do this than that they should live in degradation in the present life, and that on the Day of Resurrection they should be sent to the severest chastisement? Allah is not heedless of what you do. ▶
23
Al-Baqarah 2: 86–9
(86) These are the ones who have bought the present life in exchange for the World to Come. Their chastisement shall not be lightened, nor shall they be helped.
(87) Surely We gave Moses the Scripture and caused a train of Messengers to follow him and then sent Jesus, the son of Mary, with Clear Proofs and supported him with the spirit of holiness.30 But is it not true that every time a Messenger brought to you something that was not to your liking, you acted arrogantly: you called some Messengers liars and killed others? (88) They say: “Our hearts are well-protected.” No! The fact is that Allah has cursed them because of their denying the Truth. So, scarcely do they believe. (89) And now that there has come to them a Book from Allah, how are they treating it? Even though it confirms the Truth already in their possession, ▶
30 The “spirit of holiness” signifies the knowledge derived through revelation. It also signifies the angel Gabriel who brought this revelation. It also denotes the holy spirit of Jesus, the spirit which God had endowed with angelic character.
24
Al-Baqarah 2: 90–1
and even though they had prayed for victory against the unbelievers,31 and yet when that Book came to them – and they recognized it – they refused to acknowledge its Truth. Allah’s curse be upon the unbelievers. (90) Evil indeed is what they console themselves with.32 They deny the guidance revealed by Allah, grudging that He chose to bestow His gracious bounty (of revelation and prophethood) on some of His servants whom He willed.33 Thus they have brought on themselves wrath after wrath, and a humiliating chastisement is in store for such unbelievers.
(91) When they are told: “Believe in what Allah has revealed,” they say: ▶
31 Before the advent of the Prophet (peace be on him), the Jews were eagerly awaiting a Prophet whose coming had been prophesied by their own Prophets. In fact, the Jews used to pray for his advent so that the dominance of the unbelievers could come to an end and the age of their own dominance be ushered in.
32 Another possible rendering of the same verse is: “And how evil is that for the sake of which they had sold themselves,” i.e. for the sake of which they had sacrificed their ultimate happiness and salvation.
33 They had longed for the promised Prophet to arise from among their own ranks. But when he arose among a different people, a people they despised, they decided to reject him. Their attitude bordered on saying that when God wants to raise a Prophet He should consult them and should abide by their opinion.
25
Al-Baqarah 2: 92–5
“We believe only in what was revealed to us (Israel).” They deny everything else even though it be the Truth which confirms what they possess. Say (to them): “If indeed you are believers, why is it that in the past you killed the Prophets of Allah (who were from Israel)?” (92) Moses came to you with clear proofs and yet you were so wont to wrong-doing that as soon as he was gone you took to worshipping the calf. (93) Recall the covenant We made with you and caused the Mount to tower above you, stressing: “Hold to what We have given you with full strength and give heed to it.” But their forefathers said: “We hear, but we disobey” – for their hearts were overflowing with love for the calf because of their unbelief. Say: “If you are people of faith, then evil are the things that your faith enjoins upon you.”
(94) Say to them: “If indeed the Last Abode with Allah is yours, in exclusion of other people, then long for death if you are truthful.” (95) But they shall never long for it because of the (evil) deeds they have committed; ▶
26
Al-Baqarah 2: 96–8
Allah is well aware of the wrong-doers. (96) You will certainly find them most eager to cling on to life, indeed even more eager than those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity. Each one of them wishes to live a thousand years although the bestowal of long life cannot remove him from chastisement. Allah sees whatever they do.
(97) Say: “Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel34 (should know that) he revealed this (Qur’an) to your heart by Allah’s leave: it confirms the Scriptures revealed before it, and is a guidance and good tiding to the people of faith. (98) (And if this is the cause of their hostility to Gabriel, let them know) whoever is an enemy to Allah, His Angels and His Messengers and to Gabriel and Michael will surely find Allah an enemy to such unbelievers.”
34 The Jews not only reviled the Prophet (peace be on him) and his followers but also God’s chosen angel, Gabriel, denouncing him as their enemy, and branding him as the angel of curse rather than of blessing.
27
Al-Baqarah 2: 99–102
(99) We surely sent down to you clear verses that elucidate the Truth, (verses) which only the transgressors reject as false. (100) Is it not that every time they made a covenant with Allah a party of them set it aside? The truth is that most of them do not truly believe. (101) And whenever a Messenger from Allah came to them, confirming what they already possessed, a party of those who had been given the Scripture flung the Book of Allah behind their backs as if they knew nothing, (102) and then followed what the evil ones falsely attributed to the Kingdom of Solomon even though Solomon had never disbelieved; it is the evil ones who disbelieved, teaching people magic. And they followed what had been revealed to the two angels in Babylon – Harut and Marut – although these two (angels) never taught it to anyone without first declaring: “We are merely a means of testing people; so, do not engage in unbelief.”35 ▶
35 There are various opinions on the interpretation of this verse. My own conclusion is that at the time when the whole Israelite nation was chained in
28
Al-Baqarah 2: 103–4
And yet they learned from them what might cause division between a man and his wife. They could not cause harm to anyone except by the leave
