Surah al-Baqarah

It is narrated from Abd al-Rahman bin al-Aswad (may Allah have mercy on him): "Whoever recites Surah al-Baqarah in one night will, as a reward for this surah, be crowned with a (magnificent) crown in Paradise."
Imam Ahmad recorded it in Kitab al-Zuhd: Hashim bin al-Qasim narrated to us (he is Ibn al-Qasim); Muhammad bin Talhah transmitted this saying to him through Zubayd, from Abd al-Rahman bin al-Aswad.

It is narrated from Imam al-Sha'bi that Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stopped at al-Rawha' and saw some people hurrying towards certain stones (for blessing). He asked: "What is this?" The people said: "They say that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed by these stones." Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah)! The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was merely a rider travelling who passed through a valley; when the time of prayer came there, he (peace and blessings be upon him) performed the prayer." Then he narrated an incident and said: "I used to go to the Jews on the day of their study. They said to me: 'None of your companions is more honoured in our eyes than you, because you (keep) coming to us.' I said: 'It is nothing other than that I marvel at the Books of Allah Almighty, how they confirm one another; how the Torah confirms the Furqan (the Qur'an) and the Furqan confirms the Torah.' Then one day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by while I was talking with the Jews, and I said to them: 'I ask you by Allah and by His Book which you read: do you know that he is the Messenger of Allah?' They said: 'Yes.'
I said: 'Then you are ruined! By Allah, if you know that he is the Messenger of Allah and still do not follow him (then you are destroyed)?' They said: 'We are not ruined; rather, we asked him who brings him the message of prophethood, and he said: Jibril — our enemy, because he descends with severity, harshness, war, destruction and the like.' I asked: 'Then who is your friend among the angels?' They said: 'Mika'il, who descends with rain, mercy and so on.' I asked: 'What is the standing of the two of them with their Lord?' They said: 'One of them is on His right and the other on the other side.' I said: 'Then it is not at all permissible for Jibril to be hostile to Mika'il, nor is it permissible for Mika'il to be at peace with an enemy of Jibril. And I bear witness that the two of them and their Lord are peace for those who are at peace with them, and war for those who are at war with them.' Then I went to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to inform him (peace and blessings be upon him) of this. When I met him (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Shall I not tell you of verses that have (just) been revealed to me?' I said: 'Of course, O Messenger of Allah!' So he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: Say: Whoever is an enemy to Jibril, it is he who has brought it down upon your heart by the permission of Allah, confirming what came before it, and as guidance and glad tidings for the believers [Surah al-Baqarah: 97]. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! By Allah, I got up from there and came straight to you to tell you about their conversation and mine, but I found that Allah Almighty had gone ahead of me.'
Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Indeed, I found myself harder than stone in the matter of Allah."
This hadith is mursal and its chain is sahih (authentic).

It is narrated from Umayr bin Sa'id that he heard Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) telling the people: "This star which the Arabs call 'al-Zuhrah' and the non-Arabs call 'Anahid' (the story concerning it is that) two angels used to judge between the people. That woman came to each of them (for some need) without the other knowing. One of them said to his companion: 'O my brother! There is something in my mind that I wish to mention to you.' He replied: 'O my brother! Do mention it; perhaps what is in my mind is the same as what is in yours.' So the two of them agreed upon the matter (of the woman). Then that woman said to them: 'I will never comply with you until you tell me the (word) by which you ascend to the heaven and by which you descend to the earth.' The two of them said: 'By the Greatest Name of Allah we descend (to the earth) and by it we ascend (to the heaven).' The woman said: 'I will not fulfil the desire you seek until you teach me that (Greatest Name).' One of them said to his companion: 'Teach it to her.' The other said: 'What will become of us in the face of the severe punishment of Allah?' The first replied: 'We hope for the vastness of the mercy of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.' So the two of them taught her that word; she uttered it and flew up towards the heaven. Because of her ascent an angel was struck with fear (and awe) and lowered his head, and he never sat (at ease) again after that. And Allah Almighty transformed that woman, and she became a star."
The chain of this report is sahih (authentic) and it is a saying of Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) (mawquf); however, its text appears to be taken from the Isra'iliyyat (Israelite reports).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah Almighty curse Suhayl (the star); he was an (oppressive) tax-collector ('ashshar) in Yemen who was transformed (as punishment for his sin). And may Allah Almighty also curse al-Zuhrah (the star), for it was she who put the two angels to trial and temptation."
The chain of this report contains Jabir bin Yazid al-Ju'fi, who is a liar and matruk (abandoned); therefore, according to the leading hadith scholars, this report is mawdu' (fabricated) or extremely weak and munkar (denounced), and its text also contradicts the established principles of reason and revelation.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the explanation of the saying of Allah Almighty: a whirlwind containing fire [Surah al-Baqarah: 266], that he said: "The word al-I'sar means a severe, violent windstorm or whirlwind that is extremely fierce in its force and speed."
Imam Abu Ya'la transmitted this report in his Musnad; however, because the narrator Muhammad bin al-Sa'ib al-Kalbi in its chain is a liar and matruk (abandoned), this report is very weak in its chain and cannot be used as proof.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the saying of Allah Almighty: like a rainstorm from the sky [Surah al-Baqarah: 19], that he said: "The word al-sayyib means the rain that pours down from the sky."
In terms of linguistic research, this report is an important exegetical statement that clarifies the figures of speech of the Qur'an.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the saying of Allah Almighty: Those who consume usury (riba) will not stand except as one stands who has been driven to madness by the touch of Satan [Surah al-Baqarah: 275], that he said: "On the Day of Resurrection those who consume usury will be recognised by this very sign: they will not have the strength to stand except like a person whom Satan has touched and robbed of his senses, staggering like one who is being strangled. That will be because they used to claim, 'Trade is just like usury,' whereas they told an outright lie against Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, for Allah Almighty has made trade lawful and usury unlawful," up to the saying of Allah Almighty: and whoever returns (to it), those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein forever [Surah al-Baqarah: 275], meaning that whoever consumes usury again, they are the people of Hell and will remain in it forever. He further said, concerning the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: O you who believe, fear Allah and give up what remains of usury [Surah al-Baqarah: 278]: "By Allah! It has reached us that this verse was revealed concerning Banu Amr bin Awf of the tribe of Thaqif and Banu al-Mughirah of the tribe of Makhzum. The situation was that Banu al-Mughirah used to lend to Thaqif on usury. Then, when Allah Almighty granted His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) victory over Makkah, on that day he (peace and blessings be upon him) annulled and abolished all usurious dealings. The people of Ta'if (Thaqif) had made a peace treaty on the condition that the usury owed to them by others would be paid to them, while the usury they owed to others would be waived. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) wrote at the end of their treaty: 'They shall have the same rights and duties as the Muslims in general, and they shall neither consume usury nor make others consume it.' After this, when Banu Amr bin Umayr came with their usurious claim against Banu al-Mughirah to Sayyiduna Attab bin Asid (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the governor of Makkah, Banu al-Mughirah said: 'Why should we alone be the most wretched of people on account of usury, when the usury of all other people has been waived and it is demanded from us?' Whereas Banu Amr bin Umayr insisted: 'Our peace treaty was made on the very basis that we would receive our usury.' So Sayyiduna Attab bin Asid (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote about the whole matter to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and these verses were revealed: And if you do not, then be informed of war from Allah and His Messenger; but if you repent, you may have your principal; you shall neither wrong nor be wronged [Surah al-Baqarah: 279]. That is: if you do not do so, then hear the declaration of war from Allah and His Messenger; and if you repent, your original capital is yours; you will neither wrong anyone by taking more, nor will you be wronged by having your original wealth reduced. Then He said: And if the debtor is in hardship, then let there be respite until a time of ease; and that you remit it as charity is better for you, if you only knew [Surah al-Baqarah: 280]. That is: if the debtor is in difficulty, it is obligatory to give him respite until he has the means, and remitting the debt as charity is better for you if you have knowledge; and fear a day on which you will be returned to Allah: And fear a day in which you will be returned to Allah [Surah al-Baqarah: 281]. The commentators have mentioned that these verses were revealed in the very last portion of the Noble Qur'an."
The chain of this report is jayyid (good), and it gives an excellent explanation of the historical background of the final abolition of usury and of the occasion of revelation of these verses.

It is narrated from al-Fadl bin Atiyyah that he said: "They (the Children of Israel) wandered and roamed lost for forty years (in the Valley of Tih) within an area of twelve farsakhs, and a stone like the head of a bull was placed among them; whenever they camped, twelve springs would gush forth from that stone."
Yazid bin Harun transmitted this report from al-Fadl bin Atiyyah.

It is narrated from Sulayman al-Taymi (may Allah have mercy on him) that Abu Mijlaz (may Allah have mercy on him), in explaining the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: And We shaded you with clouds [Surah al-Baqarah: 57], said: "The clouds shaded them in the wilderness of Tih."
The chain of this report is sahih (authentic).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) that (in the time of ignorance) a man would divorce his wife and then say, "I was only jesting and joking," or free a slave and then say, "I was only playing." So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this blessed verse: And do not take the verses of Allah in jest [Surah al-Baqarah: 231]. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever divorces or frees a slave and then says (to get out of it), 'I was only joking,' his saying is void and has no legal standing; rather, that divorce or emancipation takes effect upon him and becomes legally binding on him."
Sufyan (the narrator) said: This means that the act (divorce or emancipation) becomes binding on him in every case.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to recite the saying of Allah Almighty: And look at the bones, how We bring them to life (nunshiruha) [Surah al-Baqarah: 259] in this way: "And look at these bones, how We bring them back to life and revive them."
The chain of this report is sahih (authentic); Imam Musaddad bin Musarhad recorded it in his Musnad, and it is transmitted as a reliable reading besides the mutawatir readings.

It is narrated from Abu al-Aliyah (may Allah have mercy on him) that Sayyiduna Zayd bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) used to recite the saying of Allah Almighty: And look at the bones, how We raise them up (nunshizuha) [Surah al-Baqarah: 259] in such a way that he pronounced the letter "za" in the word "nunshizuha" with a dot (that is, he pronounced it with the dotted "za" instead of the undotted letter "ra").
[Takhrij: Imam Abu Ubayd al-Qasim bin Sallam recorded it in Fada'il al-Qur'an (512), and its chain is sahih (authentic).]

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the saying of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted: at your food and your drink; it has not changed with time; and look [Surah al-Baqarah: 259], that he said in its explanation: "It means that it has not changed (despite the passing of a long time), and no alteration has occurred in its original state, its taste or its smell."
Imam Abu Ya'la recorded it in his Musnad.

It is narrated from Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) that Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about the reality of faith (iman), and in reply he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this noble verse: Righteousness is not that you turn your faces towards the east and the west [Surah al-Baqarah: 177].
This narration is mursal; its chain is sahih (authentic), and it also has a supporting report (shahid).

It is narrated from Ikrimah (may Allah have mercy on him) that Sayyiduna al-Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) was asked about the reality of faith (iman) on his return from Syria, and in reply he recited this blessed verse: Righteousness is not that you turn your faces towards the east and the west, but righteousness is (in) one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the prophets [Surah al-Baqarah: 177], the meaning of which is: "Righteousness is not merely that you turn your faces towards the east and the west; rather, true righteousness belongs to the one who believes in Allah, in the Last Day, in the angels, in the Book of Allah and in all the prophets."
(142) And this report concerning faith has another chain (route) as well.

It is narrated from Sa'id bin al-Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is no Muslim who is struck by a calamity or hardship, and then, even after a long period of forty years has passed, remembers that calamity of his and, upon remembering it, utters the words of istirja': Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (We belong to Allah and to Him we return), except that Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, grants him at that time the same reward as He granted him on the day he was first struck by that calamity."
Imam al-Harith bin Abi Usamah recorded it in his Musnad; its chain contains Hisham bin Ziyad and Ali bin Zayd bin Jud'an, who are counted as da'if (weak) narrators in the science of hadith.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: "I bear witness that the guaranteed salaf sale for a fixed term (in which the price is paid in advance and the goods are delivered later) has been made lawful by Allah Almighty, and He has granted permission for it." Then, as proof, he recited this saying of Allah Almighty, exalted be His mention: O you who believe, when you contract a debt for a specified term, write it down [Surah al-Baqarah: 282].
The chain of this report is sahih (authentic), and Imam Ibn Abi Umar recorded it in his Musnad.

It is narrated from Salim bin Abdullah (may Allah have mercy on him) that the view of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) was: "It means the morning prayer," that is, by the middle prayer [Surah al-Baqarah: 238] he meant the Fajr prayer.
The chain of this report is sahih (authentic), and Imam Ishaq bin Rahwayh transmitted it in his Musnad.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): I asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about the middle prayer [Surah al-Baqarah: 238], and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is the Asr prayer, which was neglected (on the occasion of the Battle of the Trench)."
Imam Musaddad recorded it. Its chain is criticised because of al-Harith bin Abdullah al-A'war, but that the Asr prayer is the middle prayer is established by other authentic hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

It is narrated from Amr bin Rafi', the freed slave of Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), that he used to write copies of the Noble Qur'an (masahif) in the blessed time of the pure wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) (may Allah be pleased with them). He said: The Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her), had me write a mushaf for her and said to me: "When you reach this verse of Surah al-Baqarah, do not write it on your own until you come to me, so that I may dictate it to you word for word just as I memorised it from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." Amr bin Rafi' said: Then, when I reached that place, I came to her with the sheet on which I was writing, and she said: Write it thus: Guard strictly the prayers, and the middle prayer and the Asr prayer, and stand before Allah in devout obedience [Surah al-Baqarah: 238]. That is: "Be constant in all the prayers, and especially the middle prayer and the Asr prayer, and stand before Allah in complete obedience."
And the hadith narrated from Sayyiduna Ubadah bin al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) concerning the saying of Allah Almighty: And do not take the verses of Allah in jest [Surah al-Baqarah: 231], that is, "Do not make the verses of Allah a mockery," has already passed earlier in the Book of Marriage, in the chapter on the enforcement of divorce.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the saying of Allah Almighty: there is to be no sexual relations, no wickedness and no disputing during Hajj [Surah al-Baqarah: 197], that he explained it saying: "The word al-rafath means intercourse, that is, a man's marital relations with his wife; al-fusuq means disobedience to Allah Almighty and every kind of sinful act; and al-jidal means arguing and wrangling with someone and quarrelling with one another."
Imam Abu Ya'la transmitted this report in his Musnad. Although there is criticism of the memory of Khusayf bin Abd al-Rahman in its chain, this saying is reliable in the light of other authentic and trustworthy supporting reports and narrations.

It is narrated from Sa'id bin al-Musayyib that Sayyiduna Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him) set out as an emigrant towards the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and some people of Quraysh pursued him. Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him) dismounted from his riding animal, took out all the arrows in his quiver and laid them before him, then addressed Quraysh and said: "O people of Quraysh! You know well that I am the best marksman among you all. By Allah! You will never reach me until I have shot every single arrow of my quiver at you; then, after that, I will fight you with my sword as long as it remains in my hand; and after that do whatever you wish. And if you wish, I will show you where my buried wealth is in Makkah, and you let me go my way?" They said: "Very well, we accept this." So when he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in Madinah, as soon as he (peace and blessings be upon him) saw him he said: "Rabiha al-bay' Aba Yahya, rabiha al-bay' Aba Yahya (O Abu Yahya, the bargain has been most profitable! O Abu Yahya, the bargain has been most profitable!)." The narrator said: On that occasion this blessed verse was revealed: And among the people is he who sells himself seeking the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is Most Kind to His servants [Surah al-Baqarah: 207].
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded it in his Tafsir: his father narrated it to him from Musa bin Isma'il, from Hammad bin Salamah, with this chain.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! This is the standing place of the Khalil (intimate friend) of our Lord (Ibrahim, peace be upon him); shall we not take it as a place of prayer (musalla)?" So after that this blessed verse was revealed: And take the standing place of Ibrahim as a place of prayer [Surah al-Baqarah: 125].
The chain of this report is sahih (authentic), and it is one of the occasions on which Allah Almighty sent down revelation in agreement with the proposal put forward by Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the saying of Allah Almighty: Do they await anything except that Allah should come to them in canopies of clouds, and the angels [Surah al-Baqarah: 210], that he said in its explanation: "'Zulal' means canopies of clouds which have been separated into various layers, pieces and folds."
Imam Abu Ya'la recorded this report in his Musnad; its chain contains Zam'ah bin Salih, who is a da'if (weak) narrator, but it has supporting reports through other routes.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the saying of Allah Almighty: Mankind was one community [Surah al-Baqarah: 213], that he said: "They were all upon Islam (that is, upon tawhid and faith)." Whereas al-Kalbi said: "They were all (together) upon disbelief."
The chain of this report is sahih (authentic), and al-Hakim recorded it in al-Mustadrak 'ala al-Sahihayn (3544). It is supported by other reliable exegetical narrations stating that between Adam and Nuh (peace be upon them both) people remained upon tawhid for ten centuries.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that in the blessed time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) a man had relations with his wife from behind (in the place of tillage, that is, the place of childbirth), and the people began to talk, saying: "So-and-so has done this with his wife from behind." Then Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this blessed verse: Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish [Surah al-Baqarah: 223], that is: "Your wives are like a field for you, so approach your field from whichever direction you wish (provided that it is the place of childbirth)."
The chain of this hadith contains Hisham bin Sa'd, who is saduq (truthful) but there is some criticism of his memory; however, it has supporting reports in the two Sahihs (Bukhari and Muslim) which strengthen its basic meaning.