Indexed OCR Text

384
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 144
direction of Al-Masjid al-Haram." This particular mode of expression
helps to clarify several important questions with regard to the Qiblah.
Although, the Qiblah, to be precise, is the Baytullah, which is
known as the Ka'bah, yet it is obvious that one can turn exactly
towards the Baytullah only so long as one can see it with one's own
eyes, and that for those who live at some distance and cannot see it
directly, it would be too rigorous an obligation to fulfil, if they were
required to turn exactly towards the Baytullah - in the case of distant
towns, an exact orientation would be difficult and uncertain even with
the help of the instruments and calculations. But the Islamic Shari'ah
always aims at making things easy for people. So, the Holy Qur'an
has designated as the Qiblah, not the Baytullah or the Ka'bah, but
Al-Masjid al-Haram which covers a much wider area, and in the
direction of which it is easy to turn even for those who live in far off
places.
Then, a greater facility has been provided by the use of the word
Shatr. This Arabic word signifies "the half of a thing", or "the
direction in which a thing lies." According to the consensus of the
commentators, here the word has been used in the second sense. So,
the word itself points to the rule that in the case of places which are
far from Makkah it is not even necessary for the prayers to be valid
that one should turn exactly towards Al-Masjid al-Haram - for, it is
quite sufficient to turn only "in the direction" of the Sacred Mosque, as
the Holy Qur'an itself has indicated. (Al-Bahr al-Muhit).
Let us give an example to make the rule as clear as possible. For
countries which lie to the East of Makkah (e.g. Pakistan or India), the
direction of Al-Masjid al-Haram means the West. So, if one turns
towards the West, one's prayers would be valid enough. Since the
point at which the sun sets in the summer is different from that where
it sets in the winter, the Fuqaha' (the Muslim jurists) have decided
that for the purposes of Salah in such countries, the West (the
direction of the Qiblah in this case) lies in between these two points.
In mathematical terminology it means that an area covering 48
degrees between these two points is to be taken as being the direction

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of the Qiblah. That is to say, even if one inclines 24 degrees to the
right or to the left of the point at which Al-Masjid al-Haram is
situated, one would still be considered to be praying in the right
direction, and one's prayers would be quite valid. (For details, see "Sharh
al-Chaghmini, ch. IV)
This discussion should be enough to expose the ignorance and
muddle-headedness of those who, finding a slight deviation of two or
three degrees in the orientation of some mosques in Pakistan and
India, have pronounced the prayers offered in these mosques to be null
and void. Such baseless opinions only betray the desire on their part
to produce confusion and bickering among the Muslims. Let us not
forget that the Islamic Shari'ah is meant for all men and for all the
countries of the world, and will last till the Day of Judgment. Hence,
the injunctions of the Shari'ah pertaining to all the spheres of human
life have been made easy to practise, so that Muslims living in farflung
hamlets, mountains, forests or islands may act upon them only on the
basis of their own observation and experience, without needing the
help of scientific instruments or mathematical calculations. Thus,
people living to the East of Makkah may take an area covering 48
degrees as their Qiblah - a deviation of five or ten degrees would not
affect the validity of their prayers in any way. This has been made
quite clear by a hadith reported by al-Tirmidhi from the blessed
Companion Abu Hurayrah رضى الله عنه which says :مَابَيْنَ الْمُشْرِقِ وَالْغُرِبِ قَبْلَة :"The
Qiblah lies between the East and the West." This hadith is actually
addressed to the people of Madinah whose Qiblah lies, to be precise, in
the direction of the South somewhere between the East and the West,
but, in effect, the hadith provides an explanation of the phrase "in the
direction of Al-Masjid al-Haram." This is the general principle; one
should, however, make an effort to ensure, in laying down the
foundation of a mosque, that the orientation towards the Baytullah is
as exact as possible. The successors of the Blessed Companions and
the generations following them had adopted a very simple method for
determining the correct orientation: If there was a mosque built by the
blessed Companions present in a town, the neighbouring mosques

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Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 144
were given the same orientation, and these in their turn used to serve
as the models for the mosques in the villages or towns in the region
concerned, thus setting up a chain which went on prolonging itself.
Consequently, the method of determining the Qiblah in places far off
from Makkah has always been this: If an old mosque is present in the
vicinity, the new mosques should conform to its orientation, for in so
many towns it is the blessed Companions themselves or their
successors who have built mosques and determined their orientation
which has been followed by later generations.
To conclude, the mosques which have so far been built are quite
sufficient for the purpose of determining the orientation, and it is not
proper to raise unnecessary objections and doubts in this respect - the
Shari'ah actually disapproves of such attempts at leading Muslims
into perplexity. For, such a perplexity may sometimes have the
consequence of making people suspect that in so far as the blessed
Companions, their successors or the generality of Muslims have not
been able to determine a mathematically correct orientation, their
prayers have not been valid. Such a thought is not only false, but also
betrays the insolence of the man who can harbour it. It is in view of
this that Ibn Rajab, the famous Hanbali scholar of the 8th century
A.H., disapproves of the use of astronomical instruments and complex
mathematical calculations for the purpose of fixing the orientation.
He writes:
واما علم التسيير فاذا تعلم منه ما يحتاج اليه للاستهداء ومعرفة القبلة
والطرق كان جائزا عند الجمهور ومازاد عليه فلا حاجة اليه وهويشغل عما
هو اهم منه وربما ادى التدقيق فيه الى اساءة الظن بمحاريب المسلمين فى
امصارهم كما وقع فى ذلك كثير من اهل هذا العلم قديما وحديثا وذلك
يفضى الى اعتقاد خطأ الصّحابة والتابعين فى صلواتهم فى كثير من
الامصار وهو باطل وقد انكر الامام احمد الاستدلال بالجدی وقال انما
وردما بين المشرق والمغرب قبلة
"As for the science of astronomy, it is legitimate, according to
the 'Ulama' in general, to acquire it for its being helpful in de-

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Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 144
termining the Qiblah or in finding one's way in a journey or
the directions of the roads. A greater knowledge than this is
not at all necessary (according to the Shari'ah), for that may
lead one to neglect more important things, and an indulgence
in complex calculations may sometimes produce vile doubts
about the mosques of Muslims in their towns - a weakness to
which the amateurs of such sciences are all too prone. It may
even lead one to believe that the prayers of the blessed Com-
panions and their successors in certain towns had been in-
valid - a belief which is totally false. For this reason, Imam
Ahmad ibn Hanbal has forbidden the Pole-Star to be taken
into consideration for determining the orientation, on the
ground that the hadith says no more than that the Qiblah lies
between the East and the West."
As for deserted regions, forests or new settlements, etc. where no
earlier mosques are to be found, the Shari'ah lays down this rule on
the basis of the practice of the blessed Companions and their
successors: in such places one should arrive at an approximate
determination of the Qiblah with the help of the Sun, the Moon and
Pole-Star, these being the phenomena with which everyone is familiar
enough; and if one still suspects some slight deviation, one should
ignore it. For, according to al-Bada'i', the authoritative work on
Islamic jurisprudence, in places far off from Makkah, an
approximately correct orientation, chosen on the basis of such general
indications, stands for the Ka'bah, and all the injunctions pertaining
to the Qiblah apply to the orientation selected in this manner. The
Shari'ah provides many illustrations of the basic principle involved
here. For example, sleep is taken to stand for the passing of wind, and
invalidates the Wudu (the prescribed ablution); or, a journey is taken
to represent hardship, even when an actual journey does not involve it,
and a man who is in the course of any kind of a journey is given all the
concessions allowed by the Shari'ah to a traveller. The principle
requires that an orientation determined on the basis of general and
familiar indications should be accepted as the Qiblah. The great
scholar known as "Allamah Bahr al-'Ulum" lays down the rule thus in
his "Rasa'il al-Arkan":

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Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 145
والشرط وقوع المسامتة على حسب مايرى المصلى ونحن غيرما مورين
بالمسامتة على مايحكم به الالات الرصدية ولهذا افتوا ان الانحراف
المفسدأن يتجاوز المشارق والمغارب
"The only condition necessary to be fulfilled in turning to-
wards the Qiblah is that the man offering his prayers should
be duly convinced that his face is turned in the direction of the
Ka'bah. The Shari'ah does not compel us to adopt exactly the
orientation which can be obtained only with the help of astro-
nomical instruments. So the 'Ulama in general have come to
the conclusion that a deviation invalidates the prayers only
when the difference is as great as between the East and the
West."
Those interested in a detailed discussion of the subject may consult
my book in Urdu, "Simt-e-Qiblah."
Verse 145
وَلَئِنْ آَتَيْتَ الَّذِيْنَ أُوْتُوا الْكِتَبَ بِكُلِّ أَيَةٍ مَّا تَبِعُوا قِبْلَتَكَ
وَمَا أَنْتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْ وَمَا بَعُضُهُمْ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍِّ وَلَئِنِ
اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمُ ◌ِّنُ بَعُدِ مَاجَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِنَّكَ إِذَا لَنَ
الظُّلِمِيْنَ 0
And even if you bring every sign to those who have
been given the Book, they would not follow your
Qiblah. And you are not to follow their Qiblah, nor are
they to follow each other's Qiblah. And if you were to
follow their desires after the knowledge that has come
to you, you will then certainly be among the unjust.
(Verse 145)
In continuing the discussion on the subject of the Qiblah, or the
divinely-ordained orientation, the present verse provides yet another
instance of the maliciousness of the People of the Book. It is not that
they demand solid and convincing arguments in order to be able to
accept the new injunction with regard to the Qiblah: it is sheer
stubbornness which does not allow them to give their assent, and no
proof in the world, declares the Holy Qur'an, is ever going to satisfy

389
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 145
them. In fact, their two groups display an equal malice even towards
each other - the Jews have adopted the Baytul-Maqdis as their Qiblah,
while the Christians have chosen the East, and each group rejects the
Qiblah of the other. On the other hand, the Holy Prophet g , cannot
accept either of these two orientations, for the new Qiblah of the Mus-
lims - the Baytullah - has been instituted by a divine commandment,
and is never going to be abrogated. So, there is no likelihood of an
agreement between the People of the Book and the Muslims in this
matter. The Baytul-Maqdis, no doubt, had once been instituted by a di-
vine commandment, but that commandment has now been abrogated.
Anyone who follows an abrogated injunction, and ignores the new in-
junction which has replaced the earlier one, is actually disobeying Al-
lah, and acting upon his individual opinion and personal desire. Natu-
rally, it is impossible for the Holy Prophet & to follow the desires of
the People of the Book. But, supposing for the sake of supposition,
were he to do so even after having received a definite injunction
through the Wahy (Revelation), he would be counted among the unjust
- that is, among those who disobey divine commandments. Such a situ-
ation, however, can never arise. Being a prophet, he is essentially sin-
less, and as such cannot possibly be among the unjust. From this prin-
ciple it logically follows that it is impossible for him to favour the
desires of the People of the Book, and to accept their Qiblah as his
own.
Let us make it quite clear that this warning is outwardly
addressed to the Holy Prophet , but is, in fact, intended for his
Ummah, which is being asked to realize fully the gravity of the sin of
ignoring or disobeying the injunction which has finally established the
Baytullah as the Qiblah of the Muslims.
As for the phrase, et al .; : "You are not to follow their Qiblah", it
is meant to declare that the Baytullah shall now stay as the Qiblah
upto the end of the world. Thus, the declaration refutes the scoffing
allegation of the People of the Book that there was no stability in the
Islamic injunctions, and that the Muslims might again adopt the
Baytul-Maqdis as their Qiblah. (Al-Bahr al-Muhit)

390
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 146 - 147
Verses 146 - 147
الَّذِيْنَ أَتَيْنُهُمُ الْكِتْبَ يَعْرِفُوْنَةً كَمَا يَعْرِفُوْنَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ عَوَإِنَ
فَرِيْقًا مِنْهُمُ لَيَكْتُمُوْنَ الْحُقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُوْنَ ا الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ
فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِيُنَ 0
Those whom We have given the Book recognize him
(The Holy Prophet) as they recognize their own sons.
And, in fact, a group of them does conceal the truth
while they know. The truth is from your Lord. So,
never be among those who doubt." (Verses 146 - 147)
Verses 144 and 145 have told us how the People of the Book knew
in their hearts that a divine commandment itself had instituted the
Baytullah as the Qiblah of the Muslims, and yet denied this fact in
public. Now, the two present verses show that their conduct towards
the Holy Prophet & was equally dishonest and malicious.
The Torah and the Evangile had already foretold the coming of the
Holy Prophet , and set down the signs and indications which should
help the people to recognize him. On the basis of the irrefutable
evidence provided by their own Sacred Books, the Jews and the
Christians knew him to be the promised Last Prophet , but many of
them refused to acknowledge him as such out of sheer obstinacy.
Let us add a word or two in order to explain the simile employed
here by the Holy Qur'an - that of man recognizing his own son without
any doubt or ambiguity. As everyone knows, in bringing two terms
into comparison with each other, a simile does not involve in this
analogy all the aspects of these two terms, but only those which should
be relevant to the occasion. So, in considering the present simile one
should not allow one's imagination to roam far afield, and bring under
discussion even those cases which happen to be illegitimate. For, the
present simile intends to make a very simple and obvious point - since
the son grows from infancy to manhood normally under the eyes of his
parents, his face or general appearance is quite sufficient for his father
to recognize him without any doubt or hesitation. The Jews and the
Christians enjoyed the same kind of facility - or even certainty - in
being able to recognize the Last Prophet . So, to persist in denying

391
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 148 - 150
him was as dishonest as refusing to recognize one's own son should
normally be.
And it was just this kind of gross dishonesty that the People of the
Book were indulging in. Some of them, while denying the truth
themselves, even tried to keep it concealed from others, although they
knew fully well that this particular truth (that is to say, the new
injunction with regard to the Qiblah) had been established by
Revelation from Allah Himself.
The phrase, "The Truth is from your Lord", can also be interpreted
in a general sense as providing a definition of the nature of truth -
namely, that alone is truth which comes from Allah. One who has
understood this fact can never allow himself to be in doubt with regard
to this particular truth or to any other which has been revealed to a
prophet by Allah.
Verses 148-150
وَلِكُلِّ ◌ِّجْهَةٌ هُوَمُوَلَيْهَا فَاسْتَبِقُوْا الْخَيْر ◌ِّءَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ
بِكُمُ اللهُ جَمِيْعًا مِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىءٍ قَدِيْرٌ () وَمِنُ حَيْثُ
خَرَجُتَ فَوَّلٌّ وَجُهَكَ شَطُرَ الْمَسُجِدِ الْحَرَامِ هِوَإِنَّهُ لَلُحَقُّ مِنْ تَّبِّكَ«
وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ) وَمِنُ حَيْثُ خَرَجُتَ فَوَّلٌّ وَجُهَكَ
شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرّامِ وَحَيْثُ مَاكُنْتُمْ فَوَلَّوْا وُمجُوُّهَكُمُ شَطْرَهُ
◌ِثَلَّا يَكُوُنَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّ الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَمُوْا مِنْهُمْفَلَا
تَخْشَوُهُمُ وَاخْشَوُنِيْهْ وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعْمَتِىُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُوُنَ 0
And for everyone there is a direction to which he
turns his face. Strive, then, to excel each other in
good deeds. Wherever you are, Allah will bring you
all together. Allah is certainly powerful over
everything. And from wheresoever you set out, turn
your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque
(Al-Masjid al-Haram). That, indeed, is the truth from
ن وقف النبي صلى الله عليه سلم

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Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 148 - 150
your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you
do. And from wheresoever you set out, turn your
face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque
(Al-Masjid al-Haram). And wherever you are, turn
your faces in its direction, so that people should
have no argument against you, except for those
among them who are unjust - do not fear them, but
fear Me! - , and so that I should perfect My blessing
upon you, and that you may get the right path.
(Verses 148 - 150)
The change of Qiblah
The question of religious orientation being of the highest
significance for an Ummah (or a traditional community), these verses
continue and enlarge upon the theme of the Qiblah, and lay down
further raisons d'etre for the change.
It is, the commentators point out, an observable fact that every
traditional community has had a religious orientation of its own,
whether appointed by Allah or chosen by itself. This being so, why
should anyone object, or wonder that Allah has appointed for the
Islamic Ummah a Qiblah peculiar to it? After all, it is a regular and
distinct Tradition in its own right - in fact, the last of all Traditions,
which makes it all the more necessary that it must have a distinct Qi-
blah. Anyhow, once the divine commandment has been promulgated,
the Muslims need not worry about the objections or the ridicule of
others, but should, above all, concern themselves with the performance
of good deeds (as defined by Allah and His Prophet ). They should,
indeed, give up fruitless controversies and strive to excel in good
deeds, for they have to appear before Allah on the Day of Judgment
when they will be rewarded or punished according to their deeds.
The raison d'etre laid down in this verse requires that the Muslims
should, whether staying at home or travelling, turn their faces in the
direction of Al-Masjid al-Haram, for that undoubtedly is the Qiblah
appointed for them by divine commandment. It is obligatory for them
to obey this as well as any other commandment, bearing in mind that
Allah is not unaware of what men do.

393
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 148 - 150
In repeating this commandment, Verse 150 adds a third raison
d'etre. The Torah and the Evangile had indicated that the promised
Last Prophet would have the Ka'bah as his Qiblah. If the Muslims
continued to pray with the Baytul-Maqdis as their Qiblah, the
opponents of Islam would have found an argument to justify their
denial of the Holy Prophet . . But the new commandment with
regard to the Qiblah takes away the ground from under their feet, and
at least the just ones among them can no longer raise this kind of
objection. Of course, the stubborn and malignant ones would still carp
- they would start saying that it was the Baytul-Maqdis, and not the
Ka'bah, which had been the Qiblah of the earlier prophets, and that
the adoption of the Ka'bah constituted an infringement of the
established prophetic tradition. But the Muslims need not worry about
defending Islam against such baseless objections, for the only thing
which can be harmful to them is not the hostility of men but the
disobedience to or disregard of divine commandments. So, in Verse
150, Allah asks the Muslims to fear, not the enemies of Islam, but Him
alone. This is the only way to remain true to the divine guidance they
have received - namely, Islam. This steadfastness, too, is a blessing
from Allah, and the blessing will appear in its perfect glory in the
other world when the Muslims shall, as a reward for their
faithfulness, be admitted to Paradise.
Let us note that in announcing the commandment with regard to
the change in orientation, Verses 144-150 address the listeners three
times in the singular number and twice in the plural. In a general
way, one can say that this repetition is meant for emphasis. The
commandment fixing a new Qiblah not only provided an occasion for
the glee of the opponents of Islam, but was also a very conspicuous and
sudden change in the religious observances of the Muslims
themselves, whose hearts would have remained perturbed without
such an emphatic repetition. The reiteration also suggests that this is
the final and definite decision with regard to the Qiblah, and that no
further change can be expected in this matter.
Al-Qurtubi has, however, explained this mode of expression in such
a way that the repetition becomes something more than mere
emphasis, and each phrase, in being repeated, acquires a new

394
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 148 - 150
implication. It goes without saying that the commandments in the
singular number are addressed to the Holy Prophet himself, and
those in the plural to the blessed Companions and to the Muslims in
general. Thus, the commandment in Verse 144 pertains to the
situation of those who find themselves in Madinah or in their own
home-town, whatever that might be, and is intended to make it clear
that the injunction is not particular to the mosque of the Holy Prophet
but applies to every town or village and to every quarter of a town.
Verse 149 repeats the commandment with the addition of the phrase
"from wheresoever you set out", which shows that the injunction now
refers to the state of a journey. Since a journey involves different
situations - for example, unbroken travel for several days at a time, or
a short or long stay somewhere in the course of the journey -, Verse
150 repeats the injunction in order to cover all these situations.
Let us add that Verse 148 introduces the theme of orientation with
the word Wijhatun, which lexically signifies "the thing one turns one's
face to", and which has been interpreted by the blessed Companion Ibn
'Abbas as "Qiblah" or religious orientation. In fact, the word Qiblatun
itself appears in the reading of the blessed Companion Ubayy ibn
Ka'b, which leaves no ambiguity in interpreting the phrases. 43
43. Before we leave the subject, let us remark that nowadays quite a good number
of people, especially those with a Western formation, approach the Holy
Qur'an as they do a book composed by a human author who pays due regard
to what commonly passes as logic and sequential argument, and often do feel
embarrassed or confused when they come across the close repetition of words
and phrases in the Book of Allah, finding it impossible to explain or justify
what is seemingly redundant. And it is not unlikely that this embarrassment
may open the way to shame-faced misgivings and doubts even in the minds of
those who wish to serve the cause of Islam in the modern world. What these
men of good will tend to ignore is the elementary fact that the Word of Allah
cannot be subservient to the rules of philosophical or literary composition,
and that the reiteration of words and phrases, even of a sequence of
sentences, is a regular mode of expression common to all the Sacred Books of
the world. Moreover, the great orthodox (in the sense of unfailing adherence
to the Qur'an and Sunnah) commentators of the Holy Qur'an have tried, each
in his own way, to suggest the raisons d'etre of this device, and also to explain
Continued

395
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 148 - 150
Injunctions and related considerations
(1). Verse 145 has already indicated to the Muslims that although
Allah has now appointed a new and permanent Qiblah for the whole of
mankind, yet the Jews and the Christians are not going to give up
their respective orientations, nor shall the Muslims ever forsake their
own. The People of the Book, anyhow, have no right to object to the
Ka'bah being divinely chosen as the Qiblah of the Muslims, for - as
Verse 148 reminds us - every traditional community (Ummah) has
always had a Qiblah of its own, and so does the Islamic Ummah. Since
the Muslims can be sure of their right to a Qiblah peculiar to them,
and the People of the Book are not expected to listen to reason, Allah
asks the Muslims in this verse not to engage themselves in fruitless
discussions and futile disputes, but to "strive, then, to excel in good
deeds." The Holy Qur'an discourages unnecessary discussions, for they
Continued
the possible implications of each particular instance of repetition. Some of
the explanations pertaining to the verses we are concerned with here have
been summarized by Maulana Muhammad Idris in his own commentary,
from which we borrow the following resume :-
(1) The first declaration is addressed to those who reside in Makkah, the
second to those who live in the Arabian peninsula, and the third to all men
living anywhere in the world.
(2) The first is intended to cover all the situations and states, the second
to cover all the places, and the third to cover all the periods of time.
(3) This passage of the Holy Qur'an lays down three raisons d'etre for the
change in the religious orientation; hence, the commandment has been
affirmed afresh along with each argument.
(4) This was the first occasion in the Islamic Shari'ah when a new
commandment to abrogate an earlier one came. So, repetition was necessary
to impress upon the minds of the people the multiple significance of the
occasion and of the commandment.
(5) The abrogation of any commandment whatsoever is likely to give rise
to all sorts of doubts, and to produce internal or external disorder. The naive
cannot, anyhow, understand the why and how of an abrogation occurring in
the case of a divine commandment. So, an emphatic reiteration becomes all
the more essential.

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Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 148 - 150
make one neglect one's real task, which is to prepare oneself for one's
death and for the other world. So, the verse ends with the rejoinder
that on the Day of Judgment Allah shall bring all men together, and
suggests that the desire to be safe from the criticism of others and the
anxiety to win over them in disputes only betrays one's attachment to
the temporal world, and that wisdom lies in caring more for what is
everlasting.
(2) The expression "strive to excel" also indicates that one should
hasten to perform a good deed (whether it be Salah (prayers)or Sawm
(fasting) or the Hajj (pilgrimage) or Zakah (giving of alms), etc.) as
soon as one gets the opportunity to do so. For, the ability to do a good
deed is a favour from Allah, and negligence in performing it amounts
to ungratefulness and disrespect towards Allah. Hence, it is to be
feared that procrastination in this matter may be punished with a
withdrawal of the divine favour, and that the culprit may altogether
lose the ability to perform good deeds. May Allah protect us from
such a fate! The point has been made quite explicit in another verse:
بِأَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ أْمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلْهِ وَلِلَّسُلِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لَا يُحُبِكُمْ وَاعْلَهُوَاْ أَنَّ
اللَّهُ يَحُوْلُ بَيْنَ الْرُهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهْ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَُّرُونَ ١
"O believers, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he
calls you to that which will give you life; and know that Allah
does (sometimes) stand between a man and his heart, and
that to Him you shall be mustered" (8:24).
(3) From this very expression - "strive, then, to excel in good
deeds" - some of the fuqaha' (Muslim jurists) have drawn the
conclusion that it is more meritorious to offer each of the five daily
prayers as soon as the appointed time for it begins, or as early as
possible, and have even cited the ahadith of the Holy Prophet @ in
support of this view, which is shared by Imam Shafi'i. On the other
hand, the great Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik specify that it is
more meritorious to offer certain prayers a bit late, as has been
indicated by the Holy Prophet & himself through his speech or action,
while the rest of the prayers should, of course, be offered as early as
possible within the time prescribed. An example of the former is
provided by Al-Bukhari who reports from the blessed Companion Anas

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Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 151 - 152
the superior merit of offering the 'Isha prayers rather late in the night.
The blessed Companion Abu Hurayrah also reports such a preference
on the part of the Holy Prophet himself (Qurtubi). Similarly,
Al-Bukhari and Al-Tirmidhi report from the blessed Companion Abu
Dharr that in the course of a journey once the blessed Companion Bilal
is Algo, wanted to recite Adhan (call for prayers) as soon as the time
for the zuhr prayers began, but the Holy Prophet i asked him to wait
till it was a bit cooler, and remarked that the heat of the noon-day is a
part of the fire of Hell. In other words, the Holy Prophet & evidently
preferred the zuhr prayers to be offered rather late in summer. On the
basis of such ahadith, Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik have come
to the conclusion that although in the case of those prayers regarding
which we have not been asked to offer them a bit late (for example, the
Maghrib prayers), it is better to do so as soon as the appointed time
begins, yet in the case of those prayers regarding which a specific
indication does exist one should offer them somewhat later within the
time prescribed. They add that if one wishes to act upon the
commandment, "strive, then, to excel in good deeds", even in the latter
case, then the only way to do so is not to delay the prayers when the
desirable or commendable (Mustahabb) time has arrived.
In short, Verse 148 has, according to a consensus of all the
Fugaha', established the principle that when the time for offering a
prescribed prayer has arrived, one should not delay it without a valid
excuse, which may either be a clear-cut specification in the Shari'ah
(as we have just defined), or a physical disability, like illness, etc.
Verses 151 - 152
كَمَّا أَرْسَلْنَا فِيُكُمْ رَسُوْلاً مِنْكُمْ يَقْلُوْا عَلَيْكُمْ أَيَاتِنَا
وَيُزَكِّئُكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمْ الْكِتْبَ وَالْحِكُمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمْ تَمَّالَمْ تَكُوُّنُوْا
تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿ فَاذْكُرُوْنِىُ أَذْكُرُكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوْلِىٌ وَلَا تَكْفُرُوُنِ ٥
As also We have sent in your midst a messenger from
among you, who recites to you Our verses, and purifies
you, and teaches you the Book and the wisdom, and
teaches you what you did not know. Remember Me,
then, and I will remember you. And be thankful to Me,
معانقة ٣ عند المتآخرين

398
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 151 - 152
and be not ungrateful to Me. (Verses 151 - 152)
These verses conclude the discussion on the theme of the Qiblah or
religious orientation. So, Verse 151 repeats the second part of the
prayer of Sayyidna Ibrahim WUJI use with which the discussion had
begun (Verses 127 - 129). He had, as one would recall, prayed Allah to
accept his founding of the Ka'bah, and to send among his progeny a
Messenger from among themselves. The subsequent discussion on the
subject of the Qiblah has already shown that the first prayer has been
heard and accepted. Now, Verse 151 declares that similarly the
second request has also been granted, suggesting that since the Holy
Prophet & has been sent in answer to the prayer of the founder of the
Ka'bah, it is no wonder that it should be appointed as his Qiblah.
Verse 151 has specifically mentioned that the new Prophet
(Muhammad ( ) is sent with the same attributes as specified by
Sayyidna Ibrahim JI ale in his prayer, namely: (1) He recites to them
the verses of the Qur'an; (2) He teaches them the Book and the
wisdom; (3) He purifies them; (4) He teaches them things which his
listeners did not know of, nor could they be found in the earlier Divine
Books or through individual reason.
Since Allah has, in granting the two prayers, sent such great
blessings to mankind, Verse 152 asks men to "remember" Him as the
Supreme Benefactor, and to render Him thanks by being obedient. As
long as they do so, Allah will "remember" them in showering on them
His material and spiritual blessings. The verse ends with the
reminder that men should not be ungrateful to Allah in denying His
blessings or in being disobedient.
In the light of this commentary, one can see that the word "as" (in
Arabic, the letter Kaf which denotes a comparison between two terms)
provides the link between Verse 151 and Verse 152. But, according to
al-Qurtubi, the word Kaf or "as" is connected with the first phrase of
Verse 152 - 23356 : "Remember Me, then". Viewed in the line of this
syntactical relationship, the two verses, taken together, would mean
that the ability to "remember" Allah is as much a blessing for men as
the ordination of the new Qiblah and the coming of the Last Prophet
, and hence it is the duty of men to render thanks to Allah, so that
they may continue to receive His favours.

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Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 151 - 152
The merits of 'Dhikr' (Rememberance)
Ss : Dhikr or "Remembrance" essentially pertains to the heart, but
in so far as the tongue is the interpreter of the heart the oral recitation
of a Divine Name or a verse of the Holy Qur'an is also described as
Dhikr. In other words, oral Dhikr can be worth the name only when it
is accompanied by the "remembrance" of the heart. As the great Sufi
poet Rumi points out, the recitation of a Divine Name can have no effi-
cacy if one keeps thinking of cows and donkeys while repeating it me-
chanically with the tongue. One must, however, bear in mind that
even a mechanical Dhikr without the heart being engaged in it is not
altogether futile. It is related that the great Sufi Abu 'Uthman, hear-
ing a man complain of such a situation, remarked that one should be
grateful to Allah even for this favour of having drawn at least one or-
gan of the body, the tongue, into His service. (Qurtubi)
The merits of Dhikr are, indeed, innumerable. What greater merit
could one wish for than the assurance that when a man "remembers"
Allah, He too "remembers" him. Abu 'Uthman once claimed that he
knew the time when Allah remembered His servants. The listeners
grew curious as to how he could determine this. He replied that,
according to the promise made in the Holy Qur'an, when a Muslim
remembers Allah, He too remembers him, and thus everyone can know
for himself that as soon as he turns to Allah and remembers Him,
Allah too remembers him.
Let us add that Verse 152 means to say that if men "remember"
Allah by obeying His commandments, He will "remember" them by
granting His pardon and His rewards. The commentator Sa'id ibn
Jubayr has, in fact, interpreted the Dhikr or "Remembrance" of Allah
as obedience and submission to Him. He says:
فمن لم يطعه لم يذكره وان كثر صلاته وتسبيحه
"He who has not obeyed Him has not remembered Him, even
though he has kept himself externally busy in offering (nafl:
supererogatory) prayers and reciting His praises."
This explanation is fully supported by a hadith cited by Al-Qurtubi
on the authority of "Ahkam al-Qur'an" by Ibn Khuwayz Mandadh. The
Holy Prophet , has said that one who has been obeying Allah - that

400
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 153
is, following the injunctions with regard to the lawful (Halal) and the
unlawful (Haram) - has truly been remembering Allah, in spite of
being deficient in (nafl: supererogatory) prayers and fasting, while one
who has been disobeying divine commandments has, in fact, forgotten
Allah, in spite of devoting long hours to nafl prayers, fasting and
recitation of His praises.
The great Sufi Master Dhu al-Nun al-Misri has said that the
man who remembers Allah in the full sense of the term forgets
everything else, and that, in reward of such a total absorption, Allah
Himself takes care of all his concerns, and grants him something far
more valuable for everything he loses. Similarly, the blessed
Companion Mu'adh ar Algo, has remarked that in so far as winning
absolution from divine wrath is concerned, no good deed on the part of
man can compare with Dhikr. And in a hadith reported by the blessed
Companion Abu Hurayrah as Ml +, , Allah Himself says that so long
as the servant keeps remembering Him and his lips keep moving in
Dhikr, Allah is with him (for a more elaborate discussion of the
subject, see Dhikrullah by the author).
Verse 153
◌َيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ أُمَنُوا اسْتَعِبْنْوْا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلْوَةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ
الصّبرِيْنَ 0
1
O you who believe, seek help through patience and
prayer. Surely, Allah is with those who are patient.
(Verse 153)
As we have already seen, the enemies of Islam have been objecting
to the change in the'orientation of Qiblah, wishing to produce in the
minds of the people doubts about the validity of Islam as a religion,
The earlier verses have, in answering these objections, removed all
such misgivings. But some of the enemies simply ignored the answers,
and still persisted in their hostility. This situation was likely to.
dishearten the Muslims. So, the present verse nullifies such a
re-action on the part of the Muslims by prescribing the method of
overcoming one's grief or anxiety.
The patience and the Salah:
And the method consists in turning to patience and prayers; for

401
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 153
Allah assures us here that He is with those who are patient. This
promise applies, above all, to those who offer prayers, whether fard
(obligatory) or nafl (supererogatory), for prayers are the supreme form
of worship.
In explaining the context, we have mentioned a specific situation,
but the verse, in fact, identifies the elixir for all the ills which are a
necessary part of human existence, whether they be wants and needs,
or anxiety and suffering. The Holy Qur'an itself has indicated; in a
very subtle and eloquent way, the general efficacy of this remedy by
employing a generalizing expression - "seek help" - without specifying
the situation in which help is to be sought. (Mazhari)
Now, the two ingredients of this remedy are patience and prayers.
The Arabic term Sabr (we) is much more comprehensive than its usual
English equivalent, "patience". Lexically, the word "Sabr" signifies
"restraining oneself, or keeping oneself under control." In the
terminology of the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith, Sabr has three modes :-
(1) Restraining oneself from what the Shari'ah has declared to be
illegal or impermissible (Haram).
(2) Forcing oneself to be regular in the observance of the different
forms of worship and to be steadfast in obeying the commandments of
Allah and the Holy Prophet
(3) To endure all kinds of trouble and pain - in other words, to
understand clearly and to believe that it is the will of Allah to make
one suffer, and to hope that one shall receive a reward for this
suffering. With regard to this last point, let us add that, on the
authority of the commentator Said Ibn Jubayr, Ibn Kathir says that if
one cannot help uttering a word of grief or a sigh of pain, it does not go
against Sabr, or nullify it.
People generally identify Sabr with the third mode alone, and
ignore the first two which are, indeed, more basic and essential. We
cannot insist too much on the fact that all the three are equally
obligatory, and that every Muslim is required to practice all the three
forms of Sabr. In the terminology of Holy Qur'an and the Hadith,
Al-Sabirun is the title of those who are steadfast in observing all the
three forms with equal rigour. According to the Hadith, people will

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Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 153
hear a call on the Day of Judgment, "Where are the Sabirun?"; at this,
those who had been constant in observing the three forms of Sabr will
stand up, and they will be allowed to enter Paradise without having to
present the account of their deeds. In citing this hadith, Ibn Kathir
points out that it is corroborated by the Holy Qur'an itself: 3211 31
233 : "The Sabirun shall certainly receive their full reward
without reckoning." (39:10)
As for the second ingredient of the prescription, it is Salah
(Prayer). Although Sabr, as we have just explained it, covers the
different forms of worship, including prayers, all of them being its
branches. Salah, however, has been mentioned separately, because
that is the most perfect model of Sabr. For, in the state of Salah, one
binds oneself to obedience and worship, and restrains oneself not only
from all that is sinful or reprehensible but even from what is otherwise
permissible - e.g., from eating or drinking or talking. Hence, Salah is
a visible demonstration of Sabr which signifies keeping oneself under
control in shunning everything sinful and in submitting oneself totally
to obedience.
A remedy to all problems
Moreover, Salah does possess a special efficacy in releasing man
from all kinds of trouble and pain, and in fulfilling all his needs. We
may not be able to explain it rationally, but the efficacy is present as a
characteristic quality in the very nature of prayers - as happens in the
case of certain medicines too. But the efficacy shows itself only when
prayers are offered in the proper way and according to the physical
and spiritual etiquette laid down by the Shari'ah. If our prayers seem
to be fruitless, it is because we have been deficient in observing this
etiquette, and have not turned to Allah in single-minded devotion and
total submission. Let us not forget that, according to the Hadith,
whenever the Holy Prophet & was faced with a grave problem of any
kind, he always hastened to offer nafl prayers, and through the
barakah (benediction) of the prayers Allah came to his aid and
resolved the problem satisfactorily.
As to how Sabr can save man from all kinds of trouble and pain
and resove all his difficulties, the secret has been revealed in the last
phrase of this verse - "Surely, Allah is with those who are patient."

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Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 154 - 157
That is to say, as a reward for Sabr man receives the honour of the
"company" of Allah. And it goes without saying that when the might of
the Lord of the Worlds Himself has come to the aid of a man, what
pain or trouble can overcome him, and who can prevent his concerns
from prospering?
Verses 154 - 157
وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ يُقْتَلُ فِيْ سَبْلِ اللهِ أَمْوَاتُ بَلْ أَحْيًّاءٌ وَلَكِنْ
لَ تَشْعُرُوْنَ ا وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَىءٍ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالُوْعِ وَنَقْصٍ
◌ِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْآَنْفُسِ وَالثَّعَرتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصُّبِرِيْنَ ◌ّ الَّذِيْنَ إِذَا
أَصَابَتُهُمْ مُصِيْبَةٌ قَالُوَ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنََّ إِلَيْهِ رَحِعُونَ ) أُولَئِكَ
عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوْتٌ مِّنٌ رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُهُتَدُونَ )
And do not say of those who are slain in the way of
Allah that they are dead. Instead, they are alive, but
you perceive not. And surely We will test you with a
bit of fear and hunger, and loss in wealth and lives and
fruits. And give good tidings to the patient who, when
suffering comes to them, say: "We certainly belong to
Allah, and to Him we are bound to return." Those are
the ones upon whom there are blessings from their
Lord, and mercy. And those are the ones who are on
the right path. (Verses 154 - 157)
Earlier, alluding to an unpleasant incident, patience and steadfast-
ness were inculcated and the excellence of Sabirun (the patient people)
was mentioned. The next verses mention, in some detail, other un-
pleasant incidents and culminate in describing the excellence of pa-
tience, and perseverance in it. Those verses give preference to the
theme of war with infidels over other themes for two reasons: first, the
sacrifice of life is a grand sacrifice; whoever steadfastly endures this
loss will, undoubtedly, learn to be patient on losses of lesser magni-
tude; second, it is relevant to the situation too, as the objectionist on
the orientation of Ka'bah had been facing it.