Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 41

(Ayah 42,41) ➊ The meaning of being the first to disbelieve is that you know that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah, so you should have been the first to believe. On the contrary, if you disbelieve in him, then you are the first disbelievers who are knowingly disbelieving, so do not wrong yourselves in this way. Previously, the disbelievers of Makkah disbelieved due to ignorance. Therefore, the objection does not arise that the disbelievers of Makkah disbelieved before them. (Baydawi)

➋ { وَ لَا تَشْتَرُوْا … :} By this is meant hiding the verses of Allah for worldly gain. It is a well-established principle that the verses of the Noble Qur’an explain each other. In other places where the exchange of Allah’s verses for a small price is mentioned, its explanation is also present as to what is meant by it. Thus, in Surah Al-Baqarah, it is said: «{ اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَكْتُمُوْنَ مَاۤ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ مِنَ الْكِتٰبِ وَ يَشْتَرُوْنَ بِهٖ ثَمَنًا قَلِيْلًا اُولٰٓىِٕكَ مَا يَاْكُلُوْنَ فِيْ بُطُوْنِهِمْ اِلَّا النَّارَ وَ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللّٰهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ وَ لَا يُزَكِّيْهِمْ وَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ اَلِيْمٌ (174) اُولٰٓىِٕكَ الَّذِيْنَ اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلٰلَةَ بِالْهُدٰى وَ الْعَذَابَ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ فَمَاۤ اَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ }» [ البقرۃ : ۱۷۴، ۱۷۵ ] “Indeed, those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book and exchange it for a small price, they are not consuming into their bellies except fire. And Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and for them is a painful punishment. Those are the ones who have exchanged guidance for misguidance and forgiveness for punishment, so how patient they are over the Fire!” And in Surah Aal-e-Imran, it is said: «{ وَ اِذْ اَخَذَ اللّٰهُ مِيْثَاقَ الَّذِيْنَ اُوْتُوا الْكِتٰبَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهٗ لِلنَّاسِ وَ لَا تَكْتُمُوْنَهٗ فَنَبَذُوْهُ وَرَآءَ ظُهُوْرِهِمْ وَ اشْتَرَوْا بِهٖ ثَمَنًا قَلِيْلًا فَبِئْسَ مَا يَشْتَرُوْنَ }» [ آل عمران : ۱۸۷ ] “And when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Book, ‘You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it,’ but they threw it away behind their backs and exchanged it for a small price, so wretched is what they have purchased.” Changing the commands of Allah for the sake of the world is also included in this. Those people are also included who give false fatwas in exchange for bribes. This verse has nothing to do with taking a wage for teaching the Book, because this wage is not for any wrong act, but rather for a most pure effort. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ أَحَقَّ مَا أَخَذْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا كِتَابُ اللّٰهِ ] “The most deserving thing for which you take a wage is the Book of Allah.” [ بخاری، کتاب الطب، باب الشروط فی الرقیۃ … : ۵۷۳۷ ] “Some people say that this refers only to the wage for Ruqyah, but the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married a woman to a companion in exchange for teaching a few surahs.” [ بخاری، النکاح، باب التزویج علی القرآن … : ۵۱۴۹ عن سہل بن سعد رضی اللہ عنہ ] How can that be interpreted as Ruqyah? Those scholars who prohibited taking a wage for teaching Qur’an and Hadith, their followers have now started taking salaries by saying that nowadays it is permissible to take a wage for teaching Qur’an and Hadith, otherwise madrasas and mosques would become deserted. The reality is that not only nowadays, but always this wage was halal, rather it was the best effort and the best wage, and it is, and it has nothing to do with selling the Qur’an. The meaning of a small price is not that you should take a higher price, but rather it means that even if you get the whole world in exchange for the verses of Allah, it is a paltry possession. Allah said: «{ قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيْلٌ }» [ النساء : ۷۷ ] “Say, the enjoyment of this world is little.”