The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 351
PT. 2 AL-BAQARAH CH. 2 يَسْتَلُوْنَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْرِ ۖ قُلْ They ask thee concerning. 220 "wine and the game of hazard. فِيهِمَا إِثْمُ كَبِيرُ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ Say: In both there is great sin and also some advantages for b وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِنْ نَّفْعِهِمَا men; but their sin is greater than وَيَسْتَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ their advantage. And they ask كَذلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللهُ لَكُمُ الأيتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَفَكَّرُونَ thee what they should spend. Say: 'Spend What you can spare. ' Thus does Allah make His commandments clear to you that you may reflect,226 pains. means, he used his utmost power in prosecuting the affair. means, he fought with the enemy exerting his utmost effort to repel him, his enemy doing the like. means, exerting one's utmost power in contending with an object of disapprobation; and this is of three kinds, namely, (1) with a visible enemy (2) with Satan, and (3) with one's self (Lane). (who hope) is derived from which gives twofold meaning. They say meaning: (1) he hoped to get the thing; (2) he was afraid of the thing (Aqrab). When used in the sense of hoping, it is used on occasions when the thing hoped for is likely to afford pleasure (Mufradāt). Commentary: The verse holds out the promise to Muslims, and they are indeed buoyed up with the hope, that though now they are beset with great difficulties and unusual hardships, the time is fast approaching when all difficulties would disappear and they would become heirs to God's mercy both in 351 this world and the next. As the context shows, the words, those who believe, occurring in the verse refer to such of the believers as resided in Medina and had not been called upon to migrate. Thus the verse mentions two classes of believers who can hope to get Allah's mercy; (1) believers resident in Medina, i. e. the Helpers, who engaged themselves in or holy war against the forces of Satan; and (2) Migrants from Mecca who were also engaged in such war. The words, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful, have been added to point out that Allah will forgive the above- mentioned two classes of believers their sins and shortcomings which will not stand in the way of their winning God's mercy, provided they remain sincere in their faith and continue striving hard in the cause of Allah, for, as the Quran elsewhere explains, the good works of a man drive away his evil ones (11:115). 226. Important Words: (wine) is the noun-infinitive