Surah 1-2 - YasSarNal QuR'aN

Al-Baqarah (The Cow) | UNIVERSAL FAITHmake exclusive claims to righteousness and custodianship of God’s message tomankind. It has also misled them into believing that heaven is exclusively theirs,whatever they do.The Quraysh Arab tribe living in Makkah were also Abraham’s descendantsthrough his other son, Ishmael. They were also just as proud of their ancestry as theJews were of theirs. It gave them the privilege of being the custodians of the sacredshrine of the Ka`bah in Makkah, which had, in turn, given them the religiousauthority, honour, power and position they enjoyed over the rest of the Arabs.Towards the end of the last passage we saw how the Qur’ān refuted Jewish andChristian claims to exclusive righteousness and salvation: “They declare: ‘None shallenter Paradise unless he is a Jew or a Christian.’“ (Verse 111) Hard did they try toconvert Muslims to Judaism or Christianity: “They say: ‘Follow the Jewish faith’ — or,‘Follow the Christian faith’ — and you shall be rightly guided.’” (Verse 135) It alsocondemned those who prevent people from worshipping in God’s places of worship— which, as we said, was probably linked to the issue of changing the directionMuslims face in prayer from Jerusalem to the Ka (bah in Makkah — and efforts toexploit that issue to create division and confusion within Muslim ranks.In this section, and still within the same context of Jewish, Christian and paganclaims, the sūrah recounts parts of the history of Abraham and his sons Ishmael andIsaac, and gives a final ruling on the qiblah issue. The occasion is also used toestablish the truth regarding the religion of Abraham, which was based purely on thebelief in God’s absolute oneness. Thus it remains at complete variance with thedistorted beliefs adopted by those three groups, while its affinity to the message ofthe Prophet Muĥammad was total. It denounces the monopoly of religiousrighteousness by any nation or racial group, stressing that religion resides in thebeliever’s heart; it is not inherited through blood or ancestral lineage. Religionbelongs to God Almighty, who is not related through blood or ancestry to anyhuman individual or group. Those who believe in His religion and practise itproperly shall be its rightful custodians and trustees, at all times, regardless of theirrace or ethnic origin.The Qur’ān presents these facts, which form some of the most basic tenets ofIslamic belief, in a fine, clear and elegant style. It takes the reader step by stepthrough the long span of history starting at the time God entrusted Abraham withthe religious leadership of mankind, upon successfully completing the test to whichGod put him. It goes up to the early formation of the Muslim community whichbelieves in the message of Muĥammad. Its rise is seen as fulfilment of Abraham’sand Ishmael’s prayers while they were laying the foundations of the Ka`bah. Thus, itis the Muslim community that is the legitimate heir to God’s religion, solely by virtueof their faith in God and by their true and sincere following of Abraham’s teachings.130