Surah Al-Baqarah 2:41
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ · Medinan · Verse 41 of 286
وَءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَآ أَنزَلْتُ مُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ وَلَا تَكُونُوٓا۟ أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍۭ بِهِۦ ۖ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِى ثَمَنًۭا قَلِيلًۭا وَإِيَّٰىَ فَٱتَّقُونِ
Translation
Believe in the message I have sent down confirming what you already possess. Do not be the first to disbelieve in it, and do not sell My messages for a small price: I am the One of whom you should be mindful.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
'And believe in what I have sent down, confirming that which is with you, and do not be the first to disbelieve in it. And do not exchange My verses for a small price, and fear Me.' al-Saadi and Ibn Kathir note the warning against 'selling' God's signs cheaply, trading the truth for worldly gain, status, or the comfort of the familiar. Ask yourself: 'a small price' is the key phrase, the deniers did not reject revelation for nothing, but for something: position, income, the approval of their community, the cost of admitting they were wrong. And whatever they gained was, against the truth, 'small'. I do the same whenever I compromise a known truth for a worldly payoff. What have I been quietly selling my clarity for, a bit of approval, a career advantage, an easier social life, and how 'small' would that price look weighed against what I gave up for it?
Grounded in classical tafsir: al-Saadi, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Ashur.
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:41 is discussed in 7 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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