Al Baqara

Bismillah
As salaamu alaikum,

What does sura (chapter) Baqara mean to you? Have you even been asked that question? I know I never thought of the Qur’an in terms of what it means to me until several months ago. Which goes into a bit of a problem I sense in having real discussions about the Qur’an. But that’s a topic for another time.

Baqara means cow in arabic. And what a befitting title it is for the longest sura in the Qur’an. Name that part of a cow that no one can use… As soon as you find it let me know, I’ve given up looking for it. I just did a search on cow eye recipes and got over 17 millions hits. I couldn’t even think of one reason to use a cows eyes, but there’s at least 17 million, so there you go.

In the same way, and so much greater, sura Baqara has endless uses and meanings. I remember when I was learning ayah 17:

Their similitude is that of a man who kindled a fire; when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in utter darkness. So they could not see.

This verse reminded me of a particular memory I have from when I was 5. Whenever I recall it, this memory appears dark, although I am no longer frightened. My family at the time was living in an apartment complex. Forget cats and dogs, it was storming buckets and waves outside. The thunder hammered so loudly that the building shook. I was so frightened I couldn’t even cry. I went to the bathroom and turned the light on, knowing that if the thunder scared the pee out of me and onto someone’s lap I’d be in trouble. No sooner did I sit down than the great hammer struck the apartment building again and the power failed. I was in the bathroom. I was in the dark. and the pee was scared out of me.

That moment of darkness is what this verse reminds me of. But imagine if it wasn’t the lights of the building that turned off, but the light in my heart the light in your heart. When I was in that bathroom I knew the lights were off. But what about all the people who don’t know they are wandering through the world in darkness. What about three years ago when I didn’t know this verse and a certain darkness had settled upon me too. Is this the ultimate end of not knowing the Qur’an? To be left in darkness?

The difference between visible darkness and spiritual darkness, in my opinion, is that one is obvious to all and the other is only obvious to the poeple who have light. Perhaps reading the Qur’an is the proactive way to be enlightened. Why wait until someone tells you what you don’t want to hear anyway. And that is what I got out of ayah 17 of sura 2. And yes every ayah is like this and even beyond.

That’s just one idea for why Baqara is the cow. So much benefit in one part of it or the whole thing.

If you want to know the verses leading up to ayah 17 here’s a link to a Qur’anic interpretation by Yusuf Ali.

http://www.harunyahya.com/Quran_translation/Quran_translation2.php

Just thought I’d end with a passage Master Yoda gave me. I can’t wait till I get there in memorization.

O People of the Scripture! Now hath Our messenger come unto you, expounding unto you much of that which ye used to hide in the Scripture, and forgiving much. now hath come unto you light from Allah and plain Scripture,

Whereby Allah guideth him who seeketh His good pleasure unto paths of peace. He bringeth them out of darkness unto light by His decree, and guideth them unto a straight path. Qur’an 5:15