2:155 Al-Baqara (The Cow)

أخبر تعالى أنه لا بد أن يبتلي عباده بالمحن, ليتبين الصادق من الكاذب, والجازع من الصابر, وهذه سنته تعالى في عباده؛ لأن السراء لو استمرت لأهل الإيمان, ولم يحصل معها محنة, لحصل الاختلاط الذي هو فساد, وحكمة الله تقتضي تمييز أهل الخير من أهل الشر. هذه فائدة المحن, لا إزالة ما مع المؤمنين من الإيمان, ولا ردهم عن دينهم, فما كان الله ليضيع إيمان المؤمنين، فأخبر في هذه الآية أنه سيبتلي عباده { بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ } من الأعداء { وَالْجُوعِ } أي: بشيء يسير منهما؛ لأنه لو ابتلاهم بالخوف كله, أو الجوع, لهلكوا, والمحن تمحص لا تهلك. { وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ } وهذا يشمل جميع النقص المعتري للأموال من جوائح سماوية, وغرق, وضياع, وأخذ الظلمة للأموال من الملوك الظلمة, وقطاع الطريق وغير ذلك. { وَالْأَنْفُسِ } أي: ذهاب الأحباب من الأولاد, والأقارب, والأصحاب, ومن أنواع الأمراض في بدن العبد, أو بدن من يحبه، { وَالثَّمَرَاتِ } أي: الحبوب, وثمار النخيل, والأشجار كلها, والخضر ببرد, أو برد, أو حرق, أو آفة سماوية, من جراد ونحوه. فهذه الأمور, لا بد أن تقع, لأن العليم الخبير, أخبر بها, فوقعت كما أخبر، فإذا وقعت انقسم الناس قسمين: جازعين وصابرين، فالجازع, حصلت له المصيبتان, فوات المحبوب, وهو وجود هذه المصيبة، وفوات ما هو أعظم منها, وهو الأجر بامتثال أمر الله بالصبر، ففاز بالخسارة والحرمان, ونقص ما معه من الإيمان، وفاته الصبر والرضا والشكران, وحصل [له] السخط الدال على شدة النقصان. وأما من وفقه الله للصبر عند وجود هذه المصائب, فحبس نفسه عن التسخط, قولا وفعلا, واحتسب أجرها عند الله, وعلم أن ما يدركه من الأجر بصبره أعظم من المصيبة التي حصلت له, بل المصيبة تكون نعمة في حقه, لأنها صارت طريقا لحصول ما هو خير له وأنفع منها, فقد امتثل أمر الله, وفاز بالثواب، فلهذا قال تعالى: { وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ } أي: بشرهم بأنهم يوفون أجرهم بغير حساب.

أخبرنا تعالى أنه يبتلي عباده: أي يختبرهم ويمتحنهم كما قال تعالى "ولنبلونكم حتى نعلم المجاهدين منكم والصابرين ونبلو أخباركم" فتارة بالسراء وتارة بالضراء من خوف وجوع كما قال تعالى "فأذاقها الله لباس الجوع والخوف" فإن الجائع والخائف كل منهما يظهر ذلك عليه ولهذا قال لباس الجوع والخوف وقال ههنا "بشيء من الخوف والجوع" أي بقليل من ذلك "ونقص من الأموال" أي ذهاب بعضها "والأنفس" كموت الأصحاب والأقارب والأحباب "والثمرات" أي لا تغل الحدائق والمزارع كعادتها قال بعض السلف: فكانت بعض النخيل لا تثمر غير واحدة وكل هذا وأمثاله مما يختبر الله به عباده فمن صبر أثابه ومن قنط أحل به عقابه ولهذا قال تعالى "وبشر الصابرين" وقد حكى بعض المفسرين أن المراد من الخوف ههنا خوف الله وبالجوع صيام رمضان وبنقص الأموال الزكاة والأنفس الأمراض والثمرات الأولاد وفي هذا نظر والله أعلم.

The Believer is Patient with the Affliction and thus gains a Reward

Allah informs us that He tests and tries His servants, just as He said in another Ayah:

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ حَتَّى نَعْلَمَ الْمُجَـهِدِينَ مِنكُمْ وَالصَّـبِرِينَ وَنَبْلُوَ أَخْبَـرَكُمْ

(And surely, We shall try you till We test those who strive hard (for the cause of Allah) and As-Sabirin (the patient), and We shall test your facts (i.e., the one who is a liar, and the one who is truthful).) (47:31)

Hence, He tests them with the bounty sometimes and sometimes with the afflictions of fear and hunger. Allah said in another Ayah:

فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ

(So Allah made it taste extreme of hunger (famine) and fear.) (16:112)

The frightened and the hungry persons show the effects of the affliction outwardly and this is why Allah has used here the word `Libas' (cover or clothes) of fear and hunger. In the Ayat above, Allah used the words:

بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ

(with something of fear, hunger,) meaning, a little of each. Then (Allah said),

وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الاٌّمَوَالِ

(loss of wealth,) meaning, some of the wealth will be destroyed,

وَالاٌّنفُسِ

(lives) meaning, losing friends, relatives and loved ones to death,

وَالثَّمَرَتِ

(and fruits,) meaning, the gardens and the farms will not produce the usual or expected amounts. This is why Allah said next:

وَبَشِّرِ الصَّـبِرِينَ

(but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient).)

He then explained whom He meant by `the patient' whom He praised:

الَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّـآ إِلَيْهِ رَجِعونَ

(Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.") meaning, those who recite this statement to comfort themselves in the face of their loss, know that they belong to Allah and that He does what He wills with His servants. They also know that nothing and no deed, even if it was the weight of an atom, will be lost with Allah on the Day of Resurrection. These facts thus compel them to admit that they are Allah's servants and that their return will be to Him in the Hereafter.

This is why Allah said: t

أُولَـئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَتٌ مِّن رَّبْهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ

(They are those on whom are the Salawat (i. e., who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His mercy,) meaning, Allah's praise and mercy will be with them. Sa`id bin Jubayr added, "Meaning, safety from the torment."

وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ

(and it is they who are the guided ones.) `Umar bin Al-Khattab commented: "What righteous things, and what a great heights.

أُولَـئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَتٌ مِّن رَّبْهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ

(They are those on whom are the Salawat from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His mercy) are the two righteous things.

وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ

(and it is they who are the guided ones) are the heights."

The heights means more rewards, and these people will be awarded their rewards and more.

The Virtue of asserting that We all belong to Allah, during Afflictions

There are several Ahadith that mention the rewards of admitting that the return is to Allah by saying:

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّـآ إِلَيْهِ رَجِعونَ

("Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.") when afflictions strike. For instance, Imam Ahmad reported that Umm Salamah narrated: Once, Abu Salamah came back after he was with Allah's Messenger ﷺ and said: I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ recite a statement that made me delighted. He said:

«لَا يُصِيبُ أَحَدًا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مُصِيبَةٌ فَيَسْتَرْجِعُ عِنْدَ مُصِيبَتِهِ ثُمَّ يقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ أْجُرْنِي فِي مُصِيبَتِي وأَخْلِفْ لِي خَيْرًا مِنْهَا، إِلَّا فَعَلَ ذلِكَ بِه»

(No Muslim is struck with an affliction and then says Istirja` when the affliction strikes, and then says: `O Allah! Reward me for my loss and give me what is better than it,' but Allah will do just that.) Umm Salamah said: So I memorized these words. When Abu Salamah died I said Istirja` and said: "O Allah! Compensate me for my loss and give me what is better than it." I then thought about it and said, "Who is better than Abu Salamah" When my `Iddah (the period of time before the widow or divorced woman can remarry) finished, Allah's Messenger ﷺ asked for permission to see me while I was dyeing a skin that I had. I washed my hands, gave him permission to enter and handed him a pillow, and he sat on it. He then asked me for marriage and when he finished his speech, I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! It is not because I do not want you, but I am very jealous and I fear that you might experience some wrong mannerism from me for which Allah would punish me. I am old and have children." He said:

«أمَّا مَا ذَكَرْتِ مِنَ الْغَيْرَةِ فَسَوْفَ يُذْهِبُهَا اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَنْكِ، وَأَمَّا مَا ذَكَرْتِ مِنَ السِّنِّ فَقَدْ أَصَابَنِي مِثْلُ الَّذِي أَصَابَكِ، وَأَمَّا مَا ذَكَرْتِ مِنَ الْعِيَالِ فَإِنَّمَا عِيَالُكِ عِيَالِي»

(As for the jealousy that you mentioned, Allah the Exalted will remove it from you. As for your being old as you mentioned, I have suffered what you have suffered. And for your having children, they are my children too.) She said, "I have surrendered to Allah's Messenger ﷺ." Allah's Messenger ﷺ married her and Umm Salamah said later, "Allah compensated me with who is better than Abu Salamah: Allah's Messenger ﷺ." Muslim reported a shorter version of this Hadith.

Surely We will try you with something of fear of an enemy and hunger by way of drought and diminution of goods as a result of destruction and lives as a result of slaughter death and disease and fruits by way of crop damage that is to say We will try you to see if you practise patience or not; yet give good tidings of Paradise to the patient during calamities;

Earlier, alluding to an unpleasant incident, patience and steadfastness were inculcated and the excellence of Sabirun (the patient people) was mentioned. The next verses mention, in some detail, other unpleasant incidents and culminate in describing the excellence of pa-tience, and perseverance in it. Those verses give preference to the theme of war with infidels over other themes for two reasons: first, the sacrifice of life is a grand sacrifice; whoever steadfastly endures this loss will, undoubtedly, learn to be patient on losses of lesser magnitude; second, it is relevant to the situation too, as the objectionist on the orientation of Ka'bah کعبہ had been facing it.

Injunctions and related considerations:

According to Islamic traditions the dead person is given some kind of a "new life" in Barzakh44 برزخ which develops in him a sensitivity to punishment and reward. Regardless of whether one is a believer or disbeliever, virtuous or vicious, this taste of life-in-Barzakh برزخ is given to everybody. However, the life there has many categories: one of them is for the general lot, while some others are for prophets and virtuous people. The later ones vary in their degree of excellence. A number of scholars have collected relevant facts to assert their points of views, about the life-in-Barzakh برزخ . All of them cannot be summed up here. I will restrict myself here, to presenting the considered and the very balanced view of my worthy teacher Maulana Ashraf ` Ali (رح) of Than a Bhawan; incidentally, his view is in close conformity with the teachings of the Holy Qur'an, as also, those of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .

44. An intermediary stage which begins with death and stretches till the Doomsday.

The Martyrs are not dead

One who dies in the cause of Allah is a Shahid (Martyr) and, although, it is correct and even allowed to call him "dead", yet we are forbidden to regard their death like ordinary deaths. For, though, life in Barzakh برزخ is given to' everybody which gives him perception of reward and punishment but Shahid شھید in the Barzakh برزخ life is qualitatively different from the one given to other persons. The distinction a Shahid شھید has over others in Barzakh برزخ is that in effect, for the fullness and sensitivity of life, his perception is, keener and deeper. As, for instance, the life sensation is there in finger tips, as also, it is there in heels, but the sensitivity of finger tips is sharper than that of heels. The effect of the finer life-quality of a Shahid شھید in Barzakh برزخ reaches his physical body as well; whereas ordinarily bodies remain unaffected. Consequently, a Shahid's body does not waste away, decay or mingle with dust. On the contrary it retains it freshness and a semblance of being alive too. This is duly endorsed by Ahadith and observations. They are, therefore, reported as living and we are forbidden to call them dead. However, for all worldly purposes they are treated at par with the dead; their properties are divided and their wives can remarry. Lives of prophets in Barzakh برزخ have a further distinction. Their life-sensitivity is even finer and keener than that of Shahids. In Barzakh برزخ their bodies retain their life-quality and, in some ways, its manifestation is extended to this life as well; their properties are not divided and their wives cannot again enter into wedlock.

The most strong in the retention of this life-quality are the prophets, then are the Shahids شُهَدَا ، then the ordinary human beings. Nevertheless, according to some ahadith some of the men of Allah and virtuous people share this excellence with Shahids شُهَدَا . Apparently, those who die while exercising stringent discipline against their selves (مجاھدہ النفس) are ranked with Shahids شُهَدَا . In other words, though this verse specifically refers to Shahids شُهَدَا as against the broad humanity, it does not, for that reason, exclude the virtuous and the truthful. If, therefore, the body of a Shahid returns to dust, as bodies of ordinary persons, generally do, the chances are that the person did not, perhaps,, die in the cause of Allah which is the only criterion of martyrdom (Shahadah شهَادہ).

In case a person who fulfilled all the prerequisites of martyrdom and, beyond, any doubt, died in the cause of Allah and whose martyrdom (Shahadah شهَادہ) has been unmistakably and repeatedly demonstrated, his body must not, on the authority of a hadith , return to dust. If, in spite of Ahadith, the body mingles with earth (what, in fact, has made the author of Ruh al-Ma` ani doubt is how can, in spite of Ahadith, the body of a Shahid شھید be eaten away by earth) the explanation would be that according to Hadith the body would not return to dust; however, it does not deny the process of decay and decomposition caused by other factors like geo-chemical reaction, body enzymes, and bacteria. Neither does it confute the verse.

Other compound objects like weapons, medicines, food, and the commingling of various natural elements like water, fire and air had, undoubtedly, their effects on the bodies of prophets in this world and, obviously, the life-quality of Shahid شھید in Barzakh برزخ is not superior to that of the prophets in this world; if, therefore, the other ingredients register their impact on the bodies of Shahids شُهَدَا in برزخ Barzakh it does not confute, in any sense, the meanings of Ahadith which say the Shahids' bodies are sacred to earth.

Another answer is that the distinction which Shahids have over others is apparent from the fact that, comparatively, their bodies remain unspoiled for a pretty long time, although the likelihood of their disintegration in the longer run does exist. The aim of the hadith should, therefore, be explained by saying that the immunity from decay for such a long time is, in itself, an excess on the customary behaviour of dead bodies. Eternal preservation, and preservation for a considerable long time, both are an "excess on the customary behaviour" of dead bodies.

By the words, " لَّا تَشْعُرُ‌ونَ ": "you perceive not", the Holy Qur'an asserts the fact that the life in Barzakh برزخ transcends all sensory perceptions.

And We will indeed try you with something of fear and hunger, and decrease of wealth, souls, and fruits; and give good news to the patient. The custom of the Lord is that whenever He threatens the servant and shows harshness in a verse, then, right after that or before it, He caresses the servant and gives him hope. Thus in this verse He breaks the servant by mentioning those harsh things and varieties of trial. Then He gives good news, He caresses, and He says, “and give good news to the patient.” And, at the beginning of these verses He says, “Surely God is with the patient” [2:153]. Glory be to Him! How gentle and how merciful He is to His servants! And We will indeed try you. He says, “We will test you, sometimes with fear, sometimes with dread, sometimes with poverty, sometimes with hunger, sometimes with outward affliction, sometimes with inward sorrow.” The outward trial and evident affliction are in fact easy work, for sometimes they are there and sometimes not, like the trial of Abraham and the trial of Job. The complete trial is inward sorrow, which does not leave its place for a moment. When someone is closer, more worthy of friendship, and more suitable for union, his sorrow is more. Such was MuṣṬafā's sorrow. He had no capacity for it on the highest horizon, nor did he have any rest from it on the expanse of the earth. He was like a moth before a lamp: It does not have the capacity to stay with the lamp, nor the remedy of staying away from the lamp. With the tongue of his state he was saying, “In separation I make do because of shame before Your image, in union I burn in fear it will cease. Such is the state of the moth with the candle- in separation it burns and in union it burns.” “Yes, everyone who seeks union with Me and wants proximity with Me has no escape from taking on the burden of tribulation and tasting the drink of sorrow.” āsiya, the wife of Pharaoh, sought for the Real's neighborhood and asked for His proximity. She said, “My Lord, build for me a house with Thee in the Garden [66:11]. O Lord, I want a room in Your neighborhood, for it is beautiful to have a room in the street of the Friend.