Sūrat al-Baqarah, no.2. Revealed in Madinah, 286 verses.
This is the longest Sūra of the Quran. It also has the longest verse of the Quran (verse no.282).
Merits of reciting the Sūra
The Prophet (s) was asked; which Sūra is the best Sūra of the Quran? He replied ‘al-Baqarah’. He was then asked; which verse is the best verse in that Sūra? He replied, ‘Ayat al-Kursi’.
Note: Other Sūras have also been considered best in various aspects. Sūrat al-Baqarah is considered to be best in its comprehensive coverage of beliefs and social issues.
Sūrat al-Baqarah, Part 1 (verses 1-74)
General synopsis of contents
- Characteristics of believers, non-believers, and hypocrites (verses 1-20)
- Signs of Allah (verses 21-29)
- Creation of the human being (verses 30-39)
- A reminder to the people of Prophet Musa (a) (verses 40-66)
- The incident of the cow (verses 67-74)
Suggested verses for memorization in Arabic and English
- 2:2 – This is the Book, there is no doubt in it, a guidance to the God-conscious.
- 2:9 – They seek to deceive Allah and those who have faith, yet they deceive no one but themselves, but they are not aware.
- 2:28 How can you reject faith in Allah, when you were lifeless and He gave you life, then He will make you die and then bring you to life, and then you will be brought back to Him?
- 2:45 – And seek assistance through patience and prayer, and most surely it is hard except for the humble ones.
Activities for self-study
1) Check the following stories of the people of Prophet Musa (a) mentioned in this Sūra;
- Taking a calf for worship (verses 51-54)
- Asking to see God (verse 55)
- Miracle of the twelve springs (verse 60)
- The demand for various types of food (verse 61)
- Incident of the cow (verses 67-71)
2) Study verse 74. What are the three types of rocks mentioned? Illustrate the verse.
Sources
Āyatullāh Nāsir Makārim Shirazi (Ed.) Tafsir Namūne, Holy Qur’an Translation; Ali Quli Qarai, The Qur’an With a Phrase-by-Phrase English. https://en.wikishia.net/view/Sura_al-Baqara