Page 10 Notes

02 Surah Al-Baqarah (continued)

Page 10 Grammar 

Page 10 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

2:62

2:63

2:64

2:65

2:66

2:67

2:68

2:69

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 10 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

In the standard Medina / King Fahd complex layout of the Qur’an, Page 10 encompasses Surah Al-Baqarah (Chapter 2), Verses 62 through 69.

This page contains a highly dynamic set of theological and historical realities. It begins by declaring the universal paradigm of reward based on authentic belief and righteous deeds (Verse 62), references the raising of Mount Sinai over the covenant-takers (Verses 63–64), details the profound cosmic punishment of the Sabbath-breakers (Verses 65–66), and initiates the famous story of the Yellow Cow (Al-Baqarah), from which this entire chapter derives its name (Verses 67–69).

The Sunnah and canonical Hadith literature provide critical contextual Tafsir, linguistic clarifications, and psychological insights into these passages.

1. The Divine Baseline of Salvation (Verse 62)

"Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans - those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness - will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve." (Qur'an 2:62)

Context of Revelation: The Status of Past Monotheists

Companion accounts in the Sunnah explain the immediate catalyst (Asbab al-Nuzul) for this verse, tracking Salman al-Farsi’s deep anxiety over the fates of his former spiritual mentors.

• The Narration: Salman al-Farsi narrated that he asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about the pious Christian monks and ascetics he lived with prior to discovering Islam—men who prayed, fasted, and eagerly anticipated the final messenger but died before his arrival.

• The Sunnah Verdict: When Salman praised their worship, it was initially met with a solemn reminder that anyone who consciously rejects the final message after it reaches them cannot be saved. However, Allah revealed Verse 62 as a reassurance: those past generations who strictly followed the uncorrupted teachings of Moses or Jesus in their respective eras, long before the Prophet’s mission, are fully secure in their rewards (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, tracing authentic chains to Ibn Abbas and Salman).

2. The Sabbath-Breakers Made into Apes (Verses 65–66)

"And you had already known those who transgressed among you concerning the Sabbath, so We said to them, 'Be apes, despised.' And We made it a deterrent punishment for those who were present and those who succeeded [them]..." (Qur'an 2:65-66)

Prophetic Clarification on Transmutation (Maskh)

The physical transmutation of human beings into animals as a penalty for deceitful legal loopholes (setting fishing nets on Friday night to trap fish on the prohibited Sabbath) is a terrifying historical milestone. The Sunnah tackles a major biological question stemming from this event.

• The Hadith on the Lineage of Apes: Companions asked the Prophet ﷺ if the modern apes, monkeys, and swine found in nature today are the direct biological descendants of those cursed populations of Bani Isra'il. The Prophet ﷺ answered:
  "Indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, never destroyed a people or cursed a people and gave them offspring or descendants. Apes and swine existed before that." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2663).

• The Metaphor of Deceit: The Prophet ﷺ strictly warned his own followers against copying the specific psychological trickery of the Sabbath-breakers:
  "Do not commit what the Jews committed, such that you deem permissible the prohibitions of Allah through the slickest of legal loopholes." (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, graded as a reliable tradition).

3. The Story of the Cow: Avoid Over-Questioning (Verses 67–69)

"And [remember] when Moses said to his people, 'Indeed, Allah commands you to slaughter a cow.' They said, 'Do you take us in ridicule?'... They said, 'Call upon your Lord to make clear to us what it is...' He said, '[Allah] says, 'It is a yellow cow, bright in color, pleasing to the observers.''" (Qur'an 2:67-69)

The Danger of Pedantic Hardness in Religion

When a murder occurred among them, Allah provided a simple remedy: slaughter any cow and strike the corpse with a piece of it. Instead of obeying instantly, they delayed, argued, and demanded hyper-specific details regarding its age, color, and function, thereby severely narrowing their own options. The Sunnah routinely uses this specific page of the Qur'an as a warning against religious pedantry.

• The Hadith: The Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon saying:
  "Leave me as I have left you (do not ask about details I haven't mentioned). For indeed, those who came before you were destroyed only because of their excessive questioning and their disputing with their Prophets. So if I command you with something, do it as much as you are able, and if I forbid you from something, avoid it completely." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7288; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1337).

• Scholarly Connection: Exegetes like Ibn Abbas noted that if the people had simply caught and slaughtered the very first stray cow they encountered in Verse 67, it would have fully sufficed. By demanding cross-examinations ("What age?", "What color?"), Allah made the criteria increasingly difficult for them as a direct consequence of their argumentative attitude.

Summary Matrix of Page 10 Concepts & Hadith Sources