Attaining Goodness - Nouman Ali Khan (al-Baqarah 2:177)

Attaining Goodness - Nouman Ali Khan (al-Baqarah 2:177)

لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا ۖ وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ

Righteousness [al Birr] is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.

[al Baqarah 2:177]



Allah is telling us that it is not Taqwa to turn your face to the East or West, because the Jews considered themselves to be more righteous than the Muslims for facing Bayti al Maqdis (Jerusalem) in prayer.

So Allah refutes them by telling them that this is not sufficient for you to be Righteous (people of al Birr).



Birr - (Righteousness) comes from the word Barr - 'Land', in comparison to the word 'BaHr' = Sea/ocean/water.

Why is Birr described as 'Righteousness'? Because Righteousness is like standing on Firm and Stable Land. You know through Birr that you will not fall and drown yourself (as you would on the Sea/BaHr.) You have firm beliefs and actions which will keep you stable and balanced in life.

So Allah is describing this character as Birr itself. (almost like Birr/Stable Righteousness is a human person) who has the following qualities;


Wa laakin al Birru.. -
And rather, the Birr/Righteousness (human) is - someone who has the following qualities;


1 - man Aamana bi-illahi wa-l yawmi-l aakhir, wa-al Malaa'ikah, wa-l kitaabi, wa-al Nabiyyeen,  -
Who believes in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, the books and the Prophets'.


The order is amazing;

Allah warns of the -> Last Day to the ->  Angels who convey the -> Books (of Allah with warnings) to the -> Prophets'. All this chain is connected and mentioned in the exact sequencing order.

It also emphasises that you need to believe in ALL these categories (of ALL the Angels, Books and Prophets) to be a person of al Birr. You cannot be like the Jews and Christians who reject some Prophets, Books, or some Angels (i.e. Jews reject Angel Jibreel), or have false beliefs about Allah and the Last Day.




Then Allah describes Major good things you need to do to be a person of Birr for the best rewards:


2 - He gave his wealth in despite of love for it ('ala hubbi-hi - upon his love [for it]).

Why does any human love wealth? Because he has worked hard and spent part of his life to earn it, and now he has to spend it on others.

Allah tells who this Birr person gives his beloved wealth;

a - to the closest relatives (qurbaa). Those who you face alot of difficulties with because they always are surrounding you and might annoy you sometimes. You still spend on them.

And;

b - the Orphans [yataama]

(of our family, or of our society [we would have to research on who the orphans in our society are.])




c - the Masaakeen - ..those who cannot help themselves (due to no work etc.)

If we do not know who the poor one in our society is, Allah describes such a person as Jaahil (ignorant). And Allah tells us we would be able to recognize their poverty from their faces.

لِلْفُقَرَاءِ الَّذِينَ أُحْصِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ضَرْبًا فِي الْأَرْضِ يَحْسَبُهُمُ الْجَاهِلُ أَغْنِيَاءَ مِنَ التَّعَفُّفِ تَعْرِفُهُم بِسِيمَاهُمْ لَا يَسْأَلُونَ النَّاسَ إِلْحَافًا ۗ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ

[Charity is] for the poor who have been restricted for the cause of Allah , unable to move about in the land. An ignorant [person] would think them self-sufficient because of their restraint, but you will know them by their faces They do not ask people persistently [or at all]. And whatever you spend of good - indeed, Allah is Knowing of it.  [al Baqarah 2:273]

I.e. Say to them; 'you look like you're in some trouble/financial difficulty, do you need some help?'


Most of us don't even look at other Muslims for more than a few seconds. So Allah wants us to be kind and watching out for the Muslims and being aware of their conditions and situations and helping them.


d - Wa ibn al-sabeel - and the traveller
(i.e. Being hospitable to our guests or giving them money to stay at hotels/motels etc.)



e - Wa al-saa'ileen - and the askers (for support and help).


f - Wa fee al-Riqaab - and (those) tied around their necks
(i.e. Modern Day enslavement = unjust imprisonment of believers [i.e. see CagePrisoners], mortgage debts, financial slavery etc.)

3 - And they establish Salaah/Prayer, and give Zakaah/purification charity.

Allah has mentioned Zakaah charity separate to giving the other charity mentioned earlier. This shows that the charity (Sadaqah) mentioned before the Zakaah is also important, and you need all of these qualities to be a person of Birr (firm righteousness.)

We also see that Allah placed the charity and Zakaah before even the Salaah (prayer), which shows that they are extremely important to be a person of Birr (righteousness.)



4 - 'And people who fulfill their promises when they make them.'

These people will fulfill their promises, and if they cannot fulfill it - they will tell you that they cannot fulfill it before getting into it.

MuWfuwn [ism faa'il - noun] = it is the person's Constant Characteristic that he is loyal (wafaa) to his 'ahd (covenant/promise) when he makes them.

If it was in Verb form, it would imply that he sometimes stays loyal, but verb form doesn't imply Constant permanancy.

These promises have to be in all spheres of life.



The climax and hardest and highest description of the people of Birr is mentioned right at the end;

5 - 'And the Patient in;

Ba'saa - situation of War

Darraa' - Economic (money) difficulties

wa Heeyn al Ba's - and the Time/in Midst of War.


All these good things do (which are mentioned earlier), they do not change even at Tough times.


'It is they who confirm the Truth [through their actions and character], and these are the Muttaqoon [(who have) Guarded/Protected themselves.]



A Final Word:

Birr - Barr = Land

Related word:
(BaHr is Ocean).


Allah describes the disbeliever and non muslim as someone;


Climbing upto the sky:

ۖ وَمَن يُرِدْ أَن يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجًا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِي السَّمَاءِ ۚ

and whoever He wants to misguide - He makes his breast tight and constricted as though he were climbing into the sky. [An'am 6:125]

Falling from the sky:

وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ

And he who associates with Allah - it is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or the wind carried him down into a remote place. [Hajj 22:31]

Surah Nur 24:40 mentions someone in middle of the ocean, with no land.


Whereas Allah is describing this believer as a person of Birr - standing firmly on steady/stable ground. Staying Firm upon his acts of obedience to Allah through easy and hard times.

They are firm in their beliefs and good actions in this life, and their feet will be firm on Judgment Day and over the Siraat (Pathway) which goes over Hellfire and reaches to Jannah (Gardens of Paradise.)


O Allah, we ask you that we are always be people of Birr, ameen ya Rabb.