Surah 1-2 - YasSarNal QuR'aN

Al-Baqarah (The Cow) | AN ISLAMIC MODEL OF SOCIAL SECURITYReading the Qur’ān in this way helps us to recognize the human natural responseto faith and the duties it imposes. We can see such response in reality through theQur’ānic references to the life of the first Muslim community. Although thatcommunity was the first recipient of the Qur’ān and the immediate beneficiary of theProphet’s special care, it had certain weaknesses that needed to be addressed andremedied. Yet such weaknesses did not stop that community from achieving its rankas the best generation in the history of mankind. Thus we can see humancommunities in their reality, unlike the exaggerated images often given to them. Wealso learn not to despair as we see ourselves well below the high standards Islamcalls on people to seek. It is enough that we are making a sincere effort to improveourselves and achieve a higher standard. Moreover, we learn an important fact,namely that the urge to work towards perfection must continue all the time,unaffected by people’s shortcomings and weaknesses. By nature, people will respondgradually as they are constantly reminded of their virtue, duty and goodness. Theywill also respond to repeated reminders showing the beauty of goodness and thehorrible nature of evil. They need a helping hand whenever they slacken as theytravel along the road leading to the sublime goal.Such an intelligent reading of the Qur’ān will put before our eyes an oftenoverlooked simple fact: it is the same people, the same divine message and the samebattle fought throughout history. First and foremost, it is a battle against humanweakness and parsimony of the individual, and against evil, falsehood, error andtyranny in human life. The fight must be engaged; there can be no way of averting it.The rulers of the Muslim community must fight this battle in both domains, just likethe Qur’ān and the Prophet fought it the first time. It is inevitable that some slips anderrors would occur; weakness would surface at some points. But a remedy must befound whenever a weakness appears. It is imperative that people should be guidedto God in the same Qur’ānic method. This brings us back to what we said at thebeginning: we must consult the Qur’ān before embarking on any course of action. Itmust be seen to mould our lives like it moulded the life of the first Muslimcommunity.Ethics of Islamic CharityThe present passage opens with gentle exhortations, touching inner, deep-seatedhuman feelings and senses. It depicts a vigorous; flourishing picture of life, withgrains sprouting and growing to yield multitudes of grains and return many timeswhat has been invested. This verdant and lush image, the sūrah says, represents amodel for those who spend of their own money for the cause of God. “The case ofthose who spend their property for the cause of God is like that of a grain that brings forthseven ears, each bearing a hundred grains.” (Verse 261)368