Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) • Ayah 209

Entering Islam in its Entirety is obligatedAllah commands His servants who believe in Him and have faith in His Messenger to implement all of Islam's legislation and law, to adhere to all of its commandments, as much as they can, and to refrain from all of its prohibitions. `Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas said, and also Mujahid, Tawus, Ad-Dahhak, `Ikrimah, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said that Allah's statement: ادْخُلُواْ فِي السِّلْمِ(Enter Silm) means Islam. Allah's statement: كَآفَّةً(...perfectly) means, in its entirety. This is the Tafsir of Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Abu Al-`Aliyah, `Ikrimah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak. Mujahid said that the Ayah means, `Perform all the good works and the various pious deeds, this is especially addressed to those from among the People of the Scripture who embraced the faith.' Ibn Abu Hatim reported that Ibn `Abbas said that: يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ادْخُلُواْ فِي السِّلْمِ كَآفَّةً(O you who believe! Enter Silm perfectly) refers to the believers among the People of the Scripture. This is because they believed in Allah, some of them still followed some parts of the Tawrah and the previous revelations. So Allah said: ادْخُلُواْ فِي السِّلْمِ كَآفَّةً(Enter Islam perfectly.) Allah thus commanded them to embrace the legislation of the religion of Muhammad in its entirety and to avoid abandoning any part of it. They should no longer adhere to the Tawrah. Allah then said: وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَتِ الشَّيْطَـنِ(...and follow not the footsteps of Shaytan) meaning, perform the acts of worship and avoid what Satan commands you to do. This is because: إِنَّمَا يَأْمُرُكُم بِالسُّوءِ وَالْفَحْشَآءِ وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ (He (Shaytan) commands you only what is evil and Fahsha' (sinful), and that you should say about Allah what you know not.) (2:169) and: إِنَّمَا يَدْعُو حِزْبَهُ لِيَكُونُواْ مِنْ أَصْحَـبِ السَّعِيرِ(He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.) (35:6) Hence, Allah said: إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ(Verily, he is to you an open enemy.) Allah said: فَإِن زَلَلْتُمْ مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْكُمُ الْبَيِّنَـتُ(Then if you slide back after the clear signs have come to you) meaning, if you deviate from the Truth after clear proofs have been established against you, فَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ(...then know that Allah is All-Mighty) in His punishment, and no one can escape His vengeance or defeat Him. حَكِيمٌ(All-Wise) in His decisions, actions and rulings. Hence Abu Al-`Aliyah, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "He is Mighty in His vengeance, Wise in His decision."

مکمل اطاعت ہی مقصود ہے ٭٭اللہ تعالیٰ اپنے اوپر ایمان لانے والوں اور اپنے نبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی تصدیق کرنے والوں سے ارشاد فرماتا ہے کہ وہ کل احکام کو بجا لائیں کل ممنوعات سے بچ جائیں کامل شریعت پر عمل کریں سلم سے مراد سلام ہے اطاعت اور صلح جوئی بھی مراد ہے «کافۃ» کے معنی سب کے سب پورے پورے، عکرمہ رحمہ اللہ کا قول ہے کہ سیدنا عبداللہ بن سلام اسد بن عبید ثقلیہ رضی اللہ عنہما وغیرہ جو یہود سے مسلمان ہوئے تھے انہوں نے نبی کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم سے گزارش کی ہمیں ہفتہ کے دن کی عزت اور راتوں کے وقت توراۃ پر عمل کرنے کی اجازت دی جائے جس پر یہ آیت اتری کہ اسلامی احکام پر عمل کرتے رہو، لیکن اس میں عبداللہ کا نام کچھ ٹھیک نہیں ہے معلوم ہوتا ہے وہ اعلیٰ عالم تھے اور پورے مسلمان تھے انہیں مکمل طور پر معلوم تھا کہ ہفتہ کے دن کی عزت منسوخ ہو چکی ہے اس کے بجائے اسلامی عید جمعہ کے دن کی مقرر ہو چکی ہے پھر ناممکن ہے کہ وہ ایسی خواہش میں اوروں کا ساتھ دیں، بعض مفسرین نے «کافۃ» کو حال کہا ہے یعنی تم سب کے سب اسلام میں داخل ہو جاؤ، لیکن پہلی بات زیادہ صحیح ہے یعنی اپنی طاقت بھر اسلام کے کل احکام کو مانو، سیدنا ابن عباس رضی اللہ عنہما کا بیان ہے کہ بعض اہل کتاب باوجود ایمان لانے کے توراۃ کے بعض احکام پر جمے ہوئے تھے ان سے کہا جاتا ہے کہ محمدی دین میں پوری طرح آ جاؤ اس کا کوئی عمل نہ چھوڑو توراۃ پر صرف ایمان رکھنا کافی ہے۔ پھر فرمان ہے کہ «إِنَّمَا يَأْمُرُكُم بِالسُّوءِ وَالْفَحْشَاءِ وَأَن تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّـهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ» [ البقرہ: 169 ] ‏ اللہ کی اطاعت کرتے رہو شیطان کی نہ مانو وہ تو برائیوں اور بدکاریوں کو اور اللہ پر بہتان باندھنے کو اکساتا ہے۔ «إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا إِنَّمَا يَدْعُو حِزْبَهُ لِيَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ» [ 35-فاطر: 6 ] ‏ اس کی اور اس کے گروہ کی تو خواہش یہ ہے کہ تم جہنمی بن جاؤ وہ تمہارا کھلم کھلا دشمن ہے۔ اگر تم دلائل معلوم کرنے کے بعد بھی حق سے ہٹ جاؤ تو جان رکھو کہ اللہ بھی بدلہ لینے میں غالب ہے نہ اس سے کوئی بھاگ کر بچ سکے نہ اس پر کوئی غالب ہے اپنی پکڑ میں وہ حکیم ہے اپنے امر میں وہ کفار پر غلبہ رکھتا ہے۔ [تفسیر ابن ابی حاتم:591/2] ‏ اور عذروحجت کو کاٹ دینے میں حکمت رکھتا ہے۔صفحہ نمبر747

آیت 209 فَاِنْ زَلَلْتُمْ مِّنْم بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَ ‘ تْکُمُ الْبَیِّنٰتُ فَاعْلَمُوْٓا اَنَّ اللّٰہَ عَزِیْزٌ حَکِیْمٌ اس میں تہدید اور دھمکی کا پہلو ہے کہ پھر اللہ کی پکڑ بھی بہت سخت ہوگی۔ اور پھر یہ کہ وہ حکیم بھی ہے ‘ اس کی پکڑ میں بھی حکمت ہے ‘ اگر اس کی طرف سے پکڑ کا معاملہ نہ ہو تو پھر دین کا پورا نظام بےمعنی ہو کر رہ جاتا ہے۔ اگر اللہ کی طرف سے کسی گناہ پر پکڑ ہی نہیں ہے تو پھر یہ آزمائش کیا ہوئی ؟ پھر جزا و سزا اور جنت و دوزخ کا معاملہ کیا ہوا ؟

The previous verses ended with a word of praise for the sincere. As sincerity (ikhlas اخلاص) can sometimes touch the limits of excess inadvertently, that is, one does intend to come up with more obedience, but that obedience, when observed carefully, turns out to be exceeding the limits set by the Shari'ah and Sunnah. This is called bid'ah بدعت . This can be explained through the example of the blessed Companion ` Abdullah ibn Salam ؓ and others who were, previous to their Islam, known scholars among the Jews. Since Saturday was the sacred day of rest (the Sabbath اَسَّبت) in Judaism, and camel-meat was unlawful, they thought, once they were in Islam, to bring about some sort of a synthesis between the two faiths, through which they could continue to honour Sabbath سَبِّت as it was necessary under the law of Moses while Islam did not require dishonouring it; and similarly, they could simply avoid eating camel-meat in practice while believing that it was lawful, for it was unlawful in the law of Moses but Islam does not make it obligatory to eat it. Thus, they thought that they would stay in touch with the law of Moses and still not go against the Shari'ah of Muhammad ﷺ ، something that appealed to them as a stronger demonstration of obedience to divine laws and a closer approach to matters of faith. Allah Almighty corrects this thought in the present verse which aims to establish that Islam is an obligation in its totality. It is total and perfect only when what is not necessary in Islam is not considered to be a part of it. To take such thought or practice as part of the Faith is a Satanic slip which may bring far more severe a punishment than common sins would.It is in this background of the verse's revelation, that believers have been asked to 'enter Islam completely', not making allowances for a faith other than Islam - a divisive approach which makes one an easy target of Satan. Therefore, the prohibition 'do not follow the footsteps of Satan', an enemy who would cheat you into taking to something which obviously looks very much like your Faith, but happens to be totally contrary to it in reality. After having received clear laws and rules that lead to the straight path, there is no justification left for any deviation. Those who still slip, they must remember that Allah is Mighty, having the power to punish, and Wise too, lest one should misread any delay in punishment which comes when His Wisdom so dictates. Using an eloquent image, the text goes on to question the ultimate acceptance of truth at a time when it shall no longer remain worth accepting and al'_ matters of reward and punishment shall revert to Allah with no power existing other than Him, why then would anyone become quixotic enough to stand against a Power so obvious, the result of which could be nothing but destruction.CommentaryThe word, سِلم : (silm) in; ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً translated here as 'enter Islam completely', is used to convey two meanings, 'peace' and 'Islam'. At this place, according to the consensus of the Companions and their successors, it means Islam (Ibn xathir). The word كَافَّة : (kaffah) means 'totally' and 'universally'. In the structural scheme of the sentence, this word appears as hal (an adverb, qualifying the verb before it with a particular state). There are two possibilities here. Firstly, the word be taken as the hal of the pronoun in (udkhulu ادْخُلُوا) in which case the translation would be referring to the condition of the believers while entering Islam, which must be 'complete'. This would mean that their entire person, hands and feet, eyes and ears, feeling and thinking, after having embraced the Faith should all be within the parameters of Islam and the obedience to Allah. This is to warn against a state of being in which one may be physically carrying out the dictates of Islam while the heart and the mind are not fully satisfied, or in case, the heart and the mind are satisfied, yet what one does physically remains outside the pale of Islam.Secondly, it is possible to take the word, silm سِلم as the hal or indicated state of the Faith in Islam, in which case, the translation would be referring to the perfect and complete state of Islam in which the believers must enter. So, 'entering Islam completely' would mean that one must accept all injunctions of Islam, not that one accepts some and hesitates about others. Since Islam is the name of that particular way of life which has been given through the Qur'an and Sunnah, there-fore, it does not matter, which facet of life it concerns, it may be beliefs and acts of worship or social dealings or business transactions or government and politics or trade and industry or any other field; what matters is one's entry into Islam as a complete system, an organic whole, unified, indivisible.The gist of the two approaches given above is that no Muslim shall be deserving of calling himself a Muslim unless he accepts all Islamic injunctions truly and sincerely from the deep recesses of his heart, irrespective of the department of life they belong to, irrespective of whether they concern the outward physique of the body or the heart and the mind.The background of the verse's revelation mentioned earlier in the introductory remarks also shows that one must keep nothing but the teachings of Islam in sight, practice it in its entirety which will, in consequence, make Muslims independent of all religions and nations.Special NoteThe verse holds out a stern warning to those who have got Islam all tied up with Masjid and ` ibadat عبادت (mosque and the performance of acts of prescribed worship) neglecting injunctions relating to social living and business and personal dealings as if they were no part of religion. This negligence is wide-spread among the 'technically' religious people who do not seem to care much about rights and dealings, especially social rights. It appears that they do not regard these injunctions to be the injunctions of Islam, neither do they make an effort to find out what they are, or try to learn them in an orderly manner, nor think of acting in accordance with these injunctions. We seek refuge with Allah.As regards the possibility of 'Allah Almighty and the angels coming upon them in canopies of clouds,' this will be on Doomsday. The correct position is that such coming of Allah Almighty belongs to the Mutashabihat متاشابھا ات ، statements of hidden meaning, about which there is a standard policy practiced by the majority of the blessed Companions, the Tabi` in تابعین ، their successors, and the revered elders of the Muslim ummah, that is, one must believe in its truth and avoid worrying about as to how this would happen because it is beyond human reason to find out the reality and the nature, the whats and the hows of the 'Being' and the Attributes of Allah Almighty, and this too is included therein.