Verse 58 of Surah Al-Baqarah, like a radiant gem in the Divine Word, presents a comprehensive blueprint of the faithful life and the imperatives of Islamic community building. This verse, revealed within the Quranic narrative concerning the Children of Israel, addresses profound themes such as entry into a verdant and blessed society, enjoyment of divine bounties, humility before the Truth, and seeking forgiveness for transgressions. This treatise, adopting a scientific and systematic perspective, explores the meanings and implications of this verse and, by integrating precise analyses and supplementary explanations, delineates an ideal model of a faithful community. The objective is to offer a coherent and exalted exegesis that caters to the scholarly needs of researchers and erudite audiences, whilst employing Persian metaphors and allegories to manifest the epistemic depth of the verse.
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا ادْخُلُوا هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَدًا وَادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُولُوا حِطَّةٌ نَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَايَاكُمْ ۚ وَسَنَزِيدُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
And when We said: Enter this town and eat from it wherever you will in abundance, and enter the gate humbly and say: Forgiveness so that We may forgive your sins; and We will surely increase the good-doers.
Summary of Section One: The text of Verse 58 of Surah Al-Baqarah, like a divine map, guides the entry into a verdant and blessed society marked by humility, repentance, and benevolence. This verse, with lucid and profound language, outlines the principles of the faithful life and emphasizes the importance of balance between material and spiritual realms.
Verse 58 of Surah Al-Baqarah, by presenting a comprehensive model of the faithful life, serves as a guiding light for contemporary societies, emphasising the balance between material prosperity and spiritual faith.
This verse, like a beacon along the path of Islamic communities, stresses the necessity of establishing a society in which material welfare and health are intertwined with faith, sincerity, and humility. Such a framework not only portrays the ideal of religion but also provides valuable guidance for todays societies entangled in the complexities of material and spiritual challenges.
Verse 58 depicts a society where a prosperous and wholesome life coexists with faith, sincerity, and humility.
This model, like a lush garden, represents the ultimate goal of religion, wherein humans not only benefit from material blessings but also advance towards spiritual perfection through faith and humility. This balance, symbolically illustrated by the enjoyment of the towns bounties and humility before the Divine threshold, manifests Divine wisdom in linking the material with the spiritual.
The ideal society portrayed in Verse 58 will only be fully actualised in the era of the emergence of Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance), and throughout history, such a society has never been fully realised.
This ideal, like a lofty peak, demonstrates the dependency of the complete realisation of the faithful society upon special and Divine conditions. Human history, save for rare exceptions, has not witnessed such a community, and Verse 59 which refers to the failure of the Children of Israel attests to this reality.
Verse 59 (So those who did wrong changed the word to one other than that which had been said to them) indicates that the Children of Israel failed to establish the faithful society and were consequently subjected to Divine punishment.
This failure, like a mirror, reflects the result of disobedience and deviation from Divine commandments. The Children of Israel, who were commanded to enter humbly and seek forgiveness, diverted from the path of truth by altering the Divine word and thus incurred celestial chastisement.
Summary of Section Two: Verse 58 of Surah Al-Baqarah, by outlining a model of faithful life, stresses the necessity of balance between material welfare and spiritual faith. This verse depicts an ideal society that will be fully realised only in the Mahdavi era. The failure of the Children of Israel, as noted in the following verse, serves as a warning on the necessity of adhering strictly to Divine commandments to realise this ideal.
The Islamic society, feasible in current conditions, differs from the faithful society; the Islamic society has an external and general structure, whereas the faithful society is ideal and imbued with genuine belief.
The Islamic society, like a tree with visible branches and leaves, is structured according to the apparent injunctions of Islam, while the faithful society, akin to a ripe fruit, requires deep faith, sincerity, and humility. This distinction emphasises the necessity of accepting social realities in the Islamic society and avoiding idealistic expectations.
Confounding the Islamic society with the faithful society leads to disorder and potentially the collapse of the Islamic society.
This confusion, like mixing oil and water, results only in chaos and failure. Unrealistic expectations from the Islamic society, still in its early or intermediate stages of development, may precipitate the disintegration of its structures.
Summary of Section Three: Distinguishing between the Islamic and faithful societies is key to understanding stages of social development in Islam. The Islamic society, as a superficial framework, must gradually and flexibly move towards the faithful society, and conflating the two constitutes a serious impediment on this path.
The phrase "Enter this town" (ادْخُلُوا هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ) refers to a free and tranquil entry into the town, incompatible with coercion or forced intrusion.
This command, like an invitation to a Divine banquet, emphasises freedom and serenity in entering the faithful society. Contrary to "storm" (اقتحموا) or "forceful entry" (ولوجی), "enter" (ادخلوا) indicates a peaceful and voluntary approach consistent with Islamic principles.
Entering the town is analogous to entering a holy sanctuary, which is done with permission, freely and peacefully.
This analogy, like a watermark, underscores the sanctity and respectfulness required for entry into the faithful society. Just as a pilgrim enters a sanctuary humbly and with permission, entry into the town must be accompanied by decorum and tranquillity.
The Islamic society must be guided with leniency and calm; harsh and violent methods contradict Islamic principles.
This principle, like a breeze gently swaying the branches of a tree, stresses the necessity of peaceful management of society. Harsh and coercive methods are not only incompatible with the spirit of Islam but lead to turmoil and failure.
Quranic interpretation must be as precise and orderly as chess, avoiding patching together disparate materials.
This analogy, like a chessboard where each piece assumes meaning in its proper place, underscores the necessity of coherence and precision in exegesis. Fragmented and unscientific interpretations cannot adequately convey the depth of the Divine Word.
Summary of Section Four: Entry into the faithful society requires freedom, tranquillity, and humility. These principles, elegantly outlined in Verse 58, stress peaceful and orderly methods in both interpretation and leadership of society.
The Noble Quran introduces three types of societies: Qarya (elementary society), Balad (intermediate society), and Madinah (advanced and law-based society).
This classification, like a ladder to perfection, delineates various stages of social development. The Qarya, like a seed in soil, is elementary and simple; the Balad, like a growing sapling, has structure; and the Madinah, like a mighty tree, is law-based and civilised.
Qarya is an elementary society in which primary needs (eating and drinking) are fulfilled, and a simple life prevails.
Qarya, like virgin land, is a foundation for social movement. This society, by meeting basic needs, necessitates growth and development but has not yet attained the order and lawfulness of a Madinah.
Balad is an intermediate society with some structure and relative progress, more advanced than Qarya.
Balad, like a city under construction, possesses initial structures and relative advancement. This society represents a step towards civilisation but has not yet achieved the full lawfulness of Madinah.
Madinah is an advanced and law-bound society characterised by order, regulation, and civilisation.
Madinah, like an ideal city, exemplifies the ultimate Islamic societal model with lawfulness and civilisation. This society, centred on order and faith, is guided towards perfection.
The phrase "this town" (هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ) refers to an elementary society that is neither ordered nor constructed but requires growth and development.
This Qarya, like fertile soil, possesses potential to become a Balad or Madinah, provided it progresses with effort and proper guidance.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) transformed Yathrib into Madinah, not merely by renaming, but by establishing Islamic civilisation and lawfulness.
This transformation, like turning stone into a gem, resulted from instituting civilisation and piety in Yathrib. The Prophet (peace be upon him) provided a practical model of a law-based Islamic society by founding Madinah.
Changing the names of places (such as villages to cities) without altering content and structure lacks civilisational value.
This critique, like a warning to civilisation architects, stresses the necessity of genuine transformation in infrastructure and culture to achieve urbanisation.
Summary of Section Five: The Noble Quran, by introducing Qarya, Balad, and Madinah, outlines stages of social development. The Qarya in Verse 58, as an elementary society, requires effort to become a law-based Madinah. The transformation of Yathrib to Madinah by the Prophet provides a practical paradigm of this process.
The Qarya in Verse 58 is related to the Holy Land (Surah Al-Maidah, Verse 21: O my people, enter the Holy Land which Allah has prescribed for you and do not turn back and thus become losers.
) whose Divine charter belongs to the Children of Israel.
يَا قَوْمِ ادْخُلُوا الْأَرْضَ الْمُقَدَّسَةَ الَّتِي كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا عَلَىٰ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنْقَلِبُوا خَاسِرِينَ
The Holy Land, like a jewel in Divine history, is a region whose charter is attributed to the Children of Israel in the Noble Quran and the books of the Old Testament.
The Holy Land, known as Jerusalem, was established by David (peace be upon him) and is distinct from Jericho (associated with Moses).
Jerusalem, as a lofty edifice, was founded by David (peace be upon him) and distinguished itself as a religious and civilisational centre, separate from the Jericho of Moses.
The Holy Land is a lush and fertile region where the blessings of manna and quails naturally exist without requiring any heavenly miracle.
This verdure, akin to an earthly paradise, indicates the natural suitability of the region for life and development, devoid of any miraculous attribution.
Throughout history, Muslims have been unable to effectively preserve the documentation of the Holy Land or to utilise its potential accordingly.
This failure, like losing a precious gem, results from the lack of scientific and practical endeavour to prove the religious and historical legitimacy of the Holy Land.
The ongoing dispute over the Holy Land arises from the parties' refusal to accept its division and their efforts to gain complete control over it.
This conflict, akin to a war over a shared treasure, is the outcome of exploiting divine blessings and ingratitude towards them.
Verse 21 of Surah Al-Maidah (And do not turn back on your heels [to flee], for then you will lose [all your gains].) warns that turning away from the Holy Land leads to loss and detriment.
This warning, like a clarion call to awaken, emphasises human responsibility in preserving divine trusts and refraining from ingratitude.
Exploitation of the Holy Lands suitability, instead of proper utilisation, has resulted in the production of wine and corruption.
This deviation, like poisoning a clear spring, stems from ingratitude and misuse of divine blessings.
Summary of Section Six:
The Holy Land, as a verdant and blessed village, provided the ground for the realisation of a faithful community; however, the failure of the Children of Israel and the passivity of Muslims hindered its proper utilisation. Current conflicts and misuse of the lands blessings serve as a warning to return to divine principles.
Israel, as a political entity, is neither Jewish nor Christian but rather has a secular and irreligious nature.
This critique, like unveiling a mask, emphasises the separation of Israels political identity from Abrahamic religions and its exploitation of religious titles.
The dominant culture in Israel is completely secular and distant from Judaism and Christianity, although it seemingly benefits from these religions.
This distance, like a gap between appearance and reality, indicates the instrumental use of religion for political objectives.
The Taliban, resembling the Kharijites and Nahrawan, lack genuine connection to Islam and possess a non-Muslim nature.
These groups, like wolves in sheeps clothing, misuse Islamic titles and have distanced themselves from the principles of love and guardianship.
Colonial powers have institutionalised secular culture in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine by instigating conflicts.
This strategy, like planting a poisonous seed, aims to weaken Islamic identity and replace it with secular values.
Electoral processes in Iraq and Afghanistan have been rigged in favour of secular forces, marginalising the Shia majority.
This fraud, like tampering with the scales of justice, forms part of the secular cultural institutionalisation plan.
The delay in resolving conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine serves to mature and consolidate secular culture in these regions.
This delay, like soaking rice overnight before cooking, is designed to establish secular culture and weaken Islam.
Muslims, through passivity and focus on non-essential matters, have failed to counter the institutionalisation of secular culture.
This passivity, like sleeping through a storm, results from a lack of strategy and awareness regarding civilisational challenges.
Summary of Section Seven:
The critique of secular culture and Muslim passivity is a warning for the necessity of awareness and action against civilisational challenges. Groups such as the Taliban and Israel, through exploitation of religious titles, threaten Islamic identity.
Misinterpretations that understand sujjadan in And enter the gate in prostration as physical prostration or bowing are entirely erroneous.
This critique, like correcting an error on a map, stresses the need for rational interpretation and avoidance of illogical readings.
Sujjadan signifies humility, meekness, and gentleness rather than physical prostration or bowing, since physical prostration in a passageway is impossible.
Humility, like a flower in the garden of faith, is a prerequisite for entry into the faithful community. Physical prostration in a passageway is illogical, and the verse emphasises civilised conduct.
Verse 58, by emphasising humility, rejects Bedouin conduct (rudeness and harshness) within urban society.
This rejection, like an invitation to civilisation, stresses the necessity of social etiquette and avoidance of improper behaviour.
Hitta denotes a request for repentance and forgiveness from past misconducts (such as Bedouin behaviour).
This request, like a key to open the doors of mercy, demonstrates readiness to enter the faithful community.
The command to say Hitta aloud engages the human ear and consolidates repentance psychologically.
This psychological approach, like water pouring into a basin from multiple sources, strengthens repentances effect through various senses.
Pronouncing repentance aloud involves the ear and, through multiple senses (seeing, hearing, thinking), stabilises repentance.
This process, like an engraving on stone, increases the permanence and stability of repentance in the human psyche.
Speaking repentance aloud dispels pride and enhances humility and meekness within a person.
This effect, like a breeze clearing dust from the heart, highlights the importance of humility in a faithful life.
The notion that saying repentance aloud is for show is mistaken and leads to hypocrisy and ostentation.
This critique, like a warning to seekers of truth, emphasises sincerity in repentance and avoidance of religious display.
Repentance must be for the health of ones self, not for attracting others attention or proving something to them.
This principle, like a clear spring, underscores authenticity and sincerity in religious acts and their psychological impact.
Summary of Section Eight:
Humility and repentance are two essential pillars for entering the faithful community. Verse 58, by emphasising prostration and Hitta, guides humans towards civilised behaviour and sincere repentance, while the critique of misinterpretations underscores the necessity of rational interpretation.
Loud recitations in prayer (such as Fajr and Maghrib) are designed to engage the entire being of a person and strengthen spiritual impact.
This variety, like different melodies in the symphony of faith, aims to create psychological and spiritual balance in worship.
Variations in loud or quiet recitation parts of prayer serve to introduce psychological diversity and prevent monotony in worship.
This diversity, like various colours in a painting, highlights divine wisdom in designing acts of worship and their effect on the soul.
The phrase and We will increase the doers of good refers to the augmentation of the reward of the righteous in future, both qualitatively and temporally distinct.
This augmentation, like rain falling upon fertile land, indicates divine attention towards the benevolent.
Nazeed implies increase in the present, whereas Sanzeed denotes increase in the future, illustrating divine omnipotence.
This distinction, like a display of infinite power, emphasises continuity of reward over time.
The doers of good, owing to benevolence in knowledge and deed, enjoy greater spiritual benefits and perfection within the faithful community.
This reward, like fruit from the tree of faith, results from ethical and spiritual endeavours towards realising the faithful community.
Summary of Section Nine:
Manifest remembrance and reward for the doers of good are two key elements in verse 58 that emphasise the efficacy of worship and divine attention towards the benevolent. These elements guide humans towards spiritual elevation and participation in the faithful community.
The exegesis of verse 58 of Surah Al-Baqarah, akin to a journey into the depths of divine speech, sketches an ideal model of the faithful community wherein material welfare and spiritual faith are balanced. This verse, emphasising humility, repentance, and benevolence, directs humans towards a healthy and civilised life. The differentiation between village, town, and city elucidates stages of social development and the prophets roles in civilisational construction. The Holy Land, as a fertile village, provided the foundation for this ideal; however, the failure of the Children of Israel and the passivity of Muslims obstructed its proper utilisation. The critique of secular culture and deviant groups serves as a warning for the necessity of awareness and action against civilisational challenges. This analysis, integrating main content and supplementary explanations, strives to provide a scholarly and dignified interpretation that paves the way for future research in Quranic sociology and faith ethics.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
