Below is an abstract taken from Tafsir Qurtubi, which outlines the virtues of Surah Baqarah. Some additional notes by the author are also included at the end of the article. Surah Baqarah is an extremely virtous surah for many reasons, such as cure and protection.
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وَهَذِهِ السُّورَةُ فَضْلُهَا عَظِيمٌ وَثَوَابُهَا جَسِيمٌ. وَيُقَالُ لَهَا: فُسْطَاطُ الْقُرْآنِ، قَالَهُ خَالِدُ بْنُ مَعْدَانَ. وَذَلِكَ لِعِظَمِهَا وَبِهَائِهَا، وَكَثْرَةِ أَحْكَامِهَا وَمَوَاعِظِهَا.
وَتَعَلَّمَهَا عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ بِفِقْهِهَا وَمَا تَحْتَوِي عَلَيْهِ فِي اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً، وَابْنُهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فِي ثَمَانِي سِنِينَ كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ. قَالَ ابْنُ الْعَرَبِيِّ: سَمِعْتُ بَعْضَ أَشْيَاخِي يَقُولُ: فِيهَا أَلْفُ أَمْرٍ وَأَلْفُ نَهْيٍ وَأَلْفُ حُكْمٍ وَأَلْفُ خَبَرٍ.
The virtues of this surah are great and its reward is tremendous. Khalid Ibn Madan [Allah bless him] said regarding it: It is the pavilion of the Quran. This is due to its greatness, magnificence and its many rulings and warnings.
Umar [Allah be pleased with him] spent 12 years learning its rulings and his son Abdullah 8 years. Ibn Arabi says: ‘I heard some of our teachers say: in the surah is 1000 matters, 1000 prohibitions, 1000 rulings, and 1000 news’.
وَبَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعْثًا وَهُمْ ذَوُو عَدَدٍ وَقَدَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَحْدَثَهُمْ سِنًّا لِحِفْظِهِ سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: (اذْهَبْ فَأَنْتَ أَمِيرُهُمْ) أَخْرَجَهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَصَحَّحَهُ. وَرَوَى مُسْلِمٌ عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ الْبَاهِلِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: (اقْرَءُوا سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ فَإِنَّ أَخْذَهَا بَرَكَةٌ وَتَرْكَهَا حَسْرَةٌ وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُهَا الْبَطَلَةُ)، قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ:(٢) بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ الْبَطَلَةَ: السَّحَرَةُ.
The Noble Messenger ﷺ once sent a large dispatchment. He made the youngest member of the group their leader solely due to this member’s memorisation of Surah Baqarah. The Noble Messenger ﷺ said: ‘Go, for you are their leader.’ [Tirmidhi: 2876] باب مَا جَاءَ فِي فَضْلِ سُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ وَآيَةِ الْكُرْسِيِّ
It is narrated from Abu Umamah Bahili [Allah bless him] that he heard the Noble Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying: ‘Recite Surah Baqarah, for indeed in reciting it is a source of blessings and in leaving it is a source of regret. Also, magic can’t overcome it.’
It is also narrated from Abu Hurairah [Allah bless him] that the Messenger of Allah [Allah bless him] said:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ لاَ تَجْعَلُوا بُيُوتَكُمْ مَقَابِرَ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنْفِرُ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ الَّذِي تُقْرَأُ فِيهِ سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ ” .
Do not make your houses as graveyards. Satan runs away from the house in which Surah Baqarah is recited. [Muslim: 780] [باب اسْتِحْبَابِ صَلاَةِ النَّافِلَةِ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَجَوَازِهَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ]
Darimi [Allah bless him] has narrated from Abdullah: There is no house in which surah Baqarah is recited except shaitan leaves whilst passing wind.
He also said:
وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: إِنَّ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَنَامًا وَإِنَّ سَنَامَ الْقُرْآنِ سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ لُبَابًا وَإِنَّ لباب الْقُرْآن الْمفصل. رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ
Abdallāh b. Mas’ūd said, “Everything has a hump, and the hump of the Qur’ān is sūra al-Baqara. Everything has a kernel, and the kernel of the Qur’ān is al-Mufassal.
[A title given to the sūras from 49 to the end, but several other sūras are also mentioned:37, 45, 47, 48, 50, 61, 67, and 93. The name is most appropriately explained as meaning that this is the section of the Qur’ān which contains many shorter sūras.]
It is also narrated from Sahl Ibn Sad, that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: Surely for every thing there is a hump and the hump of the Quran is Surah Baqarah. Whoever recites it during the night in his house, Shaitan will not enter his house for three nights. Whoever recites it during the day, shaitan will not enter his house for three days. Abu Hatim says: the phrase ‘Shaitan will not enter his house for three days’ refers to the rebellious shayateen.
Darimi [Allah bless him] narrates from his musnad from Shabi that Abdullah [Allah bless him] said: Whoever recites ten verses from Surah Baqarah in the night, shaitan will not enter his house that night until the morning. [These verses are] four from the beginning, Ayatul Kursi and the two verses after it, and the final three verses of Surah Baqarah.
Additional Notes:
These 10 verses are:
Verses 1-4
الٓمٓ [ ١] ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًۭى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ [ ٢] ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ [ ٣] وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ [ ٤]
Alif. Lām. Mīm. This Book has no doubt in it – a guidance for the God-fearing. Who believe in the Unseen, and are steadfast in Salāh (prayer), and spend out of what We have provided them; and who believe in what has been revealed to you and what has been revealed before you; and they have faith in the Hereafter. [Baqarah: 1-4]
Verse 5
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ [٢٥٥]
Allah: There is no god but He, the Living, the All-Sustaining. Neither dozing overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth. Who can intercede with Him without His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them; while they encompass nothing of His knowledge, except what He wills. His Kursiyy (Chair) extends to the Heavens and to the Earth, and it does not weary Him to look after them. He is the All-High, the Supreme. [Baqarah: 255]
Verse 6-7
لَآ إِكْرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَىِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ [٢٥٦] ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ ٱلنُّورِ إِلَى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ [٢٥٧]
There is no compulsion in Faith. The correct way has become distinct from the erroneous. Now, whoever rejects the Tāghūt (the Rebel, the Satan) and believes in Allah has a firm grasp on the strongest ring that never breaks. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. Allah is the Protector of those who believe. He brings them out of the depths of darkness into the light. As for those who disbelieve, their friends are the Rebels. They bring them out from the light into the depths of darkness. Those are people of the Fire. There they will remain forever. [Baqarah: 256-257]
Verses 8-10
لِّلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَإِن تُبْدُوا۟ مَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُم بِهِ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ [٢٨٤] ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ[٢٨٥] لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ [٢٨٦]
To Allah belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. If you disclose what is in your hearts or conceal it, Allah shall hold you accountable for it, then He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wills. Allah is powerful over everything.
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, (we seek) Your pardon!
And to You is the return.” Allah does not obligate anyone beyond his capacity. For him is what he has earned, and on him what he has incurred.“Our Lord, do not hold us accountable, if we forget or make a mistake, and, Our Lord, do not place on us such a burden as You have placed on those before us, and, Our Lord, do not make us bear a burden for which we have no strength. And pardon us, and grant us forgiveness, and have mercy on us. You are our Lord. So then help us against the disbelieving people.” [Baqarah: 284-286]
– Extracted from Tafsir Qurtubi
