15 Nov, 2025
Quran 2:253 (Ayah al-Baqarah)
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We have chosen some of those messengers above others. Allah spoke directly to some, and raised some high in rank. To Jesus, son of Mary, We gave clear proofs and supported him with the holy spirit. If Allah had willed, succeeding generations would not have fought ˹among themselves˺ after receiving the clear proofs. But they differed— some believed while others disbelieved. Yet if Allah had willed, they would not have fought one another. But Allah does what He wills. Quran 2:253 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.
۞ تِلۡكَ ٱلرُّسُلُ فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲۘ مِّنۡهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ ٱللَّهُۖ وَرَفَعَ بَعۡضَهُمۡ دَرَجَـٰتࣲۚ وَءَاتَیۡنَا عِیسَى ٱبۡنَ مَرۡیَمَ ٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتِ وَأَیَّدۡنَـٰهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلۡقُدُسِۗ وَلَوۡ شَاۤءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقۡتَتَلَ ٱلَّذِینَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَاۤءَتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتُ وَلَـٰكِنِ ٱخۡتَلَفُوا۟ فَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ ءَامَنَ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن كَفَرَۚ وَلَوۡ شَاۤءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقۡتَتَلُوا۟ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ یَفۡعَلُ مَا یُرِیدُ
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.
یہ پیغمبر (جو ہم وقتاً فوقتاً بھیجتے رہیں ہیں) ان میں سے ہم نے بعض کو بعض پر فضیلت دی ہے۔ بعض ایسے ہیں جن سے خدا نے گفتگو فرمائی اور بعض کے (دوسرے امور میں) مرتبے بلند کئے۔ اور عیسیٰ بن مریم کو ہم نے کھلی ہوئی نشانیاں عطا کیں اور روح القدس سے ان کو مدد دی۔ اور اگر خداچاہتا تو ان سے پچھلے لوگ اپنے پاس کھلی نشانیاں آنے کے بعد آپس میں نہ لڑتے لیکن انہوں نے اختلاف کیا تو ان میں سے بعض تو ایمان لے آئے اور بعض کافر ہی رہے۔ اور اگر خدا چاہتا تو یہ لوگ باہم جنگ و قتال نہ کرتے۔ لیکن خدا جو چاہتا ہے کرتا 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]