Juz 2
al-Baqarah (Verses 142 - 252)
Since al-Baqarah was revealed in the early Madinan period, the formative years of the Muslim presence in Madinah; its contents deals with the establishment of the first comprehensive Islamic Community. We thus find reference to ?¢‚Ǩ¬¶
- the qiblah /physical direction of prayer and our uniform, global spiritual orientation to Allah (143)
- Believers as a standard and exemplary community of moderation (144)
- the significance of enduring the tests of life with patient perseverance (155158)
- acknowledgement of the place of the human being in the larger scheme of the world ( 165), not to become enslaved to the material world (166); and to know that humanity is one continuous family that received divine guidance throughout history via the agency of Prophets (214)
- The 5 Pillars of Faith ---
- Tawheed /Oneness and supremacy of Allah (155)
- Salaah /Prayer and zakaah /Charity (177). This verse defines al -birr /righteousness and captures the essence of Islamic beliefs and the required spirit of commitment.
- Siyaam /fasting (183-188) as well as link of the Qur'an to the month of Ramadaan (185)
- Hajj /pilgrimage (196-200)
- Dietary laws regarding halaal /permissible and haraam /forbidden (173-174)
- Penal laws/ qisaas ( 178-180)
- Inheritance/ miraath and bequests/ wasiyyah (180-182)
- Detailed discussion about some family affairs and domestic relations; remembering that we can not have an improved world until we have an improved society and we can never have an improved society unless we improved families, since families are the building blocks of society. We are instructed to do what is right and continuously reminded [six times in verses 229+230] not to transgress the hudood-ullah /limits set by Allah. There are detailed discussion about khitbah /proposal to marriage (236) talaaq /divorce (227-237) rida'ah /child rearing (233)
- Discussion of issues that have often been overlooked or deliberately ignored?¢‚Ǩ¬¶
- Spending of wealth/ infaaq for the benefit of others (216)
- Be prepared to strive/ qital+jihad against injustice and evil (217)
- Condemnation of khamr /intoxicants and maysir /gambling (220)
- Caring for the often ignored yateem /orphan (221)
- Breaking the cultural barriers to marriage/ nikaah + ziwaaj (222)
- Female menstruation/ hayd (223)
- Reference to the battle between the forces of Talut /Saul and Jalut/ Goliath; the defeat of Jalut /Goliath by Prophet Dawood /David (246-249) and the lesson of how the few and the small may overcome the large and the seemingly invincible. (250)