2. Surah Al Baqarah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

خَتَمَ اللّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهمْ وَعَلَى سَمْعِهِمْ ...

2: 7. Allah hath set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing,

C31. All actions are referred to Allah. Therefore, when we get the penalty of our deliberate sin, and our senses become impervious to good, the penalty is referred to the justice of Allah.

... وَعَلَى أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ...

and on their eyes is a veil;

... وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عظِيمٌ ﴿٧﴾

great is the penalty they (incur).

C32. The penalty here is the opposite of the prosperity referred to in 2:5. As we go down the path of sin, our penalty gathers momentum, just as goodness brings its own capacity for greater goodness.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُواْ كَمَا آمَنَ النَّاسُ ...

2: 13. When it is said to them: "Believe as the others believe"

... قَالُواْ أَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَا آمَنَ السُّفَهَاء ...

they say: "Shall we believe as the fools believe?" --

... أَلا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ السُّفَهَاء وَلَـكِن لاَّ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٣﴾

nay,

of a surety they are the fools but they do not know.

C36. This is another phase of the hypocrite and the cynic.

"Faith" he says, "is good enough to fools."

But his cynicism may be the greatest folly in the eyes of Allah.

وَإِذَا لَقُواْ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ قَالُواْ آمَنَّا...

2: 14. When they meet those who believe, they say: "We believe,"

C37. A deeper phase of insincerity is actual duplicity. But it never pays in the end. If we compare such a man to a trader, he loses in the bargain.

... وَإِذَا خَلَوْاْ إِلَى شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُواْ ...

but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say:

... إِنَّا مَعَكْمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِؤُونَ ﴿١٤﴾

"We are really with you, we (were) only jesting."

اللّهُ يَسْتَهْزِىءُ بِهِمْ ...

2: 15. Allah will throw back their mockery on them,

... وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ﴿١٥﴾

and give them rope in their trespasses; so they will wander like blind ones (to and fro).

Other versions:

2: 7

Asad [Thereupon the angels called out unto him:] “O Zachariah! We bring thee the glad tiding of [the birth of] a son whose name shall be John. [And God says,] “Never have We given this name to anyone before him.’”

Yusuf Ali (His prayer was answered): "O Zakariya! We give thee good news of a son: his name shall be Yahya: on none by that name have We conferred distinction before."

Pickthall (It was said unto him): O Zachariah! Lo! We bring thee tidings of a son whose name is John; We have given the same name to none before (him).

Transliteration Ya_ zakariy ya_ in na_ nubas siruka bighula_minis muhu_ yahya_ lam naj'al lahu_ min qablu samiy ya_

------------------------------------------

[ Asad’s note 7 - ……..The name ‘Yahya (John) signifies “he shall live”, i.e., he will be spiritually alive and will be remembered forever; and the fact that God Himself had chosen this name for him was a singular distinction, equivalent to a divine promise (kalimah, cf. note 28 on 3:39). ]

[ Ali’s note: 2461 This was John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus. In accordance with his father's prayer he, and Jesus for whom he prepared the way, renewed the Message of Allah, which had been corrupted and lost among the Israelites. The Arabic form Yahya suggests "Life". The Hebrew form is Johanan, which means "Jehovah has been Gracious". Cf. Hananan in verse 13 below. It does not mean that the name was given for the first time, for we read of a Johanan the son of Careah in II Kings, xxv. 23, an otherwise obscure man. It means that Allah had, for the first time, called one of His elect by that name. (19.7)]

[ AS MERCY FROM GOD ]

2: 13

Asad as well as, by Our grace, [the gift of] compassion and purity; and he was [always] conscious of Us.

Yusuf Ali And pity (for all creatures) as from Us and purity: he was devout

Pickthall And compassion from Our presence, and purity; and he was devout,

Transliteration Wa hana_nam mil ladun na_ wa zaka_h wa ka_na taqiy ya_

2: 14

Asad and full of piety towards his parents; and never was he haughty or rebellious.

Yusuf Ali And kind to his parents and he was not overbearing or rebellious.

Pickthall And dutiful toward his parents. And he was not arrogant, rebellious.

Transliteration Wa bar ran biwa_lidaihi wa lam yakun jab bara_n ashiy ya_

2: 15

Asad Hence, [God’s] peace was upon him on the day when he was born, and on the day of his death, and will be [upon him] on the day when he shall be raised to life [again].

Yusuf Ali So Peace on him the day he was born the day that he dies and the day that he will be raised up to life (again)!

Pickthall Peace on him the day be was born, and the day he dieth and the day he shall be raised alive!

Transliteration Wa sala_mun 'alaihi yauma wulida wa yauma yamu_tu wa yauma yub'atsu hay ya_

-----------------------------------------

[Ali’s notes: 2468 John the Baptist did not live long. He was imprisoned by Herod, the tetrarch (provincial ruler under the Roman Empire), whom he had reproved for his sins, and eventually beheaded at the instigation of the woman with whom Herod was infatuated. But even in his young life, he was granted (1) wisdom by Allah, for he boldly denounced sin; (2) gentle pity and love for all Allah's creatures, for he moved among the humble and lowly, and despised "soft raiment"; and (3) purity of life, for he renounced the world and lived in the wilderness. All his work he did in his youth. These things showed themselves in his conduct, for he was devout, showing love to Allah and to Allah's creatures, and more particularly to his parents (for we are considering that aspect of his life): this was also shown by the fact that he never used violence, from an attitude of arrogance, nor entertained a spirit of rebellion against divine Law. (19.13)

2469 This is spoken as in the life-time of Yahya. Peace and Allah's Blessings, were on him when he was born; they continue when he is about to die an unjust death at the hands of a tyrant; and they will be specially manifest at the Day of Judgment. (19.15) ]