Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 3

(Ayah 3) ➊ { يُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِالْغَيْبِ:} By “{ ”بِالْغَيْبِ“}” is meant those realities that are beyond the reach of human senses and intellect. In the Hadith of Jibreel, narrated by Ameer al-Mu’mineen Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) defined faith as a person believing in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and good or bad destiny. [ مسلم : ۸ ] All these things are included in the unseen, because they are believed in without being seen. Only those God-fearing people benefit from the guidance of the Qur’an who, trusting in the statement of Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), believe in the unseen, and do not demand to know through their own observation or intellect. Those who deny the unseen gain nothing from the Qur’an, just as a blind person gains nothing from a lamp.

➋ { وَ يُقِيْمُوْنَ الصَّلٰوةَ:} Along with faith in the unseen, practical obedience is also necessary to obtain guidance from the Noble Qur’an. Its first and constant sign is the regular performance of prayer; whether a person prays after hearing the call to prayer five times a day or not, determines whether he is obedient or not. Then, how can someone who is not even willing to obey be guided? Establishing prayer means to perform prayer as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Pray as you have seen me praying.” [ بخاری، الأذان، باب من قال لیؤذن فی السفر… : ۶۲۸، عن مالک بن الحویرث رضی اللہ عنہ ]

It is necessary to perform the pillars of prayer with moderation and tranquility. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to a man who did not perform the pillars of prayer with tranquility: “Repeat your prayer, for you have not prayed.” [ بخاری، الأذان، باب وجوب القراءۃ … : ۷۵۷، عن أبی ہریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ]

Arranging the congregation is also included in establishing prayer. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There are no three people in a town or desert among whom prayer is not established, except that Satan has overcome them.” [ أبو داوٗد، کتاب الصلوۃ، باب التشدید فی ترک الصلوۃ : ۵۴۷، عن أبی الدرداء رضی اللہ عنہ ]

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Straighten your rows, for indeed straightening the rows is part of establishing prayer.” [ بخاری، الأذان، باب إقامۃ الصف… : ۷۲۳، عن أنس رضی اللہ عنہ ] That is why the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to align their shoulders and feet closely in prayer; Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us to straighten the rows, we would stand in such a way that each worshipper would place his foot and shoulder against the foot and shoulder of the one next to him.” [ بخاری، الأذان، باب إلزاق المنکب … : ۷۲۵]

➌ { وَ مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰهُمْ يُنْفِقُوْنَ:} “Whatever We have given them” refers to every blessing, such as wealth and children, knowledge and intellect, strength and health, honor and dignity, etc. “They spend something out of every blessing” does not mean to spend the entire blessing. See Surah Muhammad (36–38). In this is a refutation of those who deny personal ownership (communists), because if there is no ownership, then from what will one spend? Spending includes both obligatory and voluntary spending, and whoever is not even willing to spend Allah’s given blessings for His sake cannot obtain guidance from the Qur’an.

1. By matters of the unseen (اَمُوْر غَیْبُۃ) are meant those things which cannot be perceived by intellect and senses. Such as the Essence of Allah, revelation, Paradise and Hell, angels, punishment of the grave, and resurrection, etc. From this it is understood that to have faith in matters beyond intellect and perception as told by Allah and His Messenger ﷺ is a part of faith, and their denial is disbelief and misguidance.

2. By establishment of prayer (اقامت صلٰوۃ) is meant to perform prayer regularly and according to the Sunnah of the Prophet, otherwise even the hypocrites used to pray.

3. The word spending (اَنْفَاقْ) is general, which includes both obligatory and voluntary charity. The believers, in accordance with their obedience, do not show negligence in either, rather, spending properly on parents and family is also included in this and is a source of reward.

3. Who believe in the unseen [4], establish prayer [5], and spend out of what We have provided them [6].

[4] Attributes of the God-fearing

The first condition is that they believe in the unseen, and there are six things upon which it is necessary to have faith without seeing: belief in Allah, in Allah’s angels, in His books, in His messengers, in the life of the Hereafter, and in the fact that all good and evil is destined by Allah alone. The absence of faith in any of these makes a person a disbeliever.

[5] Its minimum requirement is the timely and congregational performance of the five obligatory prayers during the day, unless there is a valid Shar‘i excuse for not joining the congregation. This is the second condition.

[6] Sustenance does not refer only to wealth and riches, but to every blessing that helps in the nourishment of body or soul. If Allah has given someone knowledge or skill, he should teach it to others. If He has given youth and health, it should be spent in jihad or in helping the weak, and if He has given wealth and riches, it should be spent on the poor, orphans, needy, etc. The minimum limit of this spending is the obligatory charity, i.e., zakat, and the higher level is to spend whatever is in excess of one’s needs in the way of Allah (2:219). This is the third condition.