Al-Baqarah: (94-95) Say, "If the Home of the Hereafter..."

Section on the Jews' Claim Regarding the Hereafter

Know that this is another type of their reprehensible claims: their assertion that the Home of the Hereafter is exclusively theirs, without the rest of humanity. Several points indicate this:

1. Logical Requirement for Challenge: It is not permissible to use a conditional argument against an opponent ("If X is true, then do Y") unless X is already part of the opponent's belief, so that the resulting obligation (Y) is validly imposed upon them.
2. Explicit Quranic Statements: This is supported by what God recounts about them, such as: "And they say, 'None will enter Paradise except those who were Jews or Christians'" (2:111), and "We are the sons of God and His beloved" (5:18), and "And they say, 'The Fire will not touch us except for a few numbered days'" (2:89).
3. Self-Perception of Righteousness: Their belief that they alone are correct, stemming from their rejection of the abrogation of religious laws, rendering all other groups invalid.
4. Lineage Claim: Their belief that their lineage to the great Prophets (peace be upon them)—namely Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham—guarantees their exemption from God's punishment and their attainment of His reward.

Because of these beliefs, they magnified their own status, boasting over the Arabs. Sometimes they used this as an argument that the awaited Prophet, promised in the Torah, must be from them, not the Arabs. They diverted people from following Muhammad (PBUH) due to this misconception.

The Divine Challenge and Its Logic

Then, God refuted the falsehood of their claim with His statement: "Say, 'If the Home of the Hereafter with God is exclusively for you, apart from the people, then wish for death, if you are truthful.'"

The logic of this necessary connection is as follows:

1. The pleasures of this world are few and insignificant compared to the pleasures of the Hereafter.
2. Even those few worldly pleasures were spoiled for them due to the appearance of Muhammad (PBUH) and the ensuing dispute and conflict.
3. If one is in possession of few, spoiled pleasures, and is certain that after death they will inevitably transition to those great, untainted pleasures, they must desire death. This is because those great pleasures are sought after, and the only path to them is through death and what precedes it. What is prerequisite to the desired object must also be desired. Therefore, this person must be content with death and wish for it.

Thus, it is established: If the Home of the Hereafter were exclusively theirs, they would necessarily wish for death.

However, God informed that they did not wish for death, nor will they ever wish for it. Consequently, their claim that the Hereafter is exclusively theirs is definitively nullified.

Addressing Potential Objections (Razi's Analysis)

Objection: We do not accept that if the Hereafter were exclusively theirs, they would have to wish for death. The pleasure of the Hereafter is sought, and the only way to it is through death; what is prerequisite to the desired must also be desired.

Response: What is prerequisite to the desired object may be desired as a means to that object, but it may be detested in itself. Death involves great pains that they could not endure. Hence, it is no wonder they did not wish for death.

Objection: They could have turned this challenge back on Muhammad (PBUH): "You claim the Hereafter is exclusively for you and your followers, excluding those who dispute you. If so, suppose we kill you and your followers. We see you and your followers in severe distress and great tribulation due to the dispute and fighting. After death, you will attain the bliss of Paradise. Therefore, you should be content with being killed."

Response: The difference is that Muhammad (PBUH) stated he was sent to convey the religious laws to a continuous community. This purpose had not yet been fully achieved; hence, he would not consent to being killed prematurely. As for the Jews, this was not their situation. The difference is clear.

Objection: Perhaps they believed the Hereafter was exclusively for those of their religion, but only on the condition of avoiding major sins. For the perpetrator of a major sin, they believed he would remain eternally in the Fire (because they were Wa'idiyyah [believers in divine threats] or because they permitted punishment for major sinners). This is why they did not wish for death.

Response: One cannot dismiss this by saying their doctrine was that the Fire would only touch them for "a few numbered days" (2:80). This is because each day of the Day of Judgment is equivalent to a thousand years of your reckoning. Thus, although the days are few in number, they are long in duration. Hence, they feared this duration and did not wish for death.

Objection: The Prophet (PBUH) forbade wishing for death: "None of you should wish for death due to some affliction that has befallen him, but he should say: 'O God, keep me alive if life is better for me, and cause me to die if death is better for me'" (Bukhari/Muslim). Also, God says: "Those who do not believe in it [the Hour] are impatient for it, while those who believe are fearful of it" (42:18). How can it be permissible to challenge them with something forbidden?

Response: This prohibition is a rule of the Shari'ah (Law). Circumstances may vary based on the time. It is narrated that 'Ali (RA) was walking between the battle lines in a light tunic, and his son Al-Hasan (RA) asked him, "This is not the attire of warriors." He replied, "O my son, your father does not care whether death falls upon him or he falls upon death." 'Ammar (RA) said at Siffin:

"Now I meet my beloved, Muhammad and his party."

The desire for death has appeared from the Prophets at many times. Furthermore, this prohibition is specific to a particular reason: the Prophet (PBUH) forbade wishing for death during hardship because it resembles impatience and departing from contentment with God's decree. This is entirely different from a wish that demonstrates the truthfulness of prophethood.

Objection: The word tamannī (wishing) is ambiguous: it can mean the internal state of the heart, or the verbal expression indicating that state ("I wish I were dead"). The Jews could argue: "You asked us for the word 'wishing.' If we utter the word, you can say we didn't mean the internal state. If we manifest the internal state, you can say, 'You lie, you did not have that in your hearts.'" Since the Prophet (PBUH) used an ambiguous term, they could not be challenged effectively.

Response: In Arabic, tamannī is only recognized by what is outwardly expressed, just as a report is only recognized by what is spoken. What is in the heart is not called by this name. Moreover, it is absurd for the Prophet (PBUH) to challenge them with something whose purpose (proving his truthfulness) can only be achieved if it is manifested outwardly.

Objection: Even if they were obligated to wish for death, what is the proof that they did not wish for it? Citing "And never will they wish for it" is weak, as this proof is only valid if the Quran itself is established as true, which is the very point of contention.

Response:

1. If this wishing had occurred, it would have been transmitted by Tawātur (mass narration) because it was a monumental event. If it had not occurred, the claim of Muhammad's prophethood is proven true. If it had occurred, his claim would be invalidated. An event of such magnitude must be transmitted by Tawātur. Since it was not, we know it did not happen.
2. The Prophet (PBUH), known for his foresight, prudence, and attainment of such high status in religion and worldly leadership—to which opponents were compelled and supporters willingly submitted—would not challenge them with something whose outcome he was unsure of, unless he was certain from his Lord through revelation that they would not do it. If a person inexperienced in affairs would not risk this, how much more so the wisest of the wise? Thus, the Prophet (PBUH) only proceeded with this challenge after God revealed to him that they would not wish for death.
3. It is narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "If the Jews had wished for death, they would have died and seen their places in the Fire. If those who engaged in Mubāhalah (mutual cursing) had come out, they would have returned finding no family or wealth." Ibn 'Abbas said: "If they had wished for death, they would have choked on it and died." In summary, the reports stating they did not wish for death have reached the level of Tawātur, establishing the proof.

This concludes the discussion establishing this line of reasoning. Let us return to the exegesis.

Exegesis of the Verse

"Say, 'If the Home of the Hereafter...'" The intended meaning of the "Home of the Hereafter" is Paradise, as this is the desired aspect of the Hereafter, not the Fire, since they claimed Paradise was exclusively theirs.

"...with God..." This does not necessarily mean a physical location, but rather status/rank. However, interpreting it as a physical location is not impossible, perhaps the Jews were anthropomorphists (mushabbihah) who believed in spatial proximity, and God refuted all such notions with the proof mentioned.

"...exclusively for you..." This is in the accusative case, functioning as a circumstantial adverb (ḥāl) modifying the "Home of the Hereafter." It means: safe for you alone, with no one else having a right therein. This confirms their claim: "None will enter Paradise except those who were Jews or Christians." The word "people" (al-nās) here refers to the entire human race (the general term), which is preferable to interpreting it as referring specifically to the Muslims, because the preceding clause already mentioned "except those who were Jews or Christians," and there is no specific antecedent for al-nās here.

"...apart from the people..." This means "other than," not in the sense of physical separation, but in the sense of exclusivity, like when one says to someone who has been gifted a kingdom: "This is yours apart from the people."

"...then wish for death, if you are truthful." This contains two issues:

1. First Issue: This is a command contingent upon a missing condition (their truthfulness). Therefore, the command is not actually enacted. Its purpose is challenge and revealing the falsehood of their claim.
2. Second Issue: There are two views regarding this "wishing":
   • The view of Ibn 'Abbas: That the two parties challenge each other to pray for death upon whichever party is the greater liar.
   • The second view: That they should say, "We wish we were dead." This second view is preferable as it aligns more closely with the literal wording.

"And never will they wish for it..." This is a definitive statement that this action will not occur in the future. This is a report concerning the unseen (al-ghayb). Given the strong incentives to deny Muhammad (PBUH) and the ease of uttering this phrase, God informed that they would not utter it. This is a firm report about an event where the signs pointed to the opposite outcome, making its certainty achievable only through revelation.

"...ever." This is another piece of unseen knowledge, as it informs that this will not occur in any future time. The report concerns the negation of the event across the totality of future time.

"...because of what their hands have put forth." This explains the reason why they will not wish for death: when they realize the evil of their ways and the abundance of their sins, this realization compels them not to wish for death.

"And God is All-Aware of the wrongdoers." This serves as a warning and threat. Since God is All-Aware of secrets and hidden matters, and nothing can be concealed from Him, the awareness of this fact acts as one of the greatest deterrents from sin. They are specifically mentioned as wrongdoers (ẓālimīn) because every disbeliever is a wrongdoer, although not every wrongdoer is a disbeliever. Since "wrongdoers" is a more general term, it was preferred here.

Regarding the difference between lan and lā: If one asks why the verse here uses "never will they wish" (lan yatawannawahu), while Surah Al-Jumu'ah uses "nor will they wish" (wa lā yatawannawahu), the answer is: In this Surah (Al-Baqarah), they claimed the Hereafter was exclusively theirs. In Surah Al-Jumu'ah, they claimed they were God's allies exclusively. God refuted both claims by stating that if either were true, they would wish for death. The first claim (exclusive reward in the Hereafter) is greater than the second (exclusive status of sainthood/alliance), as the ultimate bliss is attaining the Abode of Reward, whereas the status of alliance is sought only as a means to Paradise. Since the first claim was greater, God used the stronger term of negation, (lan), to invalidate it. Since the second claim was less ultimate, the term (lā), which is not at the peak of negation's strength, sufficed to invalidate it.

Verse 96: The Greed for Life

"And you will surely find them the most eager of people for life, and [even] of those who associate others with God. One of them wishes that he could be granted a life of a thousand years, yet it will not remove him from the punishment [if he is to receive it]. And God is All-Seeing of what they do."

This verse follows the previous one, showing the consequence of their denial of the Hereafter: they cling desperately to this life.

• "And you will surely find them the most eager of people for life...": This eagerness is even stronger than that of the polytheists (mushrikūn).
• "...One of them wishes that he could be granted a life of a thousand years...": This illustrates their extreme attachment to worldly existence.
• "...yet it will not remove him from the punishment [if he is to receive it].": Even if granted this immense lifespan, it offers no escape from the decreed punishment.
• "And God is All-Seeing of what they do.": This serves as a warning that their actions—their greed for life and their denial of the Hereafter—are fully known to God.