| Other Tafsir by Ibn Kathir | Read Surah Al-Baqarah | Journals |
| Online Lecture by Nouman Ali Khan |
Al-Baqarah - 2:81
| Previous: Ayah 76-80 | Next: Ayah 86-90 | Tafsir by Ibn Kathir |
Allah says,
بَلَى مَن كَسَبَ سَيِّيَةً وَأَحَاطَتْ بِهِ خَطِيـيَتُهُ فَأُوْلَـيِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
Yes! Whosoever earns evil and his sin has surrounded him, they are dwellers of the Fire (i.e. Hell); they will dwell therein forever.
Allah says, the matter is not as you have wished and hoped it to be. Rather, whoever does an evil deed and abides purposefully in his error, coming on the Day of Resurrection with no good deeds, only evil deeds, then he will be among the people of the Fire.
Also, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Wa'il, Ata, and Al-Hasan said that,
وَأَحَاطَتْ بِهِ خَطِيـيَتُهُ
(And his sin has surrounded him) means, "His Shirk (polytheism) has surrounded him."
Also, Al-Amash reported from Abu Razin that Ar-Rabi bin Khuthaym said,
وَأَحَاطَتْ بِهِ خَطِيـيَتُهُ
(And his sin has surrounded him), "Whoever dies before repenting from his wrongs."
As-Suddi and Abu Razin said similarly.
Abu Al-Aliyah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi bin Anas said that, it refers to major sins.
All of these statements carry similar meanings, and Allah knows best.
When Small Sins gather, They bring about Destruction
Here we should mention the Hadith that Imam Ahmad recorded, in which Abdullah bin Mas'ud said that the Messenger of Allah said,
إِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحَقَّرَاتِ الذُّنُوبِ فَإِنَّهُنَّ يَجْتَمِعْنَ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ حَتّى يُهْلِكْنَه
Beware of the belittled sins, because they gather on a person until they destroy him.
He then said that the Messenger of Allah gave them an example,
كَمَثَلٍ قَوْمٍ نَزَلُوا بِأَرْضِ فَلَةٍ فَحَضَرَ صَنِيعُ الْقَوْمِ فَجَعَلَ الرَّجُلُ يَنْطَلِقُ فَيَجِيءُ بِالْعُودِ وَالرَّجُلُ يَجِيءُ بِالْعُودِ حَتّى جَمَعُوا سَوَادًا وَأَجَّجُوا نَارًا فَأَنْضَجُوا مَا قَذَفُوا فِيهَا
This is the example of people who set up camp on a flat land, and then their servants came. One of them collected some wood and another man collected some wood until they collected a great deal. They then started a fire and cooked what they put on it.
Al-Baqarah - 2:82
Allah says,
وَالَّذِينَ امَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ
And those who believe and do righteous good deeds, meaning, "They believe in Allah and His Messenger and perform the good deeds that conform with the Islamic Law. They shall be among the people of Paradise."
Allah said in a similar statement,
لَّيْسَ بِأَمَـنِيِّكُمْ وَلا أَمَانِىِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ مَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ وَلَا يَجِدْ لَهُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيّاً وَلَا نَصِيراً
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِنَ الصَّـلِحَـتَ مِن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى وَهُوَ مُوْمِنٌ فَأُوْلَـيِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ نَقِيراً
It will not be in accordance with your desires (Muslims), nor those of the People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), whosoever works evil, will have the recompense thereof, and he will not find any protector or helper besides Allah.
And whoever does righteous good deeds, male or female, and is a (true) believer (in the Oneness of Allah (Muslim)), such will enter Paradise and not the least injustice, even the size of a Naqira (speck on the back of a date stone), will be done to them).
(4:123-124).
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn Abbas said that,
وَالَّذِينَ امَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَـيِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
And those who believe and do righteous good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they will dwell therein forever. "Whoever believes in what you (Jews) did not believe in and implements what you refrained from implementing of Muhammad's religion, shall acquire Paradise for eternity.
Allah stated that the recompense for good or evil works shall remain with its people for eternity.
Al-Baqarah - 2:83
The Covenant that Allah took from the Children of Israel
Allah says;
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَايِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلاَّ اللّهَ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَاناً وَذِي الْقُرْبَى
وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ
And (remember) when We took a covenant from the Children of Israel, (saying):Worship none but Allah (alone) and be dutiful and good to parents, and to kindred, and to orphans and (the poor),
Allah reminded the Children of Israel of the commandments that He gave them, and the covenants that He took from them to abide by those commands, and how they intentionally and knowingly turned away from all of that. Allah commanded them to worship Him and to associate none with Him in worship, just as He has commanded all of His creatures, for this is why Allah created them.
Allah said,
وَمَأ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ
And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): La ilaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah)), so worship Me (alone and none else).
(21:25)
and,
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ
And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming):"Worship Allah (alone), and avoid the Taghut (all false deities).
(16:36)
This is the highest and most important right, that is, Allah's right that He be worshipped alone without partners.
After that comes the right of the creatures, foremost, the right of the parents. Allah usually mentions the rights of the parents along with His rights. For instance, Allah said,
أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ
Give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination.
(31:14)
Also, Allah said,
وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّـهُ وَبِالْوَلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـناً
And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents,
(17:23),
until,
وَءَاتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ
And give to the kinsman his due and to the Miskin (poor) and to the wayfarer.
(17:26)
The Two Sahihs record that Ibn Mas'ud said,
I said, 'O Messenger of Allah! What is the best deed?'
He said,
الصَّلَةُ عَلى وَقْتِهَا
'Performing the prayer on time.'
I said, 'Then what?' He said,
بِرُّ الْوَالِدَيْن
'Being kind to one's parents.'
I said, 'Then what?' He said,
الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ الله
'Jihad in the cause of Allah.'
Allah then said,
وَالْيَتَامَى
and to orphans, meaning, the young who have no fathers to fend for them.
وَالْمَسَاكِينِ
and Al-Masakin (the poor), plural for Miskin, the one who does not find what he needs to spend on himself and his family.
We will discuss these categories when we explain the Ayah of Surah An-Nisa where Allah said,
وَاعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُواْ بِهِ شَيْياً وَبِالْوَلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـناً
Worship Allah and join none with Him (in worship); and do good to parents.
(4:36)
Allah's statement,
وَقُولُواْ لِلنَّاسِ حُسْناً
and speak good to people, meaning, say good words to them and be lenient with them, this includes commanding good and forbidding evil.
Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented on Allah's statement, 'The good saying' means commanding good and forbidding evil, and being patient and forgiving.
The 'good words to people', as Allah commanded, also includes every good type of behavior that Allah is pleased with."
Imam Ahmad narrated that Abu Dharr said that the Prophet said,
لَاا تَحْقِرَنَّ مِنَ الْمَعْرُوفِ شَيْيًا وَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ فَالْقَ أَخَاكَ بِوَجْهٍ مُنْطَلِق
Do not belittle any form of righteousness, and even if you did not find any good deed except meeting your brother with a smiling face, then do so.
This Hadith was also collected by Muslim in his Sahih and At-Tirmidhi, who graded it Sahih.
Allah commands the servants to say good words to people, after He commanded them to be kind to them, thereby mentioning two categories of manners:good speech and good actions.
He then emphasized the command to worship Him and the command to do good, ordaining the prayer and the Zakah,
وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلَةَ وَاتُواْ الزَّكَاةَ
and perform As-Salah and give Zakah.
ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلً مِّنكُمْ وَأَنتُم مِّعْرِضُونَ
Then you slid back, except a few of you, while you are backsliders.
Allah informed us that the People of the Book, except for a few among them, ignored these orders, that is, they knowingly and intentionally abandoned them.
Allah ordered this Ummah similarly in Surah An-Nisa when He said,
وَاعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُواْ بِهِ شَيْياً وَبِالْوَلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـناً وَبِذِى الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَـمَى وَالْمَسَـكِينِ وَالْجَارِ ذِى الْقُرْبَى وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ وَالصَّـحِبِ بِالجَنْبِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالاً فَخُوراً
Worship Allah and join none with Him (in worship); and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (servants) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful. (4:36).
Of these orders, this Ummah has practiced what no other nation before it has, and all praise is due to Allah.
Al-Baqarah - 2:84
The Terms of the Covenant and their Breach of It
Allah says;
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ لَا تَسْفِكُونَ دِمَاءكُمْ وَلَا تُخْرِجُونَ أَنفُسَكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ
And (remember) when We took your covenant (saying): Shed not the blood of your (people), nor turn out your own people from their dwellings.
Allah criticized the Jews who lived in Al-Madinah during the time of the Messenger of Allah. They used to suffer, because of the armed conflicts between the tribes of Al-Madinah, Aws and Khazraj.
Before Islam, the Aws and Khazraj worshipped idols, and many battles took place between them.
There were three Jewish tribes in Al-Madinah at that time, Banu Qaynuqa and Banu An-Nadir, the allies of the Khazraj, and Banu Qurayzah, who used to be the allies of the Aws. When war erupted between Aws and Khazraj, their Jewish allies would assist them.
The Jew would kill his Arab enemy, and sometimes they also killed Jews who were the allies of the other Arab tribe, although the Jews were prohibited from killing each other according to clear religious texts in their Books. They would also drive each other from their homes and loot whatever furniture and money they could. When the war ended, the victorious Jews would release the prisoners from the defeated party, according to the rulings of the Tawrah.
This is why Allah said,
أَفَتُوْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتَابِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ
(Then do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest),
(2:85).
Allah said,
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ لَا تَسْفِكُونَ دِمَاءكُمْ وَلَا تُخْرِجُونَ أَنفُسَكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ
And (remember) when We took your covenant (saying): Shed not the blood of your (people), nor turn out your own people from their dwellings. Meaning, "Do not kill each other, nor expel one another from their homes, nor participate in fighting against them."
Allah mentioned the word 'your own' here, just as He said in another Ayah.
فَتُوبُواْ إِلَى بَارِيِكُمْ فَاقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ عِندَ بَارِيِكُمْ
So turn in repentance to your Creator and kill yourselves, that will be better for you with your Creator),
(2:54),
because the followers of one religion are just like one soul.
Also, the Messenger of Allah said,
مَثَلُ الْمُوْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَوَاصُلِهِمْ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْجَسَدِ الْوَاحِدِ إِذَا اشْتَكى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَايِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالْحُمَّى وَالسَّهَر
The example of the believers in their kindness, mercy and sympathy to each other is the example of one body, when an organ of it falls ill, the rest of the body rushes to its aid in fever and sleeplessness.
Allah's statement,
ثُمَّ أَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَشْهَدُونَ
Then, (this) you ratified and (to this) you bore witness. Means, "You testified that you know of the covenant and that you were witnesses to it."
Al-Baqarah - 2:85
Then Allah says,
ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ هَـوُلاء تَقْتُلُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَتُخْرِجُونَ فَرِيقاً مِّنكُم مِّن دِيَارِهِمْ
تَظَاهَرُونَ عَلَيْهِم بِالاِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَإِن يَأتُوكُمْ أُسَارَى تُفَادُوهُمْ وَهُوَ مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ إِخْرَاجُهُمْ
After this, it is you who kill one another and drive out a party of you from their homes, assist (their enemies) against them, in sin and transgression.
And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, although their expulsion was forbidden to you.
Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar reported that Ibn Abbas commented on the Ayah, "Allah mentioned what they were doing, and that in the Tawrah He had prohibited them from shedding each other's blood, and required them to free their prisoners.
Now they were divided into two camps in Al-Madinah, Banu Qaynuqa, who were the allies of the Khazraj, and An-Nadir and Qurayzah, who were the allies of the Aws. When fighting erupted between Aws and Khazraj, Banu Qaynuqa would fight along with the Khazraj, while Banu An-Nadir and Qurayzah would fight along with the Aws.
Each Jewish camp would fight against their Jewish brethren from the other camp. They would shed each other's blood, although they had the Tawrah with them, and they knew their rights and dues.
Meanwhile, the Aws and Khazraj were polytheists who worshipped idols. They did not know about Paradise, the Fire, Resurrection, Divine Books the lawful and prohibited. When the war would end, the Jews would ransom their prisoners and implement the Tawrah. Consequently, Banu Qaynuqa would ransom their prisoners who were captured by the Aws, while Banu An-Nadir and Qurayzah would ransom their prisoners who were captured by the Khazraj. They would also ask for blood money.
During these wars, they would kill whomever (Jews or Arabs) they could, while helping the polytheists against their brethren. Therefore, Allah reminded them of this when He said,
أَفَتُوْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتَابِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ
Then do you believe in a part of the Book and reject the rest!
This Ayah means, 'Do you ransom them according to the rulings of the Tawrah, yet kill them while the Tawrah forbade you from killing them and from expelling them from their homes. The Tawrah also commanded that you should not aid the polytheists and those who associate with Allah in the worship against your brethren. You do all this to acquire the life of this world.'
I was informed that the behavior of the Jews regarding the Aws and Khazraj was the reason behind revealing these Ayat."
These noble Ayat criticized the Jews for implementing the Tawrah sometimes and defying it at other times, although they believed in the Tawrah and knew what they were doing was wrong. This is why they should not be trusted to preserve or convey the Tawrah.
Further, they should not be believed when it comes to the description of the Messenger of Allah, his coming, his expulsion from his land, and his Hijrah, and the rest of the information that the previous Prophets informed them about him, all of which they hid.
The Jews, may they suffer the curse of Allah, hid all of these facts among themselves, and this is why Allah said,
فَمَا جَزَاء مَن يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ مِنكُمْ إِلاَّ خِزْيٌ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا
Then what is the recompense of those who do so among you, except disgrace in the life of this world, because they defied Allah's Law and commandments.
وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَى أَشَدِّ الْعَذَابِ
And on the Day of Resurrection they shall be consigned to the most grievous torment, as punishment for defying the Book of Allah that they had.
| Previous: Ayah 76-80 | Next: Ayah 86-90 | Tafsir by Ibn Kathir |
