SURAH - 2 - Al-BAQRA [1-5]

البقرة – SURAH - 2:1-5

AL-BAQRA – THE PROCESS OF INQUIRY AND RESEARCH TO THE UTMOST

The surah is not about Cow or its progeny as generally believed. Al-Baqra means a specific thought process which awakens the dead senses. But our traditional interpreters have woven a stupid story around the verse [67-73] to portray that a part of the dead cow can bring a dead man back to life thus destroying the value of the potent message and insulting the intellect of the author of the book Quran. 

Before trying to understand the book Quran it is important to know the dialogue characteristic or written format of its manuscript. In Quranic context Allah / Rabb is the Consciousness portrayed as the amphitheater, while mind is the lower stage in which different actors [thoughts/senses] perform in order to keep the show or the theater alive. A real actor is one who follows his own script [Al-Kitab] to his best potentials without imitating or copying the role of other actors. Our own thoughts are depicted or personified as protagonists of the play. All the problem starts when one fails to identify his own script [Al-Kitab] and tries to emulate other actors. The act of emulating others is term as shirk in Quranic context, that is mixing or adulterating your original role with other roles. Everyone has their own role to play; adapting others role is the biggest injustice to the self. The entire narration of the book Quran is existing in thought or as an idea but does not have any physical or concrete existence [bil-gayab] but personified or illustrated as examples so any layman can also understand its essence easily. The author of the book uses 1st, 2nd and 3rd person to narrate this enchanting philosophy. The entire "Kingdom of God" is inside us; the readers are requested to keep this in mind while studying this magnificent book.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ 

الٓمٓ  1  - These letters are called حروف مقطعات‎ ḥurūf muqaṭṭaʿāt "disjointed letters" or "disconnected letters" - They are separate alphabets and cannot be read or pronounced jointly.

  

A stroke resembling a madda is generally put above abbreviations. Thus ALM [الم]is most probably a short form [الاختصار] of Surah Al-Fateha. Alphabets ا ل م are the most recurring alphabets in Surah Al-Fateha, this also strongly indicates that ALM  الٓمٓ  is a symbol of Surah Fateha. Abbreviations are formed or derived by selecting the initial letters of the word or the phrase. The use of this acronym reflected a tendency of those narrators to economize in time and space especially at a time when the writing tools were primitive and hard to use. To save the time and space, writers tend to use abbreviations to avoid frequently repeated words or phrases and even passages particularly in written discourse.

Surah Fateha has many attributes, each one indicating a different aspect of its meaning. In the eyes of Arabs if a thing is recognized by many different labels or names, that is the indication of its predominant significance. Some names of surah Fateha are [Al-Fateha, Ummal-Quran, Ummal Kitab, Sab'ul Mathani, Al-Hamd, As-Salah [The Connection], Ash-Shifa, Ar-Ruqyah (The Ascent), Asasal-Quran (The Foundation), Al-Kanz (The Treasure), Ash-Shukr, Ad-Dua, Ash-Shafiyah (The Restoration), Al-Kafiyah [The Sufficient], Al-Wafiyah (The Compact / Covenant) ].... ALIF LAAM MEEM is repeated 6 times in the entire Quran. In short ALM or surah Fateha is a concise message of the entire Quran, which continuously reminds us about the Rabbul Alameen and Maliki Yaumi Deen, that's why surah Fateha is also known as Ummal Quran & Ummal Kitab. In Indian subcontinent it is also called Alam ka surah.

One more strong reason why I believed that ALM stands for surah Fateha is all the juz / parts / parah of the Quran are named after the phrases that come in the beginning of the juz / volume. At the beginning of Juz one of book Quran is Surah Fateha thus the entire Juz / volume is name after surah Fateha [ALM]. This also signifies ALM is a short form of surah Fateha. The naming of volumes after the the beginning phrases of each Juz strongly suggest that ALM stands for Surah Fateha. It is common in the indian sub-continent to call surah Fateha as الٓمٓ surah or volume 1 is recognized as alam ka para / juz.

In short Surah Fateha is a concise prescription of Al-Kitab which gives lot of information of our Rabb [Consciousness] in a nutshell and vividly explains it through 114 chapters of the Quran.

2   ذَ‌ٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ    

It is that state of script, no doubt in it are guidance for those who are mindful of their thoughts [Thoughtful, very careful, extremely cautious, who are conscious of the Consciousness]-

ZalikalKitabu is the subject of the first predicate la raiba [no doubt / no uncertainty]. The use of the demonstrative pronoun here is intended to describe the status of Al-Kitab [the script]. A guidance [huda] is a second predicate meaning that it is the script [al-Kitab] which is a guide for the thoughtful namely those that tend to be extra careful by adhering to the commands of the script [al-Kitab]. Note the script [al-kitab] is a guide only for those who are thoughtful / use their intellect, it is not a guide for those who did PhD in Arabic literature or whose mother tongue is Arabic.

[The KITAB is an inherent script [2:44, 2:121, 2:129, 2:144, 2:146, 2;151, 2:177, 2:231, 3:164, 6:20] and it is not easy to follow the script unless you are Mutaqi = diligent / cautious / prudent / conscious / those who think / one who guard their thoughts / observe extraordinarily, 

ذَ‌ٰلِكَ - masculine singular demonstrative pronoun which also signifies a continuation of surah fateha [ALM]. Surah Fateha is an concise script bestowed [ أَنْعَمْتَ] upon our self so that we walk under its light. Here ذَ‌ٰلِكَ is pointing towards our inherent script which is stored in our subconscious mind which is referred to as Al-Kitab in the Quranic context. In it are guidance for those who are extremely cautious or mindful or conscious. Our subconscious mind has virtually unlimited memory bank [21:10]. It permanently stores everything that ever happens to us. Everything is written / scripted in it [6:38] and its a clear a guide [Imam] and we will be judged according to the record of our inherent script / book as it drives our every action [17:71] [36:12].

It is very important to understand the word Al-Kitab / Kitab - الْكِتَابُ - Zalikal-Kitab in this context means innate script, chronicle, the script, text - something which is written or decreed or recorded or programmed within us. We are the author of that script. Al-Kitab in Quranic context does not mean a physical book written on leaves, leather or paper, the Al of Kitab points to something more precise and specifically related to different individuals. Kitab is an innate script which discusses us or in which our memories are stored [21:10] embedded in all of us and can be recalled or recollected through connection [salat] and  Zikr [29:45] - the inherent messengers convey it in our own language [14:4] - The meaning of Tilawat is [تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ 2:44] to follow, imitate, study, walk behind, rehearse, accompany. -حَقَّ تِلاَوَتِهِ - is achieved only when we study, copy, walk behind, rehearse and accompany the Kitab 24x7. This what Haq Tilawat of Al-Kitab means 2:121 - Note the word Tilawat does not mean to read but it means to walk the talk [To perform actions consistent with one's claims]. Prescriptions or scripts are not for just reading purpose, they are to be followed persistently. And we all should, understand, study, talk and consult with our sub-conscious mind as it treasures the greatest exemplary lessons for all time.

3  الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ   

Those who keep trust in the transformation of self [يُؤْمِنُونَ] with the unseen [that which is existing in thoughts or as a sense, its existence can only be felt or experienced but physically it is absent 21:49 - future is unseen] and they install the process of connection [salat] and out of what we have provided them they are ready to pay the price [salable in the path of the Rabb] 

يُقِيمُونَ - they themselves establish - form iv imperfect verb

 الصَّلَاةَ - process of connection - root word is وص ل - accusative feminine noun

يُنفِقُونَ - They themselves continuously pay the price - form iv imperfect verb

Salat is a thought process which connects us with our consciousness [Rabb] and our inherent book [Kitab], Salat prevent us from anything which is outside our book / script [29:45] - This is done by the help of reconciliatory thoughts & deeds - The opposite of Salat is Shawaat (lusty thoughts) - because of shahwaat [lusty / thoughts that create strong feeling of annoyance and jealousy] - because of strong feeling of annoyance and jealousy we get distracted from our goal [Qibla] and lose our connection [SALAT] with righteous / peaceful thoughts & deeds so due to that disconnection we won't be able to enter the hidden garden of knowledge [Al-Jannah] - [19:59-60] - Those having reconciliatory nature [Ammale-saulehat] will have their reward from their Consciousness [Rabb] [2:62], that's why we are often reminded to install the thought process called salat [connecting our thoughts with our goal / aim] but this not at all easy, we have to pay a high price for it to achieve that permanent connection.

4   وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ             

And those who keep trust in transformation of the self with what is send down to you and what revealed from / through your aim / goal [Qibla] and they are certain with the procrastination process.

يُؤْمِنُونَ - third person masculine plural (form IV) imperfect verb - since the word plural and in form iv it indicates plurality of self [mind, body and soul]
بِالْآخِرَةِ - feminine genitive singular noun - with the procrastination process
يُوقِنُونَ - form iv imperfect verb - they are themselves certain

5  أُولَـٰئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

Upon those is guidance from their Consciousness [Rabb] and those are one who are successful.

الْمُفْلِحُونَ - nominative masculine plural form iv active participle - they are themselves successful