Verse 102 of Surah Al-Baqarah, as one of the pivotal verses in the Holy Quran, unveils the complexities inherent in the interaction between divine and carnal forces during the reign of King Solomon. This verse, focusing on the concepts of magic, sorcery, discord, and disbelief, scrutinises the conduct of a group of corrupt individuals who, by following devils, challenged the prophetic authority of Solomon. This treatise, adopting a scholarly and systematic approach, provides an exacting analysis of the verse, employing refined allegories and literary references, whilst preserving the contents authenticity, thereby rendering it accessible to expert and academic audiences. The structure of the text is designed with thematic divisions to facilitate a deeper understanding of the verses meanings and its ramifications in the philosophical, theological, and sociological domains.
As a prophet of the Israelite lineage, Solomon symbolises prophetic power through his divine authority, which encompassed dominion over the wind, jinn, and angels, thereby representing prophetic potency against carnal forces. The distinction between Abrahamic and Israelite prophets alludes to cultural and religious variances in religious history, akin to two branches of a venerable tree, each bearing its own unique fruit.
This exegetical approach, grounded in the principle of The Book of Allah suffices us, protects from distortions caused by unauthentic narrations and insists on direct extraction from the Holy Quran. This method is analogous to a miner seeking only genuine gems in a mine, disregarding worthless stones.
The term And they followed refers to this faction, who were elites and influential in society, joining with sorcerers in opposition to Solomon. This conduct is comparable to dim stars attaching to a dark planet that has lost its light and moves toward darkness.
The phrase what the devils recited upon Solomons kingdom signifies a systematic combat by devils against Solomon, who withstood their magical incantations and sorcery through divine miracles. This confrontation resembles a struggle between light and darkness, wherein divine light invariably prevails.
The use of recited for the sorcerers incantations denotes the gravity and reality of magic, and prevents disrespect even toward adversaries. This conduct resembles chivalry in battle, where respect is accorded to the enemy.
Contrary to popular belief, the devils incantations were a systematic collection of prayers and scriptural verses that leveraged supernatural forces, such as jinn and angels, for sorcery. These spells acted like keys that unlocked hidden doors to the unseen world but were employed for malevolent purposes.
The phrase Solomon did not disbelieve indicates that although the devils magic affected Solomon and his intimates (such as his wife or children), it did not cause him to apostatise. These effects resemble waves crashing upon the shore of faith but unable to overthrow it.
The phrase but the devils disbelieved illustrates that magic, beyond affecting others, also led the sorcerers to anxiety and disbelief. This disbelief is like a shadow cast upon the dark hearts of devils, distancing them from the light of truth.
The verse implicitly refers to the devils strategy of targeting the prophets intimates. This is analogous to attacking the pillars of a grand edifice that, though not causing its collapse, destabilises it.
