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Al-Baqarah - 2:46
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Allah's statement,
الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَقُو رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
They are those who are certain that they are going to meet their Lord, and that unto Him they are going to return.
Continues the subject that was started in the previous Ayah. Therefore, the prayer, or the advice to observe it is heavy,
إِلاَّ عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ
الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَقُو رَبِّهِمْ
except for Al-Khashi'in. (They are those) who are certain (Yazunnuna) that they are going to meet their Lord), meaning, they know that they will be gathered and face their Lord on the Day of Resurrection,
وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
(and that unto Him they are going to return), meaning, their affairs are all subject to His will and He justly decides what He wills.
Since they are certain that they will be returned to Allah and be reckoned, it is easy for them to perform the acts of obedience and refrain from the prohibitions.
Ibn Jarir commented on Allah's statement;
يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَقُو رَبِّهِم
(Yazunnuna that they are going to meet their Lord),
Ibn Jarir said; "The Arabs call certainty as well as doubt, Zann. There are similar instances in the Arabic language where a subject as well as its opposite share the same name. For instance, Allah said,
وَرَأَى الْمُجْرِمُونَ النَّارَ فَظَنُّواْ أَنَّهُمْ مُّوَاقِعُوهَا
And the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners), shall see the Fire and Zannu (apprehend) that they have to fall therein." (18:53)
It is recorded in the Sahih that; on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will say to a servant, "Have I not allowed you to marry, honored you, made the horses and camels subservient to you and allowed you to become a chief and a master?"
He will say, "Yes."
Allah will say, "Did you have Zann (think) that you will meet Me?"
He will say, "No."
Allah will say, "This Day, I will forget you, just as you forgot Me."
If Allah wills, we will further elaborate on this subject when we explain Allah's statement,
نَسُواْ اللّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ
(They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them), (9:67)
Al-Baqarah - 2:47
Reminding the Children of Israel that They were preferred above the Other Nations
Allah says;
يَا بَنِي إِسْرَايِيلَ اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّي فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
O Children of Israel! Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you and that I preferred you over the Alamin (nations).
Allah reminds the Children of Israel of the favors that He granted their fathers and grandfathers, how He showed preference to them by sending them Messengers from among them and revealing Books to them, more so than any of the other previous nations.
Similarly, Allah said,
وَلَقَدِ اخْتَرْنَـهُمْ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عَلَى الْعَـلَمِينَ
And We chose them (the Children of Israel) over the Alamin, (nations) with knowledge. (44:32)
and,
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ يَـقَوْمِ اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنْبِيَأءَ وَجَعَلَكُمْ مُّلُوكاً وَءَاتَـكُمْ مَّا لَمْ يُوْتِ أَحَداً مِّن الْعَـلَمِينَ
And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said to his people:"O my people! Remember the favor of Allah to you:when He made Prophets among you, made you kings, honored you above the Alamin (nations)." (5:20)
Abu Jafar Ar-Razi reported that Ar-Rabi bin Anas said that Abu Al-Aliyah said that Allah's statement,
وَأَنِّي فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
(and that I preferred you over the Alamin) means, "The kingship, Messengers and Books that were granted to them, instead of granting such to the other kingdoms that existed during their time, for every period there is a nation."
It was also reported that Mujahid, Ar-Rabi bin Anas, Qatadah and Ismail bin Abi Khalid said similarly.
The Ummah of Muhammad is Better than the Children of Israel
This is the only way the Ayah can be understood, because this Ummah is better than theirs, as Allah said;
كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُوْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَوْ ءَامَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَـبِ لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُمْ
You are the best of people ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin good and forbid evil, and you believe in Allah. And had the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) believed, it would have been better for them. (3:110)
Also, the Musnad and Sunan Collections of Hadith recorded that Muawiyah bin Haydah Al-Qushayri said that the Messenger of Allah said,
أَنْتُمْ تُوَفُّونَ سَبْعِينَ أُمَّةً أَنْتُمْ خَيْرُهَا وَأَكْرَمُهَا عَلَى الله
You (Muslims) are the seventieth nation, but you are the best and most honored of them according to Allah.
There are many Hadiths on this subject, and they will be mentioned when we discuss Allah's statement,
كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ
(You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind), (3:110)
Al-Baqarah - 2:48
After Allah reminded the Children of Israel of the favors that He has granted them, He warned them about the duration of the torment which He will punish them with on the Day of Resurrection.
He said,
وَاتَّقُواْ يَوْماً
And fear a Day, meaning, the Day of Resurrection.
لااَّ تَجْزِي نَفْسٌ عَن نَّفْسٍ شَيْياً
When a person shall not avail another, meaning, on that Day, no person shall be of any help to another.
Similarly, Allah said,
وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى
And no bearer of burdens shall bear another's burden. (35:18)
لِكُلِّ امْرِىءٍ مِّنْهُمْ يَوْمَيِذٍ شَأْنٌ يُغْنِيهِ
Every man that Day will have enough to make him careless of others. (80:37) and,
يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمْ وَاخْشَوْاْ يَوْماً لاأَّ يَجْزِى وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِ وَلاأَ مَوْلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَن وَالِدِهِ شَيْياً
O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord (by keeping your duty to Him and avoiding all evil), and fear a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. (31:33)
This indeed should serve as a great warning that both the father and the son will not be of help to each other on that Day.
Neither Intercession, Ransom, or Assistance will be accepted on behalf of the Disbelievers
Allah said,
وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا شَفَاعَةٌ
nor will intercession be accepted from him, meaning, from the disbelievers.
Similarly, Allah said,
فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمْ شَفَـعَةُ الشَّـفِعِينَ
So no intercession of intercessors will be of any use to them (74:48) and described the people of the Fire saying,
فَمَا لَنَا مِن شَـفِعِينَ
وَلَا صَدِيقٍ حَمِيمٍ
Now we have no intercessors. Nor a close friend (to help us). (26:100-101)
Allah's statement here, (2:48),
وَلَا يُوْخَذُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ
nor will compensation be taken from him, means, that Allah does not accept the disbelievers to ransom themselves.
Similarly, Allah said,
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِم مِّلْءُ الاٌّرْضِ ذَهَبًا وَلَوِ افْتَدَى بِهِ
Verily, those who disbelieved, and died while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth full of gold will not be accepted from anyone of them even if they offered it as a ransom. (3:91)
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ مَّا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لِيَفْتَدُواْ بِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
Verily, those who disbelieve, if they had all that is in the earth, and as much again therewith to ransom themselves from the torment on the Day of Resurrection, it would never be accepted of them, and theirs would be a painful torment. (5:36)
وَإِن تَعْدِلْ كُلَّ عَدْلٍ لاَّ يُوْخَذْ مِنْهَأ
And even if he offers every ransom, it will not be accepted from him. (6:70) and,
فَالْيَوْمَ لَا يُوْخَذُ مِنكُمْ فِدْيَةٌ وَلَا مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مَأْوَاكُمُ النَّارُ هِىَ مَوْلَـكُمْ
So this Day no ransom shall be taken from you (hypocrites), nor of those who disbelieved. Your abode is the Fire. That is your Mawla (friend ـ proper place). (57:15)
Allah stated that if the people do not believe in His Messenger and follow what He sent him with, then when they meet Him on the Day of Resurrection, after remaining on the path of disbelief, their family lineage and/or the intercession of their masters will not help them at all. It will not be accepted of them, even if they paid the earth's fill of gold as ransom.
Similarly, Allah said,
مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِىَ يَوْمٌ لاَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خُلَّةٌ وَلَا شَفَـعَةٌ
Before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. (2:254) and,
لااَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خِلَـلٌ
On which there will be neither mutual bargaining nor befriending. (19:31)
Allah's statement next,
وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ
nor will they be helped, means, "no person shall get angry - or anxious - on their behalf and offer them any help, or try to save them from Allah's punishment."
As stated earlier on that Day, neither the relative, nor persons of authority will feel pity for the disbelievers, nor will any ransom be accepted for them. Consequently, they will receive no help from others and they will be helpless themselves.
Allah said,
وَهُوَ يُجْيِرُ وَلَا يُجَارُ عَلَيْهِ
While He (Allah) grants refuge (or protection), but none grants refuge from Him. (23:88)
فَيَوْمَيِذٍ لاَّ يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُ أَحَدٌ
وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُ أَحَدٌ
So on that Day none will punish as He will punish. And none will bind (the wicked, disbelievers and polytheists) as He will bind. (89:25-26)
مَا لَكُمْ لَاا تَنَاصَرُونَ
بَلْ هُمُ الْيَوْمَ مُسْتَسْلِمُونَ
"What is the matter with you? Why do you not help one another (as you used to do in the world)!" Nay, but that Day they shall surrender! (37:25-26)
and,
فَلَوْلَا نَصَرَهُمُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ قُرْبَاناً ءَالِهَةَ بَلْ ضَلُّواْ عَنْهُمْ
Then why did those whom they had taken for alihah (gods) besides Allah, as a way of approach (to Allah) not help them Nay, but they vanished completely from them) (46:28).
Also, Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn Abbas said that Allah's statement,
مَا لَكُمْ لَاا تَنَاصَرُونَ
("What is the matter with you? Why do you not help one another?"), (37:25) means, "This Day, you shall not have a refuge from Us. Not this Day."
Ibn Jarir said that Allah's statement,
وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ
(nor will they be helped), meaning, on that Day, they shall neither be helped by any helper, nor shall anyone intercede on their behalf. No repeal or ransom will be accepted for them, all courtesy towards them will have ceased, along with any helpful intercession. No type of help or cooperation will be available for them on that Day. The judgment will, on that Day, be up to the Most Great, the Most Just, against whom no intercessor or helper can ever assist. He will then award the evil deed its kind and will multiply the good deeds.
This is similar to Allah's statement,
وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُم مَّسْيُولُونَ
مَا لَكُمْ لَاا تَنَاصَرُونَ
بَلْ هُمُ الْيَوْمَ مُسْتَسْلِمُونَ
But stop them, verily, they are to be questioned. "What is the matter with you? Why do you not help one another?" Nay, but that Day they shall surrender. (37:24-26)
Al-Baqarah - 2:49
The Children of Israel were saved from Pharaoh and His Army Who drowned
Allah said to the Children of Israel, "Remember My favor on you,
وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَاكُم مِّنْ الِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوَءَ الْعَذَابِ
And (remember) when We delivered you from Fir'awn's (Pharaoh) people, who were afflicting you with a horrible torment, meaning, 'I - Allah - saved you from them and delivered you from their hands in the company of Musa, after they subjected you to horrible torture.'
This favor came after the cursed Pharaoh had a dream in which he saw a fire emerge from Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), and then the fire entered the houses of the Coptics in Egypt, with the exception of the Children of Israel. Its purport was that his kingship would be toppled by a man among the Children of Israel.
It was also said that some of Pharaoh's entourage said that the Children of Israel were expecting a man among them to arise who would establish a state for them. We will mention the Hadith on this subject when we explain Surah Ta Ha, Allah willing.
After the dream, Pharaoh ordered that every newborn male among the Children of Israel be killed and that the girls be left alone. He also commanded that the Children of Israel be given tasks of hard labor and assigned the most humiliating jobs.
The torment here refers to killing the male infants.
In Surah Ibrahim this meaning is clearly mentioned,
يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ وَيُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءكُمْ
Who were afflicting you with horrible torment, and were slaughtering your sons and letting your women live. (14:6)
We will explain this Ayah in the beginning of Surah Al-Qasas, Allah willing, and our reliance and trust are with Him.
The meaning of,
يَسُومُونَكُمْ
(who were afflicting you) is, "They humiliated you," as Abu Ubaydah stated.
It was also said that it means, "They used to exaggerate in tormenting you" according to Al-Qurtubi.
As for Allah saying,
يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءكُمْ
killing your sons and sparing your women, that explains His statement,
يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوَءَ الْعَذَابِ
(who were afflicting you with horrible torment) then it explains the meaning of the favor He gave them, as mentioned in His statement,
اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ
(Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you).
As for what Allah said in Surah Ibrahim,
وَذَكِّرْهُمْ بِأَيَّامِ اللّهِ
(And remind them of the annals of Allah), (14:5) meaning, the favors and blessing He granted them,
He then said,
يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ وَيُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءكُمْ
(Who were afflicting you with horrible torment, and were slaughtering your sons and letting your women live), (14:6).
So Allah mentioned saving their children from being slaughtered in order to remind them of the many favors that He granted them.
We should state here that Pharaoh (Fir'awn) is a title that was given to every disbelieving king who ruled Egypt, whether from the Amaliq (Canaanites) or otherwise, just as Caesar (Qaysar) is the title of the disbelieving kings who ruled Rome and Damascus. Also, Khosrau (Kisra) is the title of the kings who ruled Persia, while Tubba is the title of the kings of Yemen, and the kings of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) were called Negus (An-Najashi).
Allah said,
وَفِي ذَلِكُم بَلء مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ
(And therein was a mighty trial from your Lord.)
Ibn Jarir commented that this part of the Ayah means, "Our saving your fathers from the torment that they suffered by the hand of Pharaoh, is a great blessing from your Lord."
We should mention that in the blessing there a is test, the same as with hardship, for Allah said,
وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً
And We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good. (21:35) and,
وَبَلَوْنَـهُمْ بِالْحَسَنَـتِ وَالسَّيِّيَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
And We tried them with good (blessings) and evil (calamities) in order that they might turn (to obey Allah). (7:168).
Al-Baqarah - 2:50
Allah's statement next,
وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ الْبَحْرَ فَأَنجَيْنَاكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا الَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ
And (remember) when We separated the sea for you and saved you and drowned Fir'awn's (Pharaoh) people while you were watching, means, 'After We saved you from Fir'awn and you escaped with Musa; Fir'awn went out in your pursuit and We parted the sea for you.'
Allah mentioned this story in detail, as we will come to know, Allah willing.
One of the shortest references to this story is Allah's statement,
فَأَنجَيْنَاكُمْ
(And saved you) meaning, "We saved you from them, drowning them while you watched, bringing relief to your hearts and humiliation to your enemy."
Fasting the Day of 'Ashura
It was reported that the day the Children of Israel were saved from Fir'awn was called the day of 'Ashura.
Imam Ahmad reported that Ibn Abbas said that; the Messenger of Allah came to Al-Madinah and found that the Jews were fasting the day of 'Ashura. He asked them, "What is this day that you fast?"
They said, "This is a good day during which Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy, and Musa used to fast this day."
The Messenger of Allah said,
أَنَا أَحَقُّ بِمُوسَى مِنْكُم
I have more right to Musa than you have.
So the Messenger of Allah fasted that day and ordered that it be fasted.
This Hadith was collected by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.
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