Exposition of Quran Surah Baqarah Ayah 11 to 20 with Quranic Text by Ghulam Ahmed Parwez,

 

2|11|وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ

2|12|أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَٰكِن لَّا يَشْعُرُونَ

2|13|وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُوا كَمَا آمَنَ النَّاسُ قَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَا آمَنَ السُّفَهَاءُ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ

2|14|وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا إِلَىٰ شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُوا إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ

2|15|اللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ

2|16|أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلَالَةَ بِالْهُدَىٰ فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَارَتُهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا مُهْتَدِينَ

2|17|مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَلَمَّا أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَر

2|18|صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ

2|19|أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَاتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِم مِّنَ

2|20|يَكَادُ الْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَارَهُمْ ۖ كُلَّمَا أَضَاءَ لَهُم مَّشَوْا فِيهِ وَإِذَا أَظْلَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَ

 

 11          When they are asked not to spread Fas’ad (disorder) in society, they retort audaciously: “We do not spread fas’ad (disorder); rather we are the Musliheen i.e. those who promote order.” Beware! they, indeed, are the mufsideen who spread disorder.

 12          It is amazing that these people fail to realise how the discrepancy between their word and deed exposes their true self. 

13          When it is said to them that they should also adopt and follow the Divine Code as the Momineen have done, they reply: “They are simpletons who do not understand what is in their interest, and who forego present opportunities and benefits in the false hope of constructing an ideal society. Should we too become simpletons like them?” Beware! it is these Mun’afiqeen who do not know what is in their interest and who are, indeed, simpletons, since they do not even understand that to forego permanent advantages for temporary gains is not a good trading. 

14-15     Such is the duplicity of the Mun’afiqeen that when they are with the followers of the Divine Code, they aver that they too believe in the same truths, but when they meet their ring-leaders in privacy, they say: “We are, in fact, with you. It is only for the sake of appearance that we meet them. In reality, we mock them by pretending to be on their side.” If they could only see that, in accordance with Allah’s Law of Mukaf’at, they mocked none but themselves ! Intoxicated with power, the Mun’afiqeen let themselves loose in the whirlpool of perfidy. 

16          These people fancy that they are very clever since their deceitful ways bring them temporal returns; and feel smug about their profitable trading. But, in fact, no one is more mistaken than they are, because they have exchanged the wrong path for the right one. Such trading cannot eventually prosper because the wrong path can never lead to the ultimate destination prescribed for humanity. 

17-18     These pursuers of temporary and easy gains may be compared to one who, in the dark night of the jungle, lights a fire to find the way and the fire brightens the surroundings momentarily, but when it goes out, he finds himself in total darkness. In other words, the glitter of quickly-acquired gains initially dazzles the eyes like the fire in the wilderness. However, the brightness is followed by a darkness which renders one incapable of seeing, hearing or understanding (8/22). There is, then, no way left whereby such a person can return to the right path. 

19-20              Hypocrisy may lead to some gains, but these gains are always mixed with losses, as a cloud which brings life-giving rain is also accompanied by darkness, thunder and lightning. The Mun’afiqeen desire to profit from the rainfall but to be secure from the havoc caused by thunder and lightning, they stuff their fingers in their ears believing that they will not perish if they can shut out the terrifying noises of the storm. They are unable to perceive that they cannot protect themselves from lightning by simply shutting their ears, as Allah’s Law of Mukaf’at encompasses all those who deny the truth (7/183, 29/54, 79/36, 82/16).