Verse 50 of Surah Al-Baqarah, like a resplendent mirror, manifests the divine miracle in the splitting of the sea and the salvation of the Children of Israel. This verse not only presents a historical narrative of the deliverance of the people of Moses (peace be upon him) but, through elucidation of its lexical, psychological, and social dimensions, reveals the boundless power of God in guiding and liberating creation. The present discourse, adopting a scientific and systematic approach, analyses this verse and, by integrating the content of the lecture and exegetical analyses, provides a comprehensive framework for researchers in Quranic studies, theology, and humanities. The objective is to explicate the divine miracle, critique erroneous interpretations, and emphasise faith in the true God who acts beyond limited human conceptions.
Verse 50 of Surah Al-Baqarah, akin to a luminous torch illuminating the path of guidance, reads as follows:
وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ الْبَحْرَ فَأَنْجَيْنَاكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ
And when We parted the sea for you, and saved you, and drowned the people of Pharaoh while you were looking on.
This verse is the first explicit reference in Surah Al-Baqarah to the divine miracle in the history of the Children of Israel, depicting the splitting of the sea and the deliverance of the people of Moses (peace be upon him). This miracle marks a pivotal point in the manifestation of Gods power and the liberation of creation from the tyranny of the Pharaohs.
Key Point:
The verse 50 of Surah Al-Baqarah is the first verse in this Surah that explicitly displays the divine miracle in the splitting of the sea and the salvation of the Children of Israel.
The analysis of this verse is conducted solely based on its own content and its context within Surah Al-Baqarah, without reference to other verses. This approach emphasises the semantic independence of the verse and prevents dispersion in interpretation. The content of the verse alone suffices to elucidate the divine miracle and the salvation of the Children of Israel.
Key Point:
The content of verse 50 alone is sufficient to explicate the divine miracle and requires no recourse to other verses.
This verse, as the first allusion to the divine miracle in Surah Al-Baqarah, narrates the splitting of the sea by Moses (peace be upon him). This event not only signifies the salvation of the people but also holds a special place in the history of the Children of Israel.
Verse 50 of Surah Al-Baqarah, by elucidating the divine miracle in the splitting of the sea, constitutes a milestone in the history of the Children of Israel. The focus on the content of the verse highlights its semantic independence and comprehensiveness in conveying the miraculous message.
The verb فَرَقْنَا in the verse is a transitive verb with two objects: الْبَحْرَ (the sea) as the first object and بِكُمْ (for you) as the second object. This verb signifies the splitting of the sea to allow the passage of the Children of Israel and indicates a direct action by God.
Key Point:
فَرَقْنَا is a transitive verb portraying the splitting of the sea for the passage of the Children of Israel.
From morphological and syntactical perspectives, both فَرَقْنَا (simple form) and فَرَّقْنَا (augmented form) are transitive verbs taking two objects. However, فَرَّقْنَا, being augmented, conveys greater intensity and force. Had فَرَّقْنَا been employed in the verse, it would imply a violent and tempestuous splitting of the sea, incompatible with the gentle and easy salvation of the Children of Israel.
Key Point:
فَرَقْنَا implies a gentle and easy salvation, whereas فَرَّقْنَا suggests intensity and storminess inconsistent with the divine miracle.
Some have erroneously proposed the reading فَرَّقْنَا, but this reading, due to its association with intensity and storm, contradicts the miraculous content of the verse. فَرَقْنَا opened the way for the Children of Israel with gentleness and softness, without causing them harm.
Key Point:
The reading فَرَّقْنَا is incorrect as it contradicts the gentleness and subtlety of the divine miracle in the salvation of the Children of Israel.
The analysis of the verse is not confined solely to morphology and syntax. The natural, philosophical, psychological, and social content of the verse must be considered to achieve accurate understanding. Although morphology and syntax are important tools, they are incomplete without attention to content.
The lexical analysis of فَرَقْنَا indicates the splitting of the sea with gentleness and softness consistent with the divine miracle. The critique of the reading فَرَّقْنَا and emphasis on the verse's content underline the necessity of attending to multiple dimensions (lexical, philosophical, psychological) in the exegesis of the Holy Quran.
The verb أَنْجَيْنَاكُمْ in the verse refers to an instantaneous and miracle-based salvation, whereas نَجَّيْنَاكُمْ (augmented form) indicates a gradual salvation based on grace. This distinction illustrates God's direct power in the deliverance of the Children of Israel.
Key Point:
أَنْجَيْنَاكُمْ refers to an immediate, miraculous salvation, unlike نَجَّيْنَاكُمْ, which connotes a gradual deliverance.
The Pharaohs people, assuming the splitting of the sea to be a natural phenomenon, entered it and drowned. This destruction occurred while the Children of Israel were at peace, highlighting the contrast between salvation and destruction.
Key Point:
The destruction of the Pharaohs people resulted from their misconception of the miracles naturalness, whereas the Children of Israel were delivered in peace.
Some attribute the splitting of the sea to natural phenomena such as storms, but these explanations contradict the miraculous nature of the verse. The divine miracle operates beyond natural laws.
The instantaneous salvation of the Children of Israel and the destruction of the Pharaohs people illustrate the contrast between faith and disbelief in the divine miracle. The critique of naturalistic explanations underscores the necessity of faith in divine power beyond natural laws.
The phrase وَأَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ refers to the calmness and composure of the Children of Israel as they observed the destruction of the Pharaohs people. This state, likened in psychology to a lulililay phenomenon, signifies the security and tranquillity deriving from faith in the divine miracle.
Key Point:
تَنْظُرُونَ denotes the peace and comfort of the Children of Israel at the moment of the miracle, stemming from faith in Gods power.
At the moment of the seas splitting, the Children of Israel were in a state of peace and security, while the Pharaohs people were engulfed in anxiety and destruction. This contrast exemplifies the effect of faith on human psychology.
The phrase تَنْظُرُونَ portrays the tranquillity arising from faith in the divine miracle. This analysis highlights the psychological impact of faith in the face of divine wonders.
God is a real, external, and powerful being who governs the universe with absolute power. This perspective opposes notions that reduce God to an internal unity with man.
Key Point:
God is a real entity, distinct from humans, who creates miracles by His absolute power.
The doctrine of unity of existence, which identifies God with man, is incorrect. God is a transcendent and independent being who acts beyond creation.
Key Point:
The view of unity of existence is incompatible with faith in a transcendent and independent God.
Divine power encompasses creation, guidance, and alteration in the world. The splitting of the sea exemplifies this power, occurring without reliance on natural tools such as wind.
Key Point:
Divine power transcends natural instruments, producing miracles like the splitting of the sea.
Miracles also occur within the Islamic community, but neglect and inattention prevent their recognition. Faith in the true God is the key to perceiving these miracles.
Key Point:
Negligence obstructs the recognition of miracles in the Islamic community, whereas faith in the true God enables this perception.
Faith in the true and powerful God is the key to understanding divine miracles. The critique of the unity of existence doctrine and emphasis on divine power invites reflection on the miracle, strengthening faith, and avoiding negligence.
Verse 50 of Surah Al-Baqarah, by elucidating the divine miracle in the splitting of the sea, the salvation of the Children of Israel, and the destruction of the Pharaohs people, displays the infinite power of God. The phrase فَرَقْنَا بِكُمْ الْبَحْرَ alludes to the gentleness and subtlety of the miracle, while أَنْجَيْنَاكُمْ denotes instantaneous salvation, and وَأَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ represents the peace stemming from faith. Lexical, psychological, and social analyses of the verse underscore the necessity of attention to its multiple dimensions in interpretation. Critique of naturalistic explanations and the unity of existence view highlight faith in the true God as the key to comprehending miracles. This exegesis invites humanity to reflect on divine power, strengthen faith, and eschew negligence.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
