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Al-Baqarah - 2:71
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قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لاَّ ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ الَارْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِي الْحَرْثَ
He says, 'It is a cow neither trained to till the soil nor water the fields,' meaning, it is not used in farming, or for watering purposes. Rather, it is honorable and fair looking.
Abdur-Razzaq said that Ma'mar said that Qatadah said that,
مُسَلَّمَةٌ لاَّ شِيَةَ فِيهَا
sound, having no blemish in it. Means, "The cow does not suffer from any defects."
This is also the opinion of Abu Al-Aliyah and Ar-Rabi.
Mujahid also said that; the Ayah means the cow is free from defects.
Further, Ata' Al-Khurasani said that; the Ayah means that its legs and body are free of physical defects.
قَالُواْ الانَ جِيْتَ بِالْحَقِّ
They said, "Now you have brought the truth."
فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُواْ يَفْعَلُونَ
So they slaughtered it though they were near to not doing it.
Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn Abbas said that the Ayah means, "They did not want to slaughter it."
This means that even after all the questions and answers about the cow's description, the Jews were still reluctant to slaughter the cow.
This part of the Qur'an criticized the Jews for their behavior, because their only goal was to be stubborn, and this is why they nearly did not slaughter the cow.
Also, Ubaydah, Mujahid, Wahb bin Munabbih, Abu Al-Aliyah and Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "The Jews bought the cow with a large amount of money."
There is a difference of opinion over this.
Al-Baqarah - 2:72
Bringing the murdered Man back to Life
Allah tells;
وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْساً فَادَّارَأْتُمْ فِيهَا وَاللّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ
And (remember) when you killed a man and disagreed among yourselves as to the crime. But Allah brought forth that which you were Taktumun.
Al-Bukhari said that,
فَادَّارَأْتُمْ فِيهَا
(And disagreed among yourselves as to the crime) means, "Disputed."
This is also the Tafsir of Mujahid.
Ata' Al-Khurasani and Ad-Dahhak said, "Disputed about this matter."
Also, Ibn Jurayj said that,
وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْساً فَادَّارَأْتُمْ فِيهَا
(And (remember) when you killed a man and disagreed among yourselves as to the crime) means, some of them said, "You killed him," while the others said, "No you killed him."
This is also the Tafsir of Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam.
Mujahid said that,
وَاللّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ
(But Allah brought forth that which you were Taktumun) means, "what you were hiding."
Al-Baqarah - 2:73
Allah said,
فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبُوهُ بِبَعْضِهَا
So We said:"Strike him (the dead man) with a piece of it (the cow)." Meaning, "any part of the cow will produce the miracle (if they struck the dead man with it)."
We were not told which part of the cow they used, as this matter does not benefit us either in matters of life or religion. Otherwise, Allah would have made it clear for us. Instead, Allah made this matter vague, so this is why we should leave it vague.
Allah's statement,
كَذَلِكَ يُحْيِي اللّهُ الْمَوْتَى
Thus Allah brings the dead to life, means, "They struck him with it, and he came back to life."
This Ayah demonstrates Allah's ability in bringing the dead back to life. Allah made this incident proof against the Jews that the Resurrection shall occur, and ended their disputing and stubbornness over the dead person.
Allah mentioned His bringing the dead back to life in five instances in Surah Al-Baqarah.
First Allah said,
ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاكُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ
Then We raised you up after your death. (2:56)
He then mentioned the story about the cow.
Allah also mentioned the story of those who escaped death in their land, while they were numbering in the thousands.
He also mentioned the story of the Prophet who passed by a village that was destroyed, the story of Abraham and the four birds, and the land that comes back to life after it has died.
All these incidents and stories alert us to the fact that bodies shall again become whole, after they were rotten.
The proof of Resurrection is also reiterated in Allah's statement,
وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمُ الاٌّرْضُ الْمَيْتَةُ أَحْيَيْنَـهَا وَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهَا حَبّاً فَمِنْهُ يَأْكُلُونَ
وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا جَنَّـتٍ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَـبٍ وَفَجَّرْنَا فِيهَا مِنَ الْعُيُونِ
لِيَأْكُلُواْ مِن ثَمَرِهِ وَمَا عَمِلَتْهُ أَيْدِيهِمْ أَفَلَ يَشْكُرُونَ
And a sign for them is the dead land. We give it life, and We bring forth from it grains, so that they eat thereof.
And We have made therein gardens of date palms and grapes, and We have caused springs of water to gush forth therein.
So that they may eat of the fruit thereof ـ and their hands made it not. Will they not then give thanks!
(36:33-35)
وَيُرِيكُمْ ايَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
and shows you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, etc.) so that you may understand.
Al-Baqarah - 2:74
The Harshness of the Jews
Allah criticized the Children of Israel because they witnessed the tremendous signs and the Ayat of Allah, including bringing the dead back to life, yet,
ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ
Then after that your hearts were hardened.
So their hearts were like stones that never become soft.
This is why Allah forbade the believers from imitating the Jews when He said,
أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الاٌّمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَـسِقُونَ
Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah ـ Islamic Monotheism) to be affected by Allah's Reminder (this Qur'an), and that which has been revealed of the truth, lest they become as those who received the Scripture (the Tawrah) and the Injil (Gospel)) before (i.e. Jews and Christians), and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened! And many of them were Fasiqun (the rebellious, the disobedient to Allah). (57:16)
In his Tafsir, Al-Awfi said that Ibn Abbas said, "When the dead man was struck with a part of the cow, he stood up and became more alive than he ever was. He was asked, 'Who killed you' He said, 'My nephews killed me.' He then died again. His nephews said, after Allah took his life away, 'By Allah! We did not kill him' and denied the truth while they knew it.
Allah said,
فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً
And became as stones or even worse in hardness."
And by the passage of time, the hearts of the Children of Israel were unlikely to accept any admonishment, even after the miracles and signs they withnessed. Their hearts became harder than stones, with no hope of ever softening. Sometimes, springs and rivers burst out of stones, some stones split and water comes out of them, even if there are no springs or rivers around them, sometimes stones fall down from mountaintops out of their fear of Allah.
وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الَانْهَارُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْمَاء وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللّهِ
And indeed, there are stones out of which rivers gush forth, and indeed, there are of them (stones) which split asunder so that water flows from them, and indeed, there are of them (stones) which fall down for fear of Allah,
Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said that the Ayah means, "Some stones are softer than your hearts, they acknowledge the truth that you are being called to,
وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
And Allah is not unaware of what you do."
Solid Inanimate Objects possess a certain Degree of Awareness
Some claimed that the Ayat mentioned the stones being humble as a metaphor. However, Ar-Razi, Al-Qurtubi and other Imams said that there is no need for this explanation, because Allah creates this characteristic - humbleness - in stones.
For instance, Allah said,
إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الاٌّمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا
Truly, We did offer Al-Amanah (the trust) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allah's torment). (33:72)
تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَـوَتُ السَّبْعُ وَالاٌّرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ
The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him.
(17:44)
وَالنَّجْمُ وَالشَّجَرُ يَسْجُدَانِ
And the stars and the trees both prostrate themselves (to Allah).
(55:6)
أَوَ لَمْيَرَوْاْ إِلَىخَلَقَ اللَّهُ مِن شَىْءٍ يَتَفَيَّأُ
Have they not observed things that Allah has created:(how) their shadows incline.
(16:48)
قَالَتَأ أَتَيْنَا طَأيِعِينَ
They both said:"We come willingly."
(41:11)
لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانَ عَلَى جَبَلٍ
Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain.
(59:21)
and,
وَقَالُواْ لِجُلُودِهِمْ لِمَ شَهِدتُّمْ عَلَيْنَا قَالُواْ أَنطَقَنَا اللَّهُ
And they will say to their skins, "Why do you testify against us" They will say:"Allah has caused us to speak."
(41:21)
It is recorded in the Sahih that the Prophet said,
هذَا جَبَلٌ يُحِبُّنَا وَنُحِبُّه
This (Mount Uhud) is a mount that loves us and that we love.
Similarly, the compassion of the stump of the palm tree for the Prophet as confirmed in authentic narrations.
In Sahih Muslim it is recorded that the Prophet said,
إِنِّي لَاَعْرِفُ حَجَرًا بِمَكَّةَ كَانَ يُسَلِّمُ عَلَيَّ قَبْلَ أَنْ أُبْعَثَ إِنِّي لَاَعْرِفُهُ الاْن
I know a stone in Makkah that used to greet me with the Salam before I was sent. I recognize this stone now.
He said about the Black Stone that,
إِنَّهُ يَشْهَدُ لِمَنِ اسْتَلَمَ بِحَقَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة
On the Day of Resurrection it will testify for those who kiss it.
There are several other texts with this meaning.
The scholars of the Arabic language disagreed over the meaning of Allah's statement,
فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً
(And became as stones or even worse in hardness) after agreeing that 'or' here is not being used to reflect doubt.
Some scholars said that 'or' here means, 'and'. So the meaning becomes, "As hard as stones, and harder." For instance, Allah said,
وَلَا تُطِعْ مِنْهُمْ ءَاثِماً أَوْ كَفُوراً
And obey not a sinner or a disbeliever among them.
(76:24)
and,
عُذْراً أَوْ نُذْراً
To cut off all excuses or to warn.
(77:6)
Some other scholars said that 'or' here means, 'rather'. Hence, the meaning becomes, 'As hard as stones. Rather, harder. For instance, Allah said,
إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَة
A section of them fear men as they fear Allah or even more.
(4:77)
وَأَرْسَلْنَـهُ إِلَى مِاْيَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ
And We sent him to a hundred thousand (people) or even more.
(37:147)
and,
فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى
And was at a distance of two bows' length or (even) nearer.
(53:9)
Some other scholars said that this Ayah means their hearts are only of two types, as hard as stone or harder than stone.
Further, Ibn Jarir commented that this Tafsir means that some of their hearts are as hard as stone and some hearts are harder than stone.
Ibn Jarir said that he favored this last Tafsir, although the others are plausible.
I - Ibn Kathir - say that the last Tafsir is similar to Allah's statement,
مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى اسْتَوْقَدَ نَاراً
Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire.
(2:17)
and then His statement,
أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ السَّمَأءِ
Or like a rainstorm from the sky.
(2:19)
It is also similar to Allah's statement,
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍ بِقِيعَةٍ
As for those who disbelieved, their deeds are like a mirage in a desert. (24:39)
and then His statement,
أَوْ كَظُلُمَـتٍ فِى بَحْرٍ لُّجِّىٍّ
Or (the state of a disbeliever) is like the darkness in a vast deep sea.
(24:40)
This then means that some of them are like the first example, and some others are like the second example.
Allah knows best.
Al-Baqarah - 2:75
There was little Hope that the Jews Who lived during the Time of the Prophet could have believed
Allah said,
أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ
Do you covet, (O believers),
أَن يُوْمِنُواْ لَكُمْ
That they will believe in your religion, meaning, that these people would obey you? They are the deviant sect of Jews whose fathers witnessed the clear signs but their hearts became hard afterwards.
Allah said next,
وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَمَ اللّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ
Inspite of the fact that a party of them (Jewish rabbis) used to hear the Word of Allah (the Tawrah), then they used to change it, meaning, distort its meaning,
مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ
after they understood it,
They understood well, yet they used to defy the truth,
وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
knowingly.
Being fully aware of their erroneous interpretations and corruption.
This statement is similar to Allah's statement,
فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَـقَهُمْ لَعنَّـهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَضِعِهِ
So, because of their violation of their covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from their (right) places.
(5:13)
Qatadah commented that Allah's statement;
ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
(Then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it) "They are the Jews who used to hear Allah's Words and then alter them after they understood and comprehended them."
Also, Mujahid said, "Those who used to alter it and conceal its truths; they were their scholars."
Also, Ibn Wahb said that Ibn Zayd commented,
يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَمَ اللّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ
used to hear the Word of Allah (the Tawrah), then they used to change it, "They altered the Tawrah that Allah revealed to them, making it say that the lawful is unlawful and the prohibited is allowed, and that what is right is false and that what is false is right. So when a person seeking the truth comes to them with a bribe, they judge his case by the Book of Allah, but when a person comes to them seeking to do evil with a bribe, they take out the other (distorted) book, in which it is stated that he is in the right. When someone comes to them who is not seeking what is right, nor offering them bribe, then they enjoin righteousness on him. This is why Allah said to them,
أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَـبَ أَفَلَ تَعْقِلُونَ
Enjoin you Al-Birr (piety and righteousness and every act of obedience to Allah) on the people and you forget (to practice it) yourselves, while you recite the Scripture (the Tawrah)! Have you then no sense!"
(2:44)
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