SURAH AL-BAQARAH (AYAH 11 TO 20)

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ {2:11}

[Q2:11] Wa izaa qeela lahum laa tufsidoo fil ardi qaalo innamaa nahnu muslihoon

[Q2:11] And when it is said to them, do not make mischief in the land, they say: We are but peace-makers.

[Q2:11] Dan apabila dikatakan kepada mereka: “Janganlah kamu membuat bencana dan kerosakan di muka bumi”, mereka menjawab: “Sesungguhnya kami orang-orang yang hanya membuat kebaikan”.

(see commentary for verse 1)(see commentary for verse 2)(see commentary for verse 4)(see commentary for verse 8)

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(2:11) Whenever it is said to them, "Spread not disorder on the earth", their reply is, "We only seek to put things aright".

أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ {2:12}

[Q2:12] Alaaa innahum humul mufsidoona wa laakil laa yash'uroon

[Q2:12] Now surely they themselves are the mischief makers, but they do not perceive.

[Q2:12] Ketahuilah! Bahawa sesungguhnya mereka itulah orang-orang yang sebenar-benarnya membuat bencana dan kerosakan, tetapi mereka tidak menyedarinya.

(see commentary for verse 1)(see commentary for verse 2)(see commentary for verse 4)(see commentary for verse 8)

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(2:12) Beware! They do spread disorder but they realize it not.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُوا كَمَا آمَنَ النَّاسُ قَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَا آمَنَ السُّفَهَاءُ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ السُّفَهَاءُ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ {2:13}

[Q2:13] Wa izaa qeela lahum aaminoo kamaaa aamanan naasu qaalooo anu'minu kamaaa aamanas sufahaaa'; alaaa innahum humus sufahaaa'u wa laakil laa ya'lamoon

[Q2:13] And when it is said to them: Believe as the people believe they say: Shall we believe as the fools believe? Now surely they themselves are the fools, but they do not know.

[Q2:13] Dan apabila dikatakan kepada mereka: “Berimanlah kamu sebagaimana orang-orang itu telah beriman”. Mereka menjawab: “Patutkah kami ini beriman sebagaimana berimannya orang-orang bodoh itu?” Ketahuilah! Sesungguhnya merekalah orang-orang yang bodoh, tetapi mereka tidak mengetahui (hakikat yang sebenarnya).

Asadullahul Ghalib - The ever victorious strength of ALLAH (SWT).

(see commentary for verse 1)(see commentary for verse 2)(see commentary for verse 4) (see commentary for verse 8)

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(2:13) And when it is said to them, "Believe sincerely as the other people have believed", *13 they reply, "Should we believe as fools have believed?” *14 Beware! They themselves are the fools, but they know it not.

*13. They are being asked to become Muslims in the same manner as others of their community became Muslims 
*14. They think that those people who sincerely embraced Islam and thereby exposed themselves to all kinds of trials and persecutions, and confronted risks and dangers, were merely fools. To them it seems sheer folly to invite the hostility of the entire land merely for the sake of Truth and righteousness. In their view, wisdom consists not in bothering oneself with the distinction between truth and falsehood, but in remaining concerned only with one's own interests.

وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا إِلَىٰ شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُوا إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِئُونَ {2:14}

[Q2:14]  Wa izaa laqul lazeena aamanoo qaalooo aamannaa wa izaa khalw ilaa shayaateenihim qaalooo innaa ma'akum innamaa nahnu mustahzi'oon.

[Q2:14] And when they meet those who believe, they say: We believe; and when they are alone with their Shaitans, they say: Surely we are with you, we were only mocking.

[Q2:14] Dan apabila mereka bertemu dengan orang-orang yang beriman, mereka berkata: “Kami telah beriman”, dan manakala mereka kembali kepada syaitan-syaitan mereka, mereka berkata pula: “Sesungguhnya kami tetap bersama kamu, sebenarnya kami hanya memperolok-olok (akan orang-orang yang beriman)”.

Lisanullah - The tongue of ALLAH (SWT).

(see commentary for verse 1)(see commentary for verse 2)(see commentary for verse 4) (see commentary for verse 8)

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(2:14) When they meet those who believe, they say, "We, too, are believers", but when they privily meet their evil geniuses, *15 they say, "Indeed we are with you: we are only mocking at these people".

*15. 'Satan' in Arabic means refractory, rebellious and headstrong, and is used for both human beings and jinn. Although this word is generally used in the Qur'an for the satans amongst the jinn, it is also used occasionally for human beings possessing satanic characteristics. The context generally explains whether the word 'satan' refers to jinn or to human beings. In this particular case the word 'satans' refers to those influential leaders of the time who were in the vanguard of opposition and hostility to Islam

اللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ {2:15}

[Q2:15] Allahu yastahzi'u bihim wa yamudduhum fee tughyaanihim ya'mahoon
[Q2:15] ALLAH (SWT) shall pay them back their mockery, and He leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.

[Q2:15] ALLAH (SwT) (membalas) memperolok-olok, dan membiarkan mereka meraba-raba dalam kesesatan mereka (yang melampaui batas itu).

Yadullah - The hand of ALLAH (SWT).

(see commentary for verse 1)(see commentary for verse 2)(see commentary for verse 4) (see commentary for verse 8)

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(2:15) (Little do they realize that) Allah is mocking at them. He gives them rope enough, and they wander on and on blindly in their mischief and rebellion.

أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلَالَةَ بِالْهُدَىٰ فَمَا رَبِحَتْ تِجَارَتُهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا مُهْتَدِينَ {2:16}

[Q2:16] Ulaaa'ikal lazeenash tara wud dalaalata bilhudaa famaa rabihat tijaaratuhum wa maa kaanoo muhtadeen

[Q2:16] These are they who buy error for the right direction, so their bargain shall bring no gain, nor are they the followers of the right direction.

[Q2:16] Mereka itulah orang-orang yang membeli kesesatan dengan meninggalkan petunjuk; maka tiadalah beruntung perniagaan mereka dan tidak pula mereka beroleh petunjuk hidayah.

Aynullah - The eye of ALLAH (SWT).

(see commentary for verse 1)(see commentary for verse 2)(see commentary for verse 4) (see commentary for verse 8)

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(2:16) These are the people who have bartered away Guidance for error, but this is a profitless bargain that they have made, and they are not at all on the right way.

مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَلَمَّا أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَاتٍ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ {2:17}

[Q2:17]  Masaluhum kamasalillazis tawqada naaran falammaaa adaaa'at maa hawlahoo zahabal laahu binoorihim wa tarakahum fee zulumaatil laa yubsiroon

[Q2:17] Their parable is like the parable of one who kindled a fire but when it had illumined all around him, ALLAH (SWT) took away their light, and left them in utter darkness-- they do not see.

[Q2:17] Perbandingan hal mereka (golongan yang munafik itu) samalah seperti orang yang menyalakan api; apabila api itu menerangi sekelilingnya, (tiba-tiba) ALLAH (SwT) hilangkan cahaya (yang menerangi) mereka, dan dibiarkannya mereka dalam gelap-gelita, tidak dapat melihat (sesuatu pun).

Wajhullah - The face of ALLAH (SWT).

(see commentary for verse 1)(see commentary for verse 2)(see commentary for verse 4) (see commentary for verse 8)

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(2:17) Their condition may be described in a parable: a man kindled a fire and when it illuminated all around him, Allah took away the light from their eyes and left them in utter darkness, where they could not see anything. *16

*16. This means that two opposite effects emerged when a true servant of God radiated the light which made it possible to distinguish true from false and right from wrong, and made the straight way distinct from the ways of error. To those endowed with true perception, all truths became evident. But those who were almost blinded by the worship of their animal desires perceived nothing.
The expression, 'Allah took away the light of their perception' should not create the impression that these people were not responsible for their stumbling into darkness. Only those who do not seek the Truth, who prefer error to guidance and who are adamantly disinclined to pursue the Truth despite its luminosity, are deprived, by God, of the light of their perception. God simply enables such people to do what they wish. 

صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ {2:18}

[Q2:18] Summum bukmun 'umyun fahum laa yarji'oon
[Q2:18] Deaf, dumb (and) blind, so they will not turn back.

[Q2:18] Mereka (seolah-olah orang yang) pekak, bisu dan buta; dengan keadaan itu mereka tidak dapat kembali (kepada kebenaran).

Waliyyullah - The closest friend of ALLAH (SWT).

Akhu Rasulullah - The brother of the messenger of ALLAH (SWT).

(see commentary for verse 1)(see commentary for verse 2)(see commentary for verse 4) (see commentary for verse 8)

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(2:18) They are deaf; they are dumb; they are blind *17 so they will not return (to the right way).

*17. They have become deaf to hear, dumb to utter and blind to perceive the truth. 

أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَاتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ مِنَ الصَّوَاعِقِ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ مُحِيطٌ بِالْكَافِرِينَ {2:19}

[Q2:19] Aw kasaiyibim minas samaaa'i feehi zulumaatunw wa ra'dunw wa barq, yaj'aloona asaabi'ahum feee aazaanihim minas sawaa'iqi hazaral mawt' wallaahu muheetum bilkaafireen;
[Q2:19] Or like abundant rain from the cloud in which is utter darkness and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder peal, for fear of death, and ALLAH (SWT) encompasses the unbelievers.

[Q2:19] Atau (bandingannya) seperti (orang-orang yang ditimpa) hujan lebat dari langit, bersama dengan gelap-gelita, dan guruh serta kilat; mereka menyumbat jarinya ke dalam telinga masing-masing dari mendengar suara petir, kerana mereka takut mati. (Masakan mereka boleh terlepas), sedang (pengetahuan dan kekuasaan) ALLAH (SwT) meliputi orang-orang yang kafir itu.

(see commentary for verse 1)(see commentary for verse 2)(see commentary for verse 4)(see commentary for verse 8)

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(2:19) Or (still another parable may be cited to depict their condition): heavy rain is falling from the sky, accompanied by pitch darkness, thunder and lightning. When they hear the thunderclap, they thrust their fingers into their ears for fear of death, but Allah is encircling the disbelievers on all sides. *18

*18. By thrusting their fingers into their ears they temporarily deceive themselves into believing that they can escape the catastrophic end that awaits them. However, they cannot escape that end since God with all His might, encompasses them. 

يَكَادُ الْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَارَهُمْ ۖ كُلَّمَا أَضَاءَ لَهُمْ مَشَوْا فِيهِ وَإِذَا أَظْلَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَامُوا ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ {2:20}

[Q2:20] Yakaadul barqu yakhtafu absaarahum kullamaaa adaaa'a lahum mashaw feehi wa izaaa azlama 'alaihim qaamoo; wa law shaaa'al laahu lazahaba bisam'ihim wa absaarihim; innal laaha 'alaa kulli shai'in Qadeer 

[Q2:20] The lightning almost takes away their sight; whenever it shines on them they walk in it, and when it becomes dark to them they stand still; and if ALLAH (SWT) had pleased He would certainly have taken away their hearing and their sight; surely ALLAH (SWT) has power over all things.

[Q2:20] Kilat itu pula hampir-hampir menyambar (menghilangkan) penglihatan mereka; tiap-tiap kali kilat itu menerangi mereka (dengan pancarannya), mereka berjalan dalam cahayanya. Dan apabila gelap menyelubungi mereka, berhentilah mereka (menunggu dengan bingungnya). Dan sekiranya ALLAH (SwT) menghendaki, nescaya dihilangkanNya pendengaran dan penglihatan mereka; sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) Maha Kuasa atas tiap-tiap sesuatu.

Siddiq Akbar - The most truthful.

(see commentary for verse 1)(see commentary for verse 2)(see commentary for verse 4) (see commentary for verse 8)

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(2:20) The lightning terrifies them as if it were going to snatch away their eyesight from them. When they see light, they move on a little further and When it becomes dark for them, they stand still *19. Had Allah so willed, He could have deprived them totally of their hearing *20 and their sight. Most surely Allah has power over everything.

*19. The first parable refers to those hypocrites who disbelieved completely but had become Muslims merely, to further their worldly interests. The second parable refers to those who were prone to doubt and hesitation or whose faith was weak; who believed in the Truth but not to the extent of exposing themselves to hardships for its sake. The 'violent rainstorm' here alludes to Islam, which came to the world as a blessing. 'Pitch-dark clouds, thunder and lightning' refer to trials, tribulations and difficulties which confronted the Islamic movement, owing to the violent opposition and resistance of those committed to Ignorance. The last part of the parable portrays the state of mind of the hypocrites. They move a little ahead when circumstances seem favorable, but when either difficulties cloud the horizon, or when they are given directives which run counter to their desires or inherited prejudices, they are seized with alarm and come to a halt. 
*20. Just as God has completely deprived the first category of hypocrites of their 'light of perception', He could have rendered these other hypocrites totally blind and deaf. But it is not God's way to deprive anyone of sight and hearing while he is willing to see and hear. Hence, God allowed them to retain their sight and hearing to the extent they were prepared to see and hear the Truth.