Surah Al Baqarah Tafseer

The Order for Remembrance of Allah and seeking Good in this Life and the Hereafter upon completing the Rites of Hajj

Allah says;

فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُم مَّنَاسِكَكُمْ فَاذْكُرُواْ اللّهَ كَذِكْرِكُمْ ابَاءكُمْ أَوْ أَشَدَّ ذِكْرًا

So when you have accomplished your Manasik, remember Allah as you remember your forefathers or with far more remembrance.

Allah commands that He be remembered after the rituals are performed.

كَذِكْرِكُمْ ابَاءكُمْ

(...as you remember your forefathers),

Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn Abbas said,

"During the time of Jahiliyyah, people used to stand during the (Hajj) season, and one of them would say, `My father used to feed (the poor), help others (end their disputes, with his money), pay the Diyah (i.e., blood money),' and so forth. The only Dhikr that they had was that they would remember the deeds of their fathers. Allah then revealed to Muhammad:

فَاذْكُرُواْ اللّهَ كَذِكْرِكُمْ ابَاءكُمْ أَوْ أَشَدَّ ذِكْرًا

(Remember Allah as you remember your forefathers or with far more remembrance)."

Therefore, remembering Allah the Exalted and Ever High is always encouraged. We should mention that when Allah used "or" in the Ayah, He meant to encourage the people to remember Him more than they remember their forefathers, not that the word entails a doubt (as to which is larger or bigger). This statement is similar to the Ayat:

فَهِىَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً

as stones or even worse in hardness. (2:74)

and,

يَخْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً

fear men as they fear Allah or even more, (4:77)

and,

وَأَرْسَلْنَـهُ إِلَى مِاْيَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ

And We sent him to a hundred thousand (people) or even more. (37:147)

and,

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى

And was at a distance of two bows' length or (even) nearer. (53:9)

Allah encourages calling Him in supplication after remembering Him, because this will make it more likely that the supplication will be accepted.

Allah also criticizes those who only supplicate to Him about the affairs of this life, while ignoring the affairs of the Hereafter.

Allah said:

فَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا اتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَمَا لَهُ فِي الاخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَقٍ

But of mankind there are some who say:"Our Lord! Give us (Your bounties) in this world!" and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter.

meaning, they have no share in the Hereafter. This criticism serves to discourage other people from imitating those mentioned.

Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn Abbas said,

"Some Bedouins used to come to the standing area (Arafat) and supplicate saying, `O Allah! Make it a rainy year, a fertile year and a year of good child bearing.' They would not mention any of the affairs of the Hereafter. Thus, Allah revealed about them:

فَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا اتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَمَا لَهُ فِي الاخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَقٍ

But of mankind there are some who say:"Our Lord! Give us (Your bounties) in this world!" and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter."

Next, Allah tells