Surah Al Baqarah (Section 9)

2-72      And when you (almost) killed a man, then you disagreed about it. And Allah was to bring forth that which you were going to hide.

2-73      So We said: Smite him with it partially. Thus Allah brings the dead to life, and He shows you His signs that you may understand.^a

وَ اِذۡ قَتَلۡتُمۡ نَفۡسًا فَادّٰرَءۡتُمۡ فِيۡهَا ^ط

وَاللّٰهُ مُخۡرِجٌ مَّا كُنۡتُمۡ تَكۡتُمُوۡنَۚ‏ ﴿۷۲﴾     

فَقُلۡنَا اضۡرِبُوۡهُ بِبَعۡضِهَا ^ط كَذٰلِكَ يُحۡىِ اللّٰهُ الۡمَوۡتٰى ۙ وَيُرِيۡکُمۡ اٰيٰتِهٖ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿۷۳﴾

 2:73a  قَتَلۡتُمۡ – As has been accepted in the explanation of يَقۡتُلُوۡنَ النَّبِيّٖ the meaning of قَتَلۡتُمۡ here is either that they created all those circumstances that can put an end to life or that as far as they were concerned they had killed him but some impediment prevented death. See 2:61c.

ادّٰرَءۡتُمۡ – It is derived from درء (turning away; driving back, repelling) and is in the measure of تفاعلتم whose base is تدارأتم (IJ) and the meaning of درء is نشوز (disobedience) is to quarrel and to disagree (T). In a hadith about Khulah (divorce initiated by wife), the meaning of درء in اذا کان الدرء من قبلھا, is taken to be opposition and disobedience. Hence the meaning of ادّٰرَءۡتُمۡ have been taken as اختلفتم و تنازعتم, that is, you disagreed and quarreled (IJ-RM). درء is also used in the sense of دفع (avert), examples of which appear elsewhere in the Quran as in: وَيَدۡرَؤُا عَنۡهَا الۡعَذَابَ (And it shall avert the chastisement from her…) (24:8) and فَادۡرَءُوۡا عَنۡ اَنۡفُسِكُمُ الۡمَوۡتَ (Avert death from yourselves…) (3:168).

Another incident to compare with the incident of cow slaughter: It is possible that the reference here may be to the command in Deuteronomy 21:1-9 wherein it is sated that when the identity of a murderer is unknown, a heifer that has not been under the yoke should be slaughtered and hands washed over it. However, just as all the events from verse 67 in the last section appear to be separate events, this seems to be a separate event. It is not related to the slaughter of the cow but is another incident that compares with it. There are many references in the Quran to acts of stubbornness [by the Bani Israel]. So, when the previous section was ended with the reluctance shown in slaughtering a cow, this verse asks them to contemplate and compare with it an event in which they showed no reluctance in killing a great man.

The reference in قَتَلۡتُمۡ نَفۡسًا is to the killing of a prophet: Some commentators opine that that the killing refers to a paternal nephew who killed his uncle so that he could marry his daughter and thereby inherit his uncle’s property. These kinds of murders are commonplace in nations. If such an event took place, there was no need to mention it in the Quran. Circumstantial evidence indicates that this refers to the killing of a prophet. First, the Bani Israel were charged with committing two crimes – the ungratefulness of the signs of Allah and the killing of prophets. Several examples of the former charge were given but no example of the second charge had been mentioned. Second, the deliberate vagueness used in expressing نَفۡسًا as a common noun is an indication of greatness, thereby showing that the reference is to the [well-known] killing of a great man. Third, the whole nation cannot be held liable for an ordinary murder, but a whole nation can be charged for the murder of a prophet. If a nephew had murdered an uncle, charging the whole nation for it would be meaningless. However, if a prophet is slain, then the charge against the whole nation is correct, because the Quran has rendered nations liable for the killing of their prophets. This circumstantial evidence indicates that the mention here is to the killing of a prophet.

The prophet referred to is Jesus: There are a few more facts worthy of consideration here. The first one is that after having killed him, as far as they were concerned, there was some disagreement among them as is manifested by the words: فَادّٰرَءۡتُمۡ فِيۡهَا  (then you disagreed about it). Second, they were not successful in their murderous attempt as shown by the statement: And Allah was to bring forth that which you were going to hide. The only incident in the history of Bani Israel of such a killing or an attempted killing in which there was disagreement and the killing was that of a prophet is the crucifixion of Jesus and none other.

The attempted killing of Jesus: In another place, the Quran states: وَّقَوۡلِهِمۡ اِنَّا قَتَلۡنَا الۡمَسِيۡحَ  عِيۡسَى ابۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ (And for their saying: We have killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary) (4:157) but it is stated: وَمَا قَتَلُوۡهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوۡهُ وَلٰـكِنۡ شُبِّهَ لَهُمۡ (…and they killed him not, nor did they cause his death on the cross, but he was made to appear to them as such) (4:157), and then it is stated: وَاِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ اخۡتَلَـفُوۡا فِيۡهِ لَفِىۡ شَكٍّ مِّنۡهُ‌ (And certainly those who differ therein are in doubt about it) (4:157). So, on the one hand, the circumstantial evidence indicates that the narrated event pertains to a prophet, and on the other, it is manifest that a prophet whose killing was disputed and whose killing was not successful is Messiah, on him be peace. Thus, there is an exposition in these verses of the non-temperate behavior of the Bani Israel. On the one hand, they showed so much prevarication in slaughtering a cow, and on the other, there is so much boldness in killing a great prophet. There is also an indication pointing towards Jesus as the subject in the verse by stating immediately after: ثُمَّ قَسَتۡ قُلُوۡبُكُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ ذٰلِكَ (Then your hearts hardened after that,…) (2:74) and it is proven from the Quran: فَطَالَ عَلَيۡهِمُ الۡاَمَدُ فَقَسَتۡ قُلُوۡبُهُمۡ (…but time was prolonged for them, so their hearts hardened) (57:16). This shows that the narrated incident is one that occurred after the lapse of a long time after Moses.

Quran commentates on itself: Certain sections of the Quran commentate on other sections. The incidents narrated here are repeated in Surah Al-Nisa. In verse 153 there is the demand to see God and a mention of making the [golden] calf. In verse 154, the making of the covenant is mentioned along with the command to enter the city obediently, and not to violate the Sabbath. Verse 155 comments on their violation of the covenant and the killing of prophets. All this is congruent with what is mentioned here in Surah Baqara. The difference is that there are a lot more details here as compared to Surah Al- Nisa where the same events are mentioned but with brevity. Verse 157 of Surah Al-Nisa mentions the unsuccessful attempt to kill Jesus and the dispute that followed. Thus, what was only indicated here briefly, has been expressed in more detail in Surah Al-Nisa. This is the perfection of Quran that although these two surahs were revealed many years apart, the brevity in one surah has been amplified in another, and what had been dealt with in detail previously was mentioned only briefly in recounting the events. This comparison is a further testimony that the indication given here is to the attempted killing of Jesus.

What is meant by اضۡرِبُوۡهُ بِبَعۡضِهَا (Smite him with it partially): The personal pronoun in اضۡرِبُوۡهُ refers to نفس (man) because sometimes the personal pronoun for نفس (man) by virtue of the meaning is masculine. The pronoun in بَعۡضِهَا refers to the verb kill. The meaning therefore becomes to kill him in certain aspects, that is, the act of killing should not be completed on him. Accordingly, it is accepted in Bahr al-Muhit that the pronoun in the verbal noun بَعۡضِهَا refers to killing.

Jesus and the events of crucifixion: The truth is that the act of killing was not completed on the Messiah. The period for which Jesus stayed on the Cross was three hours and a person cannot die by crucifixion in that amount of time. The bones of the two thieves who were crucified at the same time as Jesus were broken but Jesus’ bones were not broken. This is what is conveyed by: اضۡرِبُوۡهُ بِبَعۡضِهَا (Smite him with it partially) and کذٰلك یحی اللّٰه الموتٰی (Thus Allah brings the dead to life) that this is how God kept the person alive who was considered to be dead and brought him back to life. And by the statement: يُرِيۡکُمۡ اٰيٰتِهٖ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُوۡنَ (He shows you His signs that you may understand), it is impressed on Bani Israel that just as Jesus, who appeared dead to them, was brought back to life by Allah because his mission was the glorification of Allah’s name, they too will be granted life by Allah although they are a dead nation if they adopt the glorification of His word.

2-74      Then your hearts hardened after that, so that they were like rocks, rather worse in hardness. And surely there are some rocks from which streams burst forth; and there are some of them which split asunder so water flows from them; and there are some of them which fall down for the fear of Allah. And Allah is not heedless of what you do.^a

ثُمَّ قَسَتۡ قُلُوۡبُكُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ ذٰلِكَ فَهِىَ كَالۡحِجَارَةِ اَوۡ اَشَدُّ قَسۡوَةً ^ط وَاِنَّ مِنَ الۡحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنۡهُ الۡاَنۡهٰرُ‌ؕ وَاِنَّ مِنۡهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخۡرُجُ مِنۡهُ الۡمَآءُ‌ؕ وَاِنَّ مِنۡهَا لَمَا يَهۡبِطُ مِنۡ خَشۡيَةِ اللّٰهِ ^ط وَمَا اللّٰهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿۷۴﴾ 

2:74a قَسَتۡ – حجر قاس is a hard stone. Hence the meaning of قسوت is hardness of the heart.

اَوۡ (and) here has the meaning of بل (rather).

The hard heartedness of the Bani Israel: Their hard heartedness is first compared with that of stone, but notwithstanding, hope is held out and reasons given for not being despondent. When streams can burst forth from rocks, then why cannot streams of knowledge burst forth from the hard hearts of Bani Israel that would benefit the whole world. A grade below these are those from whom only a little water flows out after splitting. These are those whose beneficence is not widespread and there are some among them that provide no benefit to others but at least garner some benefit for themselves by bowing before the glory of Allah.

The case of Muslims: The history of Bani Israel is a map of the history of Muslims. Even more than drawing the attention of Bani Israel, it is the Muslims who are reminded here that despite their hard heartedness, they should not lose hope. As is stated elsewhere: اَلَمۡ يَاۡنِ لِلَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اَنۡ تَخۡشَعَ قُلُوۡبُهُمۡ لِذِكۡرِ اللّٰهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الۡحَـقِّۙ وَلَا يَكُوۡنُوۡا كَالَّذِيۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡكِتٰبَ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيۡهِمُ الۡاَمَدُ فَقَسَتۡ قُلُوۡبُهُمۡ‌ؕ َ‏ (Has not the time yet come for the believers that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and the Truth that is revealed, and that they should not be like those who were given the Book before, but time was prolonged for them so their hearts hardened). (57:16). There is an indication even here that a nation can progress after their hard heartedness by acquiring knowledge.

2-75      Do you then hope that they would believe in you, and a party from among them indeed used to hear the word of Allah, then altered it after they had understood it, and they know (this).^a

  اَفَتَطۡمَعُوۡنَ اَنۡ يُّؤۡمِنُوۡا لَـكُمۡ وَقَدۡ كَانَ فَرِيۡقٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَسۡمَعُوۡنَ کَلَامَ اللّٰهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُوۡنَهٗ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا عَقَلُوۡهُ وَهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿۷۵﴾

2:75a  تَطۡمَعُوۡنَ – طمع is the yearning of the soul for a thing that one likes (R). Its use is normally for base desires, but its meaning is also رجا, that is, to hope for something (T).

کَلَامَ اللّٰهِ – کَلَامَ is from کلم for which see 2:57a and کَلَامَ is a string of words organized according to their underlying meanings (R). Thus, words that make no meanings or meanings without words is not called کَلَامَ . So, کَلَامَ اللّٰهِ are words that convey a meaning. The belief that only the sense is cast into the heart of a person when revelation is received is incorrect according to the definition of کَلَامَ.

حَرِّفُوۡنَ – It is derived from تحریف حرف whose meaning is edge or boundary and the meaning of تحریف is alteration and change (T). The alteration and change can be either in words or meaning, but primarily it is taken to mean alteration of words. This is the generally accepted opinion and it is supported by the following verse of the Quran which comes a little later:      يَكۡتُبُوۡنَ الۡكِتٰبَ بِاَيۡدِيۡهِمۡ ^ق ثُمَّ يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ هٰذَا مِنۡ عِنۡدِ اللّٰهِ(…write the Book with their hands then say, This is from Allah) (2:79). It is obvious the alteration is in words. So, in the context of this verse, the alteration referred to is in words.

Alteration in the text of the Bible: One of the many marvels of the Quran is its claim that the Bible had been altered when the world was unaware of it. Today, fourteen hundred years later, the Christian Biblical researchers admit that the Bible has been altered. Who gave this knowledge to an unlettered man when no one was familiar even with the concept of alteration?

Answer to why Torah and Gospel retain their names even after alteration: Christians have some objections to the charge of alteration. If these Books were altered and not in their original form then why does the Quran still refer to them as the Torah and Gospel instead of giving them a new name? This is an absurd objection because there is no need to change the name of a book because of alteration. The second objection is why does the Quran call upon their adherents to follow these altered scriptures? The answer is that this is the minimalist demand made to Jews and Christians that they should at least follow what is in their hands and which they consider to be the words of God. Otherwise all their claims will ring hollow as is stated in: قُلۡ يٰۤـاَهۡلَ الۡـكِتٰبِ لَسۡتُمۡ عَلٰى شَىۡءٍ حَتّٰى تُقِيۡمُوا التَّوۡرٰٮةَ وَالۡاِنۡجِيۡلَ (Say: O People of the Book, you follow no good till you observe the Torah and the Gospel) (5:68).

How does the Quran verify the earlier Books: The third objection is that Quran verifies these scriptures. The meaning of verification has been discussed above, that is, by fulfilling the prophecies in these scriptures, it evidences the truthfulness of these prophecies. Or at a maximum, it verifies their fundamentals. If the Quran is a verifier of all the padding in these scriptures, why would it then contradict their false ideas? Another objection is why does the Quran call them a light and a guide? It is because despite the alterations, there is still light and guidance in these scriptures. The prophecies in themselves are a light and give guidance. Now when the alterations are a proven fact, it can be asked  as to why Jesus did not understand that alterations had been made to the Torah. What was not made manifest to Jesus by Allah was made manifest to the Holy Prophet ذٰ لِكَ فَضۡلُ اللّٰهِ يُؤۡتِيۡهِ مَنۡ يَّشَآءُ  (That is Allah’s grace; He grants it to whom He pleases) (62:4).

The admission of a Bible commentator regarding the alteration of the text: Reproduced below is the admission of a Bible commentator that the text of the Bible has been altered. This commentator is Rev. Dummelow who has written a complete commentary on the Bible in one volume. He admits that the Books of Moses were not written by Moses but were put together from the original writings with omissions and additions.

Examples of alterations in the Pentateuch: Rev. Dummelow states: “On close examination, however, it must be admitted that the Pentateuch reveals many features inconsistent with the traditional view that in its present form it is the work of Moses. For instance, it may be safely granted that Moses did not write the account of his own death in Dt 34. The statement in Dt 1:1 that Moses spoke these words beyond Jordan is evidently made from the standpoint of one living in Canaan, which Moses never did”.

After giving many such examples, the Reverend gives the following summary, “A careful examination has led many scholars to the conviction that the writings of Moses formed only the rough material or purport of the material, and that in its present form it is not the work of one man, but a compilation made from previously existing documents”.

Difference in the language of Jesus and that of Gospels: The text of the New Testament or the Gospels is still more unreliable. The same author says: “  To begin with, the writers of the Gospels report in Greek…the sayings of Jesus Christ, who for the most part probably spoke Aramaic…Not even in later centuries do we find that scrupulous regard for the sacred text which marked the transmission of the Old Testament.. A copyist would sometimes put in not what was in the text, but what he thought ought to be in it. He would trust a fickle memory, or he would even make the text accord with the views of the school to which he belonged”.

Many examples of alterations in the present-day Bible can be given: These alterations are well recognized, and many new commentaries accept this fact, but this is not the place to give all the details. Verse 21 of Mathew Section17, “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting”, has been removed from the Revised edition. In Section 19 of the same gospel, when a person addresses Jesus as the Good Master, and Jesus replies, “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God”. In the Revised Standard Version, this has been changed to: “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good”. (Mathew 17:19). Rev. Dummelow while commenting on Mark 17:10 writes “The author of Mathew altered the text slightly, to prevent the reader from supposing that Christ denied that He was good.”  The same author admits that verses nine to twenty are later additions. When the gospel by Marks was found after a long period, it turned out to be incomplete. These verses were added to complete the gospel. The alterations in the Bible are now proven beyond any doubt and this provides testimony to the perfection of the Quran which stated this fact when the world had no knowledge of it. At the time, neither any Jew knew of this nor any Christian, but today this is an accepted fact. This is a clear proof of the Divine origin of the Quran.

2-76      And when they meet those who believe they say, We believe, and when they are apart one with another they say: Do you talk to them of what Allah has disclosed to you that they may contend with you by this before your Lord? Do you not understand?

وَاِذَا لَـقُوۡا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا قَالُوۡآ اٰمَنَّا ^ج وَاِذَا خَلَا بَعۡضُهُمۡ اِلٰى بَعۡضٍ قَالُوۡآ اَ تُحَدِّثُوۡنَهُمۡ بِمَا فَتَحَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ لِيُحَآجُّوۡكُمۡ بِهٖ عِنۡدَ رَبِّكُمۡ ^ط اَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿۷۶﴾

فَتَحَ – فَتَحَ  means to do away with chains and shackles like opening the door. Then it is also spoken about opening of knowledge and blessings. And the meaning of فتح علیه is he was given knowledge of it (R).

يُحَآجُّوۡكُمۡ   – Is the intention to perform pilgrimage (and in religious terminology, it is specific to the pilgrimage to Kabah). And حُجَّة means an argument that makes the purpose clear in a straightforward way. And مُحَا جَّة means two persons who are trying to refute each other’s arguments.

Jew hypocrites and prophecies about the coming of the Holy Prophet: When the hypocrites among the Jews interacted with the Muslims, they would say that they accepted the Holy Prophet and that there were prophecies about him in their Books, but when they would come to their religious scholars (here they are called بَعۡضُهُمۡ   whereas near the beginning of this Surah, they are called شَيٰطِيۡنِهِمۡۙ ), they would ask them why they were disclosing the prophecies to the Muslims because it gave the Muslims an argument with which they could accuse the Jews. The reply to this is given in the next verse that God knows everything, and the hiding of prophecies would be of no avail to them. This goes to show that prophecies regarding the appearance of the Holy Prophet were commonplace during his time.

2-77      Do they not know that Allah knows what they keep secret and what they make known?

2-78      And some of them are illiterate; they know not the Book but only (from) hearsay, and they do but conjecture.^a

 اَوَلَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّوۡنَ وَمَا يُعۡلِنُوۡنَ‏ ﴿۷۷﴾

وَ مِنۡهُمۡ اُمِّيُّوۡنَ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ الۡكِتٰبَ اِلَّاۤ اَمَانِىَّ وَاِنۡ هُمۡ اِلَّا يَظُنُّوۡنَ‏ ﴿۷۸﴾

  2:78a اُمِّيُّوۡنَ – It is the plural of اُمّی  and اُمّی is also spoken of a person who is unlettered, and the meaning is attributed to اُم , that is, mother because the person is intellectually in the same condition as he was when he left the mother’s womb and did not make any attempt to gain knowledge (RM) or because women initially were deprived of learning, and the people of Arabia are also called اُمّی , that is, belonging to اُمّ القرٰی (R) because اُمّ القرٰی is the name of Makkah. The reference here can be either to unlettered Jews or Jews that were settled in Arabia.   

اَمَانِىَّ – It is the plural ofاُمۡنِیّة  and is derived from منی which means destiny or to estimate. And منی meaning semen is also derived from the same root. It is so called because it estimates i.e. determines the kind of animal that will be reproduced (R). تمنّی which means to wish or desire is also derived from it because that too in reality is the estimation of a thing in one’s heart. And the word تمنّی is generally spoken about things that have no reality (R). And اُمۡنِیَّة is the condition which is created in a person as a result of تمنّی (desire for things that have no reality). And because falsehood is a concept that has no reality, hence تمنّی has become synonymous with the origin or fountainhead of falsehood, that is, falsehood is born from تمنّی (R). Mujahid has taken the meaning of تمنّی here as falsehood on this basis. Some have taken تمنّی to mean reading without knowing the meaning of words.

In the mention of the Jews is a hint for Muslims to gain knowledge: The condition of the Muslims in these times is such that they consider it sufficient to read the Quran without knowing the meaning. A time came upon the Jews that the common people became quite ignorant of religion and they accepted whatever their religious scholars and rabbis said. Quranic teachings stand against the idea that religious knowledge should only be the preserve of a special class of people. It desires that every person should endeavor to gain knowledge for himself so that he may not blindly follow others and be able to have insight of his own. One of the responsibility of the Holy Prophet was: يُعَلِّمُهُمُ الۡكِتٰبَ وَالۡحِكۡمَةَ  (teach them the Book and the Wisdom) and the Holy Prophet taught the Book and the Wisdom to all his companions and not to any special group. This was the reason that an uneducated nation became the torchbearer of knowledge to the whole world. In this regard, Muslims presently are in a sorry state. They are not only lacking in all fields of knowledge and are steeped in superstitions but also their temporal and religious leaders do not like them to benefit from the various fields of knowledge because this would jeopardize their false leadership.

2-79      Woe! then to those who write the Book with their hands then say, This is from Allah; so that they may take for it a small price. So woe! to them for what their hands write and woe! to them for what they earn.^a

فَوَيۡلٌ۬ لِّلَّذِينَ يَكۡتُبُونَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِأَيۡدِيہِمۡ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَـٰذَا مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ لِيَشۡتَرُواْ بِهِۦ ثَمَنً۬ا قَلِيلاً۬ ^ط  فَوَيۡلٌ۬ لَّهُم مِّمَّا ڪَتَبَتۡ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَوَيۡلٌ۬ لَّهُم مِّمَّا يَكۡسِبُونَ (٧٩)

 2:79a The last verse dealt with the general public, while this verse deals with the religious scholars. When the general public became ignorant of what was in their scriptures, the scholars got a great opportunity to make alterations. This verse provides definitive testimony to alteration in the text of the Bible. The last part of the verse points to the wrongdoings of the scholars.

2-80      And they say: Fire will not touch us but for a few days. Say: Have you received a promise from Allah? Then Allah will not fail to perform His promise. Or do you speak against Allah what you know not?^a

وَقَالُواْ لَن تَمَسَّنَا ٱلنَّارُ إِلَّآ أَيَّامً۬ا مَّعۡدُودَةً۬   قُلۡ أَتَّخَذۡتُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ عَهۡدً۬ا فَلَن يُخۡلِفَ ٱللَّهُ عَهۡدَهُ ۥۤ‌ۖ أَمۡ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (٨٠) 

Claim of Jews and Christians that the punishment will be only for a few days: The Jews said that they would be punished only for forty days, and some even said it would be only for seven days. Sale says that it is the firmly accepted belief of Jews that no Jew, regardless of how evil he is, will stay in hell for more than eleven months or a year. The Christians have further extended this concept and believe that Jesus was cast into hell for three days and this atones all their sins. However, there is no evidence of any such command given by Allah. On the contrary, even Gospels require actions as a necessary condition for salvation. In Matthew 7:22-23, Jesus says to those who profess miracles in his name, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity”. So, salvation is not for the evil doers.

2-81      Yea, whoever earns evil and his sins beset him on every side, those are the companions of the Fire; therein they abide.^a

2-82      And those who believe and do good deeds, these are the owners of the Garden; therein they abide.^a

بَلَىٰ مَن كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً۬ وَأَحَـٰطَتۡ بِهِۦ خَطِيٓـَٔتُهُ ۥ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ‌ۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (٨١)

وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ‌ۖ هُمۡ فِيہَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (٨٢)

2:81a سَيِّئَةً۬ – It is derived from سوء  which means a thing which brings sorrow to a person whether in earthly matters or in the afterlife and whether that state occurs to the soul or the body or externally such as by the loss of wealth or station in life (R). And سَيِّئَةً۬ is an evil action which is the opposite of حسنة, that is goodness. Every سَيِّئَةً۬ (evil) and حسنة is of two types: First, that which is in accordance with the demands of rationality and sharia, and that is what is meant here. And second حسنة is spoken of a thing that is agreeable to one’s temperament, that is, a thing that pleases and lightens one’s disposition, and that which burdens a person is spoken of as سَيِّئَةً۬ (R). These words have been used in this sense at many places in the Quran.

خَطِيٓـَٔتُهُ ۥ – It is derived from خطاء whose real meaning is: العدول عن الجھة that is, to move aside from the right direction, and this can happen in several ways: to make an intention for a thing that is not commendable and then to act on it. This is a full-fledged error. A person will be called to account for it, and this is what is meant here. Second type is where the intention of a person is commendable but the action that is committed happens to be contrary to the intention. This is a خطاء (error) about which it is said: دفع عن امتی الخطاء والنسیان یا من اجتہد فاخطاء فله اجر  that is, a person who does ijtihad (exercises judgment or interprets Islamic law) and the ijtihad turns out to be erroneous, he still gets a reward for it (R). This is what is meant in:إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَا‌ (we forget or make a mistake) (2:286). The difference that Imam Raghib has made between سَيِّئَةً۬ and خَطِيٓـَٔتُهُ ۥ is that خَطِيٓـَٔتُهُ ۥ is generally spoken about an action that by itself was not the intent.

Confronting evil: The use of the word كَسَبَ with evil, shows that when a person commits to an evil life, he gets surrounded by evil on all sides and can then find no way out of it.

The power of good is stronger than that of evil: A person who confronts evil does not get trapped by it and ultimately succeeds in ridding himself of evil. Although the attraction for evil may appear strong but in reality, it is weak. The power of goodness is stronger because human nature is the helper of goodness. Hence, whenever there is a confrontation between good and evil, good will always prevail.