Verse 88 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with its remarkable brevity and profound eloquence, examines the reactions of groups of human beings towards divine guidance and the consequences of their disbelief. This verse, by referencing the sinners claim that "Our hearts are in coverings," and the resolute response of the Lord who attributes their disbelief to divine curse, unveils the truth of human responsibility and refutes deterministic justifications.
This treatise, employing theological, psychological, and philosophical approaches, elucidates the meanings of ghulf (coverings), disbelief, and divine curse, and, through an in-depth look at human behaviour, underscores the necessity of self-awareness and reformation. The structure of this section, grounded in the lecture content and exegetical analyses, is organised methodically to suit expert audiences and academic environments.
Translation: And they said: "Our hearts are in coverings"; nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, therefore they believe only little.
Verse 88 of Surah Al-Baqarah is presented in three principal segments: firstly, the sinners claim, "Our hearts are in coverings"; secondly, the divine response, "Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief"; and thirdly, the divine conclusion, "Therefore they believe only little." This structure, utilising conciseness and rhetorical emphasis (idrb), refutes the sinners deterministic claim and accentuates the responsibility for their deeds.
The word ghulf linguistically denotes a hard and sealed covering that prevents any light or life from penetrating inside. Contrary to some interpretations that construe it as a lock or an external cover, in this verse ghulf signifies a complete blockage of the heart and absence of spiritual vitality. The sinners, by claiming "Our hearts are in coverings," attribute their sins to divine creation, asserting that their hearts are made incapable of accepting guidance.
The sinners claim that their hearts are inherently enclosed constitutes a grave accusation against the Lord. This allegation assigns sins such as denial and the killing of prophets to human nature or divine creation, thereby negating human responsibility. From a theological standpoint, this approach denies divine justice; from a psychological perspective, it represents a defence mechanism of projection. Instead of accepting responsibility for their deeds, the sinners attribute disbelief and sin to God, as if He created them inevitably prone to sin.
Certain exegeses have reduced the meaning of "Our hearts are in coverings" to mockery of the prophets or a claim of sufficient knowledge (arrogance). These interpretations, lacking credible evidence, overlook the profound meaning of the verse. Mockery or arrogance are overt or psychological sins, whereas the accusation against divine creation is an inner disbelief that leads to denial of Gods justice. This distinction, from a theological perspective, reveals the gravity of the sinners accusation.
The first segment of the verse, by presenting the claim "Our hearts are in coverings," points to the sinners attempt to justify their sins by attributing them to divine creation. The meaning of ghulf is a complete blockage of the heart and lack of spiritual vitality, not a lock or external cover. This claim, rooted in projection and denial of responsibility, leads, from a theological viewpoint, to inner disbelief and, from a psychological perspective, to surrender in the face of truth.
The phrase "Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief" begins with the word bal (an emphatic particle), which firmly rejects the sinners claim. God declares their disbelief as the cause of their deviation and divine curse, not any defect in creation. From a rhetorical viewpoint, this response changes the arguments direction, negating the sinners deterministic claim; from a theological standpoint, it confirms divine justice and human responsibility.
The divine curse, implying exclusion and deprivation of Gods mercy, results from the sinners disbelief. This disbelief, arising from lust, arrogance, denial, and killing of prophets, is the principal cause of deviation and deprivation. This causal chain, from a theological perspective, emphasises human accountability for their deeds. Gods assertion that the curse is a consequence of disbelief refutes any accusation towards creation.
Contrary to some who consider divine curse as preceding disbelief, the verse clarifies that disbelief precedes the curse, and the curse is the outcome of their actions. Philosophically, this precedence highlights human free will; theologically, it underlines divine justice. Sinful acts (such as denial and murder of prophets) result in disbelief, which warrants divine curse.
Gods beautiful names (such as Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim) are intrinsic and primary, meaning that God bestows His mercy and kindness inherently and unconditionally. However, His majestic names (such as curse and punishment) are secondary intrinsic, manifesting only in response to human actions. God does not inherently curse or punish anyone; these sanctions are the consequences of human disbelief and sin.
The divine response in "Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief" rejects the sinners deterministic claim and emphasises disbelief as the cause of the curse. The divine curse results from sinful acts rooted in lust, arrogance, and denial. This section, by clarifying the causal relationship between disbelief and curse, underscores divine justice and human responsibility.
The phrase "Therefore they believe only little" refers to the small number of believers, not the weakness or quality of faith. Rhetorically, it emphasises the quantity of faithful individuals; theologically, it alludes to Gods testing of humans in guidance. Some interpretations that render this phrase as weak faith diverge from the original meaning of the verse.
In this verse, God first rejects the covering claim with affirmative evidence ("Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief") and then presents negative evidence ("Therefore they believe only little") to demonstrate that the existence of some believers invalidates the notion of inherent covering. If hearts were inherently enclosed, no one would believe, but the existence of believers refutes this claim.
Contrary to Aristotelian logic which recommends presenting negative evidence first to weaken the opponent, God introduces affirmative evidence initially to argue generously. This logic, from a theological perspective, manifests divine honesty and justice; from a logical viewpoint, it avoids fallacies. God thus clarifies the truth before refuting the sinners claim with negative evidence.
The phrase "Therefore they believe only little" indicates a limited number of believers and invalidates the inherent covering claim by negative evidence. The divine logic, prioritising affirmative over negative evidence, avoids fallacies and stresses justice and sincerity. This section, by explicating sparse faith and coherent divine reasoning, points to the possibility of guidance even among sinners.
The claim "Our hearts are in coverings" exemplifies psychological projection, a defence mechanism employed by sinners to escape responsibility. This behaviour stems from fear and cowardice that prevent
