Surah 2. Al-Baqara, Ayah 83
| وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَقُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ |
| Transliteration | : | wa- 'idh 'akhadhnaa methaaq bane 'israa'el laa tacbudon 'illaa 'allaah wa- bi- al- waalidain ih.saan(an) wa- dhe al- qurbaa wa- al- yataamaa wa- al- masaaken wa- qolo li- an- naas h.usn(an) wa- aqemo as.- s.alaah wa- 'aato az- zakaah thumma tawallaytum 'illaa qalel(an) min -kum wa- 'antum mucrid.on |
| Pickthall | : | And (remember) when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel, (saying): Worship none save Allah (only), and be good to parents and to kindred and to orphans and the needy, and speak kindly to mankind; and establish worship and pay the poor due. Then, after that, ye slid back, save a few of you, being averse. |
| Asad | : | AND LO! We accepted this solemn pledge from [you,] the children of Israel:66 "You shall worship none but God; and you shall do good unto your parents and kinsfolk, and the orphans, and the poor; and you shall speak unto all people in a kindly way; and you shall be constant in prayer; and you shall spend in charity."67 And yet, save for a few of you, you turned away: for you are obstinate folk!68 |
| Malik | : | Remember, We took a covenant (firm commitment) from the children of Israel: "You shall worship none but Allah; be good to your parents, relatives, orphans and destitute, speak fair to the people, establish 'Salah', and pay 'Zakah.'" But you broke the covenant, except a few of you, and you paid no heed. |
| Yusuf Ali | : | And remember We took a covenant from the children of Israel (to this effect): worship none but Allah; treat with kindness your parents and kindred and orphans and those in need; speak fair to the people; be steadfast in prayer; and practice regular charity. Then did ye turn back except a few among you and ye backslide (even now). 87 |
Note - 66In the preceding passages, the children of Israel have
been reminded of the favours that were bestowed on them.
Now, however, the Qur'an reminds them of the fact that
the way of righteousness has indeed been shown to them by
means of explicit social and moral injunctions: and this
reminder flows directly from the statement that the human
condition in the life to come depends exclusively on the
manner of one's life in this world, and not on one's
descent.
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Note - 67See note [34] above.
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Note - 68The Old Testament contains many allusions to the
waywardness and stubborn rebelliousness of the children
of Israel - e.g., Exodus xxxii, 9, xxxiii, 3, xxxiv, 9;
Deuteronomy ix, 6-8,23-24,27.
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Note - 87So far from the Covenant being of the kind you suggest in
ii. 80, the real Covenant is about the moral law, which
is set out in ii. 83. This moral law is universal and if
you break it, no privileges will lighten your punishment
or help you in any way (ii. 86). "Speak fair to the
people" not only means outward courtesy from the leaders
to the meanest among the people, but the protection of
the people from being exploited, deceived, defrauded, or
doped with things to lull their intelligence.
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In the preceding passages, the children of Israel have been reminded of the favours that were bestowed on them. Now, however, the Qur'an reminds them of the fact that the way of righteousness has indeed been shown to them by means of explicit social and moral injunctions: and this reminder flows directly from the statement that the human condition in the life to come depends exclusively on the manner of one's life in this world, and not on one's descent. |
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So far from the Covenant being of the kind you suggest in ii. 80, the real Covenant is about the moral law, which is set out in ii. 83. This moral law is universal and if you break it, no privileges will lighten your punishment or help you in any way (ii. 86). "Speak fair to the people" not only means outward courtesy from the leaders to the meanest among the people, but the protection of the people from being exploited, deceived, defrauded, or doped with things to lull their intelligence. |
