Surah al Baqrah Verse’s 285

Anyone who comes to know the importance of the last two verses 285-286 of Surah al Baqrah would never go to sleep without reciting them. There are lots of great merits which have been attributed to these two verses as Holy Prophet (PBUH) once said that one who recites these two verses during the night, they will be sufficient for him. It is narrated by Sayyidna Ibn Abbas Radhi-Allahu Anh that Holy Prophet (PBUH) said that Allah Almighty has sent forth these two verses out of the treasures of Paradise and the word Rahman had already written by His own hand two thousand years earlier than the creation of this Universe. The one who recite these verses after the Isha prayer, he/she will stand for Tahajjad in their case. From Ibn Abbas (RA) He said: Once Gabriel was sitting with Holy Prophet (PBUH), he heard a voice from above, and raised his head. Then he said, “That is the door of heaven, opened today, which was never opened before” And an angel descended from it and he said, “That is an angel come down to earth who never came down before.” And he gave a greeting and said, “Receive good news of two verses of Surah al Baqrah; of these thou shalt never recite a single letter without being granted thy request”.

Meaning-wise, both these verses have many special features. One of the distinct ones is that these features come at the end of Surah al-Baqrah where most of the instructions of Shari’ah appear in essence, or in details, for example, those dealing with mutual dealings, articles of faith, moral & social lives and modes of worship etc. Where the first verse praises Muslims whereas the other gives a correct detail and explanation of the verse that generated doubts in the minds of the noble companions. Following are the words of first verse:

Here the first one praises Muslims while the other gives a correct explanation of the verse that created doubt in the minds of the noble Companions. Following are the words of first verse: The Messenger has believed in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and the believers as well. All have believed in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers. “We make no division between any of His Messengers,” and they have said: “We have listened, and obeyed. Our Lord, Your pardon! And to You is the return.”

Explanation of the first verse:

The first seven words of this verse admire the Holy Prophet (PBUH). It may be well known that the verse doesn’t address him by his name but by calling him ‘Rasul’ as his dignity and honor have been made clear. The word “the believers” are used right after that. It means that as Holy Prophet PBUH believes in the revelation which is known as ‘Wahi’ in Arabic from Allah Almighty, so do the honest and true Muslims also. The style chosen to write this sentence is also worth cogitation. The chief part has been used to explain the state of belief (Iman) of the Holy Prophet PBUH, then, the belief of the normal Muslims has been explained separately. This points out that, though the Holy Prophet PBUH and all Muslims share in the wealth of belief (Iman) as such, yet there is great distinction between the two in terms of the relative degrees of Iman. The knowledge of Messenger of Allah Almighty is based on hearing and seeing whereas the knowledge of other Muslims takes the shape of ‘iman bil ghayab or believing without witnessing’ as based on the ‘ru’yah’ or seeing of the Messenger of Allah Prophet Muhammad PBUH. After this, comes explanation of iman which was usual between the Messenger of Allah Holy Prophet PBUH and the Muslims in general. The Iman is comprised on the belief that Allah Almighty does exist and that He is the One and that He is granted with all the perfect attributes and that there are angels, and that all the Holy books and all Messengers sent by Allah Almighty are true.