Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:44

Do you enjoin [Atamuruna] The hamza is for the purpose of affirmation combined with reproach and astonishment at their state.

Righteousness [al-birr] It is the breadth of goodness and virtue. From this comes the word al-birr (land) due to its vastness. It encompasses every good deed, such as the saying: "You have spoken truthfully and acted righteously (bararta)." The rabbis used to command their relatives and others whom they advised in private to follow Muhammad (peace be upon him), yet they would not follow him themselves. It is also said they commanded charity but would not give it, and when they were brought charity to distribute, they would betray the trust.

Muhammad ibn Wasi‘ reported: "It reached me that some people of Paradise will look upon some people of Hell and say, 'You used to command us to do things which we performed, and so we entered Paradise.' They will reply, 'We used to command you to do them, but we would contradict ourselves by doing otherwise.'"

And you forget yourselves [wa-tansauna anfusakum] You abandon your own selves regarding righteousness, as if you have forgotten them.

While you recite the Scripture [wa-antum tatluna al-kitab] This is a rebuke, similar to the phrase: "While you know [wa-antum ta‘lamun]." Meaning: You recite the Torah, which contains the description of Muhammad (peace be upon him), or contains the warning against treachery, abandoning righteousness, and the contradiction between speech and action.

Do you not then reason? [afala ta‘qilun] A great reproach, meaning: Do you not perceive the ugliness of what you have committed, such that your perception of its ugliness would prevent you from perpetrating it? It is as if you are devoid of reason in this matter, for reason rejects and repels such behavior. Similar to this is: "Fie upon you and upon what you worship instead of Allah! Do you not then reason?" (Al-Anbiya: 67).

And seek help [wa-ista‘inu] In your needs, through Allah.

Through patience and prayer [bi-al-sabri wa-al-salah] Meaning: By combining both. That you pray while being patient with the burdens of prayer, enduring its hardships, including the necessity of sincerity of heart, guarding one's intentions, repelling distractions, observing the proper etiquette, and guarding against dislikes—all while maintaining fear, humility, and the presence of mind that one is standing before the Compeller of the heavens to seek the freeing of one's neck from His wrath and punishment.

From this is His saying: "And enjoin prayer upon your family and be steadfast therein" (Ta-Ha: 132). Or, it means: Seek help against calamities and misfortunes by being patient with them and resorting to prayer when they occur.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to, "When a matter distressed him, hasten to prayer." It is reported that when Ibn Abbas was informed of the death of his brother Qutham while he was on a journey, he recited Istirja (Inna lillahi...), moved off the road, prayed two rak'ahs in which he prolonged the sitting, then stood up walking to his mount, saying: "Seek help through patience and prayer." It is also said that "patience" means fasting, because it is a restraint from things that break the fast. Hence, Ramadan is called the "Month of Patience." It is also permissible that "prayer" refers to supplication (du'a), and that one seeks help against calamities through patience and resorting to supplication and earnest pleading to Allah Almighty to avert them.

And indeed it [wa-innaha] The pronoun refers to prayer or to seeking help. It may also refer to all the matters that the Children of Israel were commanded to do and forbidden from, starting from His saying: "Remember My favor..." up to "And seek help."

Is difficult [la-kabira] Meaning: burdensome and heavy. From your saying: "This matter is heavy (kabura) upon me," as in: "It is difficult for the polytheists that to which you invite them" (Ash-Shura: 13).

If you ask: "Why is it not heavy for the humble (al-khashi'in), when humility itself is something heavy?" I say: Because they anticipate what is stored for those who are patient with its hardships, so it becomes easy for them. Do you not see His saying: "Who are certain that they will meet their Lord" (Al-Baqarah: 46)? Meaning: They anticipate meeting His reward and attaining what is with Him, and they hope for it. In the codex of Abdullah (Ibn Mas'ud), it is written as "they know (ya'lamun)." Its meaning is: They know that there is no escaping the meeting of the recompense, so they act accordingly. That is why "they think/expect (yazunnun)" is interpreted as "they are certain (yutiqnun)."

As for the one who is not certain of the recompense and does not hope for the reward, it is a pure hardship for him, so it becomes heavy upon him, like the hypocrites and those who show off with their deeds. It is like someone promised a wage exceeding the measure of his work for certain tasks; you see him performing it with desire, energy, and an open heart, smiling at those present, as if he finds pleasure in the work—unlike the state of a worker forced by some tyrant.

Hence, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "And the coolness of my eyes has been placed in prayer," and he used to say: "O Bilal, give us comfort with it."

*Humility (al-khushu')* is submissiveness and lowering oneself. From this is al-khash'ah for a low-lying patch of sand. As for **submission (al-khudu')**, it is softness and compliance. From this is "I softened (khada'tu) his speech" when you make it gentle.