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SŪRAH AL-BAQARAH

Sūrat al-Baqarah is the second and the longest sūrah (chapter) of the Qur’an. It has 286 verses, and covers about two and a half Parts (Juz) out of the thirty equal Parts into which the Qur’an has been divided to facilitate its regular reading.

Al-Baqarah is placed at the head of the Qur’an; we step into it immediately after al-Fātiḥah. Thus, serially, it is the second sūrah, but it is first in many repects. If we take al-Fātiḥah as the preface to the Qur’an, then al-Baqarah is its first chapter. If al-Fātiḥah is the deepest cry of the human heart before its Creator, outpouring its urgent need and its utter dependence upon Him for being guided to live rightly this earthly life – as it is – then al-Baqarah is the first Divine response to that human cry, the first lesson in righteous living, the first step on the Straight Path. And if the seven verses of al-Fātiḥah are the seed, the foundation and the sum and substance of the entire Qur’an – as they are – al-Baqarah is the first flowering of that tiny seed. And what a flowering! ‘A good tree, whose roots are firm, and whose branches reach out towards the sky, giving its fruits at all times by the leave of its Lord’ (Ibrāhīm 14: 24–5).

Though placed at the very beginning of the Qur’an, chronologically the verses of al-Baqarah were revealed much later, at different times during the Madinan period, so much so that, according to al-Wāḥidī, verse 281 was revealed as late as during the Prophet’s farewell Hajj (blessings and peace be upon him).

Location of al-Baqarah

Why, then, has al-Baqarah been placed at the very beginning of the Qur’an? Especially when its themes are centred upon the community of the Muslim Ummah and its social life, rather than upon the basics of faith which are prior, and therefore are the primary and dominant concern in the first revelations.

Let us first reflect upon this important question. There must be some reason for it, and the answer should provide us with an important key to understanding the meaning of the sūrah. For nothing in the Qur’an is without reason and purpose. Indeed this principle should form one of the fundamentals of our methodology and approach in understanding the Qur’an. We may not be able to answer the question ‘why’ all the time, or discern meaning behind everything, but it is essential to raise the question at every point.

Two things, however, we must remember while doing so: Firstly, whatever understanding we arrive at, it is very important to always take it as only a human understanding, which is liable to be mistaken, and never to assign it a Divine status. Secondly, no answer should be accepted if it conflicts with the continuing consensus in the Ummah or the overall framework of the Qur’an. With these two warnings always in mind, there should be no harm when we raise the question ‘why’ at each and every step while trying to understand the Qur’an.

The above question about al-Baqarah belongs to a larger question. Why has the Qur’an not been arranged in historical, chronological order of revelation? Why the present arrangement, which has no relation with chronological history? What is the status of this arrangement?

According to some scholars, the Ṣaḥābah (Companions) arranged the sūrahs according to their own judgement (ijtihādī). They could do no better than to make a mechanical arrangement: putting the longest in the beginning, and, in a descending order, the shortest at the end. According to others, it was the Prophet himself (bpuh) who, under divine direction, arranged the sūrahs as they are (tawfīqī); this arrangement is thematic. I think the evidence conclusively supports the second opinion.

For example, it is authentically reported that whenever a new revelation came, the Prophet (bpuh) told the scribes where to place it (Suyūṭī). Moreover, the sūrahs themselves had already been compiled in their present form, which too is not historical, by the time the Prophet (bpuh) left this world. Also, he recited them in the Prayers, as well as taught them, in the form and order they stand now. It is also reported that the Prophet (bpuh) used to recite the whole Qur’an during the month of Ramadan in the presence of the angel Jibrīl (Suyūṭī). Furthermore, we find that the endings of many sūrahs bear quite an obvious thematic correlation with the beginning of the next.

In my understanding there are two main reasons why the Qur’an has been arranged in the present order and not chronologically. Firstly, though revealed at a particular point in time and space, in a particular locale and among a particular people, the Qur’an is Divine guidance for all times to come and for all people. By completely ignoring its historical order, even losing track of it – much to the chagrin and dismay of many Orientalists – it has been lifted out of its particular historical context in time and space and made timeless. Thus it becomes valid and relevant in all contexts. Were it arranged in chronological order, it would have always remained tied to its time and locale. Then it would have become merely an ‘event’ in history, it would have lost touch with its timeless character.

‘Occasions of revelation’, however, are there. But they have their use. They help to tell the history behind a specific revelation, where necessary. They also help us to understand it in its context, before we generalize it, or transport it to a new context. But they also tend to root the Qur’an in its own time and locale. For that, we should listen to the renowned eighteenth-century scholar from the subcontinent, Shah Waliullah of Delhi (1702–63). In his seminal work on the principles of Tafsīr, he firmly holds that the only valid ‘occasion of revelation’ for any part of the Qur’an is ‘to guide mankind to right beliefs and conduct’. According to him, most of the occasions narrated are not at all necessary to understand the Qur’an, and many of them are of doubtful authenticity as well (Al-Fawz al-Kabīr fī Uṣūl’ al-Tafsīr).

Secondly, and in particular, while the Qur’an was being revealed, its first addressees were either non-believers, and those who were bent upon denying it, or those who had believed and were being moulded into the desired faith-community (Ummah Muslimah). But, after its revelation was completed and the faith-community had been formed, and all denial and opposition – of that time – had come to an end, its first addressee for all times to come was to be the faith-community. For the Book is given into the trust of the Muslim Ummah, which is charged with the responsibility to guard it, to understand and interpret it, to live by it and invite others to live by it. Therefore, at the time of revelation, precedence had to be given to the basic message and articles of faith and to the opposition which the Qur’an was encountering, as well as to the gigantic task of shaping the muslim person and the muslim community. But, after its completion, precedence had to be given to the faith-community, its purpose, direction, needs and social affairs. This community, which believes in the Qur’an, and derives its identity from the Qur’an, was to be in place for all times to come, and was therefore to be the first to benefit from it.

Viewed in this light, if we look at the contents of al-Baqarah, the reason for placing it at the head of the Qur’an becomes quite clear. It also illuminates and helps us greatly in understanding the whole sūrah. For we find that in al-Baqarah the Qur’an defines the mission of the faith-community, inspires and motivates it, and equips it with all the basic resources and institutions it requires to fulfil this mission.

Excellences of al-Baqarah

That is why the Prophet (bpuh) spoke very highly of the many excellences and merits of al-Baqarah. Sahl ibn Sa`d reports that the Prophet (bpuh) said: ‘Of everything there is a pinnacle, and the pinnacle of the Qur’an is Sūrat al-Baqarah. Whoever recites it in his house during the day, Satan would not enter his house for three days, and whoever recites it at night, Satan would not enter his house for three nights’ (Ibn Kathīr, Ṭabarānī).

Abu Hurayrah reports that the Prophet (bpuh) said: ‘Don’t turn your houses into graves. Satan does not enter the house in which al-Baqarah is recited’ (Muslim, Ibn Kathīr).