Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:3

"Those who believe" (الذين يؤمنون):

• It is either connected to "the God-fearing" (al-muttaqin) as a genitive adjective, a laudatory accusative, or a nominative by implying "I mean those who believe" or "they are those who believe."
• Or, it is disconnected from "the God-fearing," standing as a nominative subject (mubtada') whose predicate is "Those are upon guidance."
• If connected, the pause at "the God-fearing" is good but incomplete. If disconnected, it is a complete pause.

Is this description an explanation of the God-fearing, or a list of virtues? It is likely an explanation and clarification, as it encompasses the foundation of the God-fearing state: performing good deeds and abandoning evil.

• Regarding deeds: Faith is the foundation of all good. Prayer and charity are mentioned because they represent bodily and financial worship, serving as the standard for all other acts. The Prophet (ﷺ) called prayer "the pillar of the religion" and the divider between Islam and disbelief. He called Zakat the "bridge of Islam." Because they are of such status, they draw all other acts of worship in their wake. Thus, the speech is summarized by mentioning these as a title for all obedience.
• Regarding abandonment: Prayer prevents indecency and evil. Alternatively, this description may not be an explanation of the God-fearing, but a separate attribute indicating the performance of obedience, while "the God-fearing" refers to those who avoid sins. It may also be a praise for those described with piety, singling out faith in the Unseen, establishing prayer, and giving charity to show their superiority over other good deeds.

"Believe" (يؤمنون):

• Derived from amn (security). It means to grant security. When used with ba (ب), it implies acknowledgment and confession.
• If used in the sense of "trusting" (amana), it means to become possessor of security and tranquility regarding the matter. Both interpretations are valid for "believing in the Unseen"—confessing it or trusting that it is the truth.
• It is possible that "in the Unseen" (bi-l-ghayb) is not a complement to "believe," but a state (hal), meaning "they believe while being absent from that which they believe in." This is supported by the narration of Ibn Mas'ud, who said: "No believer has a faith better than faith in the Unseen," then recited this verse.

What is the "Unseen" (al-ghayb)?

• If it is a complement, it means "the absent," derived from the source ghayb (like shahada for "the witnessed"). It refers to the hidden matters that no one can penetrate except through the knowledge of the Subtle, the Aware—such as the Creator, His attributes, Prophethood, the Resurrection, the Reckoning, and the Promises.
• If it is a state, it means "absence and concealment."

What is correct faith? It is to believe in the truth, express it with the tongue, and confirm it with action. Whoever lacks belief is a hypocrite; whoever lacks the confession is a disbeliever; whoever lacks the action is a sinner.

"Establishing prayer" (إقامة الصلاة):

• It means perfecting its pillars and guarding it from deviation in its obligations, traditions, and etiquette.
• It also means persistence and constancy in it, as in "those who are constant in their prayer."
• It may also mean the vigor and readiness to perform it without lethargy, similar to the phrase "the war stood on its legs."
• Or, it simply means "performing it," where "establishing" is used because standing is a pillar of prayer, just as it is referred to by qunut (standing), ruku' (bowing), and sujud (prostration).

"And from what We have provided them, they spend" (ومما رزقناهم ينفقون):

• Attributing the provision to Himself indicates that they spend lawful wealth worthy of being associated with God.
• The use of "from" (min)—the partitive—is to protect them and restrain them from the forbidden extravagance.
• The object is placed before the verb to show importance, as if saying: "They single out some of their lawful wealth for charity."
• It may refer to the obligatory Zakat, given its proximity to its sister, prayer. It may also refer to Zakat and other charitable expenditures, as it is stated generally to include every spender.