Surah Baqarah ayat 214 Tafsir Quran 2:214

﴿أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ﴾
[ البقرة: 214]

2:214 Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, "When is the help of Allah?" Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.

The following was revealed after the Muslims suffered a trying experience Or did you suppose that you should enter Paradise without there having come upon you the like of what came upon those believers who passed away before you? of trials so that you may endure as they did; a new sentence begins here explaining the previous one They were afflicted by misery extreme poverty and hardship illness and were so convulsed by all types of tribulations that the Messenger and those who believed with him said read yaqūla or yaqūlu not expecting to see any help on account of the extreme hardship afflicting them ‘When will God’s help come?’ the help which we were promised; and God responded to them Ah but surely God’s help is nigh in coming.

Or did you people who conformed to Islam think you would qualify to reside in Paradise before enduring hardship and trials determining your real qualities of endurance and inclination, trials similar to your predecessors’ subjection! They were so stricken by misfortunes and calamities that they trembled and quaked in fear to the point that the Prophet himself and those in his line expressed their thoughts: When shall Allah’s promised victory come to pass? Allah’s assistance is indeed near; He is the relief for such persons when in trouble

Victory only comes after succeeding in the Trials Allah said: أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ ( Or think you that you will enter Paradise ) before you are tested and tried just like the nations that came before you This is why Allah said: وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَآءُ وَالضَّرَّآءُ ( ...without such (trials ) as came to those who passed away before you They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments) meaning, illnesses, pain, disasters and hardships.
Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Murrah Al-Hamdani, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi`, As-Suddi and Muqatil bin Hayyan said that الْبَأْسَآءِ ( Al-Ba'sa' ) means poverty.
Ibn `Abbas said that وَالضَّرَّآءِ ( ...and Ad-Darra' ) means ailments. وَزُلْزِلُواْ ( and were so shaken ) for fear of the enemy, and were tested, and put to a tremendous trial.
An authentic Hadith narrated that Khabbab bin Al-Aratt said, "We said, `O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Why do you not invoke Allah to support us Why do you not supplicate to Allah for us' He said:
«إِنَّ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ كَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ يُوضَعُ الْمِنْشَارُ عَلى مَفْرَقِ رَأْسِهِ فَيَخْلُصُ إِلى قَدَمَيْهِ لَا يَصْرِفُهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ دِينِهِ، وَيُمْشَطُ بِأَمْشَاطِ الْحَدِيدِ مَا بَيْنَ لَحْمِهِ وَعَظْمِهِ، لَا يَصْرِفُهُ ذلِكَ عَنْ دِينِه»
. ( The saw would be placed on the middle of the head of one of those who were before you (believers ) and he would be sawn until his feet, and he would be combed with iron combs between his skin and bones, yet that would not make him change his religion.) He then said:
«وَاللهِ لَيُتِمَّنَّ اللهُ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ حَتَّى يَسِيرَ الرَّاكِبُ مِنْ صَنْعَاءَ إلى حَضْرَمَوْتَ، لَا يَخَافُ إِلَّا اللهَ وَالذِّئْبَ عَلى غَنَمِهِ، وَلَكِنَّــكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَسْتَعْجِلُون»
( By Allah! This matter (religion ) will spread ( or expand ) by Allah until the traveler leaves San`a' to Hadramawt ( both in Yemen, but at a great distance from each other ) fearing only Allah and then the wolf for the sake of his sheep.
You are just a hasty people.) And Allah said: الم - ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ - الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلوةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ( Alif-Lam-Mim.
Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested And We indeed tested those who were before them.
And Allah will certainly make (it ) known ( the truth of ) those who are true, and will certainly make ( it ) known ( the falsehood of ) those who are liars.) ( 29:1-3 ) The Companions experienced tremendous trials during the battle of Al-Ahzab ( the Confederates ).
Allah said: إِذْ جَآءُوكُمْ مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ الاٌّبْصَـرُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَاْ - هُنَالِكَ ابْتُلِىَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُواْ زِلْزَالاً شَدِيداً - وَإِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَـفِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ مَّا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ إِلاَّ غُرُوراً ( When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats, and you were harboring doubts about Allah.
There, the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking.
And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubts ) said: "Allah and His Messenger promised us nothing but delusion!") ( 33:10-12 ) When Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan, "Did you fight him ( Prophet Muhammad )" He said, "Yes." Heraclius said, "What was the outcome of warfare between you" Abu Sufyan said, "Sometimes we lose and sometimes he loses." He said, "Such is the case with Prophets, they are tested, but the final victory is theirs." Allah's statement: مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم ( ...without (such ) ( trials ) as came to those who passed away before you) meaning, their way of life.
Similarly, Allah said: فَأَهْلَكْنَآ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُم بَطْشاً وَمَضَى مَثَلُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ ( Then We destroyed men stronger (in power ) than these ـ and the example of the ancients has passed away ( before them )) ( 43: 8 ) and: وَزُلْزِلُواْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ ( ...were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, "When (will come ) the help of Allah.") They pleaded ( to Allah ) for victory against their enemies and invoked Him for aid and deliverance from their hardships and trials.
Allah said: أَلاَ إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ ( Yes! Certainly, the help of Allah is near! ) Allah said: فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً - إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً ( Verily, along with every hardship is relief.
Verily, along with every hardship is relief. ) ( 94:5, 6 ) So just as there is hardship, its equal of relief will soon arrive.
This is why Allah said: أَلاَ إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ ( Yes! Certainly, the help of Allah is near! )

(2:214) Do *231 you think that you will enter Paradise without undergoing such trials as were experienced by the believers before you? They met with adversity and affliction and were so shaken by trials that the Prophet of the time and his followers cried out: "When will Allah's help come"? (Then they were comforted with the good tidings): "Yes, Allah's help is near."

Or do you think that you will meaning

*231).
In between this verse and the one above comes a whole story which has been left untold, a story which is alluded to in the present verse and which is mentioned in some detail in the Makkan surahs of the Our'an ( these were revealed earlier than the present surah ).
The point emphasized here is that whenever the Prophets came into the world they, and their followers, were confronted with severe resistance from those in rebellion against God.
At grave risk to themselves they strove to establish the hegemony of the true religion over the false ways of life.
To follow this religion has, therefore, never been easy; it is not merely a matter of declaring one's faith and then sitting back in ease and comfort.
On the contrary, the profession of faith has always demanded that one should strive to establish the religion, which one has adopted as one's faith, as a living reality and that one should spare no effort in undermining the power of the Devil who seeks to resist it.

 

Victory only comes after succeeding in the Trials Allah said: أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ ( Or think you that you will enter Paradise ) before you are tested and tried just like the nations that came before you This is why Allah said: وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَآءُ وَالضَّرَّآءُ ( ...without such (trials ) as came to those who passed away before you They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments) meaning, illnesses, pain, disasters and hardships.
Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Murrah Al-Hamdani, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi`, As-Suddi and Muqatil bin Hayyan said that الْبَأْسَآءِ ( Al-Ba'sa' ) means poverty.
Ibn `Abbas said that وَالضَّرَّآءِ ( ...and Ad-Darra' ) means ailments. وَزُلْزِلُواْ ( and were so shaken ) for fear of the enemy, and were tested, and put to a tremendous trial.
An authentic Hadith narrated that Khabbab bin Al-Aratt said, "We said, `O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Why do you not invoke Allah to support us Why do you not supplicate to Allah for us' He said: «إِنَّ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ كَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ يُوضَعُ الْمِنْشَارُ عَلى مَفْرَقِ رَأْسِهِ فَيَخْلُصُ إِلى قَدَمَيْهِ لَا يَصْرِفُهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ دِينِهِ، وَيُمْشَطُ بِأَمْشَاطِ الْحَدِيدِ مَا بَيْنَ لَحْمِهِ وَعَظْمِهِ، لَا يَصْرِفُهُ ذلِكَ عَنْ دِينِه». ( The saw would be placed on the middle of the head of one of those who were before you (believers ) and he would be sawn until his feet, and he would be combed with iron combs between his skin and bones, yet that would not make him change his religion.) He then said: «وَاللهِ لَيُتِمَّنَّ اللهُ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ حَتَّى يَسِيرَ الرَّاكِبُ مِنْ صَنْعَاءَ إلى حَضْرَمَوْتَ، لَا يَخَافُ إِلَّا اللهَ وَالذِّئْبَ عَلى غَنَمِهِ، وَلَكِنَّــكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَسْتَعْجِلُون» ( By Allah! This matter (religion ) will spread ( or expand ) by Allah until the traveler leaves San`a' to Hadramawt ( both in Yemen, but at a great distance from each other ) fearing only Allah and then the wolf for the sake of his sheep.
You are just a hasty people.) And Allah said: الم - ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ - الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلوةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ( Alif-Lam-Mim.
Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested And We indeed tested those who were before them.
And Allah will certainly make (it ) known ( the truth of ) those who are true, and will certainly make ( it ) known ( the falsehood of ) those who are liars.) ( 29:1-3 ) The Companions experienced tremendous trials during the battle of Al-Ahzab ( the Confederates ).
Allah said: إِذْ جَآءُوكُمْ مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ الاٌّبْصَـرُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَاْ - هُنَالِكَ ابْتُلِىَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُواْ زِلْزَالاً شَدِيداً - وَإِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَـفِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ مَّا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ إِلاَّ غُرُوراً ( When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats, and you were harboring doubts about Allah.
There, the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking.
And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubts ) said: "Allah and His Messenger promised us nothing but delusion!") ( 33:10-12 ) When Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan, "Did you fight him ( Prophet Muhammad )" He said, "Yes." Heraclius said, "What was the outcome of warfare between you" Abu Sufyan said, "Sometimes we lose and sometimes he loses." He said, "Such is the case with Prophets, they are tested, but the final victory is theirs." Allah's statement: مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم ( ...without (such ) ( trials ) as came to those who passed away before you) meaning, their way of life.
Similarly, Allah said: فَأَهْلَكْنَآ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُم بَطْشاً وَمَضَى مَثَلُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ ( Then We destroyed men stronger (in power ) than these ـ and the example of the ancients has passed away ( before them )) ( 43: 8 ) and: وَزُلْزِلُواْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ ( ...were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, "When (will come ) the help of Allah.") They pleaded ( to Allah ) for victory against their enemies and invoked Him for aid and deliverance from their hardships and trials.
Allah said: أَلاَ إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ ( Yes! Certainly, the help of Allah is near! ) Allah said: فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً - إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً ( Verily, along with every hardship is relief.
Verily, along with every hardship is relief. ) ( 94:5, 6 ) So just as there is hardship, its equal of relief will soon arrive.
This is why Allah said: أَلاَ إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ ( Yes! Certainly, the help of Allah is near! )

( Or think ye ) O group of believers!-referring here to ’Uthman [ Ibn ’Affan ] and his fellow believers-( that ye will enter Paradise while yet there hath not come unto you the like of (that which came to ) those who passed away before you?) i.e. without being tried as were the believers who came before you. ( Affliction ) fear, calamities, hardships ( and adversity ) sickness, pain and hunger ( befell them ) visited them, ( they were shaken as with an earthquake ) in hardship, ( till the Messenger (of Allah )) until their Messenger ( and those who believed along with him ) those who believed in him ( said: When cometh Allah’s help ) over the enemy? Allah said to that Prophet: ( Now surely Allah’s help ) over your enemy by means of your safety ( is near ).

Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, "When (will come) the Help of Allah?" Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near!

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