Surah Baqarah 2:3-5

Alhamdulillah Allah ﷻ has gathered us together for His sake and given us the opportunity to interact with each other for the sake of learning His religion. It was great to know more about each other and SubhanAllah how uniquely and beautifully in our own ways, Allah ﷻ has shaped each of our journey’s so far. May Allah grant all of us steadfastness and accept from us and reward us all.

Last week we talked about the first two ayahs of Surah Baqarah. Among the main lessons were that THIS is the book that we need, that we have been looking for, that humanity is thirsty for – and it is available to all of us. But only those can benefit from it who come to it with humility and God consciousness. We talked about Hidayat – guidance (which is a loving gift from Allah) and Taqwa (that we love God so much, want to do things that please Him, afraid of Him being upset with us even a little bit, and have best hopes from Him). This word is repeated again and again in Quran and we will discover several layers to this meaning as we go on. The three ayahs that we covered today tell us more about the qualities of these people – these people who have taqwa and who are the successful ones.

Success nowadays is defined in various terms fashion, figure, skin colour, nationality, cultural background, assets, fame, power, knowledge etc. But Quran starts shaping and reshaping our mindset from onset and tells us who are the people who have REAL SUCCESS.

الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

Transliteration: Allatheena yu/minoona bilghaybiwayuqeemoona assalata wamimma razaqnahumyunfiqoon;

Translation: Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them,

1. Those who believe in the Unseen…

What does it mean to believe in unseen? They say – Seeing is believing, but really is that so??? Unseen is something that we cannot comprehend from our five senses or machines. There are so many things around us that we cannot comprehend with our five senses. Does it mean they do not exist??? Has any of us seen our great great grandmother? Do we believe she existed? Why?Why do wear masks when we go out nowadays? Did any of us see the Coronavirus? Can we see and measure elements of human behaviour – like a mom’s love for her child? Our appreciation for literature, poetry etc.
Nowadays the mentality that is promoted is that everything has to be based on hard sciences to be acceptable. It is interesting that even at such a time, it is not just the religious community but also others like scientists, mathematicians, philosophers etc. who have already rejected this notion that everything true can only come from what we see.
Our senses can sometimes trick us too. Example - a mirage in a desert. A moon looks different from the earth, and totally different from when someone has landed on the moon.
True belief is believing in the unseen, or trusting. For example, a one year old when thrown in air – he laughs because he knows you will catch him – that’s trust. When Moses or Musa AS was in front of the red sea with an army behind him, and had no idea that the sea was going to open up for him but had full belief that God will save him – that’s trust. After seeing, anyone can believe. On the Day of Judgement, even Abu Jahl, Abu Lahb and Firawn will believe.
For a believer, believing in Unseen is the first step towards Taqwa. We don’t see God but we believe that He is with us… We see His signs and they guide us to Him. To know about the unseen, we need the knowledge of "wahi" - divine revelation - and we have pure divine revelation with us in the form of the Quran.
TAQWA does not mean perfect emaan! Emaan is a verb here, not a noun, meaning it is continuously moving. It will go up and down, high and low. There is a constant struggle but don’t overthink it. Just carry on and don’t give up. We will keep working on it till our last breaths.
There are three parts to belief - conviction in heart, commitment through words and proof through actions. Example - if news tells us that there is a storm heading our way. True belief in the news would mean we believe it, we inform our near and dear ones, and then we start to prepare ourselves by shopping, securing things and so on.
Believing in unseen for us includes belief in One and Only God, in His prophets, His angels, and the fact that there are angels with me, believing that a mountain of good deeds are being built for me when I put time and efforts for the sake of Allah SWT. This does not mean that Islam encourages blind faith. It means that although we do not see God, we do see His signs. It means understanding that Islam is the true faith, even if we see it being ridiculed by some people. The prophets were troubled by their people too and following their footsteps will only mean blessings for me eventually.
Believing in unseen for us means that I believe that despite whatever challenges I am facing in my life, Allah SWT also made me capable of handling the unique challenges that I face in my own time and place. It means believing that Allah SWT will send money, resources and provision my way from places that are beyond my imagination if I continue with my Taqwa.
Story of Zubaida Khatoon and her husband Haroon Rashid and clay toys made by Bahlool (waliullah)
When someone believes in unseen, they see a reality that others do not see. For example, everyone might be OK in a group that is backbiting about another person, but this person will start getting uncomfortable, worry and leave because he does not want to disappoint Allah SWT and wants to spend his time and energy in doing things that are pleasing to Allah SWT.
A-ma-na: the root letters of emaan, means peace. Peace is contentment of self. It is emaan that gives this contentment, this peace. True peace will come from this Book and Islam. Related word is "amaanat" or trust - when we return the trust of someone, then we come into peace. Another related word is Ameen - after making a dua, we say Ameen, means I hope that this happens like that. When a dua is accepted, we get peace. Al-Amoon refers to a camel, the rider of which, is not afraid of its being tired or falling.

They establish prayer...

Because we believe in something that is not seen, we need some mechanism to keep this belief fresh, this mechanism is Salah. At the same time, when we believe in the unseen and Allah SWT, it automatically helps us in the next step, which is establishing salah. The word Salah has different meanings:

Comes from sila which means connection. Our connection with Allah SWT is primarily maintained through salah. In Judaic traditions, one of the major changes that was made was the reduced focus on salah. Their focus was reduced to temples and sacrifice.
has a meaning of dua (making a supplication). Duas are made constantly during salah. Anyone who doesn't pray is depriving himself or herself from duas.
Another meaning is burning. Salah burns sins and creates humility in a person

Yuqimoona means to stand or to make something stand. Establish not read prayer - meaning do it consistently, regularly, following the right etiquettes that were taught by the Prophet SAW– wudu, proper actions, proper way, punctuality, doing all actions, having khushoo, etc. Make it a standard permanent part of our lives. Develop a connection with Allah and develop a connection with Quran.

Difference between a Muslim and a non-Muslim is prayer.

The word also tells us that we need to stand together, help and support each other in our faith. Islam focuses on both individual worship and family and community life. Prayer in congregation has multiple rewards. Angels also surround such gatherings and sakeenah (peace) descends. If we do not stand together then our emaan will get weak.

3. Spend from what God has provided them

Establishing salah leads them to share their resources with other creations of Allah SWT.
N-F-Q (to spend) comes from the meaning of disappearing. It was used to refer to a lizard's hole in a desert. It was like a tunnel with two ends, lizard goes in one end and comes our from another. Word Nafiqa was also used by kings in olden days for a secret passage.
Here coming and going from two ends means God gives us money and rizq and we keep spending from it. It is suggests that we are putting money here (by spending in charitable causes) and we will get it in Akhirah. We are investing in the Bank of Allah SWT!!!
It is human nature that sometimes when we are given things that are not ours, we want to hold on to it and we forget that it is not ours to begin with. Nothing is ours to begin with. It has been given by God. Example – a friend gives me something to keep and then she says can you give this to so and so. Won’t we give it???
In fact, we ourselves belong to God. (Urdu couplet - ye jaan dii, dii hui usi ki thi. haqq to ye hai ki haqq adaa na hua) Allah SWT is so merciful that even though we can not fulfill the rights of giving for His sake, He still rewards us for whatever we do.
We cannot spend if we do not believe in unseen, if we don’t understand that charity does not decrease our wealth, but Allah blesses us because of it. Believing in unseen means firm belief that Allah ﷻ can and will send more money, resources and provision our way from places that are beyond our imagination if we continue on our Taqwa.
Spend from what Allah “has given us”. From a grammar point of view, everything else in this phrase is present tense except this one thing. "They believe" - present tense; "They establish prayer" - present tense; "We provided" - past tense; "They spend" - present tense. Allah ﷻ has already given us somethings – time, talents, resources, connections, ability to walk, cook, read, write, speak etc. We can start spending for the sake of Allah ﷻ from whatever He has already given us. The fact that we are breathing means that we have been provided some rizq by Allah SWT already - Ask yourself - what do i have that I can put in Allah's path?
A muttaqi is a giving person. And a person who is so giving in nature, can obviously not be involved in anything evil for monetary gains like thefts, or trampling over another person's rights.

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ

Transliteration: Wallatheena yu/minoona bimaonzila ilayka wama onzila min qablika wabil-akhiratihum yooqinoon

Translation: And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith].

4. Believe in what was revealed to the prophet ﷺ

The use of the word - إِلَيْكَ - tells us that this Quran is given to the Prophet SAW and by extension to all of us - as a gift. It is a privilege!
Our deen can not be complete unless we believe in whatever comes from Prophet ﷺ. This includes the Hadith and the Sunnah. Even the mushrikeen (idol worshippers) had concepts according to whatever suited their desires and fancies. It is following the Quran and the Sunnah that sets the Muslims apart.
This is the distinction between us and any other religion. No other religion expresses their belief in what was revealed to the Prophet ﷺ.

. Believe in what was revealed before him

The chronological sequence (other revelations, Quran, Day of Judgement) is broken and Quran is mentioned first. Before coming to Islam or becoming serious about Islam, our paradigms of life could be previous learnings or family traditions, popular cultures, etc. But now they are being taught a paradigm shift of looking at Quran first. It reminds us that we believe first in Quran than the other things --- i.e. Quran and the Hadith are the lens through which we see everything else.We rethink everything in the light of the Quran and it is the Quran that will determine what we accept or reject from other scriptures. (Quran is muhaymin - a guardian of other scriptures)
it says what was revealed before and not after which tells that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the final prophet. The only thing left to believe after the last prophet SAW is the concept of Akhirah.
Allah SWT says and what was revealed before. Allah SWT did not mention why they came down to, because a lot of carriers of the revelations were forgotten. A lot of modern academics believe that a lot of Torah - the Old Testament - as it is available now cannot be traced back to the prophets. There are centuries of gaps in between. Some elements of truth has still survived after centuries so these people when they hear Quran, they recognize the divine.
A believer is a person with open heart and is not a close minded person. We have full faith that the Torah or the Old Testament and Bible or the new Testament – as revealed to Musa AS and Isa AS in their original form were from God and completely true. However, we also know that they have been corrupted, and what we find today are not their original versions. The final Book from God - Quran, is in its original form and divinely protected.

. Firm belief in the Afterlife

It is different to know about something and to have a firm belief about something.
Absolute, complete, whole and full conviction belief in heart, expression from tongue, proving with action. It is the kind of conviction that is not timely and subject to change, it is always present. Example, if we hear in news that there is storm coming – we believe it, tell our loved ones, and prepare for it. In short, "Yakeen" is an experiential belief that can not be shaken. It means a strong conviction as if you have actually seen something. (Ali RA used to say that even if I physically see Jannat and Jahannum, it would not make a fraction of a difference in my level of conviction).
Complete justice requires a Day of Judgement.
Bits and pieces of information about the Day of Judgement were available before but all the gaps have now been filled. Quran revives the belief in Akhirah and its rightful concept which has been corrupted in every other religion or lifestyle. Akhirah is a central concept in the Quran. However, in other religions this concept is very weak. Entire lifecycle of a human being that we know and understand was taken away from consciousness of mankind- life, death, grave, resurrection, one-by-one judgement, path, Jannah/ Jahannum. Jewish traditions were made up of two groups - Sadducees and Pharisees. The Sadducees were the custodians of Jerusalem, and they had no belief in Akhirah, said that we will be turned to dust and that is the end of it. The Pharisees believed in Day of Judgement and parts of Torah which were not written but only orally transmitted. Some mentions of Day of Judgement had survived in their traditions but not fully. They believed that nations will be judged, and not people individually. Even in the majority of Hebrew Bible today, we do not find a mention of Day of Judgement, Jannah, Jahannum etc. Their Books of Job & Book of Ecclesiastes completely denied the Akhirah in their Books. In New Testament, Jesus (Isa AS) argues with Sadducees about the existence of Akhirah.
The clear Quranic concept of Akhirah was mind boggling to others. Quran tells us that both body and soul will be revived and resurrected on the Day of Judgement and we will be accountable for our thoughts, intentions, words and actions.
Muslims (of different age, cultures, age, gender, cultures, lifestyles, etc.) can and do have disagreements about a lot of things, but there are no disagreements about Day of Judgement, Paradise and Hellfire. Quran is very clear and explicit about these topics.
Mutaqqi is a person – in whose heart and mind – afterlife plays a major role. He is certain that this life is a preparation for the next life and to get closer to Allah SWT. His mind, soul, thoughts, etc are overpowered by the concept of Akhirah. Everything that we do in this life somehow relates to that Day when we will have our meeting with Allah SWT. Just like a business is constantly calculating for this world for profit and loss, these people constantly think about the consequences of what they are eating, saying or doing on their Akhirah. The belief of companions of Prophet SAW was so strong that when they used to be in a battle, they would say they could smell Paradise behind the mountain.
Abu Hurayrah RA cried at the time of his death. People asked why are you crying and he replied that his journey is very long (Barzakh and Akhirah) and his provision is very little (Good deeds). I have stopped at a plateau and I do not know whether it is Jannat or Jahannum that awaits me.
Umar RA used to say to himself, O Umar, you are destroyed if your Rabb does not forgive you.
Death and afterlife are the big realities of this life that will hit each one of us sooner or later. Rest all planned things can be postponed or cancelled - all events, meets, parties, etc.
This life is to bring us closer to Allah SWT and the next life is when we get ultimately close. This life is a preparation for next life. Our salah, our jumuah, our Hajj - all remind us of standing before Allah SWT.
Taqwa cannot survive if the belief in Akhirah is totally gone.

Some scholars have looked at the people in Ayah 3 and Ayah 4 as two different kind of people:

Those who believe in unseen, establish salah and spend from what they have been given - anyone who has faith and does good deeds
Knowledge of Quran and sunnah is a luxury. Those people of knowledge whom Allah SWT blesses with some knowledge about Quran, previous scriptures and Akhirah, their aim now should be to be of service to others. It is their job to go to the people who might be super busy and facilitate learning for them. Does not mean that any group is less or more valuable than another. Just different paths.

أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

Transliteration: Ola-ika AAala hudan minrabbihim waola-ika humu almuflihoon

Translation: Those are upon [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful.

Hidayat is a loving gift from Allah ﷻ which only Allah can give. No scholars, no teachers, even - we can all facilitate and help and support each other as much as Allah blesses us with the opportunity to, but ultimately guidance is only from Allah.
Everyone asks for guidance but only those people get guidance from Allah SWT who have a passion and feel the need for it, who beg Allah SWT for guidance.
Grammatically speaking, the word هُدًى is nakira and not maarifa. It is a common noun and not a proper noun, which gives a sense of encompassing. The tanween is sometimes put to make something grand. Its like saying - this is what you call guidance! When we ask someone for directions, one person tells us, one points to us, and another sits with us and drops us there. Allah SWT's guidance is not just to tell us but He also makes us move and go in our direction, and helps us sustain our journey.
And these are successful. For success, the word used is “Fallah” which refers to farmer. A farmer digs the earth, puts seed, believes in unseen, puts in lots of efforts, then pulls out the croup and reaps harvest in the festival season. It is in this festive season of harvest that the farmer is known as a "fallah." It reminds us that we are supposed to work in this life, Allah SWT did not send us here to just spend our lives eating and sleeping. The way to Jannah is not easy. We will need to work for it. Imagery of a farmer reminds us that we will need to sow seeds in this world, and as we sow, so shall we reap - this is true in this world and also true for the Akhirah.
A farmer puts in effort, but at the same time he has hope that when it will rain, his crops will flourish. He feats lightening that might destroy his crops. Similarly, believers make efforts, and then keeps eyes upwards in hope towards God. They protect themselves from attacks of the shayateen and their own nafs.
The noun is used for success. "They are the successful ones." meaning they are not just successful for now, or will be successful just once or twice, but they are the ones who will always remain successful.
There is a beautiful symmetry in Ayahs 2-5. Ayah 2 and 5 talk about guidance and ayahs 3 and 4 talk about belief.
We need to assess ourselves - do i really want to be successful?

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