Surah Baqarah ayat 153 Tafsir Quran 2:153

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ﴾
[ البقرة: 153]

2:153 O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.

O you who believe seek help regarding the Hereafter through patience in obedience and afflictions and prayer He singles it out for mention on account of its frequency and its greatness; surely God is with the patient helping them.

O you who believe with faithful hearts: seek consolation in patience and in prayer and draw your souls close to Allah. Allah upholds the patient who endure trouble with calmness and composure, showing forbearance under provocation, bearing with others their faults and limitations and showing constancy in labour and effort

The Virtue of Patience and Prayer After Allah commanded that He be appreciated, He ordained patience and prayer.
It is a fact that the servant is either enjoying a bounty that he should be thankful for, or suffering a calamity that he should meet with patience.
A Hadith states:
«عَجَبًا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ لَا يَقْضِي اللهُ لَهُ قَضَاءً إلَّا كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ: إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ فَشَكَرَ كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وإنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ فَصَبَرَ كَانَ خَيْرًا لَه»
( Amazing is the believer, for whatever Allah decrees for him, it is better for him! If he is tested with a bounty, he is grateful for it and this is better for him; and if he is afflicted with a hardship, he is patient with it and this is better for him. ) Allah has stated that the best tools to help ease the effects of the afflictions are patience and prayer.
Earlier we mentioned Allah's statement: وَاسْتَعِينُواْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَوةِ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلاَّ عَلَى الْخَـشِعِينَ ( And seek help in patience and As-Salah (the prayer ) and truly, it is extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khashi`in i.e., the true believers in Allah) ( 2:45 ) There are several types of Sabr ـ patience: one for avoiding the prohibitions and sins, one for acts of worship and obedience.
The second type carries more rewards than the first type.
There is a third type of patience required in the face of the afflictions and hardships, which is mandatory, like repentance. `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "Sabr has two parts: patience for the sake of Allah concerning what He is pleased with ( i.e., acts of worship and obedience ), even if it is hard on the heart and the body, and patience when avoiding what He dislikes, even if it is desired.
Those who acquire these qualities will be among the patient persons whom Allah shall greet ( when they meet Him in the Hereafter; refer to Surat Al-Ahzab 33:44 ), Allah willing." The Life enjoyed by Martyrs Allah's statement: وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ لِمَن يُقْتَلُ فِى سَبيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتٌ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ ( And say not of those who are killed in the way of Allah, "They are dead." Nay, they are living, ) indicates that the martyrs are alive and receiving their sustenance. Muslim reported in his Sahih:
«أَنَّ أَرْوَاحَ الشُّهَدَاءِ فِي حَوَاصِلَ طَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ، تَسْرَحُ فِي الْجَنَّة حَيْثُ شَاءَتْ، ثُمَّ تَأْوِي إلَى قَنَادِيلَ مُعَلَّقَةٍ تَحْتَ الْعَرْشِ، فَاطَّلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ اطِّلَاعَةً، فقَالَ: مَاذَا تَبْغُونَ؟ فَقَالُوا: يَا رَبَّنَا وَأَيَّ شَيْءٍ نَبْغِي، وَقَدْ أَعْطَيْتنَا مَا لَمْ تُعْطِ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ؟ ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِمِثْلِ هذَا، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا أَنَّهُم لَا يُتْرَكُون مِنْ أَنْ يُسْأَلُوا، قَالُوا: نُرِيدُ أَنْ تَرُدَّنَا إِلَى الدَّارِ الدُّنْيَا فَنُقَاتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِكَ حَتَّى نُقْتَلَ فِيكَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى لِمَا يَرَوْنَ مِنْ ثَوابِ الشَّهادَةِ فَيَقُولُ الرَّبُّ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ: إِنِّي كَتَبْتُ أَنَّهُمْ إلَيْهَا لَا يَرْجِعُون»
( The souls of the martyrs are inside green birds and move about in Paradise wherever they wish.
Then, they take refuge in lamps that are hanging under the Throne (of Allah ).
Your Lord looked at them and asked them, `What do you wish for' They said, `What more could we wish for while You have favored us with what You have not favored any other of your creation' He repeated the question again.
When they realize that they will be asked ( until they answer ), they said, `We wish that You send us back to the earthly life, so that we fight in Your cause until we are killed in Your cause again,' ( because of what they enjoy of the rewards of martyrdom ).
The Lord then said, `I have written that they will not be returned to it ( earthly life ) again.) Imam Ahmad reported that `Abdur-Rahman bin Ka`b bin Malik narrated from his father that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:
«نَسَمَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ طَائِرٌ تَعْلَقُ فِي شَجَرِ الْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَهُ اللهُ إِلَى جَسَدهِ يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُه»
( The believer's soul is a bird that feeds on the trees of Paradise until Allah sends it back to its body when the person is resurrected. ) This Hadith includes all the believers in its general meaning.
Thus, the fact that the Qur'an mentions the martyrs in particular in the above Ayah serves to honor, glorify and favor them ( although the other believers share the rewards they enjoy ).

(2:153) O Believers, *153 seek help with fortitude and Salat, for Allah is with those who show fortitude. *154

O you who have believed, seek help meaning

*153).
Since the ummah has been invested with world leadership, a set of necessary directives is now provided for its guidance.
Before laying down these directives it seemed necessary to caution the Muslims that the office which had been conferred on them was indeed no bed of roses.
On the contrary, it was a great and perilous responsibility.
Once they undertook it, they would be subjected to all kinds of afflictions, put to all kinds of trials and tribulations and made to bear all kinds of deprivation.
If, however, the Muslims persisted along the path of God despite the perils they would be rewarded with God's favour in full measure.

*154).
To acquire the strength that is needed to bear this heavy burden of responsibility the believers should do two things: they should develop patience and they should strengthen themselves by devoting themselves to Prayer.

Later we shall encounter elaborations which will show that 'patience' is a word embracing a whole set of moral virtues of the utmost importance.
'Patience' is indeed an indispensable key to success.
Likewise, we shall later have occasion to note in some detail how Prayer prepares the Muslims, both as individuals and as a collective body, to carry out their mission.

 

The Virtue of Patience and Prayer After Allah commanded that He be appreciated, He ordained patience and prayer.
It is a fact that the servant is either enjoying a bounty that he should be thankful for, or suffering a calamity that he should meet with patience.
A Hadith states: «عَجَبًا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ لَا يَقْضِي اللهُ لَهُ قَضَاءً إلَّا كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ: إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ فَشَكَرَ كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وإنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ فَصَبَرَ كَانَ خَيْرًا لَه» ( Amazing is the believer, for whatever Allah decrees for him, it is better for him! If he is tested with a bounty, he is grateful for it and this is better for him; and if he is afflicted with a hardship, he is patient with it and this is better for him. ) Allah has stated that the best tools to help ease the effects of the afflictions are patience and prayer.
Earlier we mentioned Allah's statement: وَاسْتَعِينُواْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَوةِ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلاَّ عَلَى الْخَـشِعِينَ ( And seek help in patience and As-Salah (the prayer ) and truly, it is extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khashi`in i.e., the true believers in Allah) ( 2:45 ) There are several types of Sabr ـ patience: one for avoiding the prohibitions and sins, one for acts of worship and obedience.
The second type carries more rewards than the first type.
There is a third type of patience required in the face of the afflictions and hardships, which is mandatory, like repentance. `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "Sabr has two parts: patience for the sake of Allah concerning what He is pleased with ( i.e., acts of worship and obedience ), even if it is hard on the heart and the body, and patience when avoiding what He dislikes, even if it is desired.
Those who acquire these qualities will be among the patient persons whom Allah shall greet ( when they meet Him in the Hereafter; refer to Surat Al-Ahzab 33:44 ), Allah willing." The Life enjoyed by Martyrs Allah's statement: وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ لِمَن يُقْتَلُ فِى سَبيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتٌ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ ( And say not of those who are killed in the way of Allah, "They are dead." Nay, they are living, ) indicates that the martyrs are alive and receiving their sustenance. Muslim reported in his Sahih: «أَنَّ أَرْوَاحَ الشُّهَدَاءِ فِي حَوَاصِلَ طَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ، تَسْرَحُ فِي الْجَنَّة حَيْثُ شَاءَتْ، ثُمَّ تَأْوِي إلَى قَنَادِيلَ مُعَلَّقَةٍ تَحْتَ الْعَرْشِ، فَاطَّلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ اطِّلَاعَةً، فقَالَ: مَاذَا تَبْغُونَ؟ فَقَالُوا: يَا رَبَّنَا وَأَيَّ شَيْءٍ نَبْغِي، وَقَدْ أَعْطَيْتنَا مَا لَمْ تُعْطِ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ؟ ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِمِثْلِ هذَا، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا أَنَّهُم لَا يُتْرَكُون مِنْ أَنْ يُسْأَلُوا، قَالُوا: نُرِيدُ أَنْ تَرُدَّنَا إِلَى الدَّارِ الدُّنْيَا فَنُقَاتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِكَ حَتَّى نُقْتَلَ فِيكَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى لِمَا يَرَوْنَ مِنْ ثَوابِ الشَّهادَةِ فَيَقُولُ الرَّبُّ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ: إِنِّي كَتَبْتُ أَنَّهُمْ إلَيْهَا لَا يَرْجِعُون» ( The souls of the martyrs are inside green birds and move about in Paradise wherever they wish.
Then, they take refuge in lamps that are hanging under the Throne (of Allah ).
Your Lord looked at them and asked them, `What do you wish for' They said, `What more could we wish for while You have favored us with what You have not favored any other of your creation' He repeated the question again.
When they realize that they will be asked ( until they answer ), they said, `We wish that You send us back to the earthly life, so that we fight in Your cause until we are killed in Your cause again,' ( because of what they enjoy of the rewards of martyrdom ).
The Lord then said, `I have written that they will not be returned to it ( earthly life ) again.) Imam Ahmad reported that `Abdur-Rahman bin Ka`b bin Malik narrated from his father that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: «نَسَمَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ طَائِرٌ تَعْلَقُ فِي شَجَرِ الْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَهُ اللهُ إِلَى جَسَدهِ يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُه» ( The believer's soul is a bird that feeds on the trees of Paradise until Allah sends it back to its body when the person is resurrected. ) This Hadith includes all the believers in its general meaning.
Thus, the fact that the Qur'an mentions the martyrs in particular in the above Ayah serves to honor, glorify and favor them ( although the other believers share the rewards they enjoy ).

( O ye who believe! Seek help in steadfastness ) to fulfil the obligations of Allah and to abstain from contraventions and shameful works ( and prayer ) and with abundant supererogatory prayers at night and during the day in order to come clean from sin. ( Lo! Allah is with the steadfast ) He helps, and protects the steadfast from shameful works.

O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-Salat (the prayer). Truly! Allah is with As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).

Page 23 English transliteration