2-87 And We indeed gave Moses the Book and We sent messengersa after him one after another; and We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear arguments and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit.b Is it then that whenever there came to you a messenger with what your souls desired not, you were arrogant? And some you gave the lie to and others you would slay.c
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَقَفَّيۡنَا مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ بِٱلرُّسُلِۖ وَءَاتَيۡنَا عِيسَى ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ ٱلۡبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَأَيَّدۡنَـٰهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلۡقُدُسِۗ أَفَكُلَّمَا جَآءَكُمۡ رَسُولُۢ بِمَا لَا تَہۡوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُكُمُ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرۡتُمۡ فَفَرِيقً۬ا كَذَّبۡتُمۡ وَفَرِيقً۬ا تَقۡتُلُونَ (٨٧)
2:87a قَفَّيۡنَا – The meaning of قفا is the back, and the meaning of قفیته is kept this behind that.
ٱلرُّسُلِ – is the plural of رسول , and رسول is he who is the bearer of speech or a message (R). The word رسول cannot be applied in its true sense unless there is a message.
The use of رسول in a metaphorical sense: Allah’s رسول are they who bring a message from Allah for his creation, but in a metaphorical sense, it is permissible to use the word for others as well, as in: يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلرُّسُلُ كُلُواْ مِنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ (O ye messengers, eat of the good things) (23:51) where messengers include the Holy Prophet and his holy companions (see Al Mufradat of Raghib). Similarly, the word مُرۡسل has been used metaphorically for the apostles of Jesus: وَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُم مَّثَلاً أَصۡحَـٰبَ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةِ إِذۡ جَآءَهَا ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ (And set out to them the parable of the people of the town when apostles came to it) (36:13). Thus, the application of this word metaphorically, and not literally, to the mujadideen who are ordained for the Muslim nation is permissible. This word is particularly used for angels, who are intermediaries between Allah and His creation, and prophets, who bring some message from God for His creatures. It is also used for an envoy or emissary, as in: جَاعِلِ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ رُسُلاً (Maker of the angels, messengers) (35:1) and فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُ ٱلرَّسُولُ (So when the messenger came to him) (12:50).
2:87b: The chain of prophets in Bani Israel: The chain of prophets that came to Bani Israel is referred to as a favor to them. The first and last prophets of this line, Moses and Jesus, are mentioned while the intermediate prophets are left out. The Book mentioned here is the book of sharia or religious law given to Moses. This sharia remained basically the same for all the prophets. However, the prophets slightly modified it according to the needs and requirements of their time as, for example, stated about Jesus elsewhere in the Quran: وَلِأُحِلَّ لَڪُم بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِى حُرِّمَ عَلَيۡڪُمۡ (…and I allow you part of that which was forbidden to you) (3:50).
It is necessary for a prophet to bring guidance: Accordingly, the Quran states that Jesus was given the Gospel and David the Psalms. It is mentioned at the end of the verse that they, the Bani Israel, rejected whatever the prophets brought to them. This shows that every prophet brought some guidance that people refused to accept. The guidance mentioned is different from clear arguments, that is miracles or prophecies. Miracles and prophecies are merely for support and corroboration.
عِيسَى – the base is عیس and is of the measure فعلی (LA). The Arabs call a camel اَعۡیس whose whiteness has some darkness in it. And ماء الفحلis called عَیۡس and it is possible that the word may be derived from it (R). But according to some lexicologists, this word is non-Arabic although in Syriac, this word is not عیسٰی but الیسوع and in the gospel, the name is یسوع which means lord or blessed (RM).
مریم – The meaning of مریم in Aramaic is maid-servant or female worshipper but مریم , according to Qamus al-Muhit (Dictionary), is an Arabic word and describes a woman التی تحب محادثة الرجال و لا تفجر
بینات – is the plural of بینة which is derived from بان (made manifest), and its meaning is a clear argument whether intellectual or perceptible (R). It includes miracles, prophecies, and arguments.
رُوحِ ٱلۡقُدُسِ – It is stated in Al-Mufradat that رُوحِ (spirit) is used in the sense of نفس (soul) and is also used for the most eminent angels; in particular Gabriel who has been mentioned as رُوحِ ٱلۡقُدُسِ (Holy Spirit) and رُوحِ الامین (Trustworthy Spirit). The Quran, the word of God, has also been called رُوحِ as in: وَكَذَٲلِكَ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ رُوحً۬ا مِّنۡ أَمۡرِنَاۚ (And thus did We reveal to thee an inspired Book) (42:52), because it gives life [to the spiritually dead]. Some interpret رُوحِ ٱلۡقُدُسِ here to mean Gabriel and some the Gospel (IJ).
The reason for the title Ibn Maryam (Son of Mary): The name Issa (Jesus) in the Quran has been supplemented with an extension Ibn Maryam (Son of Mary). This moniker is an estoppel to show the Christians that the person that they take for God and consider sinless was the son of a woman, and their scripture states: “He which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?” (Job 15:14). Further, according to the Christian belief, it is woman who brought sin to the earth and not man, because a woman made Adam eat the forbidden fruit. How can Jesus be distinguished from other men as sinless in the light of this belief when he had a mother? When, as the Christians believe, the real sinner was Eve and her original sin continues in her progeny, how can Mary be exempt from it? Quite apart from this, the renown that Jesus’ mother enjoys in the world is far greater than that of her husband, and on this basis too, it is preferable to identify Jesus with her, just as the Fatamids were identified with Hazrat Fatimah because of her virtue.
The relationship of the Holy Spirit (Ruh-ul-Qudus) with Jesus: The relationship of the Holy Spirit with Jesus is the same as that of the Holy Spirit with all other prophets. In fact, even the believers are assisted by the Holy Spirit, as stated in the Quran with reference to the Companions of the Holy Prophet: أَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ (…strengthened them with a Spirit from Himself) (58:22). Similarly, it is stated in a hadith: اللّٰھم اید حسان بروح القدس (O Allah! Help Hassan with the Holy Spirit). The clear arguments and the assistance with the Holy Spirit is mentioned in reference to Jesus because the Jews considered him impure and denied his signs and assistance by the Holy Spirit.
2:87c The Jew’s habitually rejected and killed prophets: The reason for this narration is to emphasize that the enmity of the Jews toward the Holy Prophet is not because they find his arguments unconvincing but because they became so hardhearted that they persistently denied God’s prophets and even planned to murder them. Thus, by using كَذَّبۡتُمۡ in the past tense and تَقۡتُلُونَ in the present tense, the idea is expressed that even now they are bent on killing a prophet. In fact they made their best effort to do so and would have succeeded had God not saved him. Accordingly, it is stated in the Ruh al-Maani: اِنکم الاٰن فیه فانکم حول قتل محمد صلی اللّٰه علیه و سلّم و لو لا انی اعصمه لقتلتموہ . It appears very clearly from this, that the word kill can be used where there is an active pursuit to kill a person or when means are put together to do so though the person has not been killed.
2-88 And they say: Our hearts are repositories. Nay, Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief; so little it is that they believe.
وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلۡفُۢۚ بَل لَّعَنَہُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفۡرِهِمۡ فَقَلِيلاً۬ مَّا يُؤۡمِنُونَ (٨٨)
2:88a – غُلۡفُۢ is the plural of غُلۡف or اَغۡلف which means a thing that is under a covering. What is meant is under the covering of the knowledge of the Torah or it is the plural of غلاف , that is, their hearts are by themselves a covering of knowledge or a repository of knowledge (R). In other words, they are full of knowledge and have no need to learn anything from the Quran.
لعن – The literal meaning of لعن is to expel someone because of displeasure and to distance from him greatly. Allah’s displeasure, on the Day of Judgment means receiving punishment. His displeasure in this world means being cut off from Allah’s mercy and help and guidance (R). In a verse of the poet Shamakh bin Zarar, as follows: مقام الذءب کالرجل اللعین the words الرجل اللعین mean a person who has been cast far away (IJ).
فَقَلِيلاً۬ مَّا – ما is added as an extension to قلیل for purpose of emphasis, meaning very little.
Covering over the heart: The stance of the Jews was that their hearts are covered so that the preaching of the Holy Prophet has no impact on them. In another place, the same stance is expressed as: قُلُوبُنَا فِىٓ أَڪِنَّةٍ۬ مِّمَّا تَدۡعُونَآ إِلَيۡهِ (Our hearts are under coverings from that to which thou callest us) (41:5), that is, there is a natural covering over their heart, or that their hearts are already so full of wisdom that there is nothing that they can learn from the Holy Prophet. The response given to this is that the actual reason is that the Jews have been distanced from Divine Mercy and Guidance, and hence, they do not heed but a little.
2-89 And when there came to them a Book from Allah verifying that which they have, and aforetime they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved — but when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so Allah’s curse is on the disbelievers.a
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمۡ كِتَـٰبٌ۬ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ۬ لِّمَا مَعَهُمۡ وَكَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلُ يَسۡتَفۡتِحُونَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُواْ ڪَفَرُواْ بِهِۦۚ فَلَعۡنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ (٨٩)
2:89a يَسۡتَفۡتِحُونَ – استفتاٰح is from فتح and one of its meaning is that the Jews used to supplicate God by asking for the advent of the Holy Prophet. The meaning may also be that they wanted information about the advent and sometimes they enquired about it from other people and sometimes they tried to deduce it from books, or that they asked for dominance over other nations through this means (R). And يَسۡتَفۡتِحُونَ can also mean یفتحون (Bd), that is, that the Jews would give the news about the last prophet to the idol worshippers.
Bani Israel and the Promised Prophet: The Jews entered a covenant with Moses that they would believe in the Promised Prophet and as a result, God will make them an honored nation (See Deuteronomy 18:15-19 and 28:1). However, when through the rejection of previous prophets, the Bani Israel became a maligned nation, they began to supplicate for the advent of the Promised Prophet so that they may have mastery over the unbelievers. But when that Book was revealed authenticating that which was revealed to them before, the most important sign of the Last Prophet being that he would validate the previous prophets sent to the world, they rejected him.
The identification of the Promised Prophet: Stated here is that they recognized the truth of the Holy Prophet because very clear and obvious signs of the Holy Prophet’s truthfulness were made manifest to them. The Holy Prophet claimed to be the like of Prophet Moses, a claim that had not been made by any other prophet. The Holy Prophet verified all the previous prophets and this was something that no previous prophets had done.
The denial of this Promised Prophet meant getting distanced from God. It was only by obeying his guidance that they would have been able to find the way to access God. When they rejected the Prophet, they doomed themselves to be distanced from God, that is, they brought the curse of God on themselves.
2-90 Evil is that for which they sell their souls — that they should deny that which Allah has revealed, out of envy that Allah should send down of His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases; so they incur wrath upon wrath. And there is an abasing chastisement for the disbelievers.
بِئۡسَمَا ٱشۡتَرَوۡاْ بِهِۦۤ أَنفُسَهُمۡ أَن يَڪۡفُرُواْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بَغۡيًا أَن يُنَزِّلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦۖ فَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ عَلَىٰ غَضَبٍ۬ۚ وَلِلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ۬ مُّهِينٌ۬ (٩٠)
بِئۡسَ – is derived from بؤس which means severe and disgusting and بِئۡسَ is indicates a contemptible and censorial place, just as نعم is used for every praiseworthy place (R). بائس and باسأ are from the same root.
بَغۡيًا – The meaning of بغی is a desire to deviate from the mean (R). And بغی is used both in a blame worthy and a praiseworthy sense, but mostly it is used in a place of opprobrium. The meaning of بغی here is envy (R).
مُّهِينٌ۬ – is a verbal noun from اَھان and ھوان is of two types. One is to create humility in oneself and is spoken for a praiseworthy station without any opprobrium being attached to it, as in يَمۡشُونَ عَلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ هَوۡنً۬ا (…walk on the earth in humility) (25:63) and in a hadith: المؤمن ھَیّن لَیّن (A believer is humble and pleasant). The other use of the word is when a person in a dominant position tries to humiliate another (R). This is a dishonorable situation and being in the position of being governed by others is by itself ignominious and a humiliating punishment.
Jews envy of the Holy Prophet: The reason rejection is mentioned in the last verse is explained here as being envy for Allah bestowing His favor on a nation other than Bani Israel. This is further explained in the next verse as them saying that they would only believe in what is revealed to Bani Israel. The mention of wrath twice in “wrath upon wrath” is because they already incurred wrath and now by rejecting the Holy Prophet they incurred more wrath. The humiliating and dishonorable punishment is that they would remain governed and subordinate to others.
2-91 And when it is said to them, Believe in that which Allah has revealed, they say: We believe in that which was revealed to us. And they deny what is besides that, while it is the Truth verifying that which they have. Say: Why then did you kill Allah’s prophets before (this) if you were believers?a
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ ءَامِنُواْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُواْ نُؤۡمِنُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيۡنَا وَيَكۡفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَآءَهُ ۥ وَهُوَ ٱلۡحَقُّ مُصَدِّقً۬ا لِّمَا مَعَهُمۡۗ قُلۡ فَلِمَ تَقۡتُلُونَ أَنۢبِيَآءَ ٱللَّهِ مِن قَبۡلُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ (٩١)
2:91a Why was it necessary for a prophet to come from outside Bani Israel: The Bani Israel’s position was that if revelation came to a non-Israelite they would not accept it. They are first told in this revelation that it verifies the previous revelation that came to them, as was prophesied to be an identifying characteristic of the Promised Prophet. Second, their claim that they would have accepted this Prophet if he had been from Bani Israel, is debunked because they had previously killed prophets that were from Bani Israel. The first rebuttal also points out that if this Prophet had not come from outside the Bani Israel, then the prophecies in their scriptures would have been falsified because the prophecies required a prophet to come from the brethren of Bani Israel, that is Bani Ishmael, and Arabia is mentioned by name. Further, the like of Moses could not have been from the successors of Moses, and it was necessary for the Promised Prophet to be from outside the Bani Israel who would bring a new and complete sharia.
2-92 And Moses indeed came to you with clear arguments, then you took the calf (for a god) in his absence and you were wrongdoers.a
وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَڪُم مُّوسَىٰ بِٱلۡبَيِّنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذۡتُمُ ٱلۡعِجۡلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمۡ ظَـٰلِمُونَ (٩٢)
2:92a The narration of the Bani Israelite rejection is repeated here, and it is emphasized that they were guilty of committing polytheism even in the time of Moses when they made and worshipped the image of a calf.
2-93 And when We made a covenant with you and raised the mountain above you: Take hold of that which We have given you with firmness and obey. They said: We hear and disobey.a And they were made to imbibe (the love of) the calf into their hearts on account of their disbelief.b Say: Evil is that which your faith bids you if you are believers.
وَإِذۡ أَخَذۡنَا مِيثَـٰقَكُمۡ وَرَفَعۡنَا فَوۡقَڪُمُ ٱلطُّورَ خُذُواْ مَآ ءَاتَيۡنَـٰڪُم بِقُوَّةٍ۬ وَٱسۡمَعُواْۖ قَالُواْ سَمِعۡنَا وَعَصَيۡنَا وَأُشۡرِبُواْ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلۡعِجۡلَ بِڪُفۡرِهِمۡۚ قُلۡ بِئۡسَمَا يَأۡمُرُڪُم بِهِۦۤ إِيمَـٰنُكُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ (٩٣)
2:93a ٱسۡمَعُو – The literal meaning of سمع is to hear but in addition to hearing, the word is used in the Quran sometimes to mean understand, and sometimes to mean obey (R). Here the meaning is to understand or obey because that is the purpose of hearing a command.
Verbally professing faith and disobedience in practice: Despite entering a firm covenant, the Bani Israel are charged with violating it so grossly that it was almost as if they overtly stated they would not obey it. In reality, they said سَمِعۡنَا , we have heard with their mouth and عَصَيۡنَا , we disobey, which they said in their heart or they said “we hear” with their tongue and “we disobey” with their actions. Such is the condition of Muslims today. They say that they believe in the Quran, but their actions belie their words.
2:93b أُشۡرِبُواْ – شرب indicates drinking water or other fluids (R). The analogy of drinking water is used when something totally penetrates and seeps through the system just as water reaches every pore of the body on drinking. The meaning of imbibe the calf means to imbibe the love of the calf (R): the disease of polytheism that the Bani Israel exhibited by worshipping the calf is still within them.
Rectification of a mistake in the Torah: In the Torah it states that the calf was burnt and its ashes were strewn in water and the Bani Israel were made to drink that mixture (Exodus 32:20). But this is baseless. The extension of فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ (into their hearts) makes it clear that the Jews adopted a wrong meaning which resulted in distorting the meaning. The Quran states in another place that the ashes were strewn in the river لَّنُحَرِّقَنَّهُ ۥ ثُمَّ لَنَنسِفَنَّهُ ۥ فِى ٱلۡيَمِّ نَسۡفًا (We will certainly burn it, then we will scatter it in the sea) (20:97).
2-94 Say: If the abode of the Hereafter with Allah is specially for you to the exclusion of the people, then invoke death if you are truthful.a
قُلۡ إِن كَانَتۡ لَڪُمُ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلۡأَخِرَةُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَالِصَةً۬ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُاْ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ إِن ڪُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِينَ (٩٤)
2:94a Mutual imprecation with the Jews: The meaning of invoking death is to imprecate for the death of the party that is lying. Just as the Christians were called for a duel by imprecation in Surah Al-Imran, the Jews are called upon here for a kind of mutual imprecation. The meaning is as narrated by Ibn Abbas: ادعوا بالموت علیٰ ای الفریقین اکذب (Pray for death on the party that is on the side of fabrication). If the Bani Israel are the beloved in the sight of Allah, as they claim, Allah will certainly accept their prayer. The next verse states that they will never have the courage to do that because of their evil actions.
Desire for death: Some commentators take the desire for death to mean the death of the believer so that the meaning is that a believer is not afraid to die but the Jews were afraid of death. However, this interpretation does not fit the text and the Quran supports the first meaning. Even a renowned commentator like Ibn Abbas interprets in accordance with the first meaning.
2-95 And they will never invoke it on account of what their hands have sent on before, and Allah knows the wrongdoers.
وَلَن يَتَمَنَّوۡهُ أَبَدَۢا بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَيۡدِيہِمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمُۢ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (٩٥)
2-96 And thou wilt certainly find them the greediest of men for life, (greedier) even than those who set up gods (with God). One of them loves to be granted a life of a thousand years, and his being granted a long life will in no way remove him further off from the chastisement. And Allah is Seer of what they do.a
وَلَتَجِدَنَّہُمۡ أَحۡرَصَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ حَيَوٰةٍ۬ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشۡرَكُواْۚ يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمۡ لَوۡ يُعَمَّرُ أَلۡفَ سَنَةٍ۬ وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحۡزِحِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ أَن يُعَمَّرَۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرُۢ بِمَا يَعۡمَلُونَ (٩٦)
2:96 a أَحۡرَصَ – is an intensive form of حریص and حرص means to desire something very strongly (R).
أَشۡرَكُو – شِرۡکَة is a thing of which there are two or more. There are two types of شرک in religion. The first type is the great شرک which is associating someone with Allah and the second is the minor شرک which is to bear in mind that someone other than Allah will favor you in a matter (R). A hadith states: الشرك فی امتی اخفی من دبیب النمل علی الصفا , that is, shirk (polytheism) in this ummat (nation) is even more imperceptible than [the footprints of] ants that have passed over a clean surface.
بَصِيرُۢ – Eye is called بَصَر as is the power of seeing. The power of perception in the heart is called بَصِيۡرةۢ and also بَصَر (R). اَلۡبَصِیۡر (The Seeing) is an attributive name of Allah, and it means that He sees everything whether manifest or hidden without any seeing aid. بَصَر is His attribute by which the perfect qualities of all things are manifested (T).
مُزَحۡزِحِ – زَحۡزَحَ – is from زحّ which means removing a thing from its place.
يُعَمَّرُ – عِمارة means to inhabit, that is the opposite of uninhabited. For this reason, عَمۡرا and عُمُر is the period in which the body is inhabited by life. And the word عَمۡر appears in an oath as in: لَعَمۡرُكَ إِنَّہُمۡ لَفِى سَكۡرَتِہِمۡ (By thy life! They blindly wander on…). And تعمیر from which یُعمّر is the aorist tense and means to grant life (R).
Life of a thousand years: It is narrated here that one will find the Jews greedy for the life of this world more than any other people, even more than the polytheists. While some consider the term polytheists to simply mean polytheists because they do not believe in being raised after death. some commentators take the reference to polytheists to particularly mean the Magi who, according to Ibn Jarir would bless someone sneezing by saying, “Live for a thousand years.” According to Ibn Abbas, the reference here is to non-Arabs. It is also possible that a new narration is started with: مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشۡرَكُواْۚ (Those who set up gods (with God)), and the mention of the polytheists may be to the polytheists from among the People of the Book, that is, the Christians who are compared with the Jews. The meaning then is that the Jews are no doubt greedy for the life of this world having been enamored by it, but that their polytheistic brothers, that is the Christians, desire a life of a thousand years.
The Christian opposition of Islam: The meaning of a life of thousand years in this Surah may be to a thousand-year life of a nation opposed to Islam, as has been stated elsewhere: لَّبِثۡتُمۡ إِلَّا يَوۡمً۬ا (You tarried but a day) (20:104) and a day with God is the measure of a thousand earth days. The meaning would then be that even if the Christian opposition to Islam lasted for a thousand years and even if they prevailed, they would not be able to escape punishment.
Bayan-ul-Quran 