Surah Al-Baqarah 2:52
ﱭ ﱮ ﱯ ﱰ ﱱ ﱲ ﱳ ﱴ
Then We forgave you after that so perhaps you would be grateful.
Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:51-52
Tafsir
Mafatih al-Ghayb
Verse range: 2:51-52
Al-Baqarah: (51-52) And [recall] when We made an appointment with Moses...
This is the third instance of divine favor mentioned.
Regarding the Almighty's saying: {And [recall] when We made an appointment with Moses} (وإذ واعدنا موسى):
- Recitation Variants:
- Abu 'Amr and Ya'qub recited it without the alif (وإذ وعدنا موسى) in this Surah, Al-A'raf, and Taha.
- The rest recited it with the alif (واعدنا) in all three places.
- Meaning of Recitation without Alif (وعدنا): This is straightforward, as the promise originated from Allah (SWT).
- Meanings of Recitation with Alif (واعدنا):
- Although the promise was from Allah (SWT), its acceptance came from Moses (peace be upon him). Accepting a promise resembles making a promise, as the acceptor must say, "I will do that."
- Al-Qaffal said: It is not unlikely that a human promises Allah, meaning he covenants with Allah.
- It is an action that occurred between two parties, so it is permissible to say wāʿadnā (we made an appointment).
- The Strongest View: Allah (SWT) promised him the revelation, which is Allah's promise to come to the appointed time at Mount Tur.
Regarding Moses (موسى):
- Etymological Views:
- Its structure is fuʿlī, and the initial mīm is original, derived from māsa yamīsu (to walk with a swagger), which Moses (PBUH) used to do.
- Its structure is mufʿal, making the mīm an addition, derived from ūsītu ash-shajarah (when the leaves are taken from the tree), perhaps named so due to his baldness.
- It is a compound word from two Hebrew words: mū (water) and sā (tree). He was named this because his mother placed him in the ark when she feared Pharaoh, cast him into the sea, and the waves carried him until he entered among trees near Pharaoh's house. The maids of Āsiyah, Pharaoh's wife, found the ark and took him. Thus, he was named after the place where he was found: water and trees.
- Critique of Views 1 & 2: Both are very weak. View 1 is rejected because the Israelites and Copts did not speak Arabic, so their intent could not be derived from Arabic roots. View 2 is rejected because this word is a proper noun, and proper nouns do not inherently convey meaning about the essence of the person.
- The Preferred View: View 3 is the most likely, as it is a common occurrence among people.
- Genealogy: His lineage is Moses, son of 'Imran, son of Yishhar, son of Qahath, son of Levi, son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham (peace be upon them all).
Regarding the Almighty's saying: {forty nights} (أربعين ليلة), there are several discussions:
First Discussion: Moses (PBUH) told the Children of Israel that if they escaped the sea safely, he would bring them a Book from Allah detailing what they must do and avoid. When Moses led them across the sea and Pharaoh was drowned, they asked him for the promised Book. He went to his Lord, and the appointment was for forty nights (as stated in Al-A'raf: 142: "We promised Moses thirty nights and completed them with ten, so the term of his Lord was completed as forty nights"). He appointed Aaron as his vicegerent over them and remained on Mount Tur for forty nights. Allah sent down the Torah upon him on tablets made of beryl. The Lord drew him near as a confidant, spoke to him without an intermediary, and made him hear the scratching of the pen. Al-'Aliyah reported that he did not experience any bodily emission during those forty nights until he descended from Tur.
Second Discussion: It was specified as forty *nights* because months traditionally begin with the nights.
Third Discussion: The phrase **{And [recall] when We made an appointment with Moses forty nights}** means We appointed the completion of forty nights, similar to the saying: "It has been forty days since so-and-so left," meaning the completion of the forty. Thus, the direct object (the time period) is omitted, and the modifier (forty nights) stands in its place, like in **{And ask the town}** (Yusuf: 82). Furthermore, the intent is not just any forty nights, but a specific forty: the thirty days of Dhu al-Qi'dah and the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, as Moses (PBUH) knew this was the intended period.
Also, {And [recall] when We made an appointment with Moses forty nights} can mean:
- He was promised to come to the mountain for these forty nights until the Torah was revealed.
- He was commanded to come to the mountain for these forty nights, and it was promised that the Torah would be revealed after that. The second interpretation is supported by narrations.
Fourth Discussion: This verse states the appointment was for forty nights from the beginning. The verse in Al-A'raf states it was for thirty nights, completed by ten. How is this reconciled? Al-Hasan al-Basri answered: It does not mean he was promised thirty, and then ten were added later. Rather, he was promised forty all at once, similar to: **{for the pilgrimage is during well-known months. So whoever has made the pilgrimage obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the sacred state]—there is for him no sexual relations and no disobedience and no arguing during the pilgrimage}** (Al-Baqarah: 196), where three and seven are mentioned together as ten.
Regarding the Almighty's saying: {Then you took the calf in your absence} (ثم اتخذتم العجل من بعده), there are several discussions:
First Discussion: The word **then** (ثم) is mentioned because Allah promised Moses to be present at the appointed time to reveal the Torah in the presence of the seventy elders. This highlights Moses's high status and the virtue of the Children of Israel, serving as a reminder to those present of their high rank and information for those absent, completing the religion. This was one of the greatest favors, so when they immediately followed it with the ugliest form of ignorance and disbelief, it was astonishing—like someone saying, "I did such and such good things for you, and then you intentionally seek to harm me."
Second Discussion: Historians state that after Allah drowned Pharaoh and promised Moses the revelation of the Torah, Moses told his brother Aaron: **{Be my successor among my people and make things right and do not follow the way of the corrupters}** (Al-A'raf: 142). When Moses went to Tur, the garments and jewelry they had borrowed from the Copts remained with the Israelites. Aaron told them these items were not lawful for them, so they gathered a fire and burned them.
The Samiri, while traveling with Moses (PBUH) across the sea, saw the hoofprint of Gabriel's mount as it advanced before Pharaoh entering the sea. He took a handful of dust from the print of that hoof. Then, the Samiri took the gold and silver he had with him, fashioned a calf from it, and threw that dust into it. A sound like a lowing came out, and he said to the people: {This is your god and the god of Moses} (Taha: 88). The people took it as their god.
A Critique of this Narrative: A large assembly of rational people cannot agree upon something whose falsehood is evident by basic reason. This story is questionable for several reasons:
- Every rational person knows by innate reason that an idol made of gold, which does not move, feel, or think, cannot possibly be the God of the heavens and the earth. Even if a lowing sound emerged, this amount is insufficient to create doubt in the heart of any rational person that it is a god.
- The people had previously witnessed overwhelming miracles that were nearly compelling evidence of the Creator and the truthfulness of Moses (PBUH). Given the strength of this evidence, reaching the level of necessity, the sound coming from the golden calf could not possibly raise a doubt that the sounding body was a god.
The Answer: This incident can only be validated in one way: The Samiri suggested to the people that Moses (PBUH) achieved what he did by using talismans based on celestial powers, enabling him to perform these miracles. The Samiri then told the people, "I will make you a talisman like his," and breathed into it, causing the strange sound. This gave them hope that they could become like Moses (PBUH) in performing wonders. Alternatively, perhaps the people held anthropomorphic or indwelling beliefs (that God can inhabit bodies), allowing them to fall into this doubt.
Third Discussion: This story contains several benefits: 1. It indicates that the Ummah of Muhammad (PBUH) is the best of nations. Those Jews, despite witnessing overwhelming proofs, were deceived by this very weak suspicion. However, the Ummah of Muhammad (PBUH), while needing subtle proofs to recognize the Quran's miraculous nature, has not been afflicted by strong, major doubts. This shows this Ummah is better and possesses sounder intellect and purer insight than they. 2. The Prophet (PBUH) mentioned this story even though he had no formal learning, indicating he received it through revelation. 3. It serves as a great warning against blind imitation and ignorance of proofs. If those people had known Allah through complete reasoning, they would not have fallen for the Samiri's suspicion. 4. It offers solace to the Prophet (PBUH) regarding the arguments and hostility he faced from the Arab polytheists, Jews, and Christians. It is as if Allah commanded him to be patient, just as Moses (PBUH) was patient in this distressing incident. After Allah saved them from Pharaoh and showed them amazing miracles from the beginning of Moses's mission until that time, they were deceived by that weak suspicion. Since Moses (PBUH) was patient, it is more fitting for Muhammad (PBUH) to be patient with the harm inflicted by his people. 5. The people most argumentative against the Prophet (PBUH) and hostile toward him were the Jews. It is as if Allah was saying: "These people boast about their ancestors, yet their ancestors reached such a level of dullness, ignorance, and obstinacy. How much more so are these descendants?"
Regarding the Almighty's saying: {while you were wrongdoers} (وأنتم ظالمون), there are several discussions:
First Discussion: The interpretation of *ẓulm* (wrongdoing/injustice) has two views: 1. Abu Muslim said that *ẓulm* in its linguistic root means deficiency. Allah says: **{Both gardens yielded their produce and fell short in nothing}** (Al-Kahf: 33). The meaning here is that when they abandoned worshipping the Creator (who gives life and causes death) and occupied themselves with worshipping the calf, they became deficient in the good of religion and worldly life. 2. In legal terminology (*sharʿ*), *ẓulm* is harm devoid of a compensating benefit, or failing to avert a greater harm, or claiming a right over another based on one's own knowledge or assumption. If an action fits this description, its doer is a *ẓālim*. If a person does something that leads to punishment and the Fire, it is said that he has wronged himself, even if the act itself involved immediate pleasure or benefit, as Allah says: **{Indeed, association [with Allah] is a great wrong}** (Luqman: 13), and **{So, of them are those who wrong themselves}** (Fatir: 32). Since their worship of other than Allah was *shirk* (association), and *shirk* leads to the Fire, it is termed *ẓulm*.
Second Discussion: The Mu'tazila cite **{while you were wrongdoers}** as evidence that sins are not created by Allah (SWT) in several ways: 1. Allah condemned them for it. If the sins were created by Allah, only the doer would deserve condemnation. 2. If the sins were by Allah's will, they would be obedient to Allah by performing them, as obedience is defined as doing what is willed. 3. If disobedience were created by Allah, condemnation for it would be like condemnation for being black, white, tall, or short. **The Answer:** This relies on the action of praise and blame, which is countered by the issues of the incentive (*dāʿī*) and divine knowledge, as discussed repeatedly.
Third Discussion: This verse indicates that the harm of disbelief returns only upon them, as they gained nothing from it except that they wronged themselves. This shows that Allah's Majesty is transcendent, not perfected by the obedience of the pious, nor diminished by the disobedience of the wretched.
Regarding the Almighty's saying: {Then We pardoned you after that} (ثم عفونا عنكم من بعد ذالك):
The Mu'tazila claim this means: "Then We pardoned you because you repented by killing some of yourselves." This is weak for two reasons:
- Accepting repentance is rationally obligatory. If this were the meaning, it could not be counted among divine favors, as fulfilling an obligation is not a favor. The purpose of these verses is to enumerate Allah's favors upon them.
- ʿAfw (pardon/forgiveness) is the name given to dropping a deserved punishment. Dropping something that must be dropped is not called ʿafw. Do you not see that when an oppressor refrains from torturing the oppressed (which is not permissible for him), that restraint is not called ʿafw? Similarly here.
If this is established, we affirm that repentance certainly occurred in this situation due to the command: {So turn in repentance to your Creator and kill yourselves}. If this is the case, this verse proves that accepting repentance is not rationally obligatory. If that is established, it is also established that Allah dropped a punishment that was rationally and legally permissible to inflict. This contradicts the view of the Mu'tazila. If Allah pardoned the disbelievers of Moses's people, then pardoning the sinners of Muhammad's Ummah—who are {the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind}—is even more fitting.
Regarding the Almighty's saying: {so that you might be grateful} (لعلكم تشكرون):
The discussion on the meaning of laʿalla (so that/perhaps) has already been covered in the exegesis of {so that you may become righteous} (Al-An'am: 153, Al-A'raf: 17, Al-Baqarah: 21, 33). The discussion on the reality and essence of gratitude (shukr) is lengthy and will come later, Allah willing.
The Mu'tazila then argued: Allah clarified that He pardoned them and did not punish them so that they would be grateful. This indicates that Allah only willed gratitude from them. The Answer: If Allah willed gratitude from them, He willed it either:
- Conditionally, that the incentive for gratitude must first occur in the servant. If this condition rests with the servant, it necessitates that the incentive requires another incentive, leading to an infinite regress. If the incentive comes from Allah, then since Allah created the incentive, gratitude must necessarily occur, and where He did not create the incentive, gratitude becomes impossible. This contradicts the Mu'tazila.
- Or, He willed gratitude from them without this incentive, which means He willed the impossible, as action without an incentive is impossible. Thus, the problem applies to them as well. And Allah knows best.