A Temperate And Middle Nation

LESSON # 144 FROM HOLY QUR’AN

BAQARAH – 2 (The Cow)

A Temperate And Middle Nation

Verse –143a of 286, Section – 17 (Part 2)

And thus We have appointed you a middle nation, that ye may be witnesses against mankind, and that the Messenger may be a witness against you.

Wa kazaalika ja-‘alnaa-kum ‘Ummatanw- Wasatal-li-takuunuu shuha-daaa-‘a ‘alan-naasi wa yakuunar-Rasuulu ‘alaykum Shahiidaa.

Lesson

Wasatan – (Moderate; temperate) it means that the Muslim nation is on right straight path. It has not any crookedness, abundance or deficiency. Teaching of Islam is self-control in behavior. The Followers of Islam are the temperate. They are appointed on acceptance of the middle path leaving all kinds of increases and decreases.

Shahiidun – (Witness) this word is also matter of the words Shaahid and Shahaadat. Shaahid means witness and Shahaadat means Evidence. Technically this word is also used for the killed, martyr in the path of God Almighty. In this verse its meaning may also be taken as ‘Watching’.

Excellence and superiority of the Muslim nation has been declared in this verse. The God Almighty commands, “O Muslims! As your Qiblah is the most excellent than other Qiblahs, like this We have bestowed you merit over all other nations, and your Messenger (may glory, grace, blessings and peace be upon Him) has been selected most superior over all other Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon Them).

It has come in the Sayings of the Messenger of Allah Almighty (may glory, grace, blessings and peace be upon Him) that on the Judgment Day, when all previous nations will be asked about their acts, at that time the Muslim nation will verify the claim of previous Prophets (peace be upon Them) in the light of the teachings of Holy Qur’an and witness that these all Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon Them) came towards their nations and conveyed them the Message of Allah Almighty. But these people did not agree to their Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon Them).

The Muslim nation has been prepared in the both capacities of model individually and collectively for the entire world. Each nation of the world should rise and mould to the situation of this standard. Auspicious Personality of the Blessed Messenger (may glory, grace, blessings and peace be upon Him) has capacity of being an example and model roll for the Muslims. This lesson also results from this verse that we should establish ourselves as model roll for other nations of the world. We should escape ourselves from moral lowness in all respects and never choose the path which differentiates our recognized position. To get this object we should keep the pattern of the Messenger of God Almighty (may glory, grace, blessings and peace be upon Him) in front of us forever. Being a middle nation we should escape ourselves from all kinds of abundance and decrease so that we may be able to keep the honor of the title of “a middle nation”.       

Transliteration in Roman Script & English Translation of Holy Qur’an written by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore and Paraphrase collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated by Muhammad Sharif)