Al-Baqarah: 156

Ayah

Word by Word

ٱلَّذِينَ

Those who

إِذَآ

when

أَصَٰبَتۡهُم

strikes them

مُّصِيبَةٞ

a misfortune

قَالُوٓاْ

they say

إِنَّا

Indeed, we

لِلَّهِ

belong to Allah

وَإِنَّآ

and indeed we

إِلَيۡهِ

towards Him

رَٰجِعُونَ

will return

Translation

Who say, when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return":-

Tafsir

"The Virtue of Patience and Prayer

Allah says;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ اسۡتَعِينُواۡ بِالصَّبۡرِ وَالصَّلَةِ إِنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-Salah(the prayer). Truly, Allah is with As-Sabirin (the patient).

After Allah commanded that He be appreciated, He ordained patience and prayer. It is a fact that the servant is either enjoying a bounty that he should be thankful for, or suffering a calamity that he should meet with patience.

A Hadith states:

عَجَبًا لِلۡمُوۡمِنِ لَا يَقۡضِي اللهُ لَهُ قَضَاءً إلاَّ كَانَ خَيۡرًا لَهُ

إِنۡ أَصَابَتۡهُ سَرَّاءُ فَشَكَرَ كَانَ خَيۡرًا لَهُ

وإنۡ أَصَابَتۡهُ ضَرَّاءُ فَصَبَرَ كَانَ خَيۡرًا لَه

Amazing is the believer, for whatever Allah decrees for him, it is better for him!

If he is tested with a bounty, he is grateful for it and this is better for him;

and if he is afflicted with a hardship, he is patient with it and this is better for him.

Allah has stated that the best tools to help ease the effects of the afflictions are patience and prayer. Earlier we mentioned Allah's statement:

وَاسۡتَعِينُواۡ بِالصَّبۡرِ وَالصَّلَوةِ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلاَّ عَلَى الۡخَـشِعِينَ

And seek help in patience and As-Salah (the prayer) and truly, it is extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khashi`in (i.e., the true believers in Allah). (2:45)

There are several types of Sabr ـ patience:

one for avoiding the prohibitions and sins,

one for acts of worship and obedience.

The second type carries more rewards than the first type.

There is a third type of patience required in the face of the afflictions and hardships, which is mandatory, like repentance.

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said,

""Sabr has two parts:

patience for the sake of Allah concerning what He is pleased with (i.e., acts of worship and obedience), even if it is hard on the heart and the body,

and patience when avoiding what He dislikes, even if it is desired.

Those who acquire these qualities will be among the patient persons whom Allah shall greet (when they meet Him in the Hereafter; refer to Surah Al-Ahzab (33:44), Allah willing.""

The Life enjoyed by Martyrs

Allah's statement

وَلَا تَقُولُواۡ لِمَنۡ يُقۡتَلُ فِي سَبيلِ اللّهِ أَمۡوَاتٌ بَلۡ أَحۡيَاء

And say not of those who are killed in the way of Allah, ""They are dead."" Nay, they are living,

indicates that the martyrs are alive and receiving their sustenance.

وَلَكِن لاَّ تَشۡعُرُونَ

Nay, they are living, but you perceive (it) not.

Muslim reported in his Sahih:

أَنَّ أَرۡوَاحَ الشُّهَدَاءِ فِي حَوَاصِلَ طَيۡرٍ خُضۡرٍ تَسۡرَحُ فِي الۡجَنَّة حَيۡثُ شَاءَتۡ ثُمَّ تَأۡوِي إلَى قَنَادِيلَ مُعَلَّقَةٍ تَحۡتَ الۡعَرۡشِ فَاطَّلَعَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّكَ اطِّلَعَةً فقَالَ مَاذَا تَبۡغُونَ

The souls of the martyrs are inside green birds and move about in Paradise wherever they wish. Then, they take refuge in lamps that are hanging under the Throne (of Allah). Your Lord looked at them and asked them, `What do you wish for?'

فَقَالُوا يَا رَبَّنَا وَأَيَّ شَيۡءٍ نَبۡغِي وَقَدۡ أَعۡطَيۡتنَا مَا لَمۡ تُعۡطِ أَحَدًا مِنۡ خَلۡقِكَ

They said, `What more could we wish for while You have favored us with what You have not favored any other of your creation.'

ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَيۡهِمۡ بِمِثۡلِ هذَا

He repeated the question again.

فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡا أَنَّهُم لَا يُتۡرَكُون مِنۡ أَنۡ يُسۡأَلُوا قَالُوا نُرِيدُ أَنۡ تَرُدَّنَا إِلَى الدَّارِ الدُّنۡيَا فَنُقَاتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِكَ حَتَّى نُقۡتَلَ فِيكَ مَرَّةً أُخۡرَى لِمَا يَرَوۡنَ مِنۡ ثَوابِ الشَّهادَةِ

When they realize that they will be asked (until they answer), they said, `We wish that You send us back to the earthly life, so that we fight in Your cause until we are killed in Your cause again,' (because of what they enjoy of the rewards of martyrdom).

فَيَقُولُ الرَّبُّ جَلَّ جَلَلُهُ إِنِّي كَتَبۡتُ أَنَّهُمۡ إلَيۡهَا لَا يَرۡجِعُون

The Lord then said, `I have written that they will not be returned to it (earthly life) again.

Imam Ahmad reported that Abdur-Rahman bin Ka`b bin Malik narrated from his father that Allah's Messenger said:

نَسَمَةُ الۡمُوۡمِنِ طَايِرٌ تَعۡلَقُ فِي شَجَرِ الۡجَنَّةِ حَتَّى يَرۡجِعَهُ اللهُ إِلَى جَسَدهِ يَوۡمَ يَبۡعَثُه

The believer's soul is a bird that feeds on the trees of Paradise until Allah sends it back to its body when the person is resurrected.

This Hadith includes all the believers in its general meaning. Thus, the fact that the Qur'an mentions the martyrs in particular in the above Ayah serves to honor, glorify and favor them (although the other believers share the rewards they enjoy.

The Believer is Patient with the Affliction and thus gains a Reward

Allah says;

وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُمۡ بِشَيۡءٍ مِّنَ الۡخَوفۡ وَالۡجُوعِ

And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger,

Allah informs us that He tests and tries His servants, just as He said in another Ayah:

وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُمۡ حَتَّى نَعۡلَمَ الۡمُجَـهِدِينَ مِنكُمۡ وَالصَّـبِرِينَ وَنَبۡلُوَ أَخۡبَـرَكُمۡ

And surely, We shall try you till We test those who strive hard (for the cause of Allah) and As-Sabirin (the patient), and We shall test your facts (i.e., the one who is a liar, and the one who is truthful). (47:31)

Hence, He tests them with the bounty sometimes and sometimes with the afflictions of fear and hunger.

Allah said in another Ayah:

فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الۡجُوعِ وَالۡخَوۡفِ

So Allah made it taste extreme of hunger (famine) and fear. (16:112)

The frightened and the hungry persons show the effects of the affliction outwardly and this is why Allah has used here the word `Libas' (cover or clothes) of fear and hunger.

In the Ayat above, Allah used the words:

بِشَيۡءٍ مِّنَ الۡخَوفۡ وَالۡجُوعِ

(with something of fear, hunger), meaning, a little of each.

Then Allah said,

وَنَقۡصٍ مِّنَ الَامَوَالِ

loss of wealth,

meaning, some of the wealth will be destroyed,

وَالانفُسِ

lives,

meaning, losing friends, relatives and loved ones to death,

وَالثَّمَرَاتِ

and fruits,

meaning, the gardens and the farms will not produce the usual or expected amounts.

This is why Allah said next:

بَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ

but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient).

He then explained whom He meant by `the patient' whom He praised:

الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُواۡ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيۡهِ رَاجِعونَ

Who, when afflicted with calamity, say:""Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.""

meaning, those who recite this statement to comfort themselves in the face of their loss, know that they belong to Allah and that He does what He wills with His servants. They also know that nothing and no deed, even if it was the weight of an atom, will be lost with Allah on the Day of Resurrection. These facts thus compel them to admit that they are Allah's servants and that their return will be to Him in the Hereafter.

This is why Allah said

أُولَـيِكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٌ

They are those on whom are the Salawat (i. e., who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His mercy,

meaning, Allah's praise and mercy will be with them.

Sa`id bin Jubayr added,

""Meaning, safety from the torment.""

وَأُولَـيِكَ هُمُ الۡمُهۡتَدُونَ

and it is they who are the guided ones.

Umar bin Al-Khattab commented:

""What righteous things, and what a great heights.

أُولَـيِكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٌ

(They are those on whom are the Salawat from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His mercy) are the two righteous things.

أُولَـيِكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٌ

(and it is they who are the guided ones) are the heights.""

The heights means more rewards, and these people will be awarded their rewards and more.

The Virtue of asserting that We all belong to Allah, during Afflictions

There are several Hadiths that mention the rewards of admitting that the return is to Allah by saying:

إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيۡهِ رَاجِعونَ

""Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.""

when afflictions strike.

For instance, Imam Ahmad reported that Umm Salamah narrated:

Once, Abu Salamah came back after he was with Allah's Messenger and said:I heard Allah's Messenger recite a statement that made me delighted.

He said:

لَاا يُصِيبُ أَحَدًا مِنَ الۡمُسۡلِمِينَ مُصِيبَةٌ فَيَسۡتَرۡجِعُ عِنۡدَ مُصِيبَتِهِ ثُمَّ يقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ أۡجُرۡنِي فِي مُصِيبَتِي وأَخۡلِفۡ لِي خَيۡرًا مِنۡهَا إِلاَّ فَعَلَ ذلِكَ بِه

No Muslim is struck with an affliction and then says Istirja` when the affliction strikes, and then says:`O Allah! Reward me for my loss and give me what is better than it,' but Allah will do just that.

Umm Salamah said:So I memorized these words.

When Abu Salamah died I said Istirja` and said:""O Allah! Compensate me for my loss and give me what is better than it.""

I then thought about it and said, ""Who is better than Abu Salamah?""

When my Iddah (the period of time before the widow or divorced woman can remarry) finished, Allah's Messenger asked for permission to see me while I was dyeing a skin that I had. I washed my hands, gave him permission to enter and handed him a pillow, and he sat on it.

He then asked me for marriage and when he finished his speech, I said, ""O Messenger of Allah! It is not because I do not want you, but I am very jealous and I fear that you might experience some wrong mannerism from me for which Allah would punish me. I am old and have children.""

He said:

أمَّا مَا ذَكَرۡتِ مِنَ الۡغَيۡرَةِ فَسَوۡفَ يُذۡهِبُهَا اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَنۡكِ وَأَمَّا مَا ذَكَرۡتِ مِنَ السِّنِّ فَقَدۡ أَصَابَنِي مِثۡلُ الَّذِي أَصَابَكِ وَأَمَّا مَا ذَكَرۡتِ مِنَ الۡعِيَالِ فَإِنَّمَا عِيَالُكِ عِيَالِي

As for the jealousy that you mentioned, Allah the Exalted will remove it from you. As for your being old as you mentioned, I have suffered what you have suffered. And for your having children, they are my children too.

She said, ""I have surrendered to Allah's Messenger.""

Allah's Messenger married her and Umm Salamah said later,

""Allah compensated me with who is better than Abu Salamah:Allah's Messenger.""

Muslim reported a shorter version of this Hadith."

Al-Baqarah: 156

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