Verse 63 of Surah Al-Baqarah, as part of the continuous discourse concerning the Children of Israel, alludes to one of the pivotal events in the history of this nation, namely the divine covenant and the raising of Mount Tur above their heads. This verse, due to its engagement with profound theological, linguistic, and historical topics, holds a distinguished position within Qur'anic exegesis. The principal axis of this examination is a meticulous analysis of this verse alongside a comparative study with verse 171 of Surah Al-Arf, which refers to a similar incident. These two verses, with their lexical and semantic differences, raise fundamental questions regarding the nature of the event (miraculous or natural), the sequence of covenant-taking and mountain-raising, and the theological challenges associated with compulsion in faith. This treatise, adopting a scientific and academic approach, analyses these issues and integrates lecture content with interpretative exegesis to elucidate the subtleties of these verses. The objective is to provide a comprehensive and coherent interpretation that, while faithful to the Qur'anic text, serves as a guide for researchers and scholarly audiences in the domain of Quranic sciences.
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ الطُّورَ خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَاكُمْ بِقُوَّةٍ وَاذْكُرُوا مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
"And when We took your covenant and raised above you the Mount (Tur), [saying], Take what We have given you with strength and remember what is therein that you may become pious."
This verse, in its structure, encompasses several key elements: the taking of the covenant from the Children of Israel, the raising of Mount Tur, the command to receive the Torah with strength, and the admonition to remember its contents for the purpose of attaining piety. These segments, from a rhetorical perspective, blend historical narration, divine command, and spiritual objective, serving as a mirror reflecting the past of the nation to their eyes so that they may derive lessons.
Verses 63 and 64 of Surah Al-Baqarah appear within the broader discourse regarding the Children of Israel, which in preceding verses (such as verses 57 and 60) refer respectively to divine blessings (manna and quail) and the miracle of Moses staff. This context portrays the tumultuous relationship of the Children of Israel with divine guidance and their recurrent disobedience. Verse 63, emphasising the covenant and the raising of Tur, constitutes a pivotal point in this narrative that both demonstrates divine miracle and highlights the nations disobedience.
Verse 2:63, with its rhetorical structure and multilayered content, not only presents a historical account of the Children of Israel but also raises profound questions regarding the nature of the divine covenant and the manner of raising Mount Tur. This verse functions as a bridge linking the past with spiritual lessons for the present, inviting the researcher to contemplate the intricacies of divine speech.
وَإِذْ نَطَقْنَا الْجَبَلَ فَوْقَهُمْ كَأَنَّهُ ظُلَّةٌ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُ وَاقِعٌ بِهِمْ خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَاكُمْ بِقُوَّةٍ وَاذْكُرُوا مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
"And when We caused the mountain to speak above them as though it were a canopy, and they thought it would fall upon them; take what We have given you with strength and remember what is therein that you may become pious."
This verse provides a similar narrative to verse 2:63 but with lexical and semantic differences that warrant careful analysis. The concluding part of both verses, namely the command to receive the Torah with strength and remember its contents, is identical; however, the opening segments of the verses differ significantly.
These differences, from lexical and rhetorical viewpoints, raise questions about the nature of the event (miraculous versus natural).
The identical phrase "Take what We have given you with strength and remember what is therein that you may become pious" in both verses underscores a unified message: emphasising the acceptance of the Torah with vigour and the remembrance of its contents to attain piety. This unity resembles a shared melody rendered in two distinct vocal tones.
The comparison of verse 2:63 of Surah Al-Baqarah with verse 7:171 of Surah Al-Arf reveals lexical and semantic distinctions that impact the interpretation of the event. While the concluding parts affirm a common purpose of accepting the Torah and cultivating piety, the openings provoke reflection on the miraculous or natural character of the event. These differences invite the scholar to delve into the linguistic and theological subtleties of the Quranic text.
