Al-Baqara 2:84

"And [recall] when We took your covenant, [saying], "Do not shed your [i.e., each other's] blood or evict one another from your homes." Then you acknowledged [this] while you were witnessing."

The Terms of the Covenant and their Breach of It

Allah criticized the Jews who lived in Al-Madinah during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They used to suffer, because of the armed conflicts between the tribes of Al-Madinah, Aws and Khazraj. Before Islam, the Aws and Khazraj worshipped idols, and many battles took place between them. There were three Jewish tribes in Al-Madinah at that time, Banu Qaynuqa` and Banu An-Nadir, the allies of the Khazraj, and Banu Qurayzah, who used to be the allies of the Aws. When war erupted between Aws and Khazraj, their Jewish allies would assist them. The Jew would kill his Arab enemy, and sometimes they also killed Jews who were the allies of the other Arab tribe, although the Jews were prohibited from killing each other according to clear religious texts in their Books. They would also drive each other from their homes and loot whatever furniture and money they could. When the war ended, the victorious Jews would release the prisoners from the defeated party, according to the rulings of the Tawrah. This is why Allah said,

أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتَـبِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ

(Then do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest) Allah said,

وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَـقَكُمْ لاَ تَسْفِكُونَ دِمَآءِكُمْ وَلاَ تُخْرِجُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ مِّن دِيَـرِكُمْ

(And (remember) when We took your covenant (saying): Shed not the blood of your (people), nor turn out your own people from their dwellings.) meaning, "Do not kill each other, nor expel one another from their homes, nor participate in fighting against them." Allah mentioned the word `your own' here, just as He said in another Ayah.

فَتُوبُواْ إِلَى بَارِئِكُمْ فَاقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ عِندَ بَارِئِكُمْ

(So turn in repentance to your Creator and kill yourselves, that will be better for you with your Creator) (2:54) because the followers of one religion are just like one soul. Also, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَوَاصُلِهِمْ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْجَسَدِ الْوَاحِدِ إِذَا اشْتَكى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالْحُمَّى وَالسَّهَر»

(The example of the believers in their kindness, mercy and sympathy to each other is the example of one body, when an organ of it falls ill, the rest of the body rushes to its aid in fever and sleeplessness.) Allah's statement,

ثُمَّ أَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَشْهَدُونَ

(Then, (this) you ratified and (to this) you bore witness.) means, "You testified that you know of the covenant and that you were witnesses to it."

ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ هَـؤُلاَءِ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَتُخْرِجُونَ فَرِيقًا مِّنكُم مِّن دِيَـرِهِمْ

(After this, it is you who kill one another and drive out a party of you from their homes). Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,

ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ هَـؤُلاَءِ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَتُخْرِجُونَ فَرِيقًا مِّنكُم مِّن دِيَـرِهِمْ

(After this, it is you who kill one another and drive out a party of you from their homes) "Allah mentioned what they were doing, and that in the Tawrah He had prohibited them from shedding each other's blood, and required them to free their prisoners. Now they were divided into two camps in Al-Madinah, Banu Qaynuqa`, who were the allies of the Khazraj, and An-Nadir and Qurayzah, who were the allies of the Aws. When fighting erupted between Aws and Khazraj, Banu Qaynuqa` would fight along with the Khazraj, while Banu An-Nadir and Qurayzah would fight along with the Aws. Each Jewish camp would fight against their Jewish brethren from the other camp. They would shed each other's blood, although they had the Tawrah with them, and they knew their rights and dues. Meanwhile, the Aws and Khazraj were polytheists who worshipped idols. They did not know about Paradise, the Fire, Resurrection, Divine Books the lawful and prohibited. When the war would end, the Jews would ransom their prisoners and implement the Tawrah. Consequently, Banu Qaynuqa` would ransom their prisoners who were captured by the Aws, while Banu An-Nadir and Qurayzah would ransom their prisoners who were captured by the Khazraj. They would also ask for blood money. During these wars, they would kill whomever (Jews or Arabs) they could, while helping the polytheists against their brethren. Therefore, Allah reminded them of this when He said,

أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتَـبِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ

(Then do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest) This Ayah means, `Do you ransom them according to the rulings of the Tawrah, yet kill them while the Tawrah forbade you from killing them and from expelling them from their homes The Tawrah also commanded that you should not aid the polytheists and those who associate with Allah in the worship against your brethren. You do all this to acquire the life of this world.' I was informed that the behavior of the Jews regarding the Aws and Khazraj was the reason behind revealing these Ayat."

These noble Ayat criticized the Jews for implementing the Tawrah sometimes and defying it at other times, although they believed in the Tawrah and knew what they were doing was wrong. This is why they should not be trusted to preserve or convey the Tawrah. Further, they should not be believed when it comes to the description of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , his coming, his expulsion from his land, and his Hijrah, and the rest of the information that the previous Prophets informed them about him, all of which they hid. The Jews, may they suffer the curse of Allah, hid all of these facts among themselves, and this is why Allah said,

فَمَا جَزَآءُ مَن يَفْعَلُ ذلِكَ مِنكُمْ إِلاَّ خِزْىٌ فِي الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا

(Then what is the recompense of those who do so among you, except disgrace in the life of this world), because they defied Allah's Law and commandments,

وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَى أَشَدِّ الّعَذَابِ

(And on the Day of Resurrection they shall be consigned to the most grievous torment) as punishment for defying the Book of Allah that they had.

وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَـفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَأُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُاْ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا بِالاٌّخِرَةِ

(And Allah is not unaware of what you do. Those are they who have bought the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter) meaning, they prefer this life to the Hereafter. Therefore,

فَلاَ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ

(Their torment shall not be lightened) not even for an hour,

وَلاَ هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ

(Nor shall they be helped), and they shall find no helper who will save them from the eternal torment they will suffer, nor shall they find any to grant them refuge from it.

Израильтяне были настолько жестокосердным народом, что не выполняли веления Аллаха и не принимали истину, пока Он не заключил с ними суровый завет. Заключив завет, Аллах велел им поклоняться одному Аллаху и запретил им приобщать сотоварищей к Нему. Это - основное условие религии, без которого Аллах не принимает ни одного доброго поступка. И это - обязанность всех рабов перед Всевышним Господом. Аллах также повелел им делать добро родителям. Это предписание включает в себя любые слова и поступки, посредством которых человек может угодить им. Оно подразумевает и запрет на ослушание родителей и дурное отношение к ним, поскольку доброе отношение к ним невозможно без отказа от ослушания их. Повеление совершать добрый поступок всегда подразумевает запрет на противоположный поступок. Доброму отношению к родителям противопоставляются сразу два поступка: плохое отношение к ним и отсутствие хорошего отношения, если даже при этом человек не делает им плохого. И хотя оба поступка греховны, первый из них является более тяжким. То же самое можно сказать о добродетели по отношению к родственникам, сиротам и беднякам. Все проявления доброго отношению к людям невозможно исчислить, и каждое из них имеет свои рамки. Затем Всевышний Аллах повелел израильтянам делать добро всем людям и говорить им прекрасные слова. Под ними подразумеваются призыв к одобряемым поступкам и предостережение от предосудительных, обучение полезным знаниям и приветствие миром, теплые беседы и прочие прекрасные слова. Безусловно, человек не может удовлетворить материальные нужды всех людей, и поэтому Аллах ниспослал предписание, руководствуясь которым можно делать добро всем творениям. Именно для этого Аллах велел говорить людям добрые и прекрасные слова. Это подразумевает и запрет на дурное обращение с окружающими, если даже они - неверующие. Всевышний сказал: «Если вступаете в спор с людьми Писания, то ведите его наилучшим образом. Это не относится к тем из них, которые поступают несправедливо» (29:46). Аллах повелел Своим рабам произносить достойные речи и совершать достойные поступки. Правоверный не должен допускать грубых и непристойных слов и поступков, не должен браниться и вступать в бесполезные споры. Напротив, он должен всегда соблюдать нормы приличия и проявлять подобающую ему выдержку, вежливо обращаться с людьми и терпеливо сносить причиняемые ими обиды, исполняя волю Аллаха и надеясь на Его вознаграждение. Затем Всевышний велел совершать намаз и выплачивать закят. Ранее мы уже говорили, что намаз подразумевает искреннее поклонение одному Аллаху, а закят - доброе отношение к Его рабам. Если благоразумный и проницательный человек задумается над этими и предыдущими повелениями, то ему станет ясно, что ниспослание этих предписаний и заключение подобного завета было милостью Аллаха по отношению к израильтянам. Однако они с отвращением отвернулись от этой милости. Человек может отвернуться от предписания с намерением вернуться к нему впоследствии, но израильтяне не имели ни малейшего желания вернуться к исполнению воли Господа. Боже, упаси нас от подобного заблуждения! Только немногие из израильтян не отвернулись от истины. Аллах сообщил об этом для того, чтобы люди ошибочно не предположили, что абсолютно все израильтяне отказались выполнять Его предписания. Этими немногими были те, кого Он уберег от грехов и утвердил на прямом пути.

This verse is a supplement to the previous verse, and speaks of the other articles of the pledge taken by the Israelites. They had agreed not to kill one another by engaging themselves in an internecine war, and also not to send their men into exile - that is to say, not to harass a man so as to force him to migrate.

They had willingly taken this pledge. Now, it may sometimes happen that one does not express one's willingness in so many words, but the manner of his speech suggests it. The agreement of the Israelites was not of this order, but as clear and explicit as the statement of a witness usually is.

Other English translations

Tafsīr · classical commentary

The Terms of the Covenant and their Breach of It