The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 282
CH. 2 AL-BAQARAH PT. 2 Important Words, this expression As pointed out in the beginning, gives no less than four meanings and this verse gives a gist of the teachings all are equally applicable here. So of Islam. It begins with the spending on would signify fundamental Islamic beliefs and (1) spending money in order to doctrines which are the source and encourage travelling, which is a basis of all actions and on the means of increasing knowledge and rectitude of which depends the extending social relations; (2) helping rectitude of one's actions. The most such travellers as are on long journeys fundamental of these is belief in God and are far away from home; (3) Who is the central point of all faith. helping all wayfarers; and (4) helping Second in importance is belief in the such wayfarers and travellers as Last Day or the Day of Judgement, become stranded on the way. This is upon a real understanding of which indeed a wonderful example of the depends the direction of man's combination of brevity and actions in this life. Then follows comprehensiveness. The verse also belief in angels who serve as a sort of throws some light on the Islamic intermediaries between God and His teaching about slavery. Islam creation. Then there are Divine prescribes it as a sign of true faith and Scriptures embodying God's perfect righteousness that money be revelation which point out the way to spent on emancipating slaves. Nay, the attainment of His pleasure and the even such as are made captives from purification of man's soul. Lastly are among those who attack Muslims Prophets who are the recipients of with a view to annihilating them, are God's revelations, communicating to to be shown mercy and granted man the will of God and serving as freedom out of money supplied by models to be followed and imitated Muslims. For the discussion of Islamic by him. These five objects of faith teachings about slavery see 24:34. have been mentioned here in their natural order and not necessarily in order of importance. The word (the patient) in this verse is in the accusative case, while, according to the common rules of Arabic grammar, it should be in the nominative case like the preceding word (those who fulfil). The change is not without purpose and has been made to put emphasis on the word. According to Abū ‘Alī, a well- known authority on Arabic syntax, when a sentence contains a number of nouns of praise or dispraise, it is considered idiomatic to vary their grammatical inflection (Muḥīt, part ii). This is done to intensify the meaning. After stating the fundamental objects of faith, the verse proceeds to mention some of the more important ordinances relating to man's actions. Pride of place is given to charity which a man gives not as a duty imposed on him, but as prompted by love, solicitude and sympathy for his kinsmen and fellow beings or out of love for common humanity. Next come the commandments regarding Prayer and Zakāh which help to establish a true connection between God and man on the one hand and 282