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B i s m i l l a a h i r R a h m a a n i r R a
h e e m
Bismillaahi walhamdulillaahi wassalaatu wassalaamu ‘alaa
rasoolillaahi
Assalaamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa
Barakaatuhu
Teachings of the
Qur`aan
Al-Baqarah
Soorah 2
Aayah
188
by Ayub
A. Hamid
______________________________________________
The next verse concludes the first wave of reforms that started
the purification of society from bad behaviour. It lays down the
fundamental principle on which all the regulations about the respect of
others’ property are based. The first such command was about care and
caution in handling and distributing one’s inheritance according to his
will. This verse forbids injustice or unfairness in all other matters
relating to the wealth and property or assets of others. In between the
two commands, the believers were prescribed an intensive training course
to help them in developing self-restraint, resisting temptations and
maintaining Taqwa and to reform them from inside so that they become
meticulously careful to avoid doing anything wrong, improper, unjust or
displeasing to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala. The attitude of Taqwa and
self-restraint created by acts of worship such as fasting helps the
believers in attaining the purity and strength of character that ensures
their living by the commandments of fairness and justice. This is one
example that shows that Islamic acts of worship are not ritual practices
that lack any practical benefit. Rather, they are effective, goal-oriented
tools to help improve, reform and purify the character and behaviour of
believers. It should also make it clear to the believers that if the
objectives of the acts of worship are not achieved, they are futile acts
unacceptable to Allaah SWT.
188
And
do not swallow one another’s property through unjust means, nor use it to
seek favour of the government officials to wrongfully and knowingly
swallow some of the property of others.
The first
part of this verse outlaws acquisition of others’ property, assets, money
or any thing of value through any means that is considered unfair by
religion, law of the land or the established practices of the society –
whether it is acquired through lying, dishonesty, deceit, usurping,
exploitation, bribery, misappropriation, theft, gambling, charging
interest, etc. It remains Ĥaraam (forbidden), as long as the acquirer
knows that the acquisition will fall into one of these categories, even if
the owner has agreed to the deal.
The
second part of the verse declares bribery as an illegal, immoral and
sinful activity. The verse also mentions that the usual motive for giving
a bribe is to knowingly take undue advantage of others through the help of
the bribed government officials.
From
verse 189 onwards, Allaah SWT starts answering the questions that
believers had asked according to the principle mentioned in verse 186,
wherein Allaah SWT had encouraged the believers to seek response from
Allaah for the questions they had.
Before we go further, it will be useful to note the following
points concerning the Qur-aanic style of referring to questions and
providing answers:
-
The
Qur-aan avoids repeating the questions fully because they were brought
to the Prophet, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam publicly and were fully
known to the believers. To maintain its miraculous conciseness and to
avoid verbiage, it just refers to the question with only a word or a
phrase brief enough only to identify the specific question being
answered. For subsequent generations like us, we only need to know the
commands that were given in response, and those commands are so clear
that we do not need to know the full text of the
question.
-
While
responding, the Qur-aan not only answers the original question, but also
responds to subsidiary questions that may arise from the response. It
also gives additional points that relate to the topic of the question
but were not asked. However, even these details are provided concisely
and only to the extent that they are needed at the current stage of the
evolutionary reforms Islam is aiming for. Additional commands or
information are not provided if they pertain to the next phase of the
reforms. They are left for the opportune time in future. Provision of
this additional details or response to subsidiary questions that were
not asked is another reason
for not quoting the question because in that case there will appear to
be a disconnect between the question and answer, unless extra verbiage
is added to explain that although you have not asked but you are being
provided extra information for your benefit. Obviously, including this
kind of extra verbiage is against the beauty and style of the
Qur-aan.
Next: Verse
189-195
Copyright ©2004, Ayub A.
Hamid
Permission is
granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post
on
Internet sites
and
to
publish in
full text and subject title in not-for-profit
publications.
Contact author
for all other rights, which are reserved.
Please Note: This series is providing the teachings
of the Qur'aan, not a literal translation.
Instead of
literal translation, it gives interpretive meanings of the
verses, along with their
contextual details. Please remember
that any translation of the Holy Qur'aan is in
fact
only an _expression_ of
the translator's understanding
of the
Word of Allaah
Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala,
and hence cannot be equated with the Qur'aan itself.
Only the original Arabic text can be called the
Holy Qur'aan.
If you did not receive
the following soorahs of 'Teachings of the
Qur'aan' series by Ustaadz Ayub A. Hamid, please
send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] .
Note: please indicate on the subject line:
Request for Soorah ____ Aayaat ____.
Al-Faatihah: The First Verse of the Qur'aan -
Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem
Al-Faatihah:
Part
1: Name, Background, Teachings and
Commentary.
Al-Faatihah:
Part
2: The Significance and
Summary.
Al
Baqarah: Name, Background and Topics
Al
Baqarah: The Letters: Alif, Laam, Meem - Aayah
1
Al Baqarah: 2:2-5 / 2:6-7 / 2:8-16 / 2:17-20 / 2:21-25 / 2:26-27 / 2:28-29 / 2:30-33 / 2:34-39 / 2:40-46 / 2:47-56 / 2:57-61 / 2:62 /
2:63-66
/ 2:67-74
/ 2:75-77 / 2:78-82 /
2:83-86/ 2:87-88 /
2:89-91 / 2:92-98 / 2:99-103 / 2:104-107 / 2:108-110 / 2:111-114 /
2:115-118 / 2:119-121 / 2:122-124 / 2:125 / 2:126 / 2:127-129 /
2:130-134 / 135-141/ A Summary
Review of the Context /
2:142-143
/ 2:144-152
/ 2:153-157 /
2:158-162 / 2:163-167 / 2:168-176 / 2:177 /
2:178-179 / 2:180-182 / 2:183-187
/
An-Nisaa:
4:1-4 / 4:5-14 / 4:15-28 / 4:29-43 /
4:44-52 / 4:53-58
/
4:59-63 / 4:64-76 / 4:77-87
/ 4:88-100
/ 4:101-112
/ 4:113-126 /
4:127-149
/ 4:150-158
/ 4:159
/ 4:160-176.
Karima-DDN
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.}
(Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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