The Guiding Light — Page 281
S u rah al-Baqarah, Chapter 2, Verses 285-287 281 who by declaring the Law to be a curse converted a Divine mercy into an i s r i. e. a burden and a punishment. Muslims are thus taught to pray that for them the Shar i ‘ah may always remain a mercy. In this case the verse comes as a fitting preamble to the succeeding S u rah of which Christianity forms the special theme. The clause, and efface our sins and grant us forgiveness and have mercy on us, comprises three important invocations placed in perfect order. They not only correspond to the preceding three prayers but also constitute a perfect manifestation of a perfect treatment on the part of a perfect Master. ﻓﺎﻋﻒ ﻋﻨﺎ ( f a ‘fo ‘ann a ) means that God may efface our sins and leave out no trace of them to be seen by men ( ( ( ( اﻏﻔﺮﻟﻨﺎ اﻏﻔﺮﻟﻨﺎ اﻏﻔﺮﻟﻨﺎ اﻏﻔﺮﻟﻨﺎ ( ighfirlan a ) means that He may not only efface our sins but also grant us forgiveness so that He Himself may treat them as non-existent. And ارمحﻨﺎ ارمحﻨﺎ ارمحﻨﺎ ارمحﻨﺎ ( ir h amn a ) means that God may not only efface our sins and forgive us but also show positive mercy to us. The concluding clause, help us Thou against the disbelieving people, provides a fitting ending to the S u rah. The Muslims are out for a great struggle. The entire world of کﻔﺮ کﻔﺮ کﻔﺮ کﻔﺮ ( kufr ) disbelief is arrayed against them and the field