Study of Selected Text of Holy Quran

Translation and Tafseer

Verses of Surah Al-Baqra Related to Faith
(Verse No. 284-286)

The Significance of Last Two Verses of Surah Al Baqarah

1. Surah Al-Baqarah is source of blessing, as The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Learn

Surah Al-Baqarah, because in learning it there is blessing, in ignoring it there is
sorrow, and the sorceresses cannot memorize it".

2. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Do not turn your houses into graves. Verily,
Shaytan does not enter the house where surah Al-Baqarah is recited“

3. “Shaytan flees from the house where surah Al-Baqarah is heard"

4. The Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘Whoever recites the last two verses of Surah Al-
Baqarah at night, those two verses shall be sufficient for him.’

5. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "I was given the final verses of Surath Al-
Baqarah from a treasure trove beneath the Throne; no Prophet before me
was given them

6. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) was given three things: He was given five
prayers, he was given the concluding verses of Surat Al-Baqarah and
forgiveness of sins for those (of his community) who do not associate partners
with Allah (SWT)
7. The Prophet (PBUH) said: Recite the last two verses from Surat Al-
Baqarah, for I was given them from a treasure trove beneath the Throne

8. The Prophet (PBUH) said: We have been favoured over the rest of mankind
with three things: I was given these verses from the end of Surat Al- Baqarah
from a house of treasure located beneath the Throne: None before me has
been given them, and they will not be given to anyone after me

9. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Verily, Allah (SWT) wrote something two
thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, then He (SWT)
sent down from it two verses with which He (SWT) sealed (ended) Surat Al-
Baqarah (the cow), and if they are not recited in any house for three nights,
Satan approaches it.

‫س ُك ْم أَ ْو‬ِ ُ‫ض َوإِنْ تُ ْب ُدوا َما فِي أَ ْنف‬ ِ ‫ت َو َما فِي اأْل َ ْر‬ ِ ‫س َم َوا‬ َّ ‫هَّلِل ِ َما فِي ال‬
ُ ‫شا ُء َوهَّللا‬
َ َ‫ب َمنْ ي‬ ُ ‫شا ُء َويُ َع ِّذ‬
َ َ‫اس ْب ُك ْم بِ ِه هَّللا ُ فَيَ ْغفِ ُر لِ َمنْ ي‬ِ ‫تُ ْخفُوهُ يُ َح‬
2:284﴿ ‫ش ْي ٍء قَ ِدي ٌر‬
َ ‫﴾ َعلَى ُك ِّل‬
To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. 
"Allah will call you to account for what is in your minds
whether you disclose it or hide it. He, however, had full
authority to pardon or punish anyone He pleases, for Allah
has complete power over everything. 
 ‫ سب ہللا کاہےتم اپنے دل کی باتیں خواہ‬، ‫آسمانوں اور زمین میں جو کچھ ہے‬
‫ھپاو ہللا بہرحال ان کا حساب تم سے لے لے گا۔ پھر اسے اختیار‬
‫ظاہر کرو یا ُچ ٴ‬
‫ سزا دے۔ وہ ہر چیز پر قدرت‬،‫ معاف کردے اور جسے چاہے‬، ‫ہے جسے چاہے‬
‫رکھتا ہے۔‬

Tafseer:
* These are the concluding observations on the subject. Just as this surah opened
with an enunciation of the basic teachings of religion, so the fundamentals upon
which Islam rests are reiterated in the concluding section of the surah, It is useful
to go through the first section of this surah while reading these concluding
verses. This is the first fundamental principle of Islam. That God is the Sovereign
of the heavens and the earth and all they contain, and that it is improper for man
not to bend himself in obedience and service to God. 
* This sentence mentions two other matters. First, that man is individually
responsible to, and answerable before, God. Second, that the Lord of the heavens
and the earth, before Whom man is answerable, is All-Knowing. Thus, nothing is
concealed from Him, not even intentions and thoughts which lie hidden deep in the
hearts and minds of people.
This also refers to God's absolute authority. He is not bound by laws framed by
others which might limit Him to operating in a certain manner. He is an absolute
sovereign and has the full power either to punish or pardon people. 

َ ُ‫سو ُل بِ َما أُ ْن ِز َل إِلَ ْي ِه ِمنْ َربِّ ِه َوا ْل ُم ْؤ ِمن‬

ِ ‫ون ُك ٌّل آَ َم َن بِاهَّلل‬ ُ ‫آَ َم َن ال َّر‬
‫سلِ ِه َوقَالُوا‬ ُ ‫ق بَ ْي َن أَ َح ٍد ِمنْ ُر‬ ُ ‫سلِ ِه اَل نُفَ ِّر‬
ُ ‫َو َماَل ئِ َكتِ ِه َو ُكتُبِ ِه َو ُر‬
2:285﴿ ‫صي ُر‬ ِ ‫س ِم ْعنَا َوأَطَ ْعنَا ُغ ْف َرانَ َك َربَّنَا َوإِلَ ْي َك ا ْل َم‬َ ﴾ 
The Messenger has believed in the Guidance which has been
sent down to him from his Lord, and those who believe in
the Messenger have also sincerely accepted the same. They
all believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books and Messengers.
And they say, "We do not discriminate against any of His
Messengers. We have heard the Message and submitted to it.
Our Lord, we look up to You for forgiveness, for to You we
shall all return.“
 
‫رب کی طرف سے اس پر نازل‬ ّ ‫سول اُس ہدایت پر ایمان الیا ہے جو اس کے‬ ُ ‫ر‬
‫ انہوں نے بھی اس‬،‫سول کے ماننے والے ہیں‬ ُ ‫ہوئی ہے۔ اور جو لوگ اِس ر‬
‫ہدایت کو دل سے تسلیم کر لیا ہے۔ یہ سب ہللا اور اس کے فرشتوں اور اس کی‬
‫کتابوں اور اس کے رسولوں کو مانتے ہیں اور ان کا قول یہ ہے کہ ”ہم ہللا کے‬
‫سنا اور اطاعت‬ُ ‫ ہم نے حکم‬، ‫رسولوں کو ایک دوسرے سے الگ نہیں کرتے‬
‫قبول کی ۔ مالک !ہم تجھ سے خطابخشی کے طالب ہیں اور ہمیں تیری ہی طرف‬
‫پلٹنا ہے۔‬
Tafseer
This verse outlines what one is required to believe in and what should be the
distinguishing characteristics of one's conduct. They consist of the following:
belief in God,
in His angels,
in His Books,
in all His Messengers (instead of some rather than others),
and in the fact that ultimately one will have to stand before God's judgement.
These are the five fundamental articles of faith in Islam. Having accepted them, the
only proper attitude for a Muslim is to cheerfully accept and follow whatever
directives he receives from God. Instead of exulting in his moral excellence he
should be humble and should constantly seek God's forgiveness and mercy. 

ْ‫سبَت‬َ َ‫سبَتْ َو َعلَ ْي َها َما ا ْكت‬ َ ‫س َع َها لَ َها َما َك‬ ْ ‫سا إِاَّل ُو‬ً ‫ف هَّللا ُ نَ ْف‬
ُ ِّ‫اَل يُ َكل‬
‫ص ًرا‬ ْ ِ‫سينَا أَ ْو أَ ْخطَأْنَا َربَّنَا َواَل تَ ْح ِم ْل َعلَ ْينَا إ‬ِ َ‫َاخ ْذنَا إِنْ ن‬
ِ ‫َربَّنَا اَل تُؤ‬
‫ين ِمنْ قَ ْبلِنَا َربَّنَا َواَل تُ َح ِّم ْلنَا َما اَل طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِ ِه‬ َ ‫َك َما َح َم ْلتَهُ َعلَى الَّ ِذ‬
‫ص ْرنَا َعلَى ا ْلقَ ْو ِم‬ َ ‫ار َح ْمنَا أَ ْن‬
ُ ‫ت َم ْواَل نَا فَا ْن‬ ْ ‫ْف َعنَّا َوا ْغفِ ْر لَنَا َو‬ ُ ‫َواع‬
2:286﴿ ‫ين‬ َ ‫﴾ا ْل َكافِ ِر‬ 
 
Allah does not burden any human being with a
responsibility heavier than he can bear.  Everyone will enjoy
the fruit of the good that one has earned and shall suffer for
the evil that one has committed.  (O Believers, pray like this
to Allah: "Our Lord, take us not to task if we forget and
lapse into error inadvertently. Lord! lay not on us the kind
of burdens that You had lain on the people before us.  Lord,
lay not on us the kind of burden that we have not the
strength to bear. Be kind to us, forgive us and show mercy to
us. You are our Protector : help us against the disbelievers." 

‫ہللا کسی متنفّس پر اُس کی مقدرت سے بڑھ کر ذ ّمہ داری کا بوجھ نہیں‬
‫ اس کا پھل اسی کے لیے ہے‬،‫ڈالتا۔ ہر شخص نے جو نیکی کمائی ہے‬
‫ ایمان النے والو! تم‬¹‫ اس کا وبال اسی پر ہے۔‬،‫اور جو بدی سمیٹی ہے‬
‫رب ! ہم سے بھول ُچوک میں جو قصور ہو‬ ّ ‫یوں دُعا کرو اے ہمارے‬
‫ جو تو نے ہم‬، ‫ان پر گرفت نہ کرنا۔ مالک ! ہم پر وہ بوجھ نہ ڈال‬،‫جائیں‬
‫ کی ہم‬¹‫سے پہلے لوگوں پر ڈالے تھے۔ پروردگار !جس بار کو اُٹھانے‬
‫ ہم سے‬، ‫ وہ ہم پر نہ رکھ۔ ہمارے ساتھ نرمی کر‬، ‫میں طاقت نہیں ہے‬
‫ کافروں کے مقابلے میں‬،‫مولی ہے‬
ٰ ‫ تُو ہمارا‬،‫ ہم پر رحم کر‬،‫درگزر فرما‬
‫ہماری مدد کر۔‬

Tafseer

Man's answerability to God is limited by the extent of his ability. If a man does not
have the ability to do a certain thing, God will not take him to task for not having
performed it. In the same way, if it is really beyond a man's ability to abstain from
something, God will not blame him for having failed to abstain from it. It should
be noted here that man will not be the final judge as to whether he had the ability
to do something or not. Such judgement will be made by God alone. 
This is the second fundamental principle of God's law of retribution. Every man
will be rewarded for the services he has rendered, none will be rewarded for
services rendered by others. The same applies to punishment. It is the one who is
guilty who will be punished. It is possible, however, that if a man has initiated
either good or bad practices, they will continue to affect people's lives. The
resulting good and bad deeds of people will be reckoned either to their credit or
against them, since they are clearly related to their efforts and actions. It is
impossible, however, that a map should be either rewarded for an act of goodness
or punished for an act of evil in which he has had no share - neither by intent nor
practical action. The requital of acts is not transferable. 

The prayer made here is that God should not subject them to the severe tests and
the terrible persecutions and hardships undergone by their predecessors. It is God's
law that those who commit themselves to follow Truth and righteousness are
subjected to severe tests and tribulations, and it is a believer's duty to meet them
with patience and fortitude. At the same time, the believer should always pray that
God may make it easy for him to follow the path of Truth and righteousness. 
Believers pray to God not to place unon them a burden beyond their capacity of
endurance, and to subject them only to those tests from which they may emerge
triumphant. May it not happen that the hardships are too much for them to bear,
and that their feet falter and are turned away from the path of righteousness, 
In order to appreciate fully the spirit of this prayer, one should remember that these
verses were revealed on the occasion of the ascension of the Prophet, a year before
his migration to Madina. At that time the struggle between Islam and unbelief had
reached its climax. Not only in Makka, but throughout the Arabian peninsula, there
was no place where the lives of those who wished to follow the religion of God
had not been made extremely difficult. In these circumstances the Muslims were
told in what manner they ought to pray to their Lord. It is obvious that if the
bestower himself tells one how to present one's request, the granting of the request
becomes virtually assured. Hence, this prayer greatly strengthened the hearts of the
Muslims. Moreover, this prayer implicitly taught the Muslims not to allow their
feelings to flow along undesirable channels. They should instead mould them into
a prayer to their Lord.