Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:159

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:159) - Indeed, those who conceal...

There are two views on this:

1. It is a new, independent statement addressing everyone who conceals anything from the religion.
2. It is not meant to be taken literally in its generality.

Some scholars asserted that it applies specifically to the Jews. Ibn Abbas narrated that a group of the Ansar asked some Jews about the descriptions of the Prophet (PBUH) and the rulings mentioned in the Torah. The Jews concealed this information, and thus the verse was revealed.

It is also said that it was revealed concerning the People of the Book—Jews and Christians—according to Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Al-Rabi', Al-Suddi, and Al-Asamm.

The first view (generality) is closer to the truth for several reasons:

1. The wording is general, and the existing context (the specific reason for revelation) does not necessitate restricting the ruling, based on the principles of jurisprudence: the consideration is given to the generality of the wording, not the specificity of the cause.
2. It is established in jurisprudence that when a ruling is predicated upon a description, it implies that the description is the effective cause ('illah) for that ruling, especially if the description is appropriate for the ruling. Concealing religious knowledge is undoubtedly appropriate for incurring God's curse. If this description is the cause, the ruling must be general whenever the description is general.
3. A group of the Companions applied this wording generally. Aisha (RA) stated: "Whoever claims that Muhammad (PBUH) concealed anything of the revelation has uttered a grave falsehood against God, and God Almighty says: {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance}." She interpreted the verse generally. Abu Hurairah (RA) also said: "If it were not for two verses in God's Book, I would not have narrated any Hadith after people said, 'Abu Hurairah narrates too much.'" Then he recited: {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance}.

Those who restricted the verse to the People of the Book argued that concealment is only valid for them under the law of Muhammad (PBUH), as the Quran is transmitted by mass narration (tawatur), making its concealment impossible. We reply: Before the Quran became mutawatir, its concealment was possible. Similarly, if a general ruling in the Quran requires clarification from a single reliable source, concealing that clarification is possible, as is the case with the rational proofs required of the accountable person.

Al-Qadi [Al-Baqillani] said: Concealment is refraining from revealing something when there is a need for it and a compelling reason to disclose it. If there is no such need or call to action, it is not considered concealment. Since what God sent down of clear proofs and guidance is of the utmost necessity in religion, whoever knows it and does not reveal it is described as concealing, just as one of us is described as concealing matters of this world when there are strong motives to reveal them. Based on this understanding, one who can keep a secret is praised, because concealment is difficult for the soul.

This verse indicates that anything related to religion that the accountable person needs must not be concealed. Whoever conceals it has committed a grave sin. Similar to this verse is God's saying: {And [recall] when God took the covenant of those who were given the Scripture, [saying], "You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it"} (Al Imran: 187). Close to these is: {Indeed, those who conceal what God sent down of the Book and exchange it for a little price} (Al-Baqarah: 174).

All these verses mandate the disclosure of religious knowledge, serving as a warning to people and a deterrent against concealing it. Similar in explaining the obligation of knowledge, though without mentioning the threat for the concealer, is: {And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once. Why should not there depart from every division of them a group to gain deep understanding in religion and warn their people when they return to them that they may be cautious?} (At-Tawbah: 122).

It is narrated from Hajjaj, from 'Ata, from Abu Hurairah, from the Prophet (PBUH) that he said: "Whoever conceals a knowledge he possesses will be bridled with a bridle of fire on the Day of Resurrection."

Regarding God's statement: {what We sent down of clear proofs (al-bayyināt)}: This refers to everything revealed to the Prophets as scripture or revelation, excluding rational proofs.

Regarding {and guidance (al-hudā)}: This includes both rational and transmitted proofs. As we explained in the exegesis of {a guidance for the righteous} (Al-Baqarah: 2), Hudā refers to proofs in general, thus encompassing everything. If one argues that the verse later says, {and guidance after it had been made clear to the people in the Book}, suggesting a return to the first meaning, we reply: The first refers to the revelation itself, and the second refers to the benefits and implications derived from that revelation.

Know that since the Book indicates that the report of a single trustworthy narrator (khabar al-wāḥid), consensus (ijmā'), and analogy (qiyās) are authoritative proofs, everything indicated by these means is indicated by the Book. Therefore, concealing it falls under this verse. Thus, it is established that God threatens concealment of both transmitted and rational proofs, combining both in the warning. This verse proves that whoever is capable of clarifying the fundamentals of religion using rational proofs for those who need them, yet refrains or conceals any ruling of the Sharia despite intense need, incurs a great threat.

This disclosure is an obligation of sufficiency (fard kifāyah), not an individual obligation (fard 'ayn). This is because if some people disclose it, it becomes accessible to everyone, thus ceasing to be concealed. Once it is no longer concealed, the remaining individuals are not obligated to disclose it again.

Some people use these verses as evidence for accepting the report of a single narrator. They argue: These verses indicate that disclosing these rulings is obligatory. If acting upon them were not obligatory, their disclosure would not be obligatory. The full proof lies in the end of the verse: {except for those who repent, make amends, and make clear} (Al-Baqarah: 160). This confirms that the clarification is established through their report.

If one asks: Why can it not be that everyone is forbidden from concealing and commanded to clarify so that the reporters become numerous and the report reaches tawatur (mass narration)?

We reply: This is incorrect because they were only forbidden from concealing when concealment was possible for them. If they are capable of conspiring to conceal, they are also capable of conspiring to fabricate and invent, meaning their report would not necessitate certainty ('ilm).

They use this verse as evidence that it is impermissible to take wages for teaching. They argue: Since the verse mandates this teaching, taking wages for fulfilling an obligation is impermissible. This is further supported by God's saying: {Indeed, those who conceal what God sent down of the Book and exchange it for a little price} (Al-Baqarah: 174). The apparent meaning prohibits taking wages for both disclosure and concealment, as the phrase {and exchange it for a little price} prohibits taking any compensation for it in all aspects.

Regarding God's statement: {after it had been made clear to the people in the Book}: This refers to what was mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel concerning the description of Muhammad (PBUH) and the rulings. Another view is that the first "sent down" refers to the books of the predecessors, and the second refers to the Quran.

Regarding God's statement: {Those! Allah curses them}: The root meaning of la'nah (curse) is expulsion/removal. In religious terminology, it means expulsion from divine reward.

Regarding God's statement: {and the cursers curse them}: This must refer to those who have the capacity to curse. They agree that angels, prophets, and the righteous possess this capacity, so they are necessarily included in this generality. This is reinforced by God's saying: {Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers—upon them is the curse of Allah and of the angels and of the people, all together} (Al-Baqarah: 161).

People have mentioned other interpretations for "the cursers":

1. They are the beasts and creeping things of the earth, who say: "The rain is withheld from us because of the sins of the children of Adam" (Mujahid and 'Ikrimah). The text uses the masculine plural form {the cursers} (al-lā'inūn) rather than the feminine plural {the cursing ones} (al-lā'ināt) because God described them with a characteristic of rational beings, hence using the plural for rational beings, as in {the sun and the moon prostrating to You} (Yusuf: 4), {O ants, enter your dwellings} (An-Naml: 18), {They will say to their skins, "Why did you testify against us?"} (Fussilat: 21), and {And each is swimming in an orbit} (Al-Anbiya: 33).
2. Everything other than the two weighty things (humans and jinn), i.e., all creation. If one asks how beasts and inanimate objects can curse, we reply: In two ways: First, as a form of hyperbole, meaning if they were rational, they would curse them. Second, in the Hereafter, when they are resurrected and made rational beings, they will curse those who committed such acts in this world and died upon them.
3. The inhabitants of Hell also curse them because they concealed the religion from them, making the meaning general.
4. Ibn Mas'ud said: When two people curse each other, the curse falls upon the deserving one. If no one deserves it, it returns to the Jews who concealed what God revealed.
5. Ibn Abbas narrated that they have two curses: the curse of God and the curse of creation. He explained: When a person is placed in his grave and asked, "What is your religion? Who is your Prophet? Who is your Lord?" and he replies, "I do not know," he is struck a blow heard by everything except humans and jinn. Nothing hears his voice except to curse him, and the angel says to him, "You neither knew nor recited; thus you were in the world."
6. Abu Muslim said: "The cursers" are those who believed in the message. The meaning of the curse from them is distancing themselves from the cursed one, opposing him, contradicting him, showing displeasure toward him, and disassociating from him.

Al-Qadi stated: The verse indicates that this concealment is a major sin because God has decreed the curse for it. It also proves that none of the Prophets concealed any part of their message, lest they fall under this verse.