Al-Baqara 2:151

"Just as We have sent among you a messenger from yourselves reciting to you Our verses and purifying you and teaching you the Book and wisdom and teaching you that which you did not know."

Muhammad's ﷺ Prophecy is a Great Bounty from Allah

Allah reminds His believing servants with what He has endowed them with by sending Muhammad ﷺ as a Messenger to them, reciting to them Allah's clear Ayat and purifying and cleansing them from the worst types of behavior, the ills of the souls and the acts of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic era). The Messenger also takes them away from the darkness (of disbelief) to the light (of faith) and teaches them the Book, the Qur'an, and the Hikmah (i.e., the wisdom), which is his Sunnah. He also teaches them what they knew not. During the time of Jahiliyyah, they used to utter foolish statements. Later on, and with the blessing of the Prophet's Message and the goodness of his prophecy, they were elevated to the status of the Awliya' (loyal friends of Allah) and the rank of the scholars. Hence, they acquired the deepest knowledge among the people, the most pious hearts, and the most truthful tongues. Allah said:

لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُواْ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ

(Indeed, Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad ) from among themselves, reciting unto them His verses (the Qur'an), and purifying them (from sins).) (3:164)

Allah also criticized those who did not give this bounty its due consideration, when He said:

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُواْ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّواْ قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ الْبَوَارِ

(Have you not seen those who have changed the favors of Allah into disbelief (by denying Prophet Muhammad ) and his Message of Islam), and caused their people to dwell in the house of destruction) (14:28)

Ibn `Abbas commented, "Allah's favor means Muhammad." Therefore, Allah has commanded the believers to affirm this favor and to appreciate it by thanking and remembering Him:

فَاذْكُرُونِى أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِي وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ

(Therefore, remember Me. I will remember you, and be grateful to Me, and never be ungrateful to Me.)

Mujahid said that Allah's statement:

كَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْكُمْ

(Similarly (to complete My favor on you), We have sent among you a Messenger (Muhammad ) of your own,)

means: Therefore, remember Me in gratitude to My favor.

Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented about Allah's statement:

فَاذْكُرُونِى أَذْكُرْكُمْ

(Therefore remember Me. I will remember you), "Remember Me regarding what I have commanded you and I will remember you regarding what I have compelled Myself to do for your benefit (i.e., His rewards and forgiveness)."

An authentic Hadith states:

«يَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالَى: مَنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي نَفْسِهِ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي نَفْسِي وَمَنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلَأٍ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي مَلَأٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْه»

(Allah the Exalted said, `Whoever mentions Me to himself, then I will mention him to Myself; and whoever mentions Me in a gathering, I will mention him in a better gathering.)'

Imam Ahmad reported that Anas narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:

«قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ، إِنْ ذَكَرْتَنِي فِي نَفْسِكَ ذَكَرْتُك فِي نَفْسِي، إِنْ ذَكَرْتَنِي فِي مَلَإٍ ذكَرْتُكَ فِي مَلَإٍ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ أَوْ قَالَ: فِي مَلَإٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْهُ وَإِنْ دَنَوْتَ مِنِّي شِبْرًا دَنَوْتُ مِنْكَ ذِرَاعًا، وَإِنْ دَنَوْتَ مِنِّي ذِرَاعًا دَنَوْتُ مِنْكَ بَاعًا، وَإنْ أَتَيْتَنِي تَمْشِي أَتَيْتُكَ هَرْوَلَة»

(Allah the Exalted said, `O son of Adam! If you mention Me to yourself, I will mention you to Myself. If you mention Me in a gathering, I will mention you in a gathering of the angels (or said in a better gathering). If you draw closer to Me by a hand span, I will draw closer to you by forearm's length. If you draw closer to Me by a forearm's length, I will draw closer to you by an arm's length. And if you come to Me walking, I will come to you running).

Its chain is Sahih, it was recorded by Al-Bukhari. Allah said:

وَاشْكُرُواْ لِي وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ

(...and be grateful to Me (for My countless favors on you) and never be ungrateful to Me.)

In this Ayah, Allah commands that He be thanked and appreciated, and promises even more rewards for thanking Him. Allah said in another Ayah:

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌ

(And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: "If you give thanks (by accepting faith and worshipping none but Allah), I will give you more (of My blessings); but if you are thankless (i.e., disbelievers), verily, My punishment is indeed severe.)

Abu Raja' Al-`Utaridi said: `Imran bin Husayn came by us once wearing a nice silken garment that we never saw him wear before or afterwards. He said, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:

«مَنْ أَنْعَمَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ نِعْمَةً فَإِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَرَى أَثَرَ نِعْمَتِهِ عَلَى خَلْقِه»

، وَقَالَ رَوْحٌ مَرَّةً:

«عَلَى عَبْدِه»

(Those whom Allah has favored with a bounty, then Allah likes to see the effect of His bounty on His creation), or he said, "on His servant" - according to Ruh (one of the narrators of the Hadith).

Мы оказали вам великую милость, когда позволили вам во время намазов поворачиваться лицом в сторону Каабы и ниспослали многочисленные религиозные предписания, которые сделали вашу религию более совершенной. Однако эти милости не были Нашим первым благодеянием по отношению к вам. Еще раньше Мы одарили вас самой главной милостью, вслед за которой последовали все остальные. Мы отправили к вам благородного Посланника, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует, который вышел из вашей же среды. Вы прекрасно знаете о его происхождении и правдивости, о его верности и безупречной искренности. Посланник, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует, читает вам коранические аяты и показывает вам чудесные знамения, позволяющие отличать истину от лжи, а прямой путь - от заблуждения. Эти знамения, прежде всего, свидетельствуют в пользу единобожия и подтверждают совершенство Аллаха. Они свидетельствуют о правдивости Посланника, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует, и необходимости уверовать в него. Они свидетельствуют об истинности Последней жизни и всех повествований о сокровенном, которые он рассказывает. Благодаря этим знамениям вы можете встать на прямой путь и обрести твердую убежденность. Посланник, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует, очищает ваши нравственные качества и души, воспитывая вас в духе высокой нравственности и помогая вам избавиться от дурных черт. Он помогает вам уверовать в Единого Бога и избавиться от многобожия, стать искренними и избавиться от тщеславия и показухи, стать правдивыми и избавиться от лжи, стать верными и избавиться от предательства и коварства, стать скромными и избавиться от гордыни и высокомерия, стать добропорядочными людьми и избавиться от порочного нрава. Он призывает вас возлюбить друг друга, поддерживать дружественные отношения, избавиться от взаимной ненависти, не избегать друг друга, не разрывать теплые отношения и обрести многие другие прекрасные качества. Посланник, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует, обучает вас тексту и смыслу Священного Корана, обучает вас мудрости. Существует мнение, что под мудростью здесь подразумевается Сунна. Согласно другому толкованию, мудрость - это знание тонкостей шариата и мусульманского права и умение расставлять все по своим местам. Из последнего толкования следует, что обучение Сунне входит в обучение Корану, потому что Сунна разъясняет и истолковывает коранические откровения и выражает их подлинный смысл. Посланник, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует, обучает вас тому, чего вы не знали прежде, поскольку до начала его пророческой миссии вы находились в очевидном заблуждении. Вы не знали истины и не совершали правильных поступков, но приобрели эти качества благодаря Пророку Мухаммаду, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует, и поэтому его пришествие стало для вас величайшей милостью. Аллах никогда не оказывал человечеству большую милость, чем эта, и вы должны возблагодарить Его и выполнять свои обязанности перед Ним.

These verses conclude the discussion on the theme of the Qiblah قبلہ or religious orientation. So, Verse 151 repeats the second part of the prayer of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) with which the discussion had begun (Verses 127 - 129). He had, as one would recall, prayed Allah to accept his founding of the Ka'bah کعبہ ، and to send among his progeny a Messenger from among themselves. The subsequent discussion on the subject of the Qiblah قبلہ has already shown that the first prayer has been heard and accepted. Now, Verse 151 declares that similarly the second request has also been granted, suggesting that since the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been sent in answer to the prayer of the founder of the Ka'bah کعبہ ، it is no wonder that it should be appointed as his Qiblah قبلہ . Verse 151 has specifically mentioned that the new Prophet (Muhammad ﷺ) is sent with the same attributes as specified by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) in his prayer, namely: (1) He recites to them the verses of the Qur'an; (2) He teaches them the Book and the wisdom; (3) He purifies them; (4) He teaches them things which his listeners did not know of, nor could they be found in the earlier Divine Books or through individual reason.

Since Allah has, in granting the two prayers, sent such great blessings to mankind, Verse 152 asks men to "remember" Him as the Supreme Benefactor, and to render Him thanks by being obedient. As long as they do so, Allah will "remember" them in showering on them His material and spiritual blessings. The verse ends with the reminder that men should not be ungrateful to Allah in denying His blessings or in being disobedient.

In the light of this commentary, one can see that the word "as" (in Arabic, the letter Kaf which denotes a comparison between two terms) provides the link between Verse 151 and Verse 152. But, according to al-Qurtubi, the word Kaf or "as" is connected with the first phrase of Verse 152 -: "Remember Me, then". Viewed in the line of this syntactical relationship, the two verses, taken together, would mean that the ability to "remember" Allah is as much a blessing for men as the ordination of the new Qiblah قبلہ and the coming of the Last Prophet ﷺ ، and hence it is the duty of men to render thanks to Allah, so that they may continue to receive His favours.

Other English translations

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Muhammad's ﷺ Prophecy is a Great Bounty from Allah