The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 258
CH. 2 AL-BAQARAH PT. 2 وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ And We will try you with. 156 something of fear and hunger, وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنْفُسِ and loss of wealth and lives وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّبِرِينَ ) and fruits; but give glad tidings to the patient. 162 "3:187. Words above, the word 3 (living) is also applied to him whose work, or, more properly speaking, the cause for which he lays down his life, does not come to an end with his death. The verse, therefore, points out that those who lay down their lives for Islam should not be regarded as dead, because the cause for which they give their lives still stands and is all the more strongly upheld by others who take their places. Again, according to the Arabic idiom, (living) is also one whose blood is avenged. The verse, therefore, implies that as full satisfaction is taken for the blood of Muslims killed in the way of God, not only in the sense that far more non-Muslims join the fold of Islam than those killed in the wars but also in the sense that the number of non- Muslims killed is much larger than those killed among the Muslims, therefore Muslim martyrs are really dead. not The word (living) may possess yet another significance. As a rule, life after death does not fully begin immediately after death. The soul of man continues in a state of torpor for sometime after death. This period varies with different persons according to the degree of their spiritual purity. As martyrs sacrifice their lives for the sake of God, their 258 souls do not remain long in torpor but are quickly revived into a new life. This is one of the reasons why martyrs are called living, not dead. The verse psychological truth which is calculated to exercise immense influence on the life and progress of a people. A community that does not duly honour those of its members who lay down their lives for the cause for which the community stands, sows the seed of its own ruin. Again, a community which does not arrange to remove the fear of death from the hearts of its members, seals its own fate. The verse under comment provides an effective safeguard against both these dangers. comprises a great 162. Important Words: is لنبلون and We will try you) لنبلونكم derived from which has two meanings: (1) learning the state or condition of a person by means of a trial or test whether through favours or afflictions; (2) manifesting the goodness or badness of an object by a similar means. also means, a trial or a test imposed on a person with a view to learning or manifesting his true condition (Aqrab & Lane). See also 2:50. Commentary: This verse comes as a fitting sequel to the preceding one. Muslims should