Surah Baqarah ayat 211 Tafsir Quran 2:211

﴿سَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَمْ آتَيْنَاهُم مِّنْ آيَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ ۗ وَمَن يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ﴾
[ البقرة: 211]

2:211 Ask the Children of Israel how many a sign of evidence We have given them. And whoever exchanges the favor of Allah [for disbelief] after it has come to him - then indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.

Ask O Muhammad (s) the Children of Israel by way of rebuke how many a clear proof manifest ones such as the parting of the sea and the sending down of manna and quails which they exchanged for unbelief did We give them kam ‘how many’ is the interrogative particle linking the second object of the verb sal ‘ask’ and is also the second object of the verb ātaynā ‘We gave’ and its specifier; whoever changes God’s grace that is what God has blessed him with in the way of signs for these constitute the causes of guidance after it has come to him out of unbelief God is severe in retribution against him.

Ask Bani Isra‘il, how many clear signs We imparted to them, signs guiding out of want of spiritual and intellectual vision into illumination and mental enlightenment! And he who distorts divine favour conferred upon him shall realize that Allah punishes severely

The Punishment for changing Allah's Favor and mocking the Believers Allah mentioned that the Children of Israel, were witnesses to many clear signs that attest to the truth of Moses regarding what he was sent with for them.
They witnessed his hand ( when it became lit with light ), his parting the sea, his striking the rock ( and water flowed from the rock ), the clouds that shaded them during the intense heat, the manna and the quails, and so forth.
These signs attested to the existence of the Creator and the truth of Moses by whose hand these signs appeared.
Yet, so many among them changed Allah's favor, by preferring disbelief to faith and by ignoring Allah's favors, وَمَن يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ ( And whoever changes Allah's favor after it had come to him, then surely, Allah is severe in punishment. ) Similarly, Allah said about the disbelievers of Quraysh: أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُواْ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّواْ قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ الْبَوَارِ - جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَهَا وَبِئْسَ الْقَرَارُ ( Have you not seen those who have changed the blessings of Allah into disbelief, and caused their people to dwell in the house of destruction Hell, in which they will burn, ـ and what an evil place to settle in! ) ( 14:28, 29 ) Then Allah states that He has made the life of this world beautiful for the disbelievers who are satisfied with it, who collect wealth, but refrain from spending it on what they have been commanded, which could earn them Allah's pleasure.
Instead, they ridicule the believers who ignore this life and who spend whatever they earn on what pleases their Lord.
The believers spend seeking Allah's Face, and this is why they have gained the ultimate happiness and the best share on the Day of the Return.
Therefore, they will be exalted above the disbelievers at the Gathering Place, when they are gathered, during the resurrection and in their final destination.
The believers will reside in the highest grades in the utmost highs, while the disbelievers will reside in the lowest of lows ( in the Fire ). This is why Allah said: وَاللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ ( And Allah gives to whom He wills without limit. ) This Ayah indicates that Allah gives sustenance to whomever He wills of His servants without count or limit in this and the Hereafter.
A Hadith has stated ( that Allah said ):
«ابْنَ آدَمَ أَنْفِقْ أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْك»
( O son of Adam! Spend (in Allah's cause ) and I ( Allah ) will spend on you.) The Prophet said:
«أَنْفِقْ بِلَالُ وَلَا تَخْشَ مِنْ ذِي الْعَرْشِ إِقْلَالًا»
( O Bilal! Spend and do not fear deprivation from the Owner of the Throne. ) Allah said: وَمَآ أَنفَقْتُمْ مِّن شَىْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ ( ...and whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allah's cause ), He will replace it.) ( 34:39 ) In addition, it is reported in the Sahih ( that the Prophet said ):
«أَنَّ مَلَكَيْنِ يَنْزِلَانِ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ صَبِيحَةَ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ فَيَقُولُ أحَدُهُمَا:اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقًا خَلَفًا، وَيَقُولُ الآخَرُ: اللَّهُمَّ أعْطِ مُمْسِكًا تَلَفًا»
( Every day two angels come down from heavens and one of them says, `O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your cause,' and the other (angel ) says, `O Allah! Destroy every miser.') Also in the Sahih:
«يَقُولُ ابْنُ آدَمَ: مَالِي مَالِي.
وَهَلْ لَكَ مِنْ مَالِكَ إِلَّا مَا أَكَلْتَ فَأَفْنَيْتَ، وَمَا لَبِسْتَ فَأَبْلَيْتَ، وَمَا تَصَدَّقْتَ فَأَمْضَيْتَ، وَمَا سِوَى ذلِكَ فَذَاهِبٌ وَتَارِكُهُ لِلنَّاس»
( The son of Adam says, `My money, my money!' Yet, what is your money except that which you eat and use up, wear and tear, and spend in charity and thus keep (in your record ).
Other than that, it will go away and will be left for the people ( the inheritors ).) In addition, Imam Ahmad reported that the Prophet said:
«الدُّنْيَا دَارُ مَنْ لَا دَارَ لَهُ، وَمَالُ مَنْ لَا مَالَ لَهُ، وَلَهَا يَجْمَعُ مَنْ لَا عَقْلَ لَه»
( The Dunya (life of this world ) is the residence of those who have no residence, the wealth of those who have no wealth, and it is harvested by those who have no sense of reason.)

(2:211) Ask the children of Israel how many a clear sign We have shown to them: (also ask them) what a severe chastisement Allah inflicts on the community that, after receiving Allah's favour exchanges it (for wretchdness). *229

Ask the Children of Israel how many meaning

*229).
There are two reasons why this query is addressed to the Children of Israel.
In the first place, a group of living human beings provide a better source of instruction and admonition than mute archaeological findings.
In the second place, the Israelites were a people who, having been endowed with Scripture and prophethood, were entrusted with the leadership of the world.
By falling prey to worldliness, hypocrisy and other errors of belief and conduct they subsequently lost God's favour.
A people entrusted with the task of universal leadership could derive no better lesson from another people than this one.

 

The Punishment for changing Allah's Favor and mocking the Believers Allah mentioned that the Children of Israel, were witnesses to many clear signs that attest to the truth of Moses regarding what he was sent with for them.
They witnessed his hand ( when it became lit with light ), his parting the sea, his striking the rock ( and water flowed from the rock ), the clouds that shaded them during the intense heat, the manna and the quails, and so forth.
These signs attested to the existence of the Creator and the truth of Moses by whose hand these signs appeared.
Yet, so many among them changed Allah's favor, by preferring disbelief to faith and by ignoring Allah's favors, وَمَن يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ ( And whoever changes Allah's favor after it had come to him, then surely, Allah is severe in punishment. ) Similarly, Allah said about the disbelievers of Quraysh: أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُواْ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّواْ قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ الْبَوَارِ - جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَهَا وَبِئْسَ الْقَرَارُ ( Have you not seen those who have changed the blessings of Allah into disbelief, and caused their people to dwell in the house of destruction Hell, in which they will burn, ـ and what an evil place to settle in! ) ( 14:28, 29 ) Then Allah states that He has made the life of this world beautiful for the disbelievers who are satisfied with it, who collect wealth, but refrain from spending it on what they have been commanded, which could earn them Allah's pleasure.
Instead, they ridicule the believers who ignore this life and who spend whatever they earn on what pleases their Lord.
The believers spend seeking Allah's Face, and this is why they have gained the ultimate happiness and the best share on the Day of the Return.
Therefore, they will be exalted above the disbelievers at the Gathering Place, when they are gathered, during the resurrection and in their final destination.
The believers will reside in the highest grades in the utmost highs, while the disbelievers will reside in the lowest of lows ( in the Fire ). This is why Allah said: وَاللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ ( And Allah gives to whom He wills without limit. ) This Ayah indicates that Allah gives sustenance to whomever He wills of His servants without count or limit in this and the Hereafter.
A Hadith has stated ( that Allah said ): «ابْنَ آدَمَ أَنْفِقْ أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْك» ( O son of Adam! Spend (in Allah's cause ) and I ( Allah ) will spend on you.) The Prophet said: «أَنْفِقْ بِلَالُ وَلَا تَخْشَ مِنْ ذِي الْعَرْشِ إِقْلَالًا» ( O Bilal! Spend and do not fear deprivation from the Owner of the Throne. ) Allah said: وَمَآ أَنفَقْتُمْ مِّن شَىْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ ( ...and whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allah's cause ), He will replace it.) ( 34:39 ) In addition, it is reported in the Sahih ( that the Prophet said ): «أَنَّ مَلَكَيْنِ يَنْزِلَانِ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ صَبِيحَةَ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ فَيَقُولُ أحَدُهُمَا:اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقًا خَلَفًا، وَيَقُولُ الآخَرُ: اللَّهُمَّ أعْطِ مُمْسِكًا تَلَفًا» ( Every day two angels come down from heavens and one of them says, `O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your cause,' and the other (angel ) says, `O Allah! Destroy every miser.') Also in the Sahih: «يَقُولُ ابْنُ آدَمَ: مَالِي مَالِي.
وَهَلْ لَكَ مِنْ مَالِكَ إِلَّا مَا أَكَلْتَ فَأَفْنَيْتَ، وَمَا لَبِسْتَ فَأَبْلَيْتَ، وَمَا تَصَدَّقْتَ فَأَمْضَيْتَ، وَمَا سِوَى ذلِكَ فَذَاهِبٌ وَتَارِكُهُ لِلنَّاس» ( The son of Adam says, `My money, my money!' Yet, what is your money except that which you eat and use up, wear and tear, and spend in charity and thus keep (in your record ).
Other than that, it will go away and will be left for the people ( the inheritors ).) In addition, Imam Ahmad reported that the Prophet said: «الدُّنْيَا دَارُ مَنْ لَا دَارَ لَهُ، وَمَالُ مَنْ لَا مَالَ لَهُ، وَلَهَا يَجْمَعُ مَنْ لَا عَقْلَ لَه» ( The Dunya (life of this world ) is the residence of those who have no residence, the wealth of those who have no wealth, and it is harvested by those who have no sense of reason.)

( Ask the children of Israel ) tell the children of Jacob ( how many a clear revelation We gave them! ) how may times We addressed them with commands and prohibitions, and honoured them with Religion in the time of Moses, but they exchanged all that with disbelief. ( He who altereth the grace of Allah ) whoever exchanges the Religion and Scripture of Allah with disbelief ( after it hath come unto him ) after what Muhammad has come with ( (for him ), lo! Allah is severe in punishment) for whoever disbelieves in Him.

Ask the Children of Israel how many clear Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) We gave them. And whoever changes Allah's Favour after it had come to him, [e.g. renounces the Religion of Allah (Islam) and accepts Kufr (disbelief),] then surely, Allah is Severe in punishment.

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