Verses 122 and 123 of Surah Al-Baqarah, continuing the Qur'anic discourse with the Children of Israel, focus on the divine blessings, the preference of this people over their contemporaries, and the imperative of piety on the Day of Resurrection. These verses, while elucidating the historical and religious status of the Children of Israel, convey universal messages for the guidance of humanity. The present treatise, adopting a scholarly and specialised approach, analyses these verses and, through a profound examination of Quranic concepts, explores the human responsibility towards divine blessings and preparedness for the Day of Judgement. The structure of this text is designed to preserve all details and meanings, presenting the concepts systematically in a lofty and academic style befitting erudite audiences.
Verses 122 and 123 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with the direct invocation Y Ban Isrl, call the Children of Israel to recall the divine blessings and their superiority over their contemporary peoples. This address holds special significance due to their extensive history, the multitude of prophets, and the large population of the Children of Israel. They were a distinguished nation in the history of religions by virtue of receiving heavenly scriptures such as the Torah and the mission of prophets like Abraham, Jacob, and Moses. These characteristics differentiated them from their contemporaries and imposed a weighty responsibility upon them.
O Children of Israel, remember My favour which I bestowed upon you and that I preferred you above the worlds.
This verse invites the Children of Israel to reflect upon divine blessings, especially the blessing of revelation and the heavenly scripture, and the superiority they attained over their contemporaries through these blessings. The term udhkur (remember) signifies attention and recollection of a matter that may have been neglected or lost. The past tense form in anamtu points to a blessing granted in the past which may now have been lost due to disobedience or neglect.
The phrase nimat is singular and denotes the specific blessing of revelation and the heavenly scripture, not multiple material blessings. This blessing, due to its connection with the Divine Essence, holds an extraordinary magnitude and transcends material blessings such as food or wealth. Revelation, as the greatest divine favour, serves as the means of guidance and human felicity, and its central position is underscored in this verse. With the revelation of the Qurn, prior heavenly scriptures lost their operative validity and following, although their sanctity remains preserved.
The phrase faaltukum al al-lamn signifies the superiority of the Children of Israel over contemporary peoples, such as disbelievers and polytheists, due to receiving revelation, knowledge, and prophets. This preference was conditional upon adherence to religious commitments and was rescinded upon disobedience and deviation. With the rise of Islam, this superiority was transferred to the Islamic Ummah, since the Children of Israel either embraced Islam, became indifferent, or remained as minorities. The term al-lamn in this verse is restricted to the contemporary peoples of the Children of Israel, not encompassing all humanity until the Day of Resurrection.
These verses serve as the conclusion of the Quranic addresses to the Children of Israel, which commenced from verse 40 of Surah Al-Baqarah, and provide a summary of their responsibilities regarding divine blessings. The core of this discourse revolves around blessings, covenant fidelity, and piety, with verses 122 and 123 representing the zenith of this address. The discord among the People of the Book, particularly Jews and Christians, after receiving divine knowledge and clear proofs (wa-m ikhtalafa alladhna t al-kitba ill min bad m jathumu al-bayynt) led to their spiritual decline and loss of preference.
And fear a Day when no soul will avail another soul at all, nor will any compensation be accepted from it, nor will any intercession benefit it, nor will they be helped.
Verse 123, with focus on the Day of Resurrection, emphasises the necessity of piety and preparedness for the Day of Judgement. This verse delineates four characteristics of the Day of Resurrection: no substitution of souls, no acceptance of ransom, inefficacy of intercession, and absence of assistance. These features sequentially demonstrate the severity of divine justice and individual accountability for deeds.
The term wa-ittaq connotes watchfulness, prudence, and regard for the greatness, mercy, and beauty of God, rather than simple fear of God. God, due to His attributes of beauty, perfection, and mercy, is not terrifying; rather, piety is an invitation to reflection on His magnificence and compassion. Translating wa-ittaq as fear is incorrect and incompatible with divine truth, since fear-centredness conflicts with Gods merciful attributes. This perspective seeks to rectify misconceptions of piety and emphasise its positive relational dimensions with God.
Overemphasis on the fear of Hell, instead of focusing on divine mercy and beauty, has led to the weakening of Islamic culture and the cultural backwardness of Muslims in attracting others. Colonialism, by propagating violence and fear, distorted religious concepts like kindness and purity into brutality. This distortion caused deviation from authentic Islamic culture and estrangement from genuine religious values. Religious sciences, particularly in scientific domains, must revive the culture of divine lordship and spirituality to guide society from violence towards kindness.
The imposed war, by inflicting violence upon the Shia culturewhich is inherently filled with kindness and oppressionresulted in the propagation of violence within society. The Shia and Iranians, although naturally kind, demonstrated unparalleled heroism in this war. The crossing of the Arvand Rud by combatants, motivated by faith and love of God and the Resurrection, is a remarkable phenomenon in the history of wars. However, the absence of cultural and psychological quarantine after the war led to the continuation of violence in society. The community required planning for a return to spiritual and ethical values, which was not realised due to weak social management.
Attributing the successes of combatants, such as crossing the Arvand Rud, to jinn is simplistic and erroneous, undermining the grandeur of their faith. Likewise, narrations that naively absolve major sins by simple intercession are undocumented and influenced by Israiliyat. This critique emphasises the necessity of scientific and rational analysis of historical phenomena and avoidance of superstition.
Although verses 122 and 123 are addressed to the Children of Israel, their messagesespecially the call to piety on the Day of Resurrectionapply to all humans. This inclusiveness attests to the universality and comprehensiveness of the Holy Quran in guiding humanity. The phrase wa-ittaq yawman encompasses all people, including the prophets, inviting preparedness for the Day of Judgement.
The Holy Quran regards this world as the farm of the Hereafter (ad-duny mazraatu al-khirah), meaning whatever is planted in this world will be harvested in the Hereafter. The verse man kna f hdhihi am fahuwa f al-khirah am (Al-Isr: 72) emphasises the direct correlation between worldly health and afterlife felicity. One who is spiritually blind in this world will also be so in the Hereafter. If the world becomes a garbage dump instead of a farm, the eschatological consequences will lead to Hell.
Poverty, illness, and adversity are incompatible with the spirit of Islam. A Muslim is characterised by health, strength, and dignity. The
