Al-Baqarah 2:158
The Cow · Juz 2 · Page 24
۞ إِنَّ ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلۡمَرۡوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ ٱللَّهِۖ فَمَنۡ حَجَّ ٱلۡبَيۡتَ أَوِ ٱعۡتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَاۚ وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيۡرٗا فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ ١٥٨
Indeed, aṣ-Ṣafā and al-Marwah are among the symbols1 of Allāh. So whoever makes ḥajj [pilgrimage] to the House or performs ʿumrah - there is no blame upon him for walking between them.2 And whoever volunteers good - then indeed, Allāh is Appreciative3 and Knowing.
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Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 2:157–158
Prophet Abraham was a native of Iraq. Acting at God’s behest, he took his wife Hajar and his infant son Ishmael, and left them in the place now known as Makkah. There was no habitation there at that time and there was no water. Thirst forced Hajar to go far afield in search of water. Distressed, she ran back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah. After seven unsuccessful attempts, she returned to her dwelling. There she found a spring, now known as the spring of Zamzam, flowing from the ground. This was a symbolic event, showing us how Almighty God looks after His servants. If one persists in the service of God, finally reaching a stage where there is nothing but burning sand beneath one’s feet, then God in His mercy will cause a refreshing spring to gush forth from the dryness of the desert sands. When Muslims perform the pilgrimage to Makkah, they repeat Hajar’s historic quest between these hills, thus commemorating the profound relevance of the event to everyone who struggles in the path of God. God’s signs were displayed so clearly in the Prophet Muhammad’s life and teachings, that it was not difficult to see that he had been sent by God. Yet the Jewish intelligentsia denied him. They were prevented from believing in him by the fear that if they accepted an Arab prophet, their religious hegemony would come to an end. People would stop looking up to the Jews as their leaders. Old established religious traditions, and the interests, which had come to be associated with them, (the Jews being the main beneficiaries) would be destroyed. They deemed it wise to conceal the truth, for they thought that they would lose their worldly status were they to accept it; but it would have been much wiser for them to have proclaimed it. They forgot that God’s servants are required to put truth before their worldly interests. One who becomes destitute for the sake of the Lord gains succour from the inexhaustible treasures of divine grace. The doors of God’s mercy are always open to His servants. He will always forgive one who comes to his senses and mends his erring ways, proclaiming the truth as God wishes it to be proclaimed. Only those who persevere in their disbelief till the day they die will be deprived of His mercy.
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2:154
وَلَا تَقُولُواْ لِمَن يُقۡتَلُ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَمۡوَٰتُۢۚ بَلۡ أَحۡيَآءٞ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تَشۡعُرُونَ ١٥٤
And do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allāh, "They are dead." Rather, they are alive, but you perceive [it] not.
2:155
وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٰلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ١٥٥
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient,
2:156
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٞ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ١٥٦
Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allāh, and indeed to Him we will return."
2:157
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَلَوَٰتٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٞۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ ١٥٧
Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.
2:158
۞ إِنَّ ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلۡمَرۡوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ ٱللَّهِۖ فَمَنۡ حَجَّ ٱلۡبَيۡتَ أَوِ ٱعۡتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَاۚ وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيۡرٗا فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ ١٥٨
Indeed, aṣ-Ṣafā and al-Marwah are among the symbols1 of Allāh. So whoever makes ḥajj [pilgrimage] to the House or performs ʿumrah - there is no blame upon him for walking between them.2 And whoever volunteers good - then indeed, Allāh is Appreciative3 and Knowing.
2:159
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكۡتُمُونَ مَآ أَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ وَٱلۡهُدَىٰ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا بَيَّنَّٰهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يَلۡعَنُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَلۡعَنُهُمُ ٱللَّٰعِنُونَ ١٥٩
Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allāh and cursed by those who curse,1
1 translator’s note
- From among the angels and the believers. ↩
2:160
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصۡلَحُواْ وَبَيَّنُواْ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَتُوبُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَأَنَا ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ١٦٠
Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of Repentance,1 the Merciful.
1 translator’s note
- Refer to footnote of 2:37. ↩
2:161
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمۡ كُفَّارٌ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ لَعۡنَةُ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجۡمَعِينَ ١٦١
Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers - upon them will be the curse of Allāh and of the angels and the people, all together,
2:162
خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنۡهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمۡ يُنظَرُونَ ١٦٢
Abiding eternally therein. The punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved.
2:163
وَإِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞۖ لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ١٦٣
And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.