Exegesis of Quran 2:260 An Exploration of Divine Power and Wisdom
Introduction
Verse 260 of Surah Al-Baqarah, like a clear mirror, reflects the supplication of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) to witness the manner in which the dead are revived. It opens a window towards understanding the gradations of Divine power and wisdom. This verse, through the narration of the dialogue between Abraham (peace be upon him) and the Almighty, not only elucidates the modality of divine resurrection but also serves as an invitation to contemplate the immense capacities of the Holy Quran for the generation of knowledge and spiritual authority. This discourse, adopting a systematic and scholarly perspective, analyses this verse and compares it with other Quranic verses, while providing a methodological critique of passivity in utilising the Quran. It proposes a strategy for the scientific and spiritual revival of religious disciplines. The structure of this investigation is thematically divided to explore the levels of power, critique current approaches, and advocate for scientific dynamism.
Part One: The Text and Translation of the Verse
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ أَرِنِي كَيْفَ تُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ ۖ قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِنْ ۖ قَالَ بَلَىٰ وَلَٰكِنْ لِيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي ۖ قَالَ فَخُذْ أَرْبَعَةً مِنَ الطَّيْرِ فَصُرْهُنَّ إِلَيْكَ ثُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِنْهُنَّ جُزْءًا ثُمَّ ادْعُهُنَّ يَأْتِينَكَ سَعْيًا ۚ وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ (البقرة: 260)
And when Abraham said: "My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead." He said: "Have you not believed?" He said: "Yes, but [I ask] that my heart may be satisfied." He said: "Take four birds, then slice them and place a portion of them on every hill, then call them; they will come hastening to you. And know that Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise."
Structural Analysis of the Verse
Verse 260 of Surah Al-Baqarah, in reference to the term وَاذْكُرْ in preceding verses, constitutes a segment of the Quranic narrative series concerning the Prophets. This verse portrays a dialogue between Abraham (peace be upon him) and God, wherein Abraham is not pursuing the act of resurrecting the dead but rather the understanding of its manner. His request, articulated by أَرِنِي كَيْفَ تُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ, signifies the desire to witness the process of revival rather than to perform it. The Divine response, referencing Abrahams faith and emphasising hearts reassurance, culminates in an experimental procedure involving four birds. Abrahams role is confined to the killing and calling of the birds, while the act of resurrection is wholly attributed to God.
Key Point: The Intermediate Level of Power
Verse 260 of Surah Al-Baqarah, due to Abrahams active role in the killing and observation of the resurrection process, belongs to the category of intermediate power verses, positioned between the passive (Azrs verses) and the supreme (ss verses).
Part Two: Levels of Power in Quranic Verses
Classification of Verses: Passive, Intermediate, and Supreme
The Holy Quran classifies the verses related to Divine power into three levels: passive, intermediate, and supreme. This classification is role of the Prophets in the processes of death and resurrection:
- Passive (Daniyyt): Verses in which Prophets have a passive role, being mere witnesses to Divine power, such as verse 259 of Surah Al-Baqarah concerning Azr.
- Intermediate (Mutawassit): Verses where Prophets participate partially in the process (e.g., the killing), but resurrection is by God, as in verse 260 of Surah Al-Baqarah.
- Supreme (liyt): Verses where Prophets, by Gods permission, themselves perform resurrection and creation, such as verse 49 of Surah Al-Imrn about Jesus (peace be upon him).
Analysis of the Azr Verse (2:259)
أَوْ كَالَّذِي مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍ وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا قَالَ أَنَّىٰ يُحْيِي هَٰذِهِ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۖ فَأَمَاتَهُ اللَّهُ مِائَةَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ (البقرة: 259)
Or [consider] the one who passed by a township which had fallen into ruin. He said, "How will Allah bring this to life after its death?" So Allah caused him to die for a hundred years; then He revived him.
In this verse, Azr is a mere observer of Divine power. He holds no active role in either death or resurrection and attains only the knowledge of Divine might (أَعْلَمُ). This passivity places the verse in the category of passive power. The unity and perfection of Azrs faith, distinguishing him from disordered belief, ensures the success of his experience.
Key Point: Azrs Passive Role
Azr in verse 259 is solely an observer of Divine power with no active role in death or resurrection, situating the verse among the passive level.
Analysis of the Verse on Death (2:243)
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ خَرَجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ ۖ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ اللَّهُ مُوتُوا ثُمَّ أَحْيَاهُمْ (البقرة: 243)
Have you not considered those who left their homes in multitudes fearing death? Allah said to them, "Die"; then He restored them to life.
Here, a group described as multitudes (disordered and numerous) die by Divine command and are then resurrected. Their voluntary death represents a form of authority, yet their disordered nature confines this verse to the passive category. The verse emphasises human capacity to participate in the death process, while resurrection remains a Divine act.
Analysis of the s Verses (3:49, 5:110)
وَرَسُولًا إِلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنِّي قَدْ جِئْتُكُمْ بِآيَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ ۖ أَنِّي أَخْلُقُ لَ
