Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:211

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:211)

{سَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَمْ آتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ آيَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ وَمَنْ يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ}

Issue 1: The word {سَلْ} (Ask)

1. Linguistic Derivation: The original form was {اسأل} (Is'al). The hamza (the middle radical, 'ayn al-fi'l) was dropped in common usage for ease of pronunciation (takhfif). Its vowel was transferred to the preceding quiescent letter. Due to this transformation, the initial alif al-wasl (connecting alif) became unnecessary.
2. Qatrub's View: He stated that the verb follows the pattern of sa'ala yas'alu (like za'ara yaz'aru), and also sa'ala yas'alu (like khafa yakhāfu). In this case, the imperative form is {سَلْ} (Sal), like {خَفْ} (Khif).
3. Recitation Variant: Based on this derivation, Nafi' and Ibn 'Amir recited {سَأَلَ سَائِلٌ} (Sa'ala sa'ilun) following the pattern of qāla (said).
4. The Word {كَمْ} (How many): It is a noun built upon sukūn (cessation), designated for counting. It is suggested to be a combination of the particle of similitude kāf with mā, where mā was shortened, its mīm was quiescent, and it was built upon sukūn because it incorporates the interrogative particle. It is sometimes used for declarative statements and sometimes for interrogation. The most common usage among Arabs is to use it with the genitive case (jarr) for declarative statements and the accusative case (nasb) for interrogation. Here, it could be interrogative or declarative.

Issue 2: The Purpose of the Command to Ask

1. Not for the Prophet's Knowledge: The intent is not to ask the Children of Israel so that the Prophet (PBUH) may learn about those signs, as the Prophet was already aware of those events through God's revelation.
2. Purpose: Exaggerated Warning: The true purpose is to emphasize the severe prohibition against turning away from God's signs.
3. Contextual Flow: God commanded the believers to enter Islam completely (2:208), then warned them: "If you slip after the clear proofs have come to you" (2:209), meaning if you turn away from this command, you deserve the threat: "Then know that God is All-Mighty, All-Wise."
4. Clarification of the Threat: This threat was further elaborated by the statement: "Do they await anything other than that God should come to them in canopies of clouds with the angels?" (2:210).
5. The Third Level of Threat (This Verse): Then, this threat is reinforced by: "Ask the Children of Israel..." This means: Ask these present people: When We gave their ancestors clear signs, and they rejected them, they justly deserved the punishment from God.
6. The Lesson: This serves as a notice to the present generation that if they slip away from God's signs, they will fall into the same punishment that afflicted their predecessors. The purpose of recounting this history is for them to take heed from others, as stated: "So take lesson, O people of insight" (59:2) and "Indeed, in their stories was a lesson for those of understanding" (12:111). This explains the coherence of the passage.

Issue 3: Recitation Variants of {سَلْ} (Ask)

1. Abu 'Amr's Distinction: Abu 'Amr differentiated between the command when connected by a conjunction (like waw or fa) and when it stands alone (as a new sentence starter).
   • When connected (e.g., {سَلْهُمْ} - Ask them, or {سَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ}), he recited it without the initial hamza (i.e., {سَلْ}).
   • When standing alone or connected to a preceding sentence that requires a new start (e.g., {وَاسْأَلِ الْقَرْيَةَ} [12:82], {وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ} [4:32]), he recited it with the hamza (i.e., {اسْأَلْ}).
2. Al-Kisa'i's Consistency: Al-Kisa'i treated all instances the same, reciting all of them without the hamza ({سَلْ}).
3. Rationale for Abu 'Amr's View: He argued that the takhfif (simplification) is appropriate when the word initiates a new clause (istinaf), allowing the initial hamza to be dropped, which is independent. This is not the case when it is connected (ittisal).
4. Rationale for Al-Kisa'i's View: He followed the standard Uthmanic script (Mushaf), where the alif (hamza) is omitted in all forms.

Issue 4: The Meaning of {مِنْ آيَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ} (a clear sign)

1. First Opinion: It refers to the miracles given to Moses (عليه السلام), such as the splitting of the sea, the cloud shading, the descent of Manna and Quail, the lifting of the mountain, God speaking to Moses from the clouds, the revelation of the Torah, and the clear distinction between guidance and disbelief shown to them. All these were clear signs.
2. Second Opinion: It refers to the clear proofs given to Muhammad (PBUH) in the Torah and Gospel, which prove his truthfulness and the validity of his law.

Issue 1: Recitation Variant

• The phrase {وَمَنْ يُبَدِّلْ} was also recited in the shortened form (without the alif).

Issue 2: Omission in the Verse

• Abu Muslim suggested there is an omission, meaning: "How many clear signs did We give them, and they disbelieved them, but the following phrase {وَمَنْ يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ} does not explicitly indicate this omission."

Issue 3: The Meaning of {نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ} (The Favor of God)

1. First Opinion: Divine Signs and Proofs: The favor refers to God's signs and proofs, as these are the highest category of God's favors because they are the means to guidance and salvation from error.
   • Regarding their changing it (Tabdil):
     • If the "clear sign" refers to Moses' miracles, changing it means God revealed them as means of guidance, but they turned them into means of their own misguidance, like the verse: "And it increased them only in revulsion" (9:125).
     • If the "clear sign" refers to the proofs of Muhammad's prophethood found in the Torah and Gospel, changing it means they distorted them and introduced doubt into them.
2. Second Opinion: Worldly Blessings: The favor refers to what God granted them in worldly matters: health, security, and sufficiency. In this case, God exchanged the favor for punishment when they disbelieved. However, the changing (Tabdil) is attributed to them because the cause originated from their side—their failure to act upon those clear signs.

Regarding the phrase {مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُ} (after it had come to him):

• If we interpret "favor" as the arrival of signs and proofs, then "after it had come to him" means after he became capable of knowing them, or after he knew them, similar to: "Then they alter it after they have understood it, while they know" (2:75). If they hadn't grasped or known them, it is as if they were absent from them.
• If we interpret "favor" as worldly blessings (health, security), then the obligation to show gratitude is stronger once these means are present, making disbelief uglier. This is why it is followed by: {فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ} (Indeed, God is severe in punishment).
• Al-Wahidi's Note: He suggested an implied object: "severe in punishment for them."
• My Comment (Al-Razi): The grammarian 'Abd al-Qahir stated in Dalā'il al-I'jāz that omitting the implied object is preferable. This is because the verse intends to instill fear by describing God as inherently severe in punishment, without specifying who He punishes.
• Al-Wahidi also noted: Punishment is the affliction that follows the crime.

{زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَاللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ}

"The life of this world has been made attractive to those who disbelieve, and they mock those who believe. But those who fear God will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. And God provides for whomever He wills without account."