Surat al Baqarah, Verses 40-48: Detailed Explanation and Notes
Lesson Overview
- The lesson will cover the translation and word analysis of Ayat 40 to 48 of Surat al Baqarah. It will also cover the Tafsir of Ayah number 40.
Translation and Word Analysis (Ayat 40-48)
Ayat 40: Ya Banī Isrā'īla dhkurū ni'matiyallatī an'amtu 'alaykum wa awfū bi'ahdī ūfi biahdikum wa iyyāya farhabūn
Translation: "O Children of Israel! Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your covenant with Me, I will fulfill My covenant with you; and of Me alone should you be in awe."
يا (yā): Oh
بني (banī): Children (plural of ibn, meaning son or child); refers to both male and female children, progeny, or descendants.
إسرائيل (Isrā'īl): Israel; combination of Isra and El. Ends with "el" referring to God.
Hebrew meaning: Contender or fighter, soldier of God.
Muslim scholars meaning: Slave of God, worshipper of God.
Title of Prophet Yaqub (Jacob).
اذكروا (udhkurū): You all remember (Feral Amr - command verb). Root letters: ذ ك ر (dh-k-r). Means to remember, bear in mind, recall, mention.
نعمتي (ni'matī): My blessing. Root letters: ن ع م (n-'-m). Nirma appears singular.
- Ism jince (generic noun) - can give singular or plural meaning; here, refers to all blessings Allah bestowed upon them.
التي (allatī): That which (feminine form of alladhī). Feminine because the word ni'mat is feminine.
أنعمت (an'amtu): I blessed. Root letters: ن ع م (n-'-m). The "tu" indicates "I".
عليكم ('alaykum): Upon you all.
وأوفوا (wa awfū): And you all fulfill (Feral Amr). Root letters: و ف ي (w-f-y). To fulfill something, carry it out completely.
بعهدي (bi'ahdī): With my covenant. 'Ahd means covenant, promise, pledge. The letter ب (b) usually translates to "with," but is in parenthesis because the English translation, "fulfill with my covenant," is grammatically incorrect.
أوف (ūfi): I will fulfill. Root letters: و ف ي (w-f-y). The hamza at the beginning gives the meaning of "I."
بعهدكم (bi'ahdikum): Your covenant. Kum means "your."
وإياي (wa iyyāya): And Me alone. Iyya gives the meaning of "alone."
فارهبون (farhabūn): So you all fear Me with awe. Root letters: ر ه ب (r-h-b). Rhahab means extreme fear, vigilance, carefulness, anxiety leading to vigilance.
Ayat 41: Wa āminū bimā anzaltu muṣaddiqal limā ma'akum wa lā takūnū awwala kāfirim bihī wa lā tashtarū bi'āyātī thamanan qalīlaw wa iyyāya fattaqūn
Translation: "And believe in what I have sent down, confirming that which is with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And do not exchange My verses for a small price, and fear Me alone."
وآمنوا (wa āminū): And you all believe (Fair Al Amr). Root letters: أ م ن (a-m-n).
بما (bimā): In what. ب (b) gives the meaning of "in."
أنزلت (anzaltu): I sent down. Root letters: ن ز ل (n-z-l). The "tu" indicates "I."
مصدقا (muṣaddiqal): As one that confirms the truth. Root letters: ص د ق (s-d-q). Ism fa'il with tanwin.
لما (limā): Of what.
معكم (ma'akum): Is with you all.
ولا تكونوا (wa lā takūnū): And you all do not be. The ل (la) changes the amr into nahi (prohibition). Is from كان (k-w-n).
أول (awwala): First. Root letters: أ و ل (a-w-l).
كافر (kāfirim): One who disbelieves. Root letters: ك ف ر (k-f-r).
به (bihī): In it.
ولا تشتروا (wa lā tashtarū): And you all do not purchase. Nahi because of the لا (la). Is from the word اشترى (i-sh-ta-ra).
بآياتي (bi'āyātī): With My verses. Ayat is plural of ayah.
ثمنا (thamanan): Something of value.
قليلا (qalīlaw): Little. Root letters: ق ل ل (q-l-l).
فاتقون (fattaqūn): So you all adopt consciousness. As you know, this is from the root letters. The word is اتقو. This is technically اتقوني. The ي gives the meaning of me.
Ayat 42: Wa lā talbisul-haqqa bil-bāṭili wa lā taktumul-haqqa wa antum ta'lamūn
Translation: "And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it]."
وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا (wa lā talbisū): And you all do not obscure/mix. This is from لبس. When things are mixed up, then you cannot tell them apart; it's confusing. So لا means do not.
الحق (al-haqqa): The truth. As you know is from حق. (H-Q-Q)
بِالْبَاطِلِ (bil-bāṭili): With the falsehood. This is from ب means with, ال means the, باطل means falsehood.
وَلَا تَكْتُمُوا (wa lā taktumū): And you all do not hide (implied). كتم means to hide. What's implied is that you all do not hide the truth.
الحق (al-haqqa): The truth.
وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ (wa antum ta'lamūn): While you all know, meaning while you know that the truth is there. That this is the truth, then don't hide it - meaning don't hide it knowingly. (A-L-M)
Ayat 43: Wa aqīmuṣ-ṣalāta wa ātuz-zakāta warka'ū ma'ar-rāki'īn
- Translation: And establish prayer and give zakah and bow down with those who bow (in worship and obedience).
- وَأَقِيمُوا (wa aqīmū): And you all establish. You learned at the beginning of surah al Baqarah, they established the salah. (Q-W-M)
- الصلاة (aṣ-ṣalāta): The salah.
- وَآتُوا (wa ātū): And you all give. What should you give? (A-T-Y)
- الزكاة (az-zakāta): The zakah.
- وَارْكَعُوا (wa-rka'ū): And you all bow down. Which is why you have in parenthesis Insalah. You don't have to memorize this in your translation, but you should know that this is not just any kind of bowing down. A-R-K. Rukur is to bow down, but it's not just any form of bowing down. This is the rukur of salah. (R-K-Ain)
- مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ (ma'ar-rāki'īn): With those who bow down. And is the one who makes rukur, one who bows down. So the ين at the end is sign of plural. Those who bow down. One who bows/makes Rukur. So make with those who make.
Ayat 44: Ata'murūnan-nāsa bil-birri wa tansawna anfusakum wa antum tatlūnal-kitāba afalā ta'qilūn
- Translation: Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the scripture? Then will you not reason?
- أَتَأْمُرُونَ (ata'murūn): Do you all command? (A-M-R) Question.
- النَّاسَ (an-nāsa): The people.
- بِالْبِرِّ (bil-birri): With the righteousness. B comes from land. With and al meaning the, and bir. (B-R-R). Is Peity + righteousness, any kind of good. There will be so much variety; it means so good.
- وَتَنسَوْنَ (wa tansawna): And you all forget. Forgetfulness. With a Ta & wow ta means you, and at the end give the meaning of flor. (N-S-Y)
- أَنفُسَكُمْ (anfusakum): Yourselves. Selves. Its plural form of nafs. Nafs means self/me/myself. (N-F-S)
- وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ (wa antum tatlūn): While you all, you all recite To recite. (T-L-W)
- الْكِتَابَ (al-kitāba): The book. Meaning you know this book (K-T-B)
- أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ (afalā ta'qilūn): Then will not you all understand? Don't you get it? Implies tying a knot or making a connection. Mind. Understood it. Tied. There is connection in your brain. In order to connect with it. So will you not understand? (A-Q-L)
Ayat 45: Wasta'īnū biṣ-ṣabri waṣ-ṣalāti wa innahā lakabīratun illā 'alal-khāshi'īn
- Translation: And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah].
- وَاسْتَعِينُوا (wasta'īnū): And you all seek help. Meaning seek the help of Allah.
- بِالصَّبْرِ (biṣ-ṣabri): Through the patience. But literally to hold and not let go - detain. (S-B-R)
- وَالصَّلَاةِ (waṣ-ṣalāti): And through the salah.
- وَإِنَّهَا (wa innahā): And indeed it. Feminine word. With a ta sign. Its referring to Salah.
- لَكَبِيرَةٌ (lakabīratun): Surely is ever great. Surely and Kabir is great. Because its referring to Salah - its in feminine form. (K-B-R)
- إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ (illā 'alal-khāshi'īn): Except upon those who humbly fear. Root is humilty & stillness. Not always moving (Kha-Sheen-Ain)
Ayat 46: Alladhīna yaẓunnūna annahum mulāqū rabbihim wa annahum ilaihi rāji'ūn
- Translation: Those who are certain that they will meet their Lord, and that they will return to Him.
- الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ (alladhīna yaẓunnūn): Those who they know root means to believe