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Al-Baqarah - 2:1
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Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful says;
الم
Alif Lam Mim.
The individual letters in the beginning of some Surahs are among those things whose knowledge Allah has kept only for Himself. This was reported from Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali and Ibn Mas'ud.
It was said that these letters are the names of some of the Surahs.
It was also said that they are the beginnings that Allah chose to start the Surahs of the Qur'an with.
Khasif stated that Mujahid said, "The beginnings of the Surahs, such as Qaf, Sad, Ta Sin Mim and Alif Lam Ra, are just some letters of the alphabet."
Some linguists also stated that; they are letters of the alphabet and that Allah simply did not cite the entire alphabet of twenty-eight letters.
For instance, they said, one might say, "My son recites Alif, Ba, Ta, Tha..." he means the entire alphabet although he stops before mentioning the rest of it.
This opinion was mentioned by Ibn Jarir.
The Letters at the Beginning of Surahs
If one removes the repetitive letters, then the number of letters mentioned at the beginning of the Surahs is fourteen:
Alif, Lam, Mim, Sad, Ra, Kaf, Ha, Ya, Ayn, Ta, Sin, Ha, Qaf, Nun.
So glorious is He Who made everything subtly reflect His wisdom.
Moreover, the scholars said, "There is no doubt that Allah did not reveal these letters for jest and play."
Some ignorant people said that; some of the Qur'an does not mean anything, (meaning, such as these letters) thus committing a major mistake.
On the contrary, these letters carry a specific meaning. Further, if we find an authentic narration leading to the Prophet that explains these letters, we will embrace the Prophet's statement. Otherwise, we will stop where we were made to stop and will proclaim,
امَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا
(We believe in it; all of it (clear and unclear verses) is from our Lord), (3:7).
The scholars did not agree on one opinion or explanation regarding this subject. Therefore, whoever thinks that one scholar's opinion is correct, he is obliged to follow it, otherwise it is better to refrain from making any judgment on this matter. Allah knows best.
Al-Baqarah - 2:2
Allah says;
ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ
This is the Book, wherein there is no doubt,
The Book, is the Qur'an, and Rayb means doubt.
As-Suddi said that Abu Malik and Abu Salih narrated from Ibn Abbas, and Murrah Al-Hamadani narrated from Ibn Mas`ud and several other Companions of the Messenger of Allah that,
لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ
(In which there is no Rayb),
Means about which there is no doubt.
Abu Ad-Darda, Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Malik, Nafi Ata, Abu Al-Aliyah, Ar-Rabi bin Anas, Muqatil bin Hayyan, As-Suddi, Qatadah and Isma`il bin Abi Khalid said similarly.
In addition, Ibn Abi Hatim said, "I do not know of any disagreement over this explanation."
The meaning of this is that; the Book, the Qur'an, is without a doubt revealed from Allah.
Similarly, Allah said in Surah As- Sajdah,
تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ مِن رَّبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
The revelation of the Book (this Qur'an) in which there is no doubt, is from the Lord of all that exists. (32:2)
Some scholars stated that this Ayah 2:2, contains a prohibition meaning,"Do not doubt the Qur'an."
Furthermore, some of the reciters of the Qur'an pause upon reading,
لَا رَيْبَ
(there is no doubt) and they then continue;
فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
(in which there is guidance for the Muttaqin (the pious and righteous persons)).
However, it is better to pause at,
لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ
(in which there is no doubt) because in this case,
هُدًى
(guidance) becomes an attribute of the Qur'an and carries a better meaning than,
فِيهِ هُدًى
(in which there is guidance).
Guidance is granted to Those Who have Taqwa
Allah said,
هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
guidance for the Muttaqin.
That it means, "They are the believers."
Hidayah - (correct guidance) is only granted to those who have Taqwa - (fear of Allah).
Allah said,
قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ هُدًى وَشِفَأءٌ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يُوْمِنُونَ فِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى أُوْلَـيِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِن مَّكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ
Say:It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it (the Qur'an) is blindness for them. They are those who are called from a place far away (so they neither listen nor understand). (41:44)
and,
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَأءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُوْمِنِينَ وَلَا يَزِيدُ الظَّـلِمِينَ إَلاَّ خَسَارًا
And We send down of the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it), and it increases the Zalimin (wrongdoers) in nothing but loss. (17:82)
This is a sample of the numerous Ayat indicating that the believers, in particular, benefit from the Qur'an. That is because the Qur'an is itself a form of guidance, but the guidance in it is only granted to the righteous, just as Allah said,
يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَأءَتْكُمْ مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَأءٌ لِّمَا فِى الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُوْمِنِينَ
O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (i. e. the Qur'an, enjoining all that is good and forbidding all that is evil), and a healing for that (disease of ignorance, doubt, hypocrisy and differences) which is in your breasts, - a guidance and a mercy (explaining lawful and unlawful things) for the believers. (10:57)
Ibn Abbas and Ibn Mas`ud and other Companions of the Messenger of Allah said,
هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
(guidance for the Muttaqin (the pious and righteous persons), means, a light for those who have Taqwa.
The Meaning of Al-Muttaqin
Ibn Abbas said about,
هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
(guidance for the Muttaqin) that it means, "They are the believers who avoid Shirk with Allah and who work in His obedience."
Ibn Abbas also said that Al-Muttaqin means, "Those who fear Allah's punishment, which would result if they abandoned the true guidance that they recognize and know. They also hope in Allah's mercy by believing in what He revealed."
Further, Qatadah said that,
لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
(Al-Muttaqin), are those whom Allah has described in His statement;
الَّذِينَ يُوْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلةَ
(Who believe in the Ghayb and perform the Salah) (2:3), and the following Ayat.
Ibn Jarir stated that the Ayah (2:2) includes all of these meanings that the scholars have mentioned, and this is the correct view.
Also, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah narrated that Atiyah As-Sa`di said that the Messenger of Allah said,
لَاا يَبْلُغُ الْعَبْدُأَنْ يَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ حَتَّى يَدَعَ مَالَاا بَأْسَ بِهِ حَذَرًا مِمَّا بِهِ بَأْس
The servant will not acquire the status of the Muttaqin until he abandons what is harmless out of fear of falling into that which is harmful.
At-Tirmidhi then said "Hasan Gharib."
There are Two Types of Hidayah (Guidance)
Huda here means; the faith that resides in the heart, and only Allah is able to create it in the heart of the servants.
Allah said,
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِى مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ
Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like. (28:56)
لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ
Not upon you (Muhammad) is their guidance. (2:272)
مَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَ هَادِيَ لَهُ
Whomsoever Allah sends astray, none can guide him. (7:186)
and,
مَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا
He whom Allah guides, he is the rightly guided; but he whom He sends astray, for him you will find no Wali (guiding friend) to lead him (to the right path). (18:17)
Huda also means to explain the truth, give direction and lead to it.
Allah, the Exalted, said,
وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِى إِلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
And verily, you (O Muhammad) are indeed guiding (mankind) to the straight path (i.e. Allah's religion of Islamic Monotheism). (42:52)
إِنَّمَأ أَنتَ مُنذِرٌ وَلِكُلِّ قَوْمٍ هَادٍ
You are only a warner, and to every people there is a guide. (13:7)
and,
وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ فَاسْتَحَبُّواْ الْعَمَى عَلَى الْهُدَى
And as for Thamud, We showed and made clear to them the path of truth (Islamic Monotheism) through Our Messenger (i.e. showed them the way of success), but they preferred blindness to guidance. (41:17)
Testifying to this meaning.
Also, Allah said,
وَهَدَيْنَـهُ النَّجْدَينِ
And shown him the two ways (good and evil). (90:10)
This is the view of the scholars who said that the two ways refer to the paths of righteousness and evil, which is also the correct explanation. And Allah knows best.
Meaning of Taqwa
The root meaning of Taqwa is to avoid what one dislikes.
It was reported that;
Umar bin Al-Khattab asked Ubayy bin Ka`b about Taqwa.
Ubayy said, "Have you ever walked on a path that has thorns on it?"
Umar said, "Yes."
Ubayy said, "What did you do then?"
He said, "I rolled up my sleeves and struggled."
Ubayy said, "That is Taqwa.
Al-Baqarah - 2:3
يُؤْمِنُونَ
The Meaning of Iman
Allah says;
الَّذِينَ يُوْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ
Those Who have faith in the Ghayb.
Abu Jafar Ar-Razi said that Al-Ala bin Al-Musayyib bin Rafi narrated from Abu Ishaq that Abu Al-Ahwas said that Abdullah said, "Iman is to trust."
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said,
يُوْمِنُونَ
(who have faith), means they trust.
Also, Ma'mar said that Az-Zuhri said, "Iman is the deeds."
In addition, Abu Jafar Ar-Razi said that Ar-Rabi bin Anas said that, 'They have faith', means, they fear (Allah).
Ibn Jarir (At-Tabari) commented, "The preferred view is that they be described as having faith in the Unseen by the tongue, deed and creed. In this case, fear of Allah is included in the general meaning of Iman, which necessitates following deeds of the tongue by implementation. Hence, Iman is a general term that includes affirming and believing in Allah, His Books and His Messengers, and realizing this affirmation through adhering to the implications of what the tongue utters and affirms."
Linguistically, in the absolute sense, Iman merely means trust, and it is used to mean that sometimes in the Qur'an, for instance, Allah the Exalted said,
يُوْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَيُوْمِنُ لِلْمُوْمِنِينَ
He trusts (yu'minu) in Allah, and trusts (yu'minu) in the believers. (9:61)
Prophet Yusuf's brothers said to their father,
وَمَأ أَنتَ بِمُوْمِنٍ لَّنَا وَلَوْ كُنَّا صَـدِقِينَ
But you will never believe us even when we speak the truth. (12:17)
Further, the word Iman is sometimes mentioned along with deeds, such as Allah said,
إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ
Save those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous deeds. (95:6)
However, when Iman is used in an unrestricted manner, it includes beliefs, deeds, and statements of the tongue. We should state here that Iman increases and decreases.
There are many narrations and Hadiths on this subject, and we discussed them in the beginning of our explanation of Sahih Al-Bukhari, all favors are from Allah.
Some scholars explained that Iman means Khashyah (fear of Allah). For instance, Allah said;
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَيْبِ
Verily, those who fear their Lord unseen (i.e. they do not see Him, nor His punishment in the Hereafter). (67:12)
and,
مَّنْ خَشِىَ الرَّحْمَـنَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَجَأءَ بِقَلْبٍ مُّنِيبٍ
Who feared the Most Gracious (Allah) in the Ghayb (unseen) and brought a heart turned in repentance (to Him and absolutely free from every kind of polytheism). (50:33)
Fear is the core of Iman and knowledge, just as Allah the Exalted said,
إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ
It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah. (35:28)
The Meaning of Al-Ghayb
As for the meaning of Ghayb here, the Salaf have different explanations of it, all of which are correct, indicating the same general meaning.
For instance, Abu Jafar Ar-Razi quoted Ar-Rabi bin Anas, reporting from Abu Al-Aliyah about Allah's statement,
يُوْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ
((Those who) have faith in the Ghayb),
"They believe in Allah, His angels, Books, Messengers, the Last Day, His Paradise, Fire and in the meeting with Him. They also believe in life after death and in Resurrection. All of this is the Ghayb."
Qatadah bin Di'amah said similarly.
Sa'id bin Mansur reported from Abdur-Rahman bin Yazid who said, "We were sitting with Abdullah bin Mas'ud when we mentioned the Companions of the Prophet and their deeds being superior to our deeds.
Abdullah said, 'The matter of Muhammad was clear for those who saw him. By He other than Whom there is no God, no person will ever acquire a better type of faith than believing in Al-Ghayb.'
He then recited,
الم
ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
الَّذِينَ يُوْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ
Alif Lam Mim.
This is the Book, wherein there is no doubt, a guidance for the Muttaqin.
Those who believe in the Ghayb,
until,
الْمُفْلِحُونَ
(the successful)."
Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Marduwyah and Al-Hakim, in his Mustadrak, recorded this Hadith.
Al-Hakim commented that this Hadith is authentic and that the Two Sheikhs - (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not collect it, although it meets their criteria.
Ahmad recorded a Hadith with similar meaning from Ibn Muhayriz who said: I said to Abu Jumu'ah, "Narrate a Hadith for us that you heard from the Messenger of Allah."
He said, "Yes. I will narrate a good Hadith for you.
Once we had lunch with the Messenger of Allah. Abu Ubaydah, who was with us, said, 'O Messenger of Allah! Are people better than us We embraced Islam with you and performed Jihad with you.'
He said,
نَعَمْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ بَعْدِكُمْ يُوْمِنُونَ بِي وَلَمْ يَرَوْنِي
Yes, those who will come after you, who will believe in me although they did not see me."
This Hadith has another route collected by Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah in his Tafsir, from Salih bin Jubayr who said:
Abu Jumu'ah Al-Ansari, the Companion of the Messenger of Allah, came to Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) to perform the prayer. Raja' bin Haywah was with us, so when Abu Jumu'ah finished, we went out to greet him. When he was about to leave, he said, "You have a gift and a right. I will narrate a Hadith for you that I heard from the Messenger of Allah."
We said, "Do so, and may Allah grant you mercy."
He said, "We were with the Messenger of Allah, ten people including Mu`adh bin Jabal. We said, "O Messenger of Allah! Are there people who will acquire greater rewards than us We believed in Allah and followed you.'
He said,
مَا يَمْنَعُكُمْ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَرَسُولُ اللهِ بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِكُمْ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِالْوَحْيِ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ بَلْ قَوْمٌ بَعْدَكُمْ يَأْتِيهِمْ كِتَابٌ مِنْ بَيْنِ لَوْحَيْنِ يُوْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَعْمَلُونَ بِمَا فِيهِ أُوليِكَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْكُمْ أَجْرًا مَرَّتَيْن
What prevents you from doing so, while the Messenger of Allah is among you, bringing you the revelation from heaven There are people who will come after you and who will be given a book between two covers (the Qur'an), and they will believe in it and implement its commands. They have a greater reward than you, even twice as much."
Allah says;
وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
And perform Salah, and spend out of what we have provided for them.
Meaning of Iqamat As-Salah
Ibn Abbas said that,
وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلةَ
(And perform the Salah), means, "Perform the prayer with all of the obligations that accompany it."
Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn Abbas said, "Iqamat As-Salah means to complete the bowings, prostrations, recitation, humbleness and attendance for the prayer."
Qatadah said, "Iqamat As-Salah means to preserve punctuality, and the ablution, bowings, and prostrations of the prayer."
Muqatil bin Hayyan said Iqamat As-Salah means, "To preserve punctuality for it, as well as completing ones purity for it, and completing the bowings, prostrations, recitation of the Qur'an, Tashahhud and blessings for the Prophet. This is Iqamat As-Salah."
The Meaning of "Spending" in this Ayah
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said,
وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
(And spend out of what We have provided for them) means, "The Zakah due on their wealth."
As-Suddi said that Abu Malik and Abu Salih narrated from Ibn Abbas, as well as Murrah from Ibn Mas`ud and other Companions of the Messenger of Allah, that,
وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
(And spend out of what We have provided for them) means, "A man's spending on his family. This was before the obligation of Zakah was revealed."
Juwaybir narrated from Ad-Dahhak, "General spending (in charity) was a means of drawing nearer to Allah, according to one's discretion and capability. Until the obligation of charity was revealed in the seven Ayat of Surah Bara'ah, were revealed. These abrogated the previous case."
In many instances, Allah mentioned prayer and spending wealth together.
Prayer is a right of Allah as well as a form of worshipping Him. It includes singling Him out for one's devotion, praising Him, glorifying Him, supplicating to Him, invoking Him, and it displays one's dependence upon Him.
Spending is form of kindness towards creatures by giving them what will benefit them, and those people most deserving of this charity are the relatives, the wife, the servants and then the rest of the people. So all types of required charity and required spending are included in Allah's saying,
وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
(And spend out of what we have provided for them).
The Two Sahihs recorded that Ibn Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said,
بُنِيَ الاِْسْلَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ
شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا إِلهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ
وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَإةِ
وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ
وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ
وَحَجِّ الْبَيْت
Islam is built upon five (pillars):
Testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,
establishing the prayer,
giving Zakah,
fasting Ramadan and
Hajj to the House.
There are many other Hadiths on this subject.
The Meaning of Salah
In the Arabic language, the basic meaning of Salah is supplication. In religious terminology, Salah is used to refer to the acts of bowing and prostration, the remaining specified acts associated with it, specified at certain times, with those known conditions, and the characteristics, and requirements that are well-known about it.
Al-Baqarah - 2:4
والَّذِينَ يُوْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ
And who have faith in what is revealed to you and in what was revealed before you.
Ibn Abbas said that, means, "They believe in what Allah sent you with, and in what the previous Messengers were sent with, they do not distinguish between (believing) them, nor do they reject what they brought from their Lord."
وَبِالاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ
And in the Hereafter they are certain.
That is the resurrection, the standing (on the Day of Resurrection), Paradise, the Fire, the reckoning and the Scale that weighs the deeds (the Mizan). The Hereafter is so named because it comes after this earthly life.
Attributes of the Believers
The people described here (2:4) are those whom Allah described in the preceding Ayah,
الَّذِينَ يُوْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ
وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
(Those who have faith in the Ghayb and perform Salah, and spend out of what we have provided for them).
Mujahid once stated,"Four Ayat at the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah describe the believers, two describe the disbelievers, and thirteen describe the hypocrites."
The four Ayat mentioned in this statement are general and include every believer, whether an Arab, non-Arab, or a person of a previous Scripture, whether they are Jinns or humans. All of these attributes complement each other and require the existence of the other attributes.
For instance, it is not possible that one believes in the Unseen, performs the prayer and gives Zakah without believing in what the Messenger of Allah and the previous Messengers were sent with.
The same with certainty in the Hereafter, this is not correct without that, for Allah has commanded the believers,
يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ءَامِنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَـبِ الَّذِى نَزَّلَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَـبِ الَّذِى أَنَزلَ مِن قَبْلُ
O you who believe! Believe in Allah, and His Messenger, and the Book (the Qur'an) which He has revealed to the Messenger, and the Book which He sent down to those before (him). (4:136)
وَلَا تُجَـدِلُواْ أَهْلَ الْكِتَـبِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنْهُمْ وَقُولُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِالَّذِى أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَـهُنَا وَإِلَـهُكُمْ وَاحِدٌ
And argue not with the People of the Book, unless it be in (a way) that is better, except with such of them as do wrong; and say (to them):"We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you; our Ilah (God) and your Ilah (God) is One (i.e. Allah)." (29:46)
يَـأَيُّهَأ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ ءَامِنُواْ بِمَا نَزَّلْنَا مُصَدِّقاً لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ
O you who have been given the Book (Jews and Christians)! Believe in what We have revealed (to Muhammad) confirming what is (already) with you. (4:47)
and,
قُلْ يَـأَهْلَ الْكِتَـبِ لَسْتُمْ عَلَى شَىْءٍ حَتَّى تُقِيمُواْ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالاِنجِيلَ وَمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ
Say (O Muhammad):"O People of the Book (Jews and Christians)! You have nothing until you act according to the Tawrah (Torah), the Injil (Gospel), and what has (now) been revealed to you from your Lord (the Qur'an)." (5:68)
Also, Allah the Exalted described the believers;
ءَامَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُوْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَـيِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ
The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) "We make no distinction between any of His Messengers". (2:285)
and,
وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ
And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no distinction between any of them (Messengers). (4:152)
This is a sample of the Ayat that indicate that the true believers all believe in Allah, His Messengers and His Books.
The faithful among the People of the Book, have a special significance here, since they believe in their Books and in all of the details related to that, so when such people embrace Islam and sincerely believe in the details of the religion, then they will get two rewards. As for the others, they can only believe in the previous religious teachings in a general way. For instance, the Prophet stated,
إِذَا حَدَثَكُمْ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ فَلَ تُكَذِّبُوهُمْ وَلَا تُصَدِقُوهُمْ وَلكِنْ قُولُوا امَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُم
When the People of the Book narrate to you, neither reject nor affirm what they say. Rather, say, 'We believe in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to you.'
However, the faith that many Arabs have in the religion of Islam as it was revealed to Muhammad might be more complete, encompassing and firmer than the faith of the People of the Book who embraced Islam. Therefore, if the believers in Islam among the People of the Book gain two rewards, other Muslims who have firmer Islamic faith might gain an equal reward that compares to the two the People of the Book gain (upon embracing Islam). And Allah knows best.
Al-Baqarah - 2:5
Guidance and Success are awarded to the Believers
Allah said,
أُوْلَـيِكَ
They are
Refers to those who believe in the Unseen, establish the prayer, spend from what Allah has granted them, believe in what Allah has revealed to the Messenger and the Messengers before him, believe in the Hereafter with certainty, and prepare the necessary requirements for the Hereafter by performing good deeds and avoiding the prohibitions.
Allah then said,
عَلَى هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ
on guidance from their Lord
Meaning, they are (following) a light, guidance, and have insight from Allah,
وَأُوْلَـيِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
and they are the successful.
Meaning, in this world and the Hereafter. They shall have what they seek and be saved from the evil that they tried to avoid. Therefore, they will have rewards, eternal life in Paradise, and safety from the torment that Allah has prepared for His enemies.
