Surah al Baqarah

1. Surah al Baqarah Lesson 9 Ayahs 40 - 48

2. Outline • Recap • Main themes so far: 3 groups; importance of examples; state of hearts; Jannah vs. Naar; hypocrisy; challenge to produce a similar surah • New group: Bani Israel (Ayahs 40-44 today)

3. Historical Background • Ibrahim A.S. had two sons: Ishaac and Ismael • Ishaac Yaqub  12 sons and from these came the Prophets • Known as Bani Israel (Jews) • Close to 4000 messengers were sent to them • From these came the Christians who believed in Jesus (Isa A.S.)

4. Why Bani Israel? • 1. A special invitation to believe in Allah and the Prophet SAW • 2. They used to be the ummah at that time so the Muslim ummah can learn from them • 3. Do not repeat history • 4. Not enough to simply belong to a group or to be the “chosen ummah”

5. Ayah 40 O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you and fulfill My covenant [upon you] that I will fulfill your covenant [from Me], and be afraid of [only] Me.

8. Ayah 40 (Cont…) • WaawFaaYaa– to fulfill something (i.e. a promise, a debt) • Ahd – a promise made with the intention of fulfilling it • Establish prayers, give zakaat, support prophets • RaaHaa Baa – extreme fear; the person is very anxious and careful • Raahib: monk

9. My Promise…

10. What Should We do? Many Times we too Enjoy Blessings....

11. Which Commands of Allah are mentioned in this ayah? • Remember the favors that Allah has bestowed upon you • Fulfilling all promises that we make • Fear only Allah

12. Ayah 41 And believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is [already] with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And do not exchange My signs for a small price, and fear [only] Me.

13. Ayah 41… • SaawdDaalQaaf – to speak the truth; to call someone else truthful • 1. The Qu’ran confirms that the Torah and Injeel were sent from Allah SWT • 2. Confirms the content of the previous books; the message is the same

14. What did they already have?

15. Do not be the first to disbelieve… • Do not be the first to disbelieve among the people of the Book; refers to the 3 tribes of Madinah because then their descendants will disbelieve too • They possessed knowledge; When someone with knowledge rejects, then this is even more severe than someone who is ignorant rejects.

16. ِExchanging the ayahs of Allah Sheen RaaYaa – to buy and sell; do not give My verses away to gain a small price ThaaMeem Noon – something that is precious Qaleela – less in quantity and quality -> enjoyment of this world is little

17. Does this mean to exchange Allah’s ayahs for money? • 1. Distorting, misinterpreting and concealing the verses in order to gain the pleasure of people; giving fatwas that contradict the deen to please the people • 2. Those verses in particular that refer to the Prophet (saw) about his signs, his arrival  continued religious supremacy (it was a status issue for them)

18. Ayah 42 • Laam Baa Seen – to clothe; to mix so that the matter becomes confusing; impossible to tell the difference between truth and falsehood • KaafTaaMeem– don’t conceal the truth about the Prophet SAW • 1. Person does not express it; never mentions it • 2. When asked about the truth, a person doesn’t mention it (even after recognizing the truth)

20. Ayah 42: Think! And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it]. What is the harm of mixing truth with lies? How do we mix the truth with falsehood?

21. Ayah 43 And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience].

22. Ayah 43 • QaafWaawMeem– make something else stand straight; don’t just pray but establish the salaah (praying on time, with khushoo etc.) • ZaalKaafWaaw (or Yaa) – lit. purification, also growth; obligatory charity is a means of purifying our money and also increasing our wealth, as well as the wealth of others 

23. Zakaah • Technically: that wealth which is given in obedience to Allah SWT, to those who deserve it and its given from a specific type of wealth (which is surplus for 1 year)

24. Ayah 43… • RaawKaafAa’in– bow/bend; here it means congregation salah • 1. We should pray in congregation • 2. You’re not the only one who is pious; other people also do ruku

25. According to Ubayy bin Ka'ab, R.A. the Holy Prophet, Sall-Allahualayhiwasallam, said: "If the people come to know of the great rewards and benefits of the congregational prayer, they would never stay back but would rush to the masjid for it. The first row merits the highest reward. Two persons praying together merit greater reward than the same praying individually, the rule being that the bigger the congregation the higher its worth in the Sight of Allah." (Abu Dawud)

26. Surah al Baqarah Lesson 9 Ayahs 44 - 48

27. Ayah 44 Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?

28. Ayah 44 • HamzaMeemRaa– command; this is for the scholars of the Bani Israel • Baa RaaRaa– Good deeds of different types • Telling other people to do good deeds but forgetting themselves • Sometimes they would tell other people to believe in the Prophet SAW but wouldn’t do it themselves • (the story of Salman al Farsi)

29. Ayah 44 • TaaLaamWaaw– such recitation in which the meaning follows the recitation; you recite the Torah but you don’t believe in it yourselves? • Aa’inQaafLaam – lit. to tie, connect things together; intellect means you have control and restraint; if you have no control over your emotions, and even if you have a PHD, you’re considered jaahil; • Neuronal connections also intellect

30. Lessons When a person reads the Qur’an - first and foremost – his/her voice should go to his heart and then others. Practice What You Preach!

31. A lot of people ask how should we do the tarbiyah of our children? Start Implementing They need a Role Model They will follow your Example A good example has twice the value of good advice

32. Before advising others, look at yourself first! The Prophet (s.a.w) said, "On the night of ascension, I passed by some people whose lips were being cut with scissors made of fire. I then said, "Who are you?" They replied "We used to command others to good and refused to do it ourselves. We used to forbid others from evil, but did it ourselves."

33. Reflections 

34. Ayah 45 And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah ]

35. Ayah 45 • Khaaw Sheen Aa’in– to bend; in the heart and visible on a person’s body; it comes from fear. • Khushoo in salaah can only come with fear of Allah, but with khushoo, salaah becomes enjoyable and easy

36. Patience • Two Weapons for Success –

37. Salah SALAH is a mirror - if we want to see what kind of muslims we are - then we should test our Salah.

39. Ayah 46 Those who are humble and that they will return to Him Who are certain that they will meet their Lord

40. So before having that great meeting with their Lord, they meet Allah many times a day.

41. Meeting with Allah! Plan It Wear Best Clothes Wait & Yearn Show Best Manners Stay Attentive Think About it No Interference or Distractions Wait for the next meeting Don’t want to end the meeting

42. Ayah 47 O Children of Israel, remember My favor that I have bestowed upon you and that I preferred you over the worlds.

43. Ayah 47 • FaaDaawdLaam– to give something extra and to give someone more than they deserve • Alaameen – used to refer to the people of their time; Worlds is not a good translation: nations, peoples is better • Allah has preferred them, so they should prefer Him

44. Allah has chosen us for His deen and His book, so we should remember this blessing, and be grateful for it.

45. Ayah 48 And fear a Day when no soul will suffice for another soul at all, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be taken from it, nor will they be aided.

46. Ayah 48 • WaawQaafYaa– Taqwa; to take a shield; take protection from the harm of that day and prepare for it • JeemZaaiYaa– to recompense, give back someone with reward/punishment • Sheen FaaAain– to join one thing with another; to speak on someone’s behalf • When a person asks another to plead his request in front of a higher authority in order to get some benefit or save him from harm

47. Ayah 48 • Intercession can take place (2 conditions): • 1. Allah has to give permission to the intercessor • 2. Allah is pleased with the person for whom the intercession is being made for

48. Ayah 48 • AainDaalLaam= compensation in order to free someone; give an equivalent amount • But we won’t come with anything on the Day of Judgment Noon SaawdRaa= to help someone in order to alleviate them; we can’t risk our hereafter because of our fear of people

49. Each person will get what he has earned.

50. Then what must we do? Prepare for that Day.