‘servant’. This description is significant in a number of ways: it is, first, an honour to the Prophet himself and an indication that to be a ‘servant’ of God is the highest honour a human being can attain. Second, it affirms the essence of servitude to God in the universal human context, calling on all men to submit only to God and renounce all partners that may be associated with Him. The Prophet Muĥammad, who attained the highest position of honour as a recipient of divine revelations, is also honoured by being described as a servant of God. The challenge is also related to the opening of this sūrah, which points out that the Qur’ān was composed of the very same letters the Arabs were familiar with in their language. If they were in any doubt as to its truth or veracity, they were free to produce anything, even one sūrah, comparable to it, and they could call any witnesses they wished to testify in their favour. The Prophet’s claim had already been supported by God. This challenge remained open throughout the Prophet’s life, and has done so ever since. The Qur’ānic argument stands just as firmly today as it has through the centuries. The Qur’ān remains today the unique work it was on the first day it was revealed, clearly distinguished from anything men can ever produce. Thus, God’s words, and His warning, remain true: “But if you fail, as you will certainly do, then guard yourselves against the fire, fuelled by men and stones, prepared for the unbelievers.” (Verse 24) It is a remarkable challenge indeed, but what is even more remarkable is the absolute certainty with which it is made. Were any of the unbelieving Arabs able to take up the challenge, they would not have hesitated for a moment. The Qur’ānic assertion of the futility of their task, and the endurance of that assertion, are in themselves manifest and irrefutable proof of its superior nature. The opportunity remains wide open for anyone or any group to pick up the gauntlet and try their best to match the Qur’ān and refute its claims of divinity and superiority. But this has not happened and, as the Qur’ān clearly states, will never happen. That is the Qur’ān’s final word for posterity. Anyone with any real knowledge or appreciation of literary styles, or expertise in philosophy, psychology, social science, or any other science at all, will not fail to recognize that whatever the Qur’ān has to say in any field of knowledge is something unique, unlike anything human beings would say. Argument over this fact can only arise from blind ignorance or sheer prejudice. The stern warning to “guard yourselves against the fire, fuelled by men and stones” should, therefore, come as no surprise to those who may fail in their challenge to God but persist, nevertheless, with their rejection of the truth. The use of the word ‘stones’ here is intriguing. This fire is prepared for the unbelievers, described earlier in the sūrah as those whom “God has sealed their hearts and ears” and whose ‘eyes are covered.” (Verse 7) They are the ones who have failed to take up God’s challenge, and persisted, nevertheless, in their rejection of His message. They are effectively stone-like, although they have a human form. Hence the connection between humans and stones in this verse. The expression amply conveys the horror of the awesome scene in which people and stones are consumed by fire. In total contrast, we are given the scene of bliss which awaits the believers: “To those who believe and do good deeds give the good tidings that they shall reside in gardens through which running waters flow. Whenever they are offered fruits therefrom, they say, ‘We have been given the same before’, for they shall be provided with what looks similar. They shall also have pure spouses and they shall reside there for ever.” (Verse 25) The interesting aspect of this life of eternal bliss, besides the chaste, pure spouses, is the similar types of fruit offered to the believers, which they somehow feel they were given previously, either in this world or in heaven. This apparent similarity seems to introduce an element of recurring surprise; every time the fruits are found to be different, adding to an atmosphere already filled with pleasure, abundance and enjoyment. The combination of apparent similarity and difference of essence is a phenomenon clearly discernible in God’s creation, indicating, for one thing, that the world we know is much greater than it seems to us. Take man as an example. Overall, people look the same and possess the same limbs and organs, with essentially the same physical, biological and chemical constitution. But how far does this similarity go? How different can people be in their habits and aptitudes? For, despite the striking physical similarity, such differences can be vast indeed. Variety and diversity in God’s creation can be great indeed. There is variety in living species and in human races; there is diversity in shapes and features, as well as qualities and characteristics. Yet, this vast, multitudinous, diversified and inexhaustible universe goes back to a basic single cell which is made up of the same constituent parts. Who, with all these manifest marvels and astounding proofs of God’s power and omnipotence, dare reject God and fail to submit to Him alone in total awe and reverence? |
