the lectures of Nokoonam, may Allah sanctify his secret, Session (277)
The exegesis of the Holy Quranic verses, especially verse 54 of Surah Al-Baqarah, constitutes a gateway to a deeper understanding of Divine wisdom and the nature of the pristine religion of Islam. This verse, which was revealed addressing the Children of Israel, refers to the matter of repentance and the execution of Divine ordinances following the sin of calf worship. The present analysis, adopting a scientific and systematic approach, meticulously examines this verse and, relying upon Quranic arguments and the critique of narrations and commentaries, aims to elucidate its meaning. The objective of this writing is not only to comprehend the apparent meaning of the verse but also to relate it to the overarching principles of religion and the merciful character of Islam. This study, preserving all the details of the lecture and the presented analyses, is offered in an academic and elevated format to specialised audiences and researchers in the field of Quranic sciences.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّكُمْ ظَلَمْتُمْ أَنفُسَكُم بِاتِّخَاذِكُمُ الْعِجْلَ فَتُوبُوا إِلَىٰ بَارِئِكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ عِندَ بَارِئِكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
Translation: And when Moses said to his people, "O my people, indeed you have wronged yourselves by taking the calf [for worship]; so repent to your Creator and kill yourselves. That is best for you in the sight of your Creator." So He accepted your repentance; indeed, He is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.
Key point: Every Quranic interpretation must consider two fundamental axes: firstly, the essence of the ruling or subject matter of the verse, and secondly, the nature and character of the religion of Islam. These two axes constitute the basis for analysing any verse and connecting it to the broad principles of religion.
The interpretation of verse 54 of Surah Al-Baqarah is attentive not only to the apparent meaning of the verse but also to its connection with the merciful principles of Islam. This perspective elevates the exegesis beyond a merely lexical analysis to a deeper level, wherein every verse is understood as part of the Divine system of guidance.
One of the most significant pillars of analysing this verse is the lack of any conclusive evidence for the occurrence of killing in the sense of actual implementation of the command فَاقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ. Neither in the Holy Quran nor in reliable narrations is there evidence supporting the execution of this command. Claims concerning the killing of groups among the Children of Israel, such as tens of thousands, lack documented support and are deemed unfounded.
Key point: The absence of credible Quranic and narrational evidence for the execution of killing calls into question any claims of bloodshed. Interpretations literal execution of killing, without valid documentation, lack authenticity.
The verse فَاقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ is presented as a Divine command, yet there is no indication of its practical execution within the text of the verse or authentic sources. This distinction between the sphere of the command (Divine injunction) and the sphere of execution (practical implementation) is a fundamental point in the analysis. A Divine ruling may be issued for the purposes of discipline, admonition, or warning without necessarily proceeding to actual execution.
Key point: The differentiation between the sphere of the command and that of execution demonstrates the depth of analytical interpretation. The goodness of the command may relate to its educative purpose rather than its practical enactment.
The Holy Quran, as an unassailable document with clear indications, constitutes the principal foundation for analysing this verse. Every interpretative argument must be grounded in the Quranic text and its implications, and narrations or commentaries must be evaluated in the light of the Quran.
Key point: The Holy Quran is the standard for evaluating the authenticity and validity of interpretations and narrations. Any claim lacking Quranic backing lacks scientific credibility.
This section focused on the structure and implications of verse 54 of Surah Al-Baqarah. Emphasising the absence of evidence for the execution of killing, the distinction between the sphere of the command and the sphere of execution, and the pivotal role of the Holy Quran, it exemplifies a scientific and precise approach to exegesis. This section, by elucidating the broad axes of interpretation, prepares the ground for a deeper analysis of the verses implications.
ذَٰلِكُمْ and Its ReferentOne of the key questions in interpreting the verse concerns the referent of the word ذَٰلِكُمْ in the phrase ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ عِندَ بَارِئِكُمْ. Does this word refer to تُوبُوا إِلَىٰ بَارِئِكُمْ (repent to your Creator), to فَاقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ (kill yourselves), or to both? A precise rhetorical analysis suggests that ذَٰلِكُمْ most probably refers to repentance, as the goodness of repentance aligns more consistently with Divine mercy and Gods acceptance of His servants return.
Key point: The goodness mentioned in the verse is attributed to repentance, not to killing. It is repentance that guarantees the welfare and good of the Children of Israel.
Repentance in the verse is introduced as an internal, spiritual act requiring no external confirmation. If a person is remorseful in their heart and sincerely seeks forgiveness, their repentance is accepted by God. This viewpoint differentiates repentance from outward rulings such as killing.
Key point: Repentance is a spiritual and internal act requiring no external supervision or validation. This characteristic distinguishes repentance from external rulings.
The phrase إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ emphasises Gods mercy and acceptance of repentance. The use of the third-person pronoun هُوَ instead of a direct address underscores Gods greatness and His independence from needing proof of His acceptance of repentance. Gods return signifies forgiveness and pardon, not a compulsion to execute killing.
Key point: Divine mercy and acceptance of repentance are the core message of the verse. This mercy is accompanied by pardon and forgiveness, not by the execution of killing.
فَتَابَThe term فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ means Gods returning to His servants. This return is understood as Gods withdrawal from executing the killing command, reflecting Divine mercy. God refrained from enforcing the punishment and granted pardon to His servants.
Key point: فَتَابَ signifies Gods return from carrying out the execution of killing, not the confirmation of its enforcement.
This section, focusing on the rhetorical implications of the verse, demonstrated that the goodness in the verse pertains to repentance and Divine mercy rather than killing. The analysis of key terms such as ذَٰلِكُمْ and فَتَابَ highlighted the pivotal role of repentance and Gods mercy. This perspective presents the verse as a message of mercy and Divine guidance.
Commentaries and narrations that assert the execution of killing have been criticised due to their lack of validity and evidence. These commentaries, frequently derived from one another, lack authentic Quranic or narrational support. Claims such as the killing of tens of thousands or the goodness of killing due to its admonitory nature are considered baseless.
Key point: Interpretations execution of killing lack scientific validity due to the absence of authentic evidence. The mutual dependence among such commentaries diminishes their credibility.
The interpretation of فَاقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ as referring to self-purification or spiritual self-discipline is rejected due to the lack of valid Quranic and narrational support. These mystical views, lacking foundation, cannot serve as the basis for a scientific exegesis.
Key point: Mystical interpretations without Quranic backing lead to the distortion of the verses apparent meaning. فَاقْتُلُوا literally means killing, not self-purification.
Reasons offered for the execution of killing, such as the consensus of commentators, weak narrations, or supposed effects of killing like admonition or eradication of idolatry, are refuted due to lack of authentic evidence. These reasons, functioning as religious embellishments, cannot form the foundation of Quranic analysis.
Key point: Unsubstantiated claims such as admonition or the eradication of idolatry through killing lack credibility and distort the merciful image of religion.
This section, through critiquing unreliable commentaries and narrations, emphasised the necessity of relying on authentic Quranic and narrational sources. The rejection of mystical interpretations and baseless claims highlights the importance of scientific methodology in exegesis. These critiques preserve the merciful image of religion from distortion.
Divine rulings, even if not executed, possess educational and corrective functions. The command فَاقْتُلُوا may have been issued for the purpose of discipline and admonition without necessarily being implemented. This perspective presents Divine rulings as tools for guidance and correction.
Key point: Divine rulings have an educational role even without implementation and are issued for the guidance and reformation of servants.
Islam, as rahmatan lil-lamn (a mercy to the worlds), is a source of