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'Ilmy Notes: Surat Al-Baqarah, The Calf/Cow. Part 1


Course notes from 'Living With The Qur'an' course at Al-Markaz in Bradford, UK.
Read on quran.com, Surat Al-Baqarah, The Cow. Chapter 2:286 verses.

Surah Themes
  • Better than Yellow pages, Ultimate Guidance
  • Types of people and types of hearts. Where do you fit?
  • Prophets stories: Prophet Musa, Dawud, Ibrahim, 
    • King Saul/Talut & Goliath/Jalut
    • Jews aka Bani Israeel
  • Rulings “Ahkaam
    • Hajj, Umrah, Fasting, Marriage & Divorce, Money ££! – Interest, Good Business, Charity

Virtues of Surah Baqarah
Countless Barakah and virtues of this Surah; some are the protection from Shaytaan and devils.

3 #AHADITH on Surah Baqarah:
 “…Verily, Shaytan does not enter the house where Surat Al-Baqarah is recited.’ (At-Tirmidhi)
Rasool-Allah `alayhis-salam said,
‘Everything has a hump (or, high peak), and Al-Baqarah is the high peak of the Qur'an. Whoever recites Al-Baqarah at night in his house, then Shaytan will not enter that house for three nights. Whoever recites it during a day in his house, then Shaytan will not enter that house for three days.)’
- This Hadith was collected by Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani, Abu Hatim Ibn Hibban in his Sahih and Ibn Marduwyah.

Rasool-Allah`alayhis-salam said,
Learn Surat Al-Baqarah, because in learning it there is blessing, in ignoring it there is sorrow, and the sorceresses cannot memorize it. (He paused) Learn Surat Al-Baqarah and Al `Imran because they are two lights and they shade their people on the Day of Resurrection, just as two clouds, two spaces of shade or two lines of (flying) birds.

The Qur'an will meet its companion in the shape of a pale-faced man on the Day of Resurrection when his grave is opened. The Qur'an will ask him, 'Do you know me' The man will say, 'I do not know you.' The Qur'an will say, 'I am your companion, the Qur'an, which has brought you thirst during the heat and made you stay up during the night. Every merchant has his certain trade. But, this Day, you are behind all types of trade.' Kingship will then be given to him in his right hand, eternal life in his left hand and the crown of grace will be placed on his head.

His parents will also be granted two garments that the people of this life could never afford. They will say, 'Why were we granted these garments?' It will be said, 'Because your son was carrying the Qur'an.' It will be said (to the reader of the Qur'an), 'Read and ascend through the levels of Paradise.' He will go on ascending as long as he recites, whether reciting slowly or quickly.)''

SECTION 1: Ayaat 1 – 20
  • These introductory verses declare the Quran to be the Book of Guidance.
  • Though it is a Madani Surah, it follows the Makki Surah Al- Fatihah quite naturally, which ended with the prayer: "Show us the straight way."
    • Surah Baqarah is the answer to that prayer, "This is the Book (that)...is guidance..." (2:1)
  • Some scholars stated that this Ayah - 2:2 - contains a prohibition meaning, "Do not doubt the Qur'an.''
  • Command: Enunciate the articles of the Faith!
    • Belief in Allah, Prophet hood and Life-after-death;
    • #JDay – Mankind will be divided into three main groups with regards to its acceptance or rejection:
1. Believers
         --> The Believers are devout, devoted Muslims and accept the guidance.

2. Disbelievers         --> The disbelievers didn’t accept the message of Islam< 3. Hypocrites

         -->The last group are confused and are described as ‘foolish’. They are in two minds; when the Deen is easy and is of worldly benefit to them they partake in it and say ‘We are Muslims.’ Yet they are liars because when difficulty faces them they do not accept Deen. They join for credit only. They ‘think’ they are deceiving Allah, but they only deceive themselves and waste time. They look down on the hard work of believers.

→ LESSON: DO NOT BE LIKE GROUP 3 PEOPLE! Work Hard! And be sincere in your Deen.
  • Mufti Saab gave the example of the student who wastes his own time by not studying hard, the teacher doesn’t lose out at all but the student does.

SECTION 2 +3: Ayaat 21-29
  • Ayah 21: Allah invites mankind to accept the Guidance voluntarily and to submit to Him, the Lord and the Creator of the Universe and to believe in the Quran, His Guidance, and in the Life-after-death.
  • Allah mentions the bounties, and explains the nature of humans. How we are always wanting more. CHALLENGE Allah also challenges people to produce a Surah similar to the Quran (for those who do not accept).
  • In #Heaven, people will be given everything yet will complain about having the same fruit over and over again. Human nature is to not be satisfied. They angels will say taste it i.e. the fruit, and despite being the same shape and size, the fruit will have a different flavour every time!
  • Allah also gives the example of mosquito; He swt can give the example of any creation as he is the creator of the elephant and the mosquito.
  • The Kuffar exclaimed ‘Why would Allah give the example of a mosquito?’ Allah created all things for us.
  • (2:27) ‘He created you…all that is in Earth.’ Allah created YOU to recognize Him. You (the Muslim servant) are for Me (Allah. These are all signs for us.
SECTION 4: Ayaat 31-39
  • The story of Adam `alayhis-salam is introduced and the story of creation.
→ LESSON: To repent. Allah always accepts our Tawbah. REPENT OFTEN!

SECTION 5: Ayaat 40-45
  • Allah swt begins talking to the Jews, Bani Israeel. They were given a high rank on the earth, and it was taken away from them.
→ LESSON: Don’t be the ones who deny. Don’t claim that something is good, but deny it.

  • Don’t say such and such is for Allah and Deen, but you have a worldly benefit in it. Have a sincere heart in all actions.
  • Many Muslims know the truth but deny it. We all clearly know the falsehood and should stay away from it. Don’t be a hypocrite. PRACTISE WHAT YOU PREACH! #PracticeWhatYouPost
SECTION 6: Ayaat 46-59
  • Story of Prophet Musa `alayhiss-alam
  • SEERAH: In Medina, after Hijrah, the Jews were giving Rasool-Allah s. a hard time.
    • So Allah is reminding them of the favour he did upon them.
    • How He helped them cross the sea safely.
    • Yet they worshipped the calf.
    • The repentance for them was death.
    • Allah is explaining how the Muslims’ repentance is easier.
    • Allah says even one teardrop counts as repentance.
→ LESSON: Be GRATEFUL! And repent, as it is so easy!

SECTION 7 + 8: Ayaat 60-71
  • Allah talks about peoples’ cruelty. These peoples don’t care who is pious or not. These kind of people killed prophets.
  • Allah swt provided 7 separate rivers for each group of people.
  • But yet they were still ungrateful.

=================================================================
JEWISH PEOPLE
=================================================================

SECTION 8: Ayaat 62-71
  • Again Allah mentions different groups of people. Referring back to the Jews, The Sabbath is mentioned- a day dedicated to worship. But the Jews did not.
  • The Jews questioned A LOT about the cow. What sort of cow they must sacrifice, the colour etc.
  • Jews denied #ECO Blessings: ‘… “O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions." [Moses] said, "Would you exchange what is better for what is less?...” (Ayah 61)
  • Jews “habitually broke” Allah’s rules and did worldly matters despite being told not to.
  • Jews killed prophets
  • So Allah punished Jews by changing them into monkeys and apes. They were “covered with humiliation and poverty and returned with anger from Allah”
→LESSON: Don’t question too much. Accept what Allah and his prophet say. Accept what your teachers say.

SECTION 9: 72-80 STORY OF THE COW
  • Allah mentions the slaughtering of the cow and a murder.
    • The Cow was chosen as it was a special cow belonging to a boy who was poor. The Cow sold for a lot of money and the boy became rich. The cow was slaughtered. Jews killed a man, and claimed some others killed him to get compensation. Yet Allah knew they were lying. So when the cow died, its tongue touched the dead man, and miraculously the man became alive. The man explained the truth.
  • Allah swt described the hearts of people. Some are so hard, harder than stone. For even stones and rocks break and water gushes forth from them. How can someone’s heart be THAT HARD?
→LESSON: Have a soft heart! Muslims hearts should be soft. Speak the truth. Always sacrifice Dunya for deen and not the other way round. We’ve made a promise to Allah, don’t break this promise.

  • The Jews would write their own scriptures and change the pure words of Allah. They assumed their punishment would be small, but in reality their torment will be great for these lies and corruption. You earn your Hell, or you earn you Jannah.
  • (2:81-83) Allah is guiding the Jews and us to worship Him alone, to be good to parents, orphans, to speak good and give charity and pray. But most people do not do this. They ignore the guidance and pick and chose. We do this in our life also. We pick and choose Islam. They even committed bloodshed, despite promising not to. Their punishment is severe.

Part 1 | Part 2 begins with Ayah 87

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