Surah Al-Baqarah is a comprehensive charter for Muslim life and governance. Here are its core themes:
- 1. Faith, Guidance, and the Quran
- 2. History of the Children of Israel (Bani Isra'il)
- 3. Laws and Ethics for the Muslim Community: It contains Regulations on:
- Prayer and fasting (including Ramadan).
- Zakat (charity) and economic ethics.
- Marriage, divorce, inheritance.
- Business transactions, particularly a ban on riba (usury/interest).
- Emphasis on justice, contracts, and the importance of keeping promises.
- 4. Changing of the Qiblah: The command to change the direction of prayer from Jerusalem to the Kaaba in Mecca (verse 144). A symbolic shift representing the emergence of a distinct Muslim identity.
- 5. Prophets and Belief in Divine Messages: Mentions Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and his building of the Kaaba with Isma'il. Discusses the concept of Prophethood, and how the final messenger (Muhammad ﷺ) follows the legacy of earlier prophets.
- 6. Trials and Tests: Addresses the trials faced by believers and their purpose (e.g., verse 155: “And We will surely test you…”).
- 7. Verse of the Throne (Ayat al-Kursi) – 2:255: One of the most powerful and oft-recited verses, describing Allah’s majesty, knowledge, and authority. It is considered a spiritual shield and a deep theological statement.
- 8. Final Verses (Verses 284–286): The last two verses emphasize Allah's knowledge of all things, the principle of individual responsibility, and a prayer for mercy and forgiveness. These are some of the most beloved verses, memorized and recited frequently by Muslims.
We have already presented the tafseer of the entire surah spanned on number of parts/sections owing to the length of the surah, which can be accessed from the link: Surah Al Baqarah (The Cow) - 2nd Chapter of Qur'an (Exegesis Overview)
Herein under are some of the selected verses from Surah Al Baqarah:
- Understanding Surah 2. Al Baqarah (The Cow) - specially the supplication in its last two verses
- The Utter Losers - Who? (verse 27)
- Do not knowingly conceal the Truth (verse 42)
- And resort to patience and Prayer for Divine help (verse 45)
- Fear the Day when no intercession will be accepted and no one will be ransomed (verse 48)
- Who will never be pleased with the Believers (verse 120)
- [Believers!] Tell them: We believe in God and Qur'an and which was revealed to Abraham and all later prophets (verse 136)
- Supplication when any affliction smites a believer (verse 156)
- Your God is One God, there is no god but He (verse 163)
- Severe Chastisement awaits for those who conceal what is revealed by Allah (verse 172)
- Extraordinary conditions to consume otherwise forbidden food (verse 173)
- Ramadan: Concessions for travelers and the sick (verse 185)
- Ramadan: Do we know enough? (verse 185)
- Allah is with those who seek help in Patience and Prayer (verse 186)
- Allah listens to the caller when he calls Him (verse 186)
- Do not use your property as bait for the JUDGES with intent that ye may eat up wrongfully (other) people's property (verse 188)
- Do not usurp one another’s possessions by false claims (verse 188)
- Our Lord, Grant us Good of Both Worlds (verse 201)
- Man laments: When will Allah’s help arrive? Allah reassures: Behold, Allah’s help is close by (verse 214)
- Do not Usurp the Property of the Orphans (verse 220)
- Linguistic Miracle of Ayat ul Kursi (vers 255)
- Most powerful Ayat of the Quran: Āyat al-Kursī (The Throne Verse) (verse 255)
- Indeed, Allah is Bounteous to mankind; but Most People do not give thanks in return (verse 243)
- Allah is the Guardian of those who believe, He brings them out of every darkness into light (verse 257)
- There is no compulsion in religion (verse 258)
- Believers should Never Nullify their Acts of Charity (verse 264)
- How to give charity (verse 267)
- Who are the rightful beneficiaries of Charity (verse 273)
- How can you secure immense reward with your Lord (verse 274)
- Two contrasting characters of men - One Liked and one disliked by God (verses 276-277)
- Postpone Loan (or even right off) if Debtor is in Hardship (verse 280)
- Fear the Day when Every Soul will Be Fully Repaid for his Deeds (good or evil) (verse 281)
- The Most Comprehensive Prayer for All Times (verses 285-286)
- Man laments: I'm overburdened - Allah replies: Allah will not burden a soul more than it can bear (verse 286)
Note: We will continue to add more selcted verses from the surah in due course.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
Please refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
For more Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. .
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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