12 Nov, 2025
Quran 2:219~220 (Ayah al-Baqarah)
They ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about intoxicants and gambling. Say, “There is great evil in both, as well as some benefit for people— but the evil outweighs the benefit.” They ˹also˺ ask you ˹O Prophet˺ what they should donate. Say, “Whatever you can spare.” This is how Allah makes His revelations clear to you ˹believers˺, so perhaps you may reflect upon this world and the Hereafter. And they ask you ˹O Prophet˺ concerning orphans. Say, “Improving their condition is best. And if you partner with them, they are bonded with you ˹in faith˺. And Allah knows who intends harm and who intends good. Had Allah willed, He could have made it difficult for you. Surely Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.” Quran 2:219~220 Surah al-Baqarah (The Cow)
Surah al-Baqarah is the longest Surah of the Qur’an with 286 Ayat, has the longest Ayat of the Qur’an (2:282), the greatest Ayat of the Qur’an (2:255), and reportedly the last Ayat of the Qur’an revealed (2:281). The Surah, revealed in Madinah, deals with a number of issues related to Guidance, Allah’s Governance on Earth, history of previous Muslim Ummah and instructions for the new Muslim Ummah.
۞ یَسۡءَلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡخَمۡرِ وَٱلۡمَیۡسِرِۖ قُلۡ فِیهِمَاۤ إِثۡمࣱ كَبِیرࣱ وَمَنَـٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثۡمُهُمَاۤ أَكۡبَرُ مِن نَّفۡعِهِمَاۗ وَیَسۡءَلُونَكَ مَاذَا یُنفِقُونَۖ قُلِ ٱلۡعَفۡوَۗ كَذَ ٰلِكَ یُبَیِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡءَایَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِی ٱلدُّنۡیَا وَٱلۡءَاخِرَةِۗ وَیَسۡءَلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡیَتَـٰمَىٰۖ قُلۡ إِصۡلَاحࣱ لَّهُمۡ خَیۡرࣱۖ وَإِن تُخَالِطُوهُمۡ فَإِخۡوَ ٰنُكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ یَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصۡلِحِۚ وَلَوۡ شَاۤءَ ٱللَّهُ لَأَعۡنَتَكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِیزٌ حَكِیمࣱ
The Surah begins with the statement that it is Allah who revealed this book (the Qur’an) for the guidance of those who are conscious of Allah. Only those who seek guidance can benefit from the guidance of this Book. There are three types of human beings:
Those who believe in the unseen realities, perform prayers, give part of their wealth in charity, believe in what is revealed in this scripture and what was revealed before to other prophets and messengers of Allah. These are the true believers. They shall benefit from this book and they shall be eternally successful.
Second group consists of those who have decided to reject Allah’s message. They are the Kafirs. Since they have made up their minds to reject Islam, no preaching will help them. Allah will punish them on the Day of Judgment because of their rejection.
Third is the group of people who say that they have believed, but actually they have not believed. They try to be on both sides: sometimes at the side of faith and sometimes at the side of unfaith. They are the hypocrites. They may think that in this way they will gain both sides, but in reality they are also the losers.
پوچھتے ہیں: شراب اور جوئے کا کیا حکم ہے؟ کہو: ان دونوں چیزوں میں بڑی خرابی ہے اگرچہ ان میں لوگوں کے لیے کچھ منافع بھی ہیں، مگر ان کا گناہ اُن کے فائدے سے بہت زیادہ ہے پوچھتے ہیں: ہم راہ خدا میں کیا خرچ کریں؟ کہو: جو کچھ تمہاری ضرورت سے زیادہ ہو اس طرح اللہ تمہارے لیے صاف صاف احکام بیان کرتا ہے، شاید کہ تم دنیا اور آخرت دونوں کی فکر کرو پوچھتے ہیں: یتیموں کے ساتھ کیا معاملہ کیا جائے؟ کہو: جس طرز عمل میں ان کے لیے بھلائی ہو، وہی اختیار کرنا بہتر ہے اگر تم اپنا اور اُن کا خرچ اور رہنا سہنا مشترک رکھو، تو اس میں کوئی مضائقہ نہیں آخر وہ تمہارے بھائی بند ہی تو ہیں برائی کرنے والے اور بھلائی کرنے والے، دونوں کا حال اللہ پر روشن ہے اللہ چاہتا تو اس معاملے میں تم پر سختی کرتا، مگر وہ صاحب اختیار ہونے کے ساتھ صاحب حکمت بھی ہے
The beginning of the Surah mentions the attributes of Iman [faith] that the Believer has – Ayah (2:3) and (2:4) mention Iman in:
a) al-Ghayb [unseen]
b) Belief in the Revelation sent upon Prophet Muhammad
c) Belief in the Revelations sent upon all the previous Messengers
d) Yaqeen [complete faith] in the Akhirah [afterlife]
The end of the Surah (2:285) the following aspects of Iman [faith] are mentioned:
a) Belief in Allah
b) Belief in the Angels
c) Belief in the Books [of revelation]
d) Belief in the Messengers – not differientating between any of them [their message was the same]
Combined together they form the first 5 aspects of Iman as mentioned in the Hadith of Jibril [Sahih Muslim – the only aspect of Iman not mentioned in these Ayat but said in the Hadith is Qadr [pre-destination]
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