Warning to the children of Isra’il against forgetting the bounties of God, they are reminded of their being rescued from the clutches of Pharaoh, The worshipping of the Calf as their god, Provision of Manna and Quails, Ingratitude of the people, Warning against the Day of Judgment when no intercession from anyone of man’s fanciful guardian deities shall be of any avail to anyone.

Al-Baqarah Verses 47 - 59

يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّي فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ

“O’ ye Children of Isra’il! remember My bounties which I favoured you with, and that I gave you a preference to the people of the world” (2:47).

وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا لَا تَجْزِي نَفْسٌ عَنْ نَفْسٍ شَيْئًا وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَلَا يُؤْخَذُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ وَلَا هُمْ يُنْصَرُونَ

“Guard ye yourselves against the day wherein no soul shall compensate for another nor from it shall intercession be accepted nor from it shall any ransom be taken, nor shall they be helped” (2:48).

وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَاكُمْ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُمْ بَلَاءٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ

“And (remember ye) when We delivered you from Pharaoh’s people who afflicted you with grievous torment, slaying your sons and by letting your women alive, and in that was a great trial from your Lord” (2:49).

وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ الْبَحْرَ فَأَنْجَيْنَاكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ

“And (remember ye) when We did split for you the sea and rescued you and drowned Pharaoh’s people; while ye looked on” (2:50).

وَإِذْ وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْتُمُ الْعِجْلَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَأَنْتُمْ ظَالِمُونَ

“When We made appointment with Moses for forty nights then ye took the calf (for your god) after he left you and (thus) ye transgressed” (2:51).

ثُمَّ عَفَوْنَا عَنْكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

“Yet after that We forgave you that ye might be grateful” (2:52).

وَإِذْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَالْفُرْقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

“And We gave Moses the Scripture and the Distinction (of good and evil) that ye may be guided” (2:53).

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّكُمْ ظَلَمْتُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ بِاتِّخَاذِكُمُ الْعِجْلَ فَتُوبُوا إِلَىٰ بَارِئِكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ عِنْدَ بَارِئِكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

“And (remember ye) when said Moses unto his people “O’ my people! Verily ye have wronged (unto) yourselves by taking the calf for God, so turn ye (penitent) unto your Creator’ Lord and slay ye yourselves that will be better for you with your Creator Lord” and (thus) did He turn unto you (Merciful and pardoned you) Verily, He is the Oft - turning (to mercy) and the Most Merciful” (2:54).

وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ

“And (remember ye!) when ye said, “O’ Moses! never will we believe in thee until we see

manifestly,” the Thunder seized you while ye looked on” (2:55).

ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

“Then We raised you after your death that haply ye might be thankful” (2:56).

وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْغَمَامَ وَأَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَىٰ كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَٰكِنْ كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

“And We caused clouds to ‘shadow over you and We sent down unto you ‘Manna’ and quails; (saying) ‘eat ye of good things wherewith We have provided you;’ and they wronged not to Us but they were unto their own selves unjust” (2:57).

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا ادْخُلُوا هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَدًا وَادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُولُوا حِطَّةٌ نَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَايَاكُمْ وَسَنَزِيدُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

“And (remember ye) when We said, “Enter ye this city, and eat ye as ye like of the plenty therein, and enter ye the gates prostrating (in obeisance) and be ye (prayerfully) uttering ‘Pardon’ (us) We shall forgive your sins; and anon increase (Our favours) unto the doers of good (unto others)” (2:58).

فَبَدَّلَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا قَوْلًا غَيْرَ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُمْ فَأَنْزَلْنَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا رِجْزًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ

“But changed those who were unjust the word into another than that which had been spoken unto them, So, We sent down upon those who were unjust a torment from heaven for what they used to pervert” (2:59).

Commentary

Verse 47

‘Anni Fazzaltukum alalaalameen’, i.e., ‘I have preferred you to all other nations’ - Usage of the address ‘you’ does not mean exclusively the people of the age in which the address was made but their forefathers and ancestors, i.e., those with the racial unity or the identity of birth or descent, though the strict application of the address is meant for those immediately present and involved in the ingratitude to the bounties referred to in the verse. (This is applicable to all nations (i.e., humanity as a whole) as a reminder to the blessings of God on them). (A.P.)

The Isra’ilites were God’s chosen people blessed with superiority over the other people on earth. Great Prophets like Moses and Jesus were raised from among them. There arose more Prophets amongst them than in the rest of the people of the world put together1. They were provided with the heavenly food ‘Manna’ and ‘Salwa.’ They were miraculously saved from Pharaoh’s merciless clutches by splitting the sea for them and drowning the enemy and Pharaoh with his host. This is referred to also in 5:20.

The factor which needs special reflection by an intelligent reader is that the verse here refers to the bounties of God which they are given to enjoy. They were a race pre - eminently descending from the Prophets, who ought to have higher spirituality by heredity, but they had been consistently involved in moral depravity and disbelief.

Verse 48

‘Wala Yuqbalu minha Shafa’atun’, i.e., and neither shall intercession on its behalf be accepted - This verse read isolated and unintelligently without reference to its context and its succeeding explanatory verses, may mislead, and has actually misled many to wrong conclusion that intercession is absolutely debarred whereas this verse means something different.

The word ‘Shafa’at’, i.e., intercession comes out of the root ‘Shaf’ meaning to pair, i.e., to make a thing be one of a pair or joining a thing to its like which means intercession. The doctrine of ‘Shafa’at’ signifies the Holy Prophet and those pure and virtuous like him, i.e., the holy Imams who had lived a sinless life, will intercede for the sinners on the Day of Judgment.

The word ‘Shafa’at’ used indefinitely may mean a favourable or an unfavourable intercession2.

The phenomenon of ‘Shafa’at’ signifies the one imitating or following or being attached to in love, joining his model. This comes to be affected by walking in the ways of the righteous, imitating them as one’s models. This conduct of an individual naturally profits him imitating the correct or the ideal characters for while imitating, the individual automatically gets over certain difficulties of moral weaknesses which any by himself acting at his own instance without any model, could not possibly have overcome. The inadmissibility of intercession mentioned here is in the case of those who neither by themselves avoid evil or wickedness nor did they choose even to endeavour imitating the virtuous and to remain attached to them with their sincere love for the godly souls. As they did not choose at least to belong to the virtuous in imitating them, they will not be entitled to any intercession on their behalf for the question of intercession on their behalf does not at all arise.

The Day of Judgment will also be the day of sifting the wicked from the virtuous and consequently the day of pairing of the souls in their personal affinity or the spiritual union bound by ties of sincere love and attachment. It is clearly said in 17:71 that every people will be called with their ‘Imam’ guide or model.

Besides all the other arguments of the various expositions of the validity of intercession based upon the other verses of the Holy Qur’an and further assurance by the tradition of the Holy Prophet, it is a natural and logical conclusion beyond all doubt that intercession cannot be but an undeniable fact if God’s regard for His holy and faithful servants is accepted as a naturally and logically necessary factor3.

Many of us who care not to understand this verse correctly are easily misled to confuse with the All-just attribute of God - that God Who is All-Just cannot spare any offender unpunished. Such a belief refers correctly to the law of the jungle. It must be remembered that God the All-Just is also the Lord All-Merciful and His mercy overlaps His justice and He Himself has declared ‘Kataba ala nafsihir Rahmat’ - He hath Himself made mercy incumbent upon Himself4. And those who are dejected of His mercy are termed by Him as the disbelievers or the infidels5 .

It is the dejection against God’s mercy which has forced the followers of the church founded in the name of Jesus, to coin the doctrine of atonement that God to find out an excuse to pardon man against His own justice incarnated Himself into the form of a begotten son called Jesus and got Himself killed so that the price of the sins of man be paid.

This doctrine is not to be argued but only to be believed by the followers of the church because it can never stand for a moment any reasoning or logic because once the price of the sins of man has been paid away, God forfeits his right to question any sinner at all, and consequently man becomes free to sin as he likes having the right to argue against God on the Day of Judgment that none has any right not even God to question him to account for his sinfulness for the price of all his sins has already been paid away. How far this doctrine is sensible and how far it is deceptive to invite every free sinner and an uncontrolled conduct to swell the ranks of the followers of the Christian Church, any sensible one can easily judge.

The doctrine of intercession is quite natural, reasonable, and logical. It is a natural and just and merciful classification of souls according to the natural affinity and the bonds of love and sincere attachment which existed between the individual and the faithful servants of God viz. the Holy Prophet and the Holy Ahl Al-Bayt whose purity of spirit, the flawlessness of whose conduct and character and selfless services and the matchless sacrifices in the cause of truth, is a universally established factor, whose goodliness is unreservedly acknowledged by the Muslims and even by the non-Muslims as well.

It is to be noted that the term ‘Yawm’ (mentioned here and in many other places) undoubtedly refers to the life hereafter which includes the term of life beginning with the departure of the soul up to the final resurrection. The life hereafter consists of several variant stages in the intermediary and the final phase of it. Thus, the life hereafter is viewed from the various standpoints each of which has conditions and qualities which may differ from those of the other stages or the other points, i.e., at one stage every soul is judged according to its individual attainments and deeds which may differ from the conditions and qualities of the other stages whereas in the other stages a soul will be judged with the other viewpoints, i.e., according to its social status and as its relation to the other souls would justify. A man may be condemned as an individual for those misdeeds, but from the point of view of his attachment and his relation to the other souls of lofty status he may be redeemed from what he deserves as an individual.

In one stage it is true that no souls shall compensate for each other being responsible for himself and none can redeem the other and no intercession forwarded by anyone would be acceptable. But in the other stages and from the other standpoints he may be entirely different. This is the solution to the many passages of the Holy Qur’an dealing with the life hereafter and the final resurrection day. There are the seemingly contradictory passages regarding ‘Shafa’at’ and the usefulness of one’s deeds for the redemption of the others. In one passage it is said that everyone would appear on the resurrection day done as an individual and in the other passage it is said that all will come collectively. In some passages it is said that the wicked will be condemned without being permitted to forward their excuse.

The other passages say that some of the wicked would present their excuses for themselves having been misled by their leaders. The truth is that each of this state refers to a particular stage and to a different standpoint. The point to be noted here is that there is no doubt that Holy Qur’an in many places asserts the effectiveness of ‘Shafa’at.’ The negation here refers to either particular stage or the fact is that no intercession forwarded by the soul on its own behalf shall be accepted while only those authorised by God shall have the right to do it.

The reference here is to the wavering state of the mind of Isra’ilites with regard to their faith, as sometimes they were attached to it and sometimes, they were detached from it. This same example holds good for the majority of the people in the Muslim folds. All the prophets had to tolerate this state of affairs with their followers in order to avoid their desertion of the faith in its initial stage and a wholesale reversion of the people to falsehood, i.e., the drifting away from the truth they had just been initiated into. Every prophet rebuked the rebellious ones and admonished them to repent, but only a very few responded to it duly while the majority persisted in their revolt. (A.P.)

Verse 49

To know the details about the miserable lot of the Isra’ilites under the bondage of Pharaoh and how they were rescued - See Exodus - 1st chapter - the opening chapter, i.e., Chapter I.

1. (The children of Isra’il multiply 8. They are oppressed by a new king. 22. Pharaoh commandeth the male children to be cast into the river).

   Now these are the names of the children of Isra’il, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.

2. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.

3. Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin.

4. Dan, and Naphtali, Cad, and Asher.

5. And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

6. And Joseph died and all his brethren, and all that generation.

7. And the children of Isra’il were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

8. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

9. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Isra’il are more and mightier than we

10. Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

11. Therefore, they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

12. But the more they afflicted them the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Isra’il.

13. And the Egyptians made the children of Isra’il to serve with vigour:

14. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with vigour.

15. And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

16. And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

17. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

18. And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them: Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?

19. And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.

20. Therefore, God deal well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

21. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

22. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, “Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

Thus, under Pharaoh’s command every son that was born to the Isra’ilites was cast into the river and every daughter was spared alive.

Verse 50

The sea referred to here is the Red Sea. The miraculous delivery of the Isra’ilites from the tyrannical clutches of the Egyptian monarch the Pharaoh is referred to here. A detailed story of the miraculous event is given in the Bible - Exodus Chapter 14.

1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2. Speak unto the children of Isra’il, that they turn and encamp before Pi - hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.

3. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Isra’il, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

4. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

5. And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, ‘Why have we done this that we have let Isra’il go from serving us?’

6. And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him.

7. And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt and captains over every one of them.

8. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Isra’il and the children of Isra’il went out with a high hand.

9. But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi - hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.

10. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Isra’il lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Isra’il cried out unto the LORD.

11. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus, with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

12. Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, ‘let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.’

13. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

14. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

15. And the LORD said unto Moses Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Isra’il, that they go forward.

16. But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Isra’il shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

17. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and it will get me honour upon Pharaoh, upon all his host, upon his chariots and upon his horsemen.

18. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

19. And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Isra’il, removed, and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

20. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Isra’il; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

21. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22. And the children of Isra’il went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground; and the waters were a wall unto on their right hand, and on their left.

23. And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24. And it came to pass that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of the fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians.

25. And took of their chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, let us flee from the face of Isra’il: for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

26. And the Lord said unto Moses, ‘Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.’

27. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD over - threw the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

28. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

29. But the children of Isra’il walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

30. Thus, the LORD saved Isra’il that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Isra’il saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.

31. And Isra’il saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

    Exodus Chapter 14.

The modern commentator is here consistent in his peculiar treatment to the miraculous event which has been referred to the Holy Qur’an testified in detail by the ancient scriptures. One thing which every student of comparative study of the commentaries on the Holy Qur’an, should remember is that since a self-assumed Prophet, the founder of a new school, with all his own asserted claims to be the reincarnation of Jesus, could not bring out any miracle or anything miraculous in support of his self-assumed office of the Prophet, his followers as a class particularly their scholars spare nothing to deprive every true and genuine prophet of God of the extraordinary spiritual strength divinely endowed in them to prove their divinely commissioned position.

They secularize the whole life of every apostle of God by denying miracles having been worked out by any apostle of God. Their favourite method of misinterpreting the events is to use rare, unusual, and the remote meanings of the words of the Holy Qur’an and the traditions or the Hadith of the Holy Prophet. To somehow misinterpret the miracle the modern commentator resorts to say that the Arabic word ‘Bahr’ which is used for a sea or an ocean, also means a river. It must be asked as to how many instances the Ahmadi commentator can quote from the Arabic literature in which the word ‘Bhar’ has been used for a river.

This innovation in the meaning of the word ‘‘Bahr’ has been resorted just to make an accommodation to deny the splitting of the sea as it actually did, and to insert in its place the wishful narration that it must have been a river in his escape and the Egyptian host under Pharaoh which pursuing the Isra’ilites under Moses must have been swept away by a tide. The commentator forgets that even if what he wants to misinterpret as, be the truth, even then there is the miraculous aspect of the event of the tide acting to save Moses and the Isra’ilites.

The truth is that when passing out of the land of Egypt under Moses, the Isra’ilites had to cross the Red Sea, but they had no vessels to carry them across and Pharaoh with his hosts was fast approaching in the pursuit, God commanded Moses to strike the water of the sea with his Rod which he did. The sea got split and Moses passed through a dry path created for him and his men to pass on. When Moses had crossed the sea, Pharaoh with his hosts entered into the same path and when he and his armies were in the midst of the water, the water came together drowning Pharaoh and his hosts6.

Verse 51

The promise taken by God from Moses for forty days7 . There is a mention of this in 7:142 also.

Moses had to stay on the Mount fasting for forty days and nights at the conclusion of which the Law or the Torah on the Tablets was given to Him. Moses was first asked to stay for thirty days and nights and subsequently the term was extended by ten more days and nights. The delay in the return of Moses to his people at the end of the thirty days, owing to the extension of the time by ten more days and nights, was sufficient to create in the minds of the Isra’ilites the doubt about the bonafide of Moses as a true Prophet of God and consequently they were deluded into calf - worship.

There is one important factor of special significance for the guidance of any intelligent reader of this verse that is, Moses while leaving for the Mount to stay there for receiving the commandments from the Lord had appointed his Brother Aaron as his deputy or successor to act in his place during his absence from among his people. Similarly, when the Holy Prophet Muhammad migrated from Mecca, he left Ali in his place to be in his bed, as well as to return the deposits entrusted to him, to the people.

When the Holy Prophet left for Tabuk, he left Ali in Madina in his place and when he was commanded to convey the Surah 9, Surah Tauba, himself or through someone who was of his holy stock the Holy Prophet deputed Ali to take away the Surah from the messenger who had already left with it, to himself deliver it, because Ali, according to the declaration of the Holy Prophet was in relationship to Muhammad as Aaron was to Moses. And how closely resembles the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad to the life of Moses. As the people of Moses deserted Aaron and followed the Samari, the people of Muhammad deserted Ali and followed their own fancies.

This incident of the history of the religion indicates how difficult a task it is for the faithful, in factors beyond the reach of our rational thinking. One of the main or the basic quality of a true believer is mentioned in 2:3 viz. a Muslim has to believe in the unseen. This demand is one of the constant sources of guidance that man should not and cannot always argue against the divine plan through his rational thinking. He has to be always conscious of the limitations of his own individual attainments and achievements in the realm of the spiritual life and to rely upon the guidance of the divinely inspired or conditioned minds viz. the apostles of God particularly the Holy Prophet and the divinely commissioned Guides or the Holy Imams.

Verse 53

‘Furqan’ i.e., the distinguishing factor between two things. Here it signifies the awakening of distinguishing the truth from the falsehood. This may refer to a mental awakening or consciousness generating from certain definite incidents. This has been referred to in 8:41 regarding the experiences of the Muslims in the Battle of Badr, ‘Furqan’, cited in Verse 25:1, has been used as the name of the Holy Qur’an.

Verse 54

True faith demands implicit obedience to the command of the Lord, the individual unconditionally subjecting himself to the all - engrossing sense of his duty in flawless devotion to the supreme command.

The people were commanded to kill the calf - worshippers among themselves by their own kith and kin, i.e., their own fellowmen whom they loved the most, if they had gone astray to worship the calf in the place of the One True God.

According to the Bible, the children of Levi were commanded to kill the others who had become the calf - worshippers and consequently it is reported that three thousand men were killed that day but ultimately, they were forgiven.

Some people take the meaning as a command to kill not the calf - worshippers but to kill the selfishness in their own ego, i.e., to overcome their own passions. But in fact it is vouched by the Qur’an, as well as by the ancient scriptural evidence available from the Bible that the command was to slay the calf - worshippers in their own camp.

The words ‘Innakum Zalamtum Anfusukum’, i.e., Verily ye have wronged unto your own selves. It is noteworthy here that in Islam, sin which a man or a woman commits, he or she does it against the individual’s own self, for as the first and the immediate effect of a sin committed, the individual gets degenerated and thus, gets far away from the divine mercy.

Verse 55

This refers to the mind of the people who cannot believe in anything invisible. This tendency is responsible for idolatry. This tendency of demanding impossible and silly manifestations as miracles had been the habit also of the opponents of the Holy Prophet8. (A.P.)

Verse 56

And it came to pass on the third day in the morning that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that were in the camp trembled. (Exod. 19/16)

And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. Exodus. (Exod. 19/17)

This same incident is referred to in 7:155. The seventy leaders who made a preposterous demand to see God and to hear him directly. The desire on the part of the seventy was granted but they could not resist the manifest action of the divine glory.

A modern Commentator interprets, the lightning as a punishment whereas the manifestation of the divine glory was granted at the demand from the people - as such it could never be a punishment, as he interprets or death, as a stupor whereas the words of the Holy Qur’an are clear and very plain meaning the cessation of life.

If we take into consideration verse 7:143 ‘Kharra Moosa Sa’iqa’ which indicates swooning suffered by Moses, the words ‘Falumma afaqa’, i.e., when he recovered. In the case of the elders in whose case the word ‘Maut’ i.e., death or the cessation of life is used, the revival is expressed through the appropriate word ‘Ba’sa’ a term meaning resurrection after death9.

If the lightning and the consequent death of the people had been a punishment - the people would not have been shortly afterwards revived into life once again. The mistake in the commenting is exposed.

“There is no reason to disbelieve in the possibility of the people being brought to life after their death for the people wanted a proof from Moses to his bonafide as the apostle of God and they had asked Moses to ask God to appear to them. As the appearance of God was not a possibility their demand was answered by another proof, i.e., the bringing of the dead to life. Otherwise, to merely restore to consciousness from a slumber of an unconscious state could never be a great deed worthy of mention by God as His Sign The misinterpretation of the Qur’anic passages, as the Ahmadi Commentator has done here saying that it was not death but a state of unconsciousness, has become a fashion of the modern commentators who want the Holy Qur’an to cater to their whims and fancies. It is nothing short of profaning the Word of God and denying the possibility of miracles. (A.P.)

Verse 57

When the Isra’ilites left away Egypt which God gave them, God helped them through a pillar of cloud to guide them in their march. The cloud gave them light in the night and shade in the day time against the heat of the desert they had to pass through10.

Manna and Salva are differently interpreted by different scholars. However the fact is ‘Manna’ and ‘Salva’ refer to the heavenly food the Isra’ilites were provided with, without any strain or effect on their part.

Traditions assert similar shadowing of the cloud over the head of the Holy Prophet during his journey to Syria and return before he was commissioned.

Verse 58

The town mentioned in this verse has not been identified elsewhere. It is said that the township was Arreha near Jerusalem11.

‘Sojjadan’ meaning prostrating - The word used here is ‘Sijda’, i.e., prostration. There is nothing unreasonable in demanding a people to pay obeisance to God while entering a place which was meant to be an abode of life in peace and happiness. Here again the Ahmadi Commentator resorts to interpret saying that the command for Sijda’ means to be submissive while living in the town, and not meaning paying any obeisance in the form of a ‘Sijda.’

‘Hittatun’ (derived from ‘Hatta’, i.e., to put down) meaning the pardon of the Lord which actually means ‘I seek forgiveness of the Lord and return unto Him (penitently).’ This the Isra’ilites were commanded to repeat seeking pardon of their past sins so that while they enter the holy city they might be entitled to the blessings and the bounties of God and ultimately earn the salvation. But in their contempt to the command they instead uttered another word ‘Hintatun’ meaning wheat. This same incident is referred to in 7:161-162.

An intelligent study of anything demands the study of the other allied factors with the identity of bearing on the phenomena involved in it. The Isra’ilites were commanded by the apostle of God, Moses, to enter into the city’ in a particular state of mind and attitude but they defied the command in contempt to it and entered the city as they selfishly chose and thus, entitled themselves to the consequent degeneration and perdition. In perfect resemblance to what the people of Moses did, did also the Muslims with regard to his command about their entering the city of knowledge. It is the saying or the command of the Holy Prophet Muhammad which all Muslim Schools unanimously acknowledge that the Holy Prophet said:

‘Ana Madinatul Ibni ma Aliyun Bahuha.’ meaning I am the City of knowledge and Ali is its Gate - which clearly means if anyone needs to approach the store of knowledge divinely endowed with the Holy Prophet, he must enter through its gate that is acknowledging Ali’s position or the correct relation with the Holy Prophet, and naturally paying the due regard and veneration to Ali as the medium. Those who do not do this, will naturally do so in contempt to the command of the Holy Prophet and consequently suffer the spiritual degradation and the ultimate perdition having missed the right course to the truth.

Hazrat Ali the First of the Holy Imams is reported to have said (Our position in Islam and the Muslims is the same as the gate or the Entrance of ‘Hitta’ was for the Isra’il) (D.M. and F.A.).

‘Sanazeed al-Mohsineen’ meaning ‘We shall increase our bounties or favours unto those who do good (to others).’ This part of this verse as many others indicates the important position and value Islam gives to doing good to others, i.e., to service above self.

Verse 59

The Isra’ilites acted against the given command changing the word ‘Hitta’ forgiveness into ‘Hinta’, wheat, and lived transgressing the law12.

1. And Isra’il abode in Shittim and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

2. And they called the people unto the sacrifice of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

3. And Isra’il joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Isra’il.

The punishment overtook the people in the form of plague which took a toll of 24,000 people13.

The plague was stayed from the children of Isra’il.

“And those that died in the plague were twenty - four thousand”

This same incident is referred to in 7:161-162.

This punishment in some form or other awaits those who unwarrantedly and unjustly change the Word of God and covenant, to something other than the original presented to them. (A.P.)

• 1. Vide: Ency. Britt. II Edn. Art Jews
• 2. Vide: 4:85.
• 3. For further elucidation of the doctrine of intercession see: 2:255; 10:3; 19:87; 20:109; 21:28-43; 26:100; 34:23; 40:19; 53:26.
• 4. Vide: 6:12, 6:54
• 5. Vide: 12:87.
• 6. Vide: 10:90; 10:91.
• 7. See Exod. 24/18.
• 8. Vide: 4:153; 17:90; 17:96.
• 9. Vide: Exod. 13/21.
• 10. Vide: Exod. 18/21.
• 11. Vide: Numbers 33/49, 50, 59.
• 12. Vide: Num. 25/1-3.
• 13. Vide: Num. 25/8-9.