Surah 2. Al-Baqara

These are the ones who trade the Hereafter for the life of this world. So their punishment will not be reduced, nor will they be helped.

  - Mustafa Khattab

These are the people who buy the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter; their penalty shall not be lightened nor shall they be helped.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Indeed, We gave Moses the Book and sent after him successive messengers. And We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the holy spirit.¹ Why is it that every time a messenger comes to you 'Israelites' with something you do not like, you become arrogant, rejecting some and killing others?

  - Mustafa Khattab

 The holy spirit is Gabriel, a mighty angel created from light, whose main duty is to communicate Allah’s messages to prophets.

We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of Apostles; We gave Jesus the son of Mary clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you an Apostle with what ye yourselves desire not ye are puffed up with pride? Some ye called impostors and others ye slay! ^{89 90 91}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

I understand "ransom them" here to mean "take ransom for them" though most of the Commentators take it to mean "give ransom for them". Mustafa had made a Pact which, if it had been faithfully observed by all parties, would have brought a reign of law and order for Medina. But some of the treacherous Jews never intended to observe its terms. They fought and slew each other and not only banished those who were obnoxious to them but intrigued with their enemies. If by chance they came back into their hands as captives, they demanded ransom for them to return to their homes although they had no right to banish them at all. If we understand by "ransom them" pay "ransom for them to release them from the hands of their enemies," it would mean that they did this pious act for show, although they were themselves the authors of their unlawful banishment. I think the former makes better sense.

As to the birth of Jesus, cf. xix. 16-34. Why is he called the "Son of Mary"? What are his "clear signs"? What is the "holy spirit" by which he was strenghtened? We reserve to a later state a discussion of the Quranic teaching on these questions. See iii. 62, n. 401.

Notice the sudden transition from the past tense in "some ye called imposters" to the present tense in "others ye slay." There is a double significance. First, reviewing the long course of Jewish history, we have come to the time of Jesus; they have often given the lie to God's Apostles, and even now they are trying to slay Jesus. Secondly, extending the review of that history to the time of Muhammad, they are even now trying to take the life of that holy Apostle. This would be literally true at the time the words were promulgated to the people. And this transition leads on naturally to the next verse, which refers to the actual conditions before Muhammad in Medina in the second year of the Hijra. Sections 11/13 (ii. 87-121) refer to the People of the Book generally, Jews and Christians. Even where Moses and the Law of Sinai are referred to, those traditions are common to both Jews and Christians. The argument is about the people who ought to have learnt from previous Revelations and welcomed Muhammad's teaching, and yet they both took up an attitude of arrogant rejection.

They say, 'Our hearts are unreceptive!'¹ In fact, Allah has condemned them for their disbelief. They have but little faith.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Their hearts are unreceptive because they claim they have enough knowledge already.

They say "Our hearts are the wrappings (which preserve Allah's word we need no more)." Nay Allah's curse is on them for their blasphemy; little is it they believe. ^{92 93}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Jews in their arrogance claimed that all wisdom and all knowledge of God were enclosed in their hearts. But there were more things in heaven and earth than were dreamt of in their philosophy. Their claim was not only arrogance but blasphemy. In reality they were men without Faith. (I take Gulfan here to be the plural of Gilafun the wrapping or cover of a book, in which the book is preserved.) As usual, there is a much wider meaning. How many people at all times and among all nations close their hearts to any extension of knowlege or spiritual influence because of some little fragment which they have got and which they think is the whole of Allah's Truth? Such an attitude shows really want of faith and is a blasphemous limitation of Allah's unlimited spiritual gifts to His creatures. [According to another view, the verse refers to the Jewish claim that a covering had been placed over their hearts which prevented them from grasping the message of the Prophet (peace be on him). See Ibn Kathir's commentary on the verse. See also verse iv. 155.]

The root kafara has many shades of meaning: (1) to deny God's goodness, to be ungrateful, (2) to reject Faith, deny His revelation, (3) to blaspheme, to ascribe some limitation or attribute to God which is derogatory to His nature. In a translation, one shade or another must be put forward according to the context, but all are implied.

Although they used to pray for victory 'by means of the Prophet' over the polytheists,¹ when there came to them a Book from Allah which they recognized,² confirming the Scripture they had 'in their hands', they rejected it. So may Allah's condemnation be upon the disbelievers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 lit., the disbelievers.

 i.e., the Quran.

And when there comes to them a Book from Allah confirming what is with them although from of old they had prayed for victory against those without faith when there comes to them that which they (should) have recognized they refused to believe in it; but the curse of Allah is on those without Faith. ⁹⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Jews, who pretended to be so superior to the people without Faith - the Gentiles - should have been the first to recognize the new Truth - or the Truth renewed - which it was Muhammad's mission to bring because it was so similar in form and language to what they had already received. But they had more arrogance than faith. It is this want of faith that brings on the curse, i.e., deprives us (if we adopt such an attitude) of the blessings of God. Again the lesson applies to a much wider circle than the Jews. We are all apt, in our perverseness, to reject an appeal form our brother even more summarily than one from an outsider. If we have a glimmering of the truth, we are apt to make ourselves impervious to further truth, and thus lose the benefit of Allah's Grace.

Miserable is the price they have sold their souls for- denying Allah's revelation and resenting Allah for granting His grace to whoever He wills of His servants! They have earned wrath upon wrath. And such disbelievers will suffer a humiliating punishment.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Miserable is the price for which they have sold their souls in that they deny (the revelation) which Allah has sent down in insolent envy that Allah of His Grace should send it to any of His servants He pleases; thus have they drawn on themselves wrath upon wrath. And humiliating is the punishment of those who reject Faith. ⁹⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Racial arrogance made the Jews averse to the reception of Truth when it came through a servant of God, not of their own race. Again the lesson is wider. Is that averseness unknown in our own times, and among other races? Yet how can a race or a people set bounds to God's choice? God is the Creater and Cherisher of all races and all worlds.

When it is said to them: 'Believe in what Allah has revealed,' they reply, 'We only believe in what was sent down to us,' and they deny what came afterwards, though it is the truth confirming their own Scriptures! Ask 'them, O Prophet', 'Why then did you kill Allah's prophets before, if you are 'truly' believers?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

When it is said to them: "believe in what Allah hath sent down" they say "We believe in what was sent down to us"; yet they reject all besides even if it be truth confirming what is with them. Say: "Why then have ye slain the prophets of Allah in times gone by if ye did indeed believe?" ⁹⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Even the race argument is often flimsy and hollow pretext. Did not the Jews reject Prophets of their own race who told them unpleasant truths? And do not other nations do likewise? The real trouble is selfishness, narrowness, a mean dislike of anything which runs counter to habits, customs or inclinations.

Indeed, Moses came to you with clear proofs, then you worshipped the calf in his absence, acting wrongfully.

  - Mustafa Khattab

There came to you Moses with clear (Signs); yet ye worshipped the Calf (even) after that and ye did behave wrongfully.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And when We took your covenant and raised the mountain above you 'saying', 'Hold firmly to that 'Scripture' which We have given you and obey,' they answered, 'We hear and disobey.' The love of the calf was rooted in their hearts because of their disbelief. Say, 'O Prophet,' 'How evil is what your 'so-called' belief prompts you to do, if you 'actually' believe 'in the Torah'!'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And remember We took your Covenant and We raised above you (the towering height) of Mount (Sinai) (saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you and hearken (to the Law)"; they said: "We hear and we disobey"; and they had to drink into their hearts (of the taint) of the calf because of their faithlessness. Say: "Vile indeed are the behests of your faith if ye have any faith!" ^{97 98 99}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. the introductory words of ii. 63 which are the same as the introductory words here but the argument is developed in a different direction in the two places. In ii. 63, after they are reminded of the solemn Covenant under the towering height of Mount Sinai they are told how they broke the Covenant in after ages. Here, after they are reminded of the same solemn Covenant, they are told that even then they never meant to observe it. Their thought is expressed in biting words of sarcasm. They said in words: "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do" But they said in their hearts: "We shall disobey".

What they should have said was: "We hear and we obey" this is the attitude of the true men of Faith (ii. 285).

After the Commandments and the Law had been given at Mount Sinai, and the people had solemnly given their Covenant, Moses went up to the Mount, and in his absence, the people made the golden calf. When Moses returned, his anger waxed hot. "He took the Calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it." (Exod. xxxii. 20). This incident is interpreted in the Qur-an allegorically. The Calf is the symbol of disobedience, rebellion, want of faith. It was like a taint of poison. Their punishment was to swallow the taint of poison which they had themselves produced. They swallowed it not into their stomachs, but into their hearts, their very being. They had to mortify and humble themselves in the sight of God, as was shown in another allegory based on the Jewish narrative (see ii. 54 and note, above).

Say, 'O Prophet,' 'If the 'eternal' Home of the Hereafter with Allah is exclusively for you 'Israelites' out of all humanity, then wish for death if what you say is true!'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Say: "If the last Home with Allah be for you specially and not for anyone else then seek ye for death if ye are sincere."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But they will never wish for that because of what their hands have done.¹ And Allah has 'perfect' knowledge of the wrongdoers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., disobeying Allah, killing some of the prophets (including Zachariah and John the Baptist), claiming to have killed Jesus, accusing Mary of adultery, and dealing with usury. See 4:153-158.

But they will never seek for death on account of the (sins) which their hands have sent on before them. And Allah is well acquainted with the wrong-doers. ¹⁰⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The phrase "What their hands have sent on before them" frequently occurs in the Qur-an. Here, and in many places, it refers to sins. In such passages as lxxviii. 40, or lxxxi. 14, it is implied that both good and bad deeds go before us to the judgement seat of God before we do ourselves. In ii. 110, it is the good that goes before us. Our deeds are personified. They are witnesses for or against us, and they always go before us. Their good or bad influence begins to operate before we even know it. This is more general than the New Testament idea in the First Epistle of St. Paul to Timothy, v. 24: "Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after."

You will surely find them clinging to life more eagerly than any other people, even more than polytheists. Each one of them wishes to live a thousand years. But even if they were to live that long, it would not save them from the punishment. And Allah is All-Seeing of what they do.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Thou wilt indeed find them of all people most greedy of life even more than the idolaters; each one of them wishes he could be given a life of a thousand years; but the grant of such life will not save him from (due) punishment for Allah sees well all that they do.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Say, 'O Prophet,' 'Whoever is an enemy of Gabriel should know that he revealed this 'Quran' to your heart by Allah's Will, confirming what came before it- a guide and good news for the believers.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Say: Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel for he brings down the (revelation) to thy heart by Allah's will a confirmation of what went before and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe. ¹⁰¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

A party of the Jews in the time of Muhammad ridiculed the Muslim belief that Gabriel brought down revelations to Muhammad Mustafa. Michael was called in their books "the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people": (Daniel xiii. 1). The vision of Gabriel inspired fear (Daniel, viii. 16-17). But this pretence - that Michael was their friend and Gabriel their enemy - was merely a manifestation of their unbelief in angels, apostles, and God Himself; and such unbelief could not win the love of God. In any case it was disingenuous to say that they believed in one angel and not in another. Muhammad's inspiration was through visions of Gabriel. Muhammad had been helped to the highest spiritual light, and the message which he delivered and his spotless integrity and exemplary life were manifest Signs which every one could understand except those who were obstinate and perverse. Besides, the verses of the Qur-an were in themselves reasonable and clear.

Whoever is an enemy of Allah, His angels, His messengers, Gabriel, and Michael, then 'let them know that' Allah is certainly the enemy of the disbelievers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and apostles to Gabriel and Michael Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject faith.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Indeed, We have sent down to you 'O Prophet' clear revelations. 'But' none will deny them except the rebellious.

  - Mustafa Khattab

We have sent down to thee manifest signs (ayat); and none reject them but those who are perverse.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Why is it that every time they make a covenant, a group of them casts it aside? In fact, most of them do not believe.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Is it not (the case) that every time they make a Covenant some party among them throw it aside? - Nay most of them are faithless.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali