Al-Baqarah: (214) Am Hasibtum an...

Connection to the Previous Verse

There are two possible interpretations regarding the connection of this verse to the preceding one:

1. First View: The previous verse stated, "And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path." This guidance implies leading people to the Truth and the pursuit of Paradise. This verse then clarifies that this pursuit cannot be complete without enduring hardships in fulfilling obligations. Thus, it says: "Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while there has not yet come to you the like of those who passed away before you?" (The verse continues).

2. Second View: The previous verse established that Allah guided the believers concerning the truth in which they differed by His permission. This verse then shows that after receiving this guidance, they endured hardships in upholding the Truth and were patient through trials. Therefore, O Companions of Muhammad, you too will not attain virtue in religion except by bearing these tribulations.

Issues in the Verse

We have previously discussed the word Am in the exegesis of the verse: "Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob?" (Al-Baqarah: 133).

What we intend to state here is that Am is an intermediate interrogative particle, just as Hal (هل) is a preceding interrogative particle. It is permissible to say, "Do you have a man?" (Hal 'indaka rajulun?) or "Is it with you that there is a man?" (A-'indaka rajulun?) as an initial question. However, it is not permissible to say, "Am 'indaka rajulun?" as an initial question.

But when Am is intermediate, it is permissible whether it is preceded by another interrogative or not.

• When preceded by another interrogative: It is like saying, "You are an unjust man; do you do this out of ignorance, or do you possess authority?" (Anta rajulun la tunṣifu, a-'an jahlin taf'alu hādhā am laka sulṭān?)
• When not preceded by an interrogative: It is like His saying: "Alif, Lam, Mim. This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah. Or do they say, 'He has forged it?'" (As-Sajdah: 1-3). This form is understood as being equivalent to the first type, with an implied preceding question: "Do they believe in this, or do they say, 'He has forged it?'"

The estimation for this verse is similar: "So Allah guided those who believed to the truth in which they differed by His permission, and they were patient with the mockery of their people. Do you follow their path, or do you think you will enter Paradise without following their path?" This is what Al-Qaffal (may Allah have mercy on him) summarized. And Allah knows best.

The Almighty's saying: "while there has not yet come to you the like of those who passed away before you."

The Kufan grammarians argue that Walammā (ولما) is composed of Lam (لم) and the superfluous particle Mā (ما).

Sibawayh disagrees, stating that Mā is not superfluous because Lammā occurs in contexts where Lam cannot occur. For example, a man says to his companion, "Has so-and-so arrived?" and the reply is "Lammā" (meaning 'not yet'), but one would not say "Lam" alone.

Al-Mubarrad stated: If someone says, "Lam ya'tinī Zayd" (Zayd has not come to me), it is a negation of your statement, "Zayd came to you." But if he says, "Lammā ya'tinī" (Zayd has not yet come to me), it means he has not come yet, and I am expecting him.

The poet Al-Nabighah said:

The departure is imminent, yet our mounts Have not yet left their saddles, as if they already have.

Based on this, the statement: "while there has not yet come to you the like of those who passed away before you" indicates that the arrival of that likeness is expected and awaited.

Ibn Abbas said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived in Medina, the affliction upon them intensified because they left their homes and wealth in the hands of the polytheists without taking anything. Furthermore, the Jews openly showed hostility toward the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). Allah then revealed this verse to comfort their hearts: "Or do you think that you will enter Paradise..."

Qatadah and As-Suddi said it was revealed concerning the Battle of the Trench (Al-Khandaq) when the Muslims suffered extreme hardship and grief, just as the Almighty said: "when eyes grew wild and hearts reached the throats" (Al-Ahzab: 10).

It is also said that it was revealed concerning the Battle of Uhud, when Abdullah ibn Ubay said to the Companions of Muhammad (PBUH): "How long will you kill yourselves and hope for falsehood? If Muhammad were a prophet, Allah would not have allowed you to be captured and killed." Then Allah revealed this verse.

Know that the intended meaning of the verse is: Or do you believers think that you will enter Paradise merely by believing in Me and affirming My Messenger, without worshipping Allah with everything I have commanded you, being tested by patience in it, and suffering harm from the disbelievers, enduring poverty and destitution, struggling against affliction and misery in livelihood, and facing terrors in fighting the enemy—just as was the case for the believers before you? This is what is meant by: "while there has not yet come to you the like of those who passed away before you." Al-Mathal (المثل) means likeness or similarity; Mathal (مثل) and Mithl (مثَل) are two linguistic forms, like Shabah (شبه) and Shabah (شَبَه). However, Mathal is often used metaphorically for a strange situation or a remarkable story of consequence, as in His saying: "And to Allah belongs the highest example [or description]" (An-Nahl: 60), meaning the description of great significance.

Know that there is an omission in the speech. The meaning is: "the likeness of the trial of those who passed away before you." And His saying, "There afflicted them" (Massat-hum) is an explanation of this likeness, serving as a new clause, as if someone asked: "How was that likeness?" And the answer is: "There afflicted them severe poverty and affliction, and they were shaken" (Al-Baqarah: 214).

As for Al-Ba'sa' (البأساء - severe poverty/hardship), it is a noun derived from Bu's (بؤس), meaning severity, which is poverty and destitution. Hence, it is said, "So-and-so is in bu's and severity."

As for Ad-Darra' (الضراء - affliction/harm), the closest meaning is the arrival of harm upon them from pains, aches, and various fears. In my view, Al-Ba'sa' refers to the constriction of avenues of good and benefit upon them, while Ad-Darra' refers to the opening of avenues of evil, calamity, and pain upon them.

As for His saying: "and they were shaken" (wa zulzilu), meaning they were moved by various calamities and disasters. Al-Zajjaj said: The origin of Zalazala (shaking) in language is removing something from its place. If you say, "I shook it" (zalzaltuhu), it means you repeated that removal, so the root letter of the verb is doubled to match the doubling of the meaning. Everything involving repetition has the fa' (first root letter) repeated, like ṣarra (to twist) and ṣarṣara (to whistle/whirl), ṣalla (to split) and ṣalsala (to rattle), and kaffa (to stop) and kafkafa (to hold back). Aqqala means to lift something from its place; when repeated, it becomes qalaqala. Some interpreted "and they were shaken" here as "they were frightened." However, its true meaning is different from what we mentioned, because one who is afraid does not remain settled but his heart is disturbed. Therefore, this term is only used for persistent, immobilizing fear because it removes stillness. Thus, Zulzilu here must be metaphorical, meaning "they were frightened," or it could mean they were so disturbed they could not settle due to the anxiety and fear in their hearts.

Then, after mentioning these things, the Almighty mentioned something else that indicates the utmost degree of harm, misery, and trial: "and they were shaken until the Messenger and those who believed with him said, 'When will the help of Allah come?'" This is because the Messengers (peace be upon them) are usually characterized by the utmost steadfastness, patience, and self-control when calamity strikes. If even they lose patience to the point of crying out, that signifies the absolute limit of distress. When the distress reached them to this great degree, they were told: "Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near," as an answer to their plea.

The structure of the verse is thus: Their situation continued until the help of Allah came to them, and the length of the trial did not change them from their religion. And you, O assembly of Muslims, be like that and bear the harm and hardship in seeking the Truth, for the help of Allah is near, because what is coming is near, and everything that is coming is near.

This verse is similar to His saying: "Alif, Lam, Mim. Do people think that they will be left alone saying, 'We believe,' and they will not be tried? And We certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful" (Al-'Ankabut: 1-3). And His saying: "Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those who strive among you and made evident the patient?" (Al 'Imran: 142).

The purpose of this verse is what we mentioned: the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) suffered great harm from the polytheists, hypocrites, and Jews. When they were permitted to fight, they suffered injuries, loss of wealth, and loss of life, which is well known. Allah comforted them in this, explaining that the condition of those before them in seeking the religion was similar. When a calamity is widespread, it becomes more bearable. Allah mentioned the story of Abraham (peace be upon him) being cast into the fire, the trial of Job (peace be upon him), and the afflictions Allah subjected him to, and the trials of the rest of the Prophets (peace be upon them) in their patience through various tribulations, which served as solace for the believers.

It is narrated that Qays ibn Abi Hazim heard Khabbab ibn Al-Aratt say: "We complained to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) about what we were suffering from the polytheists. He said: 'Indeed, those before you among the nations were tormented with various afflictions, but that did not turn them away from their religion. Indeed, a man would have a saw placed on his head and be split in two, and a man would be combed with iron combs beneath the bone in flesh and sinew, and that would not turn him away from his religion. By Allah, Allah will surely complete this matter until a rider can travel safely between Sana'a and Hadramawt, fearing none but Allah and the wolf for his sheep. But you are impatient.'"

Nafi' read it with the Lām in the indicative mood (yaqūlu - raising the Lām), while the rest read it in the subjunctive mood (yaqūla - نصب/nasb).

The justification for the subjunctive reading (yaqūla) is that when Ḥattā governs the subjunctive verb, it falls into two categories:

1. Meaning 'Until' (to the point that): In this case, both the action preceding Ḥattā and the action following it have occurred and passed. You say: "I walked until I entered it" (sirtu ḥattā adkhalahā), meaning up to the point that I entered it. Both the walking and the entering have occurred. The subjunctive reading in this verse is based on this, as the estimation is: "and they were shaken until the Messenger said..."—both the shaking and the saying have occurred.
2. Meaning 'So That' (Kay): Like in the saying, "I obeyed Allah so that I might enter Paradise" (aṭa'tu Allāha ḥattā adkhula al-Jannah). The obedience has occurred, but the entering has not yet occurred. The subjunctive reading in the verse cannot be based on this meaning.

As for the indicative reading (yaqūlu - raising the Lām): The verb following Ḥattā must be in the indicative mood when it describes a state that was narrated as having occurred, similar to how the state is narrated in: "This is from his party, and this is from his enemy" (Al-Qaṣaṣ: 15), and "And your dog is stretching his forelegs at the entrance" (Al-Kahf: 18). This is only correct if, at that time, this speech was being uttered. It is also said: "The camels drank until a camel came dragging its belly" (yujirru baṭnahu). This means: I drank so much that those present would say, "A camel is coming dragging its belly." This indicative form can be true when the cause has ended, even if the effect has not yet occurred, like saying: "I walked until I entered the city" (sirtu ḥattā adkhulu al-balad). It is possible that the walking occurred, and the entering has not yet occurred.

This covers the discussion regarding the justification for the subjunctive reading and the indicative reading. The majority preferred the subjunctive reading because the indicative reading is only valid if we treat the statement as a narration of what was said while the event was occurring. The subjunctive reading does not require this assumption, so the subjunctive reading is preferable.

There is a difficulty in the verse: How is it fitting for the Messenger, who is certain of the truth of Allah's promise and threat, to ask in a manner suggesting doubt: "When will the help of Allah come?"

The answer to this is in several aspects:

1. First Answer (The Accepted View): His status as a Messenger does not prevent him from being harmed by the schemes of the enemies. Allah says: "And We certainly know that your breast is constrained by what they say" (Al-Ḥijr: 97), and: "Perhaps you would kill yourself with grief over their disbelief, if they do not believe in this message" (Ash-Shu'arā': 3), and: "Until, when the messengers despaired and supposed that they were certainly denied, there came to them Our help, and whoever We willed was saved" (Yusuf: 110). Based on this, when his heart was distressed and his means were exhausted, and he had heard from Allah that He would help him, but the time was not specified, he said in his distress: "When will the help of Allah come?" If he knew the time was near, his worry and grief would have vanished, and his heart would have been soothed. What confirms this is that the response was: "Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near." Since the response mentioned nearness, it indicates that the question was about nearness. If the question had been about whether the help would come at all, this response would not have been appropriate. This is the relied-upon answer.

2. Second Answer: Allah informed that the Messenger and those who believed said something, then mentioned two statements: "When will the help of Allah come?" and "Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near." Therefore, each statement must be attributed to one of the two mentioned groups:
   • The believers said: "When will the help of Allah come?"
   • The Messenger (PBUH) said: "Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near." They cite parallels for this in the Qur'an and poetry. In the Qur'an: "And of His mercy He made for you the night and the day that you may rest therein and [that you may] seek of His bounty" (Al-Qaṣaṣ: 73), meaning: you rest in the night, and seek His bounty in the day. In poetry, the saying of Imru' al-Qays:

   As if the hearts of birds, moist and dry, Are to me like dates and spoiled dry fodder. He compares the moist ones to dates and the dry ones to spoiled fodder. This answer was given by a group, but it is very forced.

"Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near" can be:

1. A response from Allah to their saying, "When will the help of Allah come?" In this case, their speech ends at "When will the help of Allah come?", and then Allah says, "Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near."
2. The speech of some among them. Perhaps when they said, "When will the help of Allah come?", they turned back to themselves, realized that Allah would not let their enemy prevail over them, and then said: "Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near," meaning: We have been patient, O Lord, trusting in Your promise.

If it is objected: The saying, "Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near," implies that everyone who suffers hardship is certain to be relieved of it, which is not established as true.

We reply: It is not impossible that this is a specific characteristic of the Prophets (peace be upon them). Alternatively, it could be general for everyone, as everyone in affliction must face one of two outcomes: either they are delivered from it, or they die. If they die, they have reached the One whose affairs are not neglected and whose right is not lost, which is the greatest form of help. It is called near because death itself is near.

7. [Verse 215] They ask you, [O Muhammad], what they should spend. Say, "Whatever you spend of good is [to be] for parents and relatives and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer. And whatever you do of good - indeed, Allah is knowing of it."