Surah Al-Baqarah 2:83

سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ · Medinan · Verse 83 of 286

وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَٰقَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًۭا وَذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينِ وَقُولُوا۟ لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًۭا وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا مِّنكُمْ وَأَنتُم مُّعْرِضُونَ

Translation

Remember when We took a pledge from the Children of Israel: ‘Worship none but God; be good to your parents and kinsfolk, to orphans and the poor; speak good words to all people; keep up the prayer and pay the prescribed alms.’ Then all but a few of you turned away and paid no heed.

English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.

Meaning and reflection

Wording

Imagine the profound weight of a promise, not just any promise, but a covenant taken directly by Allah. This verse, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:83, opens by recalling just such a moment: `وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَٰقَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ` (And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel). The word `مِيثَٰقَ` (mithaq) itself signifies a solemn, binding agreement. By starting with `إِذْ` (recall), Allah invites the Children of Israel, both past and present, to reflect on this foundational commitment. As Ibn Ashur notes, this explicit mention of "Children of Israel" here re-centers the discourse on their history and accountability, confronting them with their past.

The Unwavering First Command

The first command in this divine pact is `لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ` (that you worship none but Allah). What is striking about this phrasing is that it's a declarative statement, "you do not worship," rather than a direct command, "do not worship!" Scholars like al-Zamakhshari, Ibn Ashur, and al-Jalalayn explain that this form, known as `إخبار في معنى النهي` (a statement in the meaning of a prohibition), is far more emphatic. It implies that abstaining from worshipping anyone but Allah is so natural and expected from those who made this covenant that it's spoken of as an accomplished fact. It's as if their commitment should be so strong that only this reality could be stated. Al-Razi further adds that this core command is so comprehensive it encompasses all knowledge of God and how to worship Him, underpinning all of theology and religious law.

Honouring Connections

Following the command to worship Allah alone, the covenant immediately turns to human relations, particularly `وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًۭا` (and to parents, good treatment). The word order here is significant. Ibn Ashur highlights that placing `بِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ` (to the parents) before `إِحْسَانًۭا` (good treatment) emphasizes the parents as the specific, primary recipients of this excellence. It is a powerful affirmation of their unique status. Al-Razi points out the profound link: after Allah, the ultimate Giver of existence, parents are the direct, apparent cause of a child's being and nurture, often giving without expecting return, much like Allah's boundless generosity. This `إِحْسَانًۭا` (ihsan), or excellence in treatment, is a constant obligation regardless of their faith, as the verse does not qualify it.

The verse then extends this virtuous conduct to other vital community members: `وَذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَامَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينِ` (and relatives, and orphans, and the needy). Beyond specific acts of kindness, the covenant also includes a universal directive: `وَقُولُوا۟ لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًۭا` (and speak to people kindly). Ibn Ashur notes that this command for `حُسْنًۭا` (husnan, kind speech) is particularly for `الناس` (all people), as verbal kindness is the most universal way to interact. While good treatment for specific groups might be `فعلي` (action-based), good speech is `قولي` (verbal) and applies to everyone. Al-Razi strongly asserts that this applies to all humans, including non-believers, stressing that good speech is that which benefits the hearer, even if it’s a necessary, gentle correction.

The Shift in Tone

The verse then takes a poignant turn: `ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا مِّنكُمْ وَأَنتُم مُّعْرِضُونَ` (Then you turned away, except a few of you, and you are averting yourselves). Here, Allah uses an `التفات` (iltifat), a pronoun shift, moving from recounting the covenant with their ancestors to directly addressing the Children of Israel who were alive at the time of the Quran's revelation. This shift brings the weight of their ancestors' transgressions onto the present generation, implying a continuous pattern of turning away. The word `ثُمَّ` (thumma, then) not only marks a sequence in time but also conveys a sense of dismay or reproof at their deviation. The final phrase, `وَأَنتُم مُّعْرِضُونَ` (and you are averting yourselves), is a nominal sentence, meaning it uses a noun-like form for "averting yourselves." As Ibn Ashur explains, echoing al-Zamakhshari, this grammatical structure emphasizes that their turning away is not a mere passing incident but a deep-seated, habitual characteristic, a persistent and deliberate heedlessness of these sacred commitments.

Sources: Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jalalayn, al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi)

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