Surah 1-2 - YasSarNal QuR'aN

Al-Baqarah (The Cow) | THE NATURE OF ISLAMIC SOCIETYIslam, as a religion and a way of life, will remain unsullied by that inauspicioushistory, which must be discredited and renounced. For genuine Islamic life to beresumed and a distinctive Muslim society to be rebuilt, deviant practices that mighthave occurred at certain periods of Muslim history have to be cast aside. Referenceshould be made again directly to the Book that God has revealed, containing thewhole truth as arbiter and guide for all mankind.The sūrah goes on to explain why people allowed their whims and prejudices tocause them to neglect God’s Book and turn away from the truth and the guidance ithad brought them: “Yet none other than those who had been given the Book started, out ofinjustice to one another, to dispute it after clear evidence of the truth had come to them.”(Verse 213) Jealousy, greed, caprice and self-aggrandizement were some of themotives behind the divisions, disagreements and conflict that have beset mankindthroughout history.No two people could disagree over the veracity and authenticity of God’srevelations unless one or both of them are adversely motivated. True believers are infull agreement: “God, by His will, guided the believers to the truth concerning which theyhad differed. God guides whom He will to the straight path.” (Verse 213)God guides believers to the true and straight path outlined by His revelations, fortheir sincerity and devotion and for their genuine desire to seek the truth and live bythe truth. God, in His infinite wisdom, bestows such grace and privilege on thosewho earn it with their passion and enthusiasm for the truth. Those are they who shallbe liberated to enjoy peace and happiness and the favour of God Almighty. They arethe ones who submit themselves totally to God, and they are the ones who aregranted the highest position by God. This is true even though people who areignorant of God’s standards may think them to lead a deprived sort of life in thisworld. It is true even though they may be derided or scoffed at by foolishunbelievers.When Will God’s Help Arrive?As it comes to a close, this highly instructive passage addresses the fearfuladversity the believers encountered as a result of their disagreement andconfrontation with the Arab unbelievers on the one hand, and with the followers ofearlier religions, such as the Jews, on the other. The sūrah reassures the believers thatwhat they faced was part of the experience and education they needed to qualify forGod’s reward in paradise. Believers must defend their faith and, in doing so, have toface up to numerous challenges and much hardship. They will experience triumphsas well as setbacks. If they persevere and stand firm and hold on to their beliefs andconvictions, they will earn God’s succour and trust. They will deserve to be the267