Surah 2. Al-Baqara

For when they are told, "Believe in what God has bestowed from on high," they reply, "We believe [only] in what has been bestowed on us" - and they deny the truth of everything else, although it be a truth confirming the one already in their possession. Say: "Why, then, did you slay God's prophets aforetime, if you were [truly] believers?"⁷⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

A reference to their assertion that they believe in what has been revealed to them - i.e., the Law of Moses, which obviously prohibits the killing not only of prophets but of any innocent human being. See also the concluding sentences of verses {61} and {87}, and the corresponding notes.

When they are asked to believe in what Allah has revealed, they reply: "we only believe in what Allah has sent to us (Torah), and we reject what is beside that," while it is the truth confirming their own scriptures! Ask them, "if you sincerely believe in what was sent to you , why did you kill the Prophets of Allah who were sent to you from amongst yourselves before?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And when it is said unto them: Believe in that which Allah hath revealed, they say: We believe in that which was revealed unto us. And they disbelieve in that which cometh after it, though it is the truth confirming that which they possess. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Why then slew ye the Prophets of Allah aforetime, if ye are (indeed) believers?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And indeed, there came unto you Moses with all evidence of the truth - and thereupon, in his absence, you took to worshipping the [golden] calf, and acted wickedly.

  - Mohammad Asad

Musa (Moses) came to you with clear Signs, no sooner was he away from you, then you committed evil by worshipping the calf.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And Moses came unto you with clear proofs (of Allah's sovereignty), yet,while he was away, ye chose the calf (for worship) and ye were wrongdoers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And, lo, We accepted your solemn pledge, raising Mount Sinai high above you, [saying,] "Hold fast with [all your] strength unto what We have vouchsafed you, and hearken unto it!" [But] they say, "We have heard, but we disobey"⁷⁷ - for their hearts are filled to overflowing with love of the [golden] calf because of their refusal to acknowledge the truth.⁷⁸ Say: "Vile is what this [false] belief of yours enjoins upon you - if indeed you are believers!"

  - Mohammad Asad

It is obvious that they did not actually utter these words; their subsequent behaviour, however, justifies the above metonymical expression.

Lit., "into their hearts has been instilled the calf because of their denial of the truth": i.e., as soon as they turned away from the genuine message propounded by Moses, they fell into worshipping material goods, symbolized by the "golden calf".

Remember that when We took a Covenant from you and We lifted the Mount of Tur over your heads saying: "Take what We have given you firmly and listen to Our Commandments," you replied: "we have heard but we will not obey." So much was the love of that calf in their hearts due to their unbelief. O Muhammad, tell them: "If you are real believers, then why does your faith prompt you to do such evil things?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And when We made with you a covenant and caused the Mount to tower above you , (saying): Hold fast by that which We have given you, and hear (Our Word), they said: We hear and we rebel. And (worship of) the calf was made to sink into their hearts because of their rejection (of the Covenant). Say (unto them): Evil is that which your belief enjoineth on you, if ye are believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Say: "If an afterlife with God is to be for you alone, to the exclusion of all other people,⁷⁹ then you should long for death - if what you say is true!"

  - Mohammad Asad

An allusion to the Jewish belief that paradise is reserved for the children of Israel alone (cf. verse {111} of this surah).

Say O Muhammad: "If the Home of the Hereafter is exclusively for you and not for the rest of mankind, then wish for death if you are true in your claim!"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Say (unto them): If the abode of the Hereafter in the providence of Allah is indeed for you alone and not for others of mankind (as ye pretend), then long for death (for ye must long for death) if ye are truthful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But never will they long for it, because [they are aware] of what their hands have sent ahead in this world: and God has full knowledge of evildoers.

  - Mohammad Asad

But they will never wish for death, because they are fully aware of the consequences of what they have sent before them for the Hereafter. And Allah knows the mentality of the wrongdoers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But they will never long for it, because of that which their own hands have sent before them. Allah is Aware of evildoers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And thou wilt most certainly find that they cling to life more eagerly than any other people, even more than those who are bent on ascribing divinity to other beings beside God: every one of them would love to live a thousand years, although the grant of long life could not save him from suffering [in the hereafter]: for God sees all that they do.

  - Mohammad Asad

You will find them the greediest of men for life, even greedier than the mushrikin; each one of them wishes that he could be given a life of a thousand years; but the grant of such a life will not save them from the punishment, for Allah is watching whatever they do.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And thou wilt find them greediest of mankind for life and (greedier) than the idolaters. (Each) one of them would like to be allowed to live a thousand years. And to live (a thousand years) would by no means remove him from the doom. Allah is Seer of what they do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

SAY [O Prophet]: "Whosoever is an enemy of Gabriel" - who,- verily, by God's leave, has brought down upon thy heart this [divine writ] which confirms the truth of whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations], and is a guidance and a glad tiding for the believers -:

  - Mohammad Asad

Say O Muhammad: "Whoever is the enemy of Jibra'el (Gabriel) should know that he revealed this Qur'an to your heart by Allah's command, which confirms previous scriptures, and is a guidance and good news for the believers."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Say (O Muhammad, to mankind): Who is an enemy to Gabriel! For he it is who bath revealed (this Scripture) to thy heart by Allah's leave, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, and a guidance and glad tidings to believers;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"whosover is an enemy of God and His angels and His message-bearers, including Gabriel and Michael, [should know that,] verily, God is the enemy of all who deny the truth."⁸⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

According to several authentic Traditions, some of the learned men from among the Jews of Medina described Gabriel as "the enemy of the Jews", and this for three reasons: firstly, all the prophecies of the misfortune which was to befall the Jews in the course of their early history were said to have been transmitted to them by Gabriel, who thus became in their eyes a "harbinger of evil" (in contrast to the angel Michael, whom they regarded as a bearer of happy predictions and, therefore, as their "friend"); secondly, because the Qur'an states repeatedly that it was Gabriel who conveyed its message to Muhammad, whereas the Jews were of the opinion that only a descendant of Israel could legitimately claim divine revelation; and, thirdly, because the Qur'an - revealed through Gabriel - abounds in criticism of certain Jewish beliefs and attitudes and describes them as opposed to the genuine message of Moses. (For details of these Traditions, see Tabari, Zamakhshari, Baghawi, Razi, Baydawi, Ibn Kathir.) As regards my rendering of ma bayna yadayhi in verse {97} as "whatever there still remains of earlier revelations", see surah {3}, note [3].

Let them know that whoever is an enemy to Allah, His angels, His Rasools, Jibra'el (Gabriel) and Mika'el (Michael); Allah is an enemy to such unbelievers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Who is an enemy to Allah, and His angels and His messengers, and Gabriel and Michael! Then, lo! Allah (Himself) is an enemy to the disbelievers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For, clear messages indeed have We bestowed upon thee from on high; and none denies their truth save the iniquitous.

  - Mohammad Asad

We have sent down to you clear revelations: no one can deny them except the transgressors.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Verily We have revealed unto thee clear tokens, and only miscreants will disbelieve in them.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Is it not so that every time they made a promise [unto God], some of them cast it aside? Nay, indeed: most of them do not believe.

  - Mohammad Asad

Has it not been the case that every time they made a covenant a group of them threw it aside? But the fact is that most of them are faithless.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Is it ever so that when ye make a covenant a party of you set it aside? The truth is, most of them believe not.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And [even now,] when there has come unto them an apostle from God, confirming the truth already in their possession, some of those who were granted revelation aforetime cast the divine writ behind their backs as though unaware [of what it says],⁸¹

  - Mohammad Asad

The divine writ referred to here is the Torah. By disregarding the prophecies relating to the coming of the Arabian Prophet, contained in Deuteronomy xviii, 15, 18 (see note [33] above), the Jews rejected, as it were, the whole of the revelation granted to Moses (Zamakhshari; also 'Abduh in Manar I, 397).

Whenever there came to them a Rasool from Allah confirming their own Holy Book, a group from those to whom the Holy book were given cast off the Book of Allah behind their backs as if they knew nothing about it,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And when there cometh unto them a messenger from Allah, confirming that which they possess, a party of those who have received the Scripture fling the Scripture of Allah behind their backs as if they knew not,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and follow [instead] that which the evil ones used to practice during Solomon's reign - for it was not Solomon who denied the truth, but those evil ones denied it by teaching people sorcery⁸² -; and [they follow] that which has come down through the two angels in Babylon, Harut and Marut - although these two never taught it to anyone without first declaring, "We are but a temptation to evil: do not, then, deny [God's] truth!"⁸³ And they learn from these two how to create discord between a man and his wife; but whereas they can harm none thereby save by God's leave, they acquire a knowledge that only harms themselves and does not benefit them - although they know, indeed, that he who acquires this [knowledge] shall have no share in the good of the life to come.⁸⁴ For, vile indeed is that [art] for which they have sold their own selves - had they but known it!

  - Mohammad Asad

The expression ash-shayatin, here rendered as "the evil ones", apparently refers to human beings, as has been pointed out by Tabari, Razi, etc., but may also allude to the evil, immoral impulses within man's heart (see note [10] on verse {14} of this surah). The above parenthetic sentence constitutes the Qur'anic refutation of the Biblical statement that Solomon had been guilty of idolatrous practices (see I Kings xi, 1-10), as well as of the legend that he was the originator of the magic arts popularly associnted with his name.

This "declaration" circumscribes, metonymically, man's moral duty to reject every attempt at "sorcery" inasmuch as - irrespective of whether it succeeds or fails - it aims at subverting the order of nature as instituted by God. - As regards the designation of Harut and Marut, most of the readings of the Qur'an give the spelling malakayn ("the two angels"); but it is authentically recorded (see Tabari, Zamakhshari, Baghawi, Razi, etc.) that the great Companion of the Prophet, Ibn 'Abbas, as well as several learned men of the next generation - e.g., Al-Hasan al-Basri, Abu 'l-Aswad and Ad-Dahhak - read it as malikayn ("the two kings"). I myself incline to the latter reading; but since the other is more generally accepted, I have adopted it here. Some of the commentators are of the opinion that, whichever of the two readings is followed, it ought to be taken in a metaphorical sense, namely, "the two kingly persons", or "the two angelic persons": in this they rely on a saying of Ibn 'Abbas to the effect that Harut and Marut were "two men who practiced sorcery in Babylon" (Baghawi; see also Manar I, 402). At any rate, it is certain that from very ancient times Babylon was reputed to be the home of magic arts, symbolized in the legendary persons - perhaps kings - Harut and Marut; and it is to this legend that the Qur'an refers with a view to condemning every attempt at magic and sorcery, as well as all preoccupation with occult sciences in general.

The above passage does not raise the question as to whether there is an objective truth in the occult phenomena loosely described as "magic", or whether they are based on self-deception. The intent here is no more and no less than to warn man that any attempt at influencing the course of events by means which - at least in the mind of the person responsible for it - have a "supernatural" connotation is a spiritual offence, and must inevitably result in a most serious damage to their author's spiritual status.

and accepted what the shaitans falsely attributed to the kingdom of Sulaiman; not that Sulaiman was an unbeliever, it was the shaitans who were unbelievers: they taught witchcraft to the people and that which was revealed to the two angels, Harut and Marut in the city of Babylon. Yet these two angels never taught magic to anyone without saying: "We have been sent to tempt you; do not renounce your faith." Inspite of this warning those people kept on learning, from the angels, the magic which could cause discord between husband and wife; although they could harm none with it except with Allah's permission. They learned, indeed, what harmed them and did not profit them; even though they knew fully well that the buyers of magic would have no share in the happiness of the Hereafter. Surely, they sold their souls for a bad price, if they could understand it!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And follow that which the devils falsely related against the kingdom of Solomon. Solomon disbelieved not; but the devils disbelieved, teaching mankind magic and that which was revealed to the two angels in Babel, Harut and Marut. Nor did they (the two angels) teach it to anyone till they had said: We are only a temptation, therefore disbelieve not (in the guidance of Allah). And from these two (angels) people learn that by which they cause division between man and wife; but they injure thereby no one save by Allah's leave. And they learn that which harmeth them and profiteth them not. And surely they do know that he who trafficketh therein will have no (happy) portion in the Hereafter; and surely evil is the price for which they sell their souls, if they but knew.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And had they but believed and been conscious of Him, reward from God would indeed have brought them good - had they but known it!

  - Mohammad Asad

If they would have believed (accepted Islam) and kept themselves away from evil, there would have been a better reward from Allah, if they could understand it!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And if they had believed and kept from evil, a recompense from Allah would be better, if they only knew.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not say [to the Prophet], "Listen to us," but rather say, "Have patience with us," and hearken [unto him], since grievous suffering awaits those who deny the truth.⁸⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

This admonition, addressed in the first instance to the contemporaries of the Prophet, has - as so often in the Qur'an - a connotation that goes far beyond the historical circumstances that gave rise to it. The Companions were called upon to approach the Prophet with respect and to subordinate their personal desires and expectations to the commandments of the Faith revealed through him: and this injunction remains valid for every believer and for all times.

O Believers, do not say to our Rasool: "Ra'ina" (an ambiguous word for: "Listen, may you become deaf" or "Our shepherd" or in Judeo-Arabic language conveys the sense, "our evil one.") But say "Unzurna" ("look upon" us "or pay attention" to us) and listen to him carefully; and remember that there is a painful punishment for the unbelievers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O ye who believe, say not (unto the Prophet): "Listen to us" but say "Look upon us," and be ye listeners. For disbelievers is a painful doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Neither those from among the followers of earlier revelation who are bent on denying the truth, nor those who ascribe divinity to other beings beside God, would like to see any good⁸⁶ ever bestowed upon you from on high by your Sustainer; but God singles out for His grace whom He wills - for God is limitless in His great bounty.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., revelation - which is the highest good. The allusion here is to the unwillingness of the Jews and the Christians to admit that revelation could have been bestowed on any community but their own.

The unbelievers among the People of the Book, and the Mushrikin, would never wish that any good be sent down to you, O Muhammad, from your Rabb, but Allah chooses for His special Mercy whom He pleases, and Allah is the most Graceful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Neither those who disbelieve among the People of the Scripture nor the idolaters love that there should be sent down unto you any good thing from your Lord. But Allah chooseth for His mercy whom He will, and Allah is of infinite bounty.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall