2:214 Al-Baqara (The Cow)

يخبر تبارك وتعالى أنه لا بد أن يمتحن عباده بالسراء والضراء والمشقة كما فعل بمن قبلهم, فهي سنته الجارية, التي لا تتغير ولا تتبدل, أن من قام بدينه وشرعه, لا بد أن يبتليه، فإن صبر على أمر الله, ولم يبال بالمكاره الواقفة في سبيله, فهو الصادق الذي قد نال من السعادة كمالها, ومن السيادة آلتها.

ومن جعل فتنة الناس كعذاب الله, بأن صدته المكاره عما هو بصدده، وثنته المحن عن مقصده, فهو الكاذب في دعوى الإيمان، فإنه ليس الإيمان بالتحلي والتمني, ومجرد الدعاوى, حتى تصدقه الأعمال أو تكذبه.

فقد جرى على الأمم الأقدمين ما ذكر الله عنهم ( مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ ) أي: الفقر ( وَالضَّرَّاءُ ) أي: الأمراض في أبدانهم ( وَزُلْزِلُوا ) بأنواع المخاوف من التهديد بالقتل, والنفي, وأخذ الأموال, وقتل الأحبة, وأنواع المضار حتى وصلت بهم الحال, وآل بهم الزلزال, إلى أن استبطأوا نصر الله مع يقينهم به.

ولكن لشدة الأمر وضيقه قال ( الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ ) .

فلما كان الفرج عند الشدة, وكلما ضاق الأمر اتسع، قال تعالى: ( أَلا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ ) فهكذا كل من قام بالحق فإنه يمتحن.

فكلما اشتدت عليه وصعبت، إذا صابر وثابر على ما هو عليه انقلبت المحنة في حقه منحة, والمشقات راحات, وأعقبه ذلك, الانتصار على الأعداء وشفاء ما في قلبه من الداء، وهذه الآية نظير قوله تعالى: أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا مِنْكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّابِرِينَ .

وقوله [ تعالى: ] الم * أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لا يُفْتَنُونَ * وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ فعند الامتحان, يكرم المرء أو يهان.

يقول تعالى "أم حسبتم أن تدخلوا الجنة" قبل أن تبتلوا وتختبروا وتمتحنوا كما فعل بالذين من قبلكم من الأمم ولهذا قال "ولما يأتكم مثل الذين خلوا من قبلكم مستهم البأساء والضراء" وهي الأمراض والأسقام والآلام والمصائب والنوائب. قال ابن مسعود وابن عباس وأبو العالبة ومجاهد وسعيد بن جبير ومرة الهمذاني والحسن وقتادة والضحاك والربيع والسدي ومقاتل بن حيان "البأساء" الفقر "والضراء" السقم "وزلزلوا" خوفوا من الأعداء زلزالا شديدا وامتحنوا امتحانا عظيما كما جاء في الحديث الصحيح عن خباب بن الأرت قال: قلنا يا رسول الله ألا تستنصر لنا ألا تدعو الله لنا فقال "إن من كان قبلكم كان أحدهم يوضع المنشار على مفرق رأسه فيخلص إلى قدميه لا يصرفه ذلك عن دينه ويمشط بأمشاط الحديد ما بين لحمه وعظمه لا يصرفه ذلك عن دينه" ثم قال "والله ليتمن الله هذا الأمر حتى يسير الراكب من صنعاء إلى حضرموت لا يخاف إلا الله والذئب على غنمه ولكنكم قوم تستعجلون وقال الله تعالى "ألم أحسب الناس أن يتركوا أن يقولوا آمنا وهم لا يفتنون ولقد فتنا الذين من قبلهم فليعلمن الله الذين صدقوا وليعلمن الكاذبين" وقد حصل من هذا جانب عظيم للصحابة رضي الله عنهم في يوم الأحزاب كما قال الله تعالى "إذ جاءوكم من فوقكم ومن أسفل منكم وإذ زاغت الأبصار وبلغت القلوب الحناجر وتظنون بالله الظنونا هنالك ابتلي المؤمنون وزلزلوا زلزالا شديدا وإذ يقول المنافقون والذين في قلوبهم مرض ما وعدنا الله ورسوله إلا غرورا" الآيات. ولما سأل هرقل أبا سفيان هل قاتلتموه قال: نعم. قال: فكيف كانت الحرب بينكم؟ قال: سجالا يدال علينا وندال عليه. قال: كذلك الرسل تبتلى ثم تكون لها العاقبة. وقوله "مثل الذين خلوا من قبلكم" أي سنتهم كما قال تعالى "فأهلكنا أشد منهم بطشا ومضى مثل الأولين" وقوله "وزلزلوا حتى يقول الرسول والذين آمنوا معه متى نصر الله" أي يستفتحون على أعدائهم ويدعون بقرب الفرج والمخرج عند ضيق الحال والشدة. قال الله تعالى "ألا إن نصر الله قريب" كما قال "فإن مع العسر يسرا إن مع العسر يسرا" وكما تكون الشدة ينزل من النصر مثلها ولهذا قال "ألا إن نصر الله قريب" وفي حديث أبي رزين "عجب ربك من قنوط عباده وقرب غيثه فينظر إليهم قانطين فيظل يضحك يعلم أن فرجهم قريب" الحديث.

Victory only comes after succeeding in the Trials

Allah said:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ

(Or think you that you will enter Paradise) before you are tested and tried just like the nations that came before you This is why Allah said:

وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَآءُ وَالضَّرَّآءُ

(...without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments) meaning, illnesses, pain, disasters and hardships. Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Murrah Al-Hamdani, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi`, As-Suddi and Muqatil bin Hayyan said that

الْبَأْسَآءِ

(Al-Ba'sa') means poverty. Ibn `Abbas said that

وَالضَّرَّآءِ

(...and Ad-Darra') means ailments.

وَزُلْزِلُواْ

(and were so shaken) for fear of the enemy, and were tested, and put to a tremendous trial. An authentic Hadith narrated that Khabbab bin Al-Aratt said, "We said, `O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Why do you not invoke Allah to support us Why do you not supplicate to Allah for us' He said:

«إِنَّ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ كَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ يُوضَعُ الْمِنْشَارُ عَلى مَفْرَقِ رَأْسِهِ فَيَخْلُصُ إِلى قَدَمَيْهِ لَا يَصْرِفُهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ دِينِهِ، وَيُمْشَطُ بِأَمْشَاطِ الْحَدِيدِ مَا بَيْنَ لَحْمِهِ وَعَظْمِهِ، لَا يَصْرِفُهُ ذلِكَ عَنْ دِينِه».

(The saw would be placed on the middle of the head of one of those who were before you (believers) and he would be sawn until his feet, and he would be combed with iron combs between his skin and bones, yet that would not make him change his religion.)

He then said:

«وَاللهِ لَيُتِمَّنَّ اللهُ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ حَتَّى يَسِيرَ الرَّاكِبُ مِنْ صَنْعَاءَ إلى حَضْرَمَوْتَ، لَا يَخَافُ إِلَّا اللهَ وَالذِّئْبَ عَلى غَنَمِهِ، وَلَكِنَّــكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَسْتَعْجِلُون»

(By Allah! This matter (religion) will spread (or expand) by Allah until the traveler leaves San`a' to Hadramawt (both in Yemen, but at a great distance from each other) fearing only Allah and then the wolf for the sake of his sheep. You are just a hasty people.)

And Allah said:

الم - ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ - الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلوةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

(Alif-Lam-Mim. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars.) (29:1-3)

The Companions experienced tremendous trials during the battle of Al-Ahzab (the Confederates). Allah said:

إِذْ جَآءُوكُمْ مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ الاٌّبْصَـرُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَاْ - هُنَالِكَ ابْتُلِىَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُواْ زِلْزَالاً شَدِيداً - وَإِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَـفِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ مَّا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ إِلاَّ غُرُوراً

(When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats, and you were harboring doubts about Allah. There, the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking. And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubts) said: "Allah and His Messenger promised us nothing but delusion!") (33:10-12)

When Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan, "Did you fight him (Prophet Muhammad)" He said, "Yes." Heraclius said, "What was the outcome of warfare between you" Abu Sufyan said, "Sometimes we lose and sometimes he loses." He said, "Such is the case with Prophets, they are tested, but the final victory is theirs."

Allah's statement:

مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم

(...without (such) (trials) as came to those who passed away before you) meaning, their way of life. Similarly, Allah said:

فَأَهْلَكْنَآ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُم بَطْشاً وَمَضَى مَثَلُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ

(Then We destroyed men stronger (in power) than these ـ and the example of the ancients has passed away (before them)) (43: 8) and:

وَزُلْزِلُواْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ

(...were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, "When (will come) the help of Allah.")

They pleaded (to Allah) for victory against their enemies and invoked Him for aid and deliverance from their hardships and trials. Allah said:

أَلاَ إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ

(Yes! Certainly, the help of Allah is near!)

Allah said:

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً - إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً

(Verily, along with every hardship is relief. Verily, along with every hardship is relief.) (94:5, 6)

So just as there is hardship, its equal of relief will soon arrive. This is why Allah said:

أَلاَ إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ

(Yes! Certainly, the help of Allah is near!)

The following was revealed after the Muslims suffered a trying experience Or did you suppose that you should enter Paradise without there having come upon you the like of what came upon those believers who passed away before you? of trials so that you may endure as they did; a new sentence begins here explaining the previous one They were afflicted by misery extreme poverty and hardship illness and were so convulsed by all types of tribulations that the Messenger and those who believed with him said read yaqūla or yaqūlu not expecting to see any help on account of the extreme hardship afflicting them ‘When will God’s help come?’ the help which we were promised; and God responded to them Ah but surely God’s help is nigh in coming.

The previous verse has said how hostile the disbelievers have been to prophets (علیہم السلام) and believers and, in a way, has comforted Muslims hurt by the mockery of disbelievers that there is nothing new about this antagonism. This has been there all the time. Further from this point, the present verse recounts the enormous amount of suffering faced by past prophets and believers at the hands of hostile disbelievers. This too is to console Muslims that they should be patient against the hostility of disbelievers as ideal happiness can only be achieved by getting ready and working hard for the Hereafter.

Commentary

There are two things worth serious attention in this verse:

1. Apparently, this verse seems to indicate that nobody shall enter Paradise unless he goes through hardships and sufferings, although, Qur'anic statements and sayings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ prove that many sinners will enter Paradise simply because of the grace, mercy and forgiveness of Allah Almighty, and that they shall undergo no hardship either. This is because hardship and suffering have different levels. The lowest degree is to resist against one's own desiring self and the Satan, or to strengthen the bases of one's beliefs by countering the forces working against the true Faith. This degree of achievement is within the grasp of every Muslim. Further on, there are the middle and the higher levels. The degree of one's strenuous effort shall be the degree of one's entry in to Paradise. Thus, nobody remains untried by effort and struggle and the resulting hardship and suffering. In a hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said:

اشد الناس بلاء الانبیاء ثم الامثل فالامثل

The hardships faced by the prophets are the hardest faced by men, after that, by those closer to them.

2. The second point one must note here concerns the prophets and their followers. That they reached a point of suffering when they cried out as to when will the help of Allah come, was not because of any doubt since that would be against the dignity of their station. In fact, the call was made in the background of Allah's promised help for which the time and place was left undetermined. As such, using these words in a state of distress indicated the desire for early help. Making such a prayer is not against one's trust in Allah (tawakkul تَوَکَّل) or against the station of prophet hood. On the contrary, the fact is that Allah Almighty favours the earnest supplication of his servants. Who else other than the prophets and the pious of the community would be more deserving of what Allah likes?

Or do you reckon that you will enter the Garden? This is as they say: You can't speak the words of the good so easily- it is not so easy, easy, to speak their words. “When someone is too timid to engage with fearful things, he will not reach his hopes.” Are you not aware that joining is found in breaking off, life in death, and desires in not reaching your desires? The moth reaches union with the candle when it burns, and the candle finds life when it loses its head. Religion's pain is indeed marvelous, for when you suffer it, you will be like a candle-better once your head's cut off. [DS 485] The high Firdaws is a sweet garden and meadow, but the road there is difficult, a rosebed full of thorns. MuṣṬafā said, “The Garden is surrounded by disliked things,” lest the nobodies and the unqualified claim familiarity. Are they equal, those who know and those who know not? [39:9]. A simile for this rule is the ocean: It was made the resting place for precious pearls and night- brightening gems, and then sharks and huge fish were made the veil of those pearls and gems. Two men set out, pulled into the field of seeking by love for gems. They go to the ocean's shore and see its difficulties, and dread appears in them because of the danger of those sharks. Of the two men who see the terrors and difficult states, one is afraid and he steps back from seeking and declares himself quit of his own words. He had a wish, but his attribute of manliness was not complete. He fancied that this work could be finished merely by wishing and that he could reach the treasure without suffering. The exalted Shariah gives the answer: “The religion is not reached with wishfulness and self-adornment.” With Me you must have a hidden mystery, with Me you must always have need. In truth, black crow, you're a fine bird! You want to mate with a white falcon. The other man is the possessor of desire. Passion for the beauty of that night-brightening pearl cleanses his intellect of the ocean's terrors, so he does not give those meanings access to himself. Hour by hour and moment by moment that beauty discloses itself to him, so he becomes more en- tranced and more passionate. He goes head first into the ocean. If felicity assists him and success- giving becomes his friend, that night-brightening pearl will fall into the grasp of his seeking. If the opposite happens, the sharks will take his life as booty and his name will be written in the register of “I don't care.” The tongue of his state will say, “Each month two thousand of the passionate like me are killed, and not one lets out a sigh.”