Surah al-Baqarah, the second surah in the Holy Quran, is the longest surah of the Holy Book, containing 286 verses. Allah begins the surah with a strong statement, saying that the Quran is the Book regarding which there is no uncertainty, which guides the God-conscious people. This is an emphatic statement regarding the importance and authenticity of Allah’s word.
Surah al-Baqarah was revealed after Hijra in Madinah. This was the period where the Muslim community was gaining strength in the Arab lands. Thus, the chapter covers a wide variety of topics concerning the Muslim community.
Themes discussed in al-Baqarah include stories of the past prophets such as Adam (a.s.), Ibrahim (a.s.) and Musa (a.s). Since the chapter was revealed during the Madinan era, it also contains numerous laws that were relevant to that period. Allah also discusses the three types of people: The believers, the disbelievers, and the hypocrites who pretend to be believers.
This chapter of the Quran holds a lot of importance for Muslims and contains some verses that are to be regularly recited as forms of supplication. Additionally, recital of the surah includes many benefits for believers.
Stories from Surah al-Baqarah with a beneficial message
Adam (a.s) and the importance of repentance after mistakes
Allah explains how he told Adam (a.s.) to stay away from the tree to protect himself from wrongdoing. This was a warning for the prophet and his wife while they were in paradise.
However, Adam (a.s.) and his wife both faltered after being duped by Satan. They approached the tree, and as a result, Allah banished them from paradise as they had disobeyed his commands.
Adam (a.s.) was regretful. Allah thereby revealed words of repentance to Adam (a.s.) and accepted the first man’s repentance. This shows us the virtues of repentance, and that even Allah’s prophet was not immune to committing mistakes. However, he repented with his heart, and Allah forgave him. We, believers, sin day and night, and we should also seek Allah’s forgiveness regularly.
Musa (a.s.) and the importance of gratitude towards Allah
Allah uses the example of Musa (a.s.) and the people of Israel to teach us gratitude. He begins by telling the people of Israel to not forget His favor upon them. After this, Allah provides a list of the acts that believers should engage in. He mentions the prohibition of falsehood and the obligation of prayer and zakat.
He then mentions the favors that He did for the people. Amongst them is the parable of saving Bani’ Israel’s forefathers from the cruel Pharaohs and their people. The miracle where Allah parted the sea is also alluded to. He then states that he forgave them so they may be grateful.
These few verses are very beneficial in that they provide us with perspective. We often forget Allah’s blessings and are ungrateful towards Him. It awakens our weak hearts to reality and reminds us that we must be grateful to Him alone.
Ibrahim (a.s.) and the importance of submission to Allah
The Surah describes how Allah tested Ibrahim (a.s.) with commands, which he followed faithfully. Ibrahim (a.s.) and his descendants remained steadfast in righteousness and never wavered in their faith.
When Ismael (a.s.) was born and grew up, he joined his father Ibrahim (a.s.) in submission to Allah. As they built the Kaabah, they prayed for Allah to accept their work and keep them firm in faith.
Allah commanded Ibrahim (a.s.) to submit, and he complied. Allah condemns those who oppose Ibrahim’s (a.s.) religion as foolish.
Ibrahim (a.s.) and his righteous descendants lived among idol-worshippers but upheld Allah above all else. Despite facing immense opposition, including being thrown into the fire by his own people, they remained devoted and obedient to Allah.
Hadith about the benefits of reciting Surah al-Baqarah
The Prophet (PBUH) described the benefits of Surah al-Baqarah. In a Sahih Hadith found in both Bukhari and Muslim, he said that reciting the last two ayahs of Surah al-Baqarah at night will suffice us. Another Hadith also states that no devil will come near a home where these verses are regularly recited.
In another Hadith, from Jami at-Tirmidhi, the Prophet (PBUH) warned against neglecting the Quran. He told us not to turn our homes into graves and said that Shaytan stays out of houses where Surah Al-Baqarah is recited. Thus, we can see the virtues of regularly reciting this chapter of the Quran.
Another detailed Hadith from Jami at-Tirmidhi describes the Day of Reckoning. The Prophet (PBUH) said the Quran will come along with those who followed its teachings, and Surah Al-Baqarah and Al’ Imran will be ahead of it. They both will be like two shades, shady clouds or similar to shadows of birds speaking in favor of their people. This Hadith describes the tremendous benefits believers will gain on the Day of Judgement due to reciting al-Baqarah.
Ayat al-Kursi
The 255th verse of Surah al-Baqarah is known as Ayat al-Kursi. It begins with “Allahu la ilaha illa Huwa al-Hayyul-Qayyum…” Regular recitation of Ayat al-Kursi is highly recommended in the Prophetic Sunnah.
This verse affirms that Allah is the only deity, Ever-Living, and Sustainer of all. He is free from the need for sleep and possesses everything. No one can intercede with Him without His permission. Allah knows all things—past, present, and future—while creation has only limited knowledge according to His Will. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and its preservation does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great.
The Prophet (PBUH) highlighted the benefits of reciting this verse before sleep. According to a Hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari, reciting Ayat al-Kursi before bed ensures that a guardian from Allah will protect you throughout the night and keep Satan away until dawn.
Abdullah bin Mas’ud, as reported in Jami at-Tirmidhi, stated that nothing in the heavens or the earth surpasses the majesty of Ayat al-Kursi.
Muslims are encouraged to recite this powerful verse after each of the five daily prayers.
The verse about no compulsion in religion
The 256th verse of the Quran (right after Ayat al-Kursi) is a crucial one for us to know about. It tells us that there should be no coercion in religion.
The importance of this verse becomes evident in light of the current attacks against Islam by Westerners. One common argument is that Islam spread by the sword, which is far from the truth. The Prophet (PBUH) spread Islam through his example.
Knowing this verse helps us to denounce any such claims about Islam. It helps us to portray the truth about Islam to people who don’t have knowledge. Hence, this verse is a vital tool of dawah.
The last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah
According to Abdullah bin Mas’ud (Jami at-Tirmidhi), the Prophet (PBUH) received these verses during his Isra and Mi’raj. The first verse describes the beliefs of both the Prophet (PBUH) and a believer, including their faith in Allah, His angels, books, and messengers.
The second verse promises that Allah will not burden anyone beyond their capacity and explains that people will receive rewards or punishment based on their deeds. The surah ends with a meaningful dua.
The Prophet (PBUH) stated in a Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim that reciting the last two ayahs of Surah al-Baqarah at night suffices.
In Sunan an-Nasa’i, an angel revealed to the Prophet (PBUH) that Allah had given him two unique lights not given to any other Prophet: Surah Fatihah and the final verses of Surah al-Baqarah.
Take Online Quran Classes To Learn Surah al-Baqarah
As we can see, there are many benefits of Surah al-Baqarah. We should recite parts of this often, such as the last two verses and Ayat al-Kursi. In fact, we should even memorize these two portions, and they are quite easy to memorize if you take online Quran classes for this purpose.
Moreover, we should regularly recite Surah al-Baqarah at home as well due to its benefits in terms of Satan not coming near a home where people recite it. For this, we need to improve our recitation and become better at that, and what better way to do so than by learning the Quran online?
Online Quran classes are very beneficial because they allow you to learn the Quran from the comfort of your home. All you need is a computer or smart device and a stable internet connection. Then, you can get in touch with the online Quran tutor via Skype and learn all about the Quran, whether you need to improve recitation, memorization, etc.
Another essential thing about Surah al-Baqarah is that we must understand it. Of course, the ideal method for doing this is by learning Arabic. However, this may not be possible for everyone. Furthermore, it may take a very long time to do so. Hence, to counter this, you can take online Quran classes for translation to understand the surah.
Surah al-Baqarah has a lot of benefits, and we mustn’t pass up the opportunity to gain Allah’s reward and protection. Therefore, we must do our utmost to learn the Quran and memorize parts of it for regular recitation, including in the five daily prayers. At QuranForKids, every new student gets a free one-week trial. So, register today and start immediately!
Conclusion
Recitation of the longest surah of the Quran has numerous merits. It provides us with lessons in the form of historical stories. It helps us to learn about Islamic laws. Besides, there are manifold virtues of reciting some specified verses. Therefore, it is safe to say that it ranks as one of the most integral and compelling surahs of the Quran.
In closing, we must do our utmost to memorize verses such as the Ayat al-Kursi and the last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah. We must also frequently recite the discussed chapter, and ponder over the meanings of its verses. This can be a means to partake of Allah’s boundless blessings.
