Surah 2: The Heifer

Surah 2: The Heifer - Overview

Verses	Description
2:1-29	The Message and the Men
2:30-39	Man's Nature & Destiny
2:40-86	The Children of Israel: Their privileges and backslidings
2:87-121	People of the Book: Their jealousy and narrow-mindedness
2:122-141	Abraham and Isma'il built the Ka'bah and founded Islam
2:142-167	Creation of a new people, with Qiblah towards Mecca
2:168-242	Laws for this new people, about food, blood-money, bequests, fasting, jihad, pilgrimage, charity, drink and gambling, orphans, marriage, divorce and widowhood
2:243-253	Fighting in defense of Truth and Right: Story of David and Goliath
2:254-283	Nature of God: the "Verse of the Throne": No compulsion in religion; Upright conduct; Abraham; Charity; Usury; Contracts; Witnesses
2:284-286	All life as in presence of God: No burden greater than we can bear: Prayer to God

Introduction

As the Opening Surah sums up in seven beautiful verses the essence of the Qur'an, so this Surah sums up in 286 verses the whole teaching of the Qur'an. It is a closely reasoned argument.

Summary

1- It begins (verses 2:1-29) by classifying men into three broad categories, depending on how they receive God's message.

Sure Guidance [2:1-29] The Message of God, is a guide that is sure to those who seek His light. But those who reject faith are blind: their hearts are sealed. Woe to the hypocrites, self-deceived and deceiving others, with mockery on their lips, and mischief in their hearts, and fear; the clouds that bring fertilizing rain to others, to them bring but deafening thunder-peals and lightning flashes blinding to their eyes.

2- This leads to the story of the creation of man, the high destiny intended for him, his fall, and the hope held out to him (2:30-39).

Beguiled by Evil [2:30-39] Yet man! What wonderful destiny is thine! Created to be God's vicegerent on earth! Yet beguiled by evil! Set for a season on this earth on probation to purge thy stain, with the promise of guidance and hope from on high, from the Oft-Returning, Merciful! Wilt thou choose right and regain thy spiritual home with God?

3- Israel's story is then told according to their own records and traditions--what privileges they received and how they abused them (2:40-86), thus illustrating again as by a parable the general story of man.

Failing in the Spirit [2:40-86] Among men what nation had higher chances in the realm of the Spirit than the Children of Israel? But again and again did they fail in the spirit. They rebelled against Moses and murmured in the wilderness; the Prophets they slew and the Signs they rejoiced; they falsified Scripture and turned their back on righteousness.

4- In particular, reference is made to Moses and Jesus and their struggles with an unruly people; how people of the Book played false their own lights and in their pride rejected Muhammad, who came in the true line of apostolic succession (2:87-121).

Playing False [2:87-121] The people of Moses and the people of Jesus were given revelations, but alas! They played false with their own lights and, in their selfishness, made narrow God's universal message. To them it seemed incredible that His light should illuminate Arabia and reform the world. But His ways are wondrous, and they are clear to those who have Faith.

5- They falsely laid claim to the virtues of Father Abraham: he was indeed a righteous Imam, but he was the progenitor of Isma'il's line (Arabs) as well as of Israel's line, and he with Isma'il built the Kaa'ba (Temple of Mecca) and purified it, thus establishing a common religion, of which Islam is the universal exponent [2:122-141].

God of All Peoples [2:122-141] If the People of the Book rely upon Abraham, let them study his history. His posterity included both Israel and Isma'il. Abraham was a righteous man of God, a Muslim, and so were his children. Abraham and Isma'il built the Ka'ba as the house of God, and purified it, to be a center of worship for all the world: for God is the God of all Peoples.

6- The Kaa'ba was now to be the center of universal worship and the symbol of Islamic unity [2:142-167].

Upholding the Truth [2:142-167] But those people have passed away, who promised to uphold the Law of God. Their progeny having been found unworthy, their place was taken by a new people looking towards Mecca -- a new people, with a new Messenger, to bear witness to God's Law, to proclaim the truth, maintain His Symbols, and strive and fight for Unity in God's Way.

7- The Islamic Ummat (brotherhood) having thus been established with its definite center and symbol, ordinances are laid down for the social life of the community, with the proviso (2:177) that righteousness does not consist in formalities, but in faith, kindness, prayer, charity, probity, and patience under suffering. The ordinances relate to food and drink, bequests, fasts, jihad, wine and gambling, treatment of orphans and women, etc. (2:168-242)

True Guidance for Living [2:168-242] The society thus organized must live under laws that would guide their everyday life -- based on eternal principles of righteousness and fair-dealing. Cleanliness and sobriety, honesty and helpfulness, one to another -- yet shaped into concrete forms, to suit times and circumstances, and the varying needs of average men and women; the food to be clean and wholesome; blood-feuds to be abolished; the rights and duties of heirs to be recognized after death, not in a spirit of Formalism, but to help the weak and the needy and check all selfish wrongdoing; self-denial to be learned by fasting; the courage to fight in defense of right, to be defined; the Pilgrimage to be sanctified as a symbol of unity; charity and help to the poor to be organized; unseemly riot and drink and gambling to be banished; orphans to be protected; marriage, divorce, and widowhood to be regulated; and the rights of women, apt to be trampled under foot, now clearly affirmed.

8- Lest the subject of Jihad should be misunderstood, it is taken up again in the story of Saul, Goliath and David, in contrast to the story of Jesus (2:243-253)

David and Goliath [2:243-253] Fighting in defense of Truth and Right is not to be undertaken lightheartedly, nor to be evaded as a duty. Life and Death are in the hands of God. Not all can be chosen to fight for God. It requires constancy, firmness, and faith. Given these, large armies can be roused by those who battle for God, as shown by the courage of David, whose prowess single-handedly disposed of the Philistines. The mission of some of the messengers, like Jesus, was different -- less wide in scope than that of Mustafa, and He carries it out as He wills.

9- And so the lesson is enforced that true virtue lies in practical deeds of manliness, kindness, and good faith (2:254-283), and Gods nature (attributes) is called to mind in the sublime Ayat al Kursi, the Verse of the Throne (2:255).

The Path of Clarity [2:254-283] Who can describe the nature of God? The Living, the Eternal: His Throne extends over worlds and worlds that no imagination can compass. His truth is clear as daylight: how can compulsion advance religion? The keys of Life and Death, and the mysteries of everything around us, are in His hands.

10- The Surah ends with an exhortation to Faith, Obedience, a sense of Personal Responsibility, and Prayer (2:284-286).

Living in the Presence [2:284-286] Our honesty and upright conduct are not mere matters of policy or convenience; all our life in this world must be lived as in the presence of God. The finest example of Faith we have in the Prophet's life; full of faith, let us render willing obedience to God's Will. Our responsibility, though great, is not a burden greater than we can bear; let us pray for God's assistance, and He will help.

This is the longest Surah of the Qur'an, and in it occurs the longest verse (2:282). The name of the Surah is from the Parable of the Heifer (2:67-71), which illustrates the insufficiency of carping obedience. When faith is lost, people put off obedience with various excuses; even when at last they obey in the letter, they fail in the spirit, which means that they get fossilized, and their self-sufficiency prevents them from seeing that spiritually they are not alive but dead. For life is movement, activity, striving, fighting against baser things. And this is the burden of the Surah. This is in the main an early Madinah.