Surah Al Baqarah Tafseer

The Punishment for changing Allah's Favor and mocking the Believers

Allah says;

سَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَايِيلَ كَمْ اتَيْنَاهُم مِّنْ ايَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ

Ask the Children of Israel how many clear Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) We gave them.

Allah mentioned that the Children of Israel, were witnesses to many clear signs that attest to the truth of Moses regarding what he was sent with for them. They witnessed;

his hand (when it became lit with light),

his parting the sea,

his striking the rock (and water flowed from the rock),

the clouds that shaded them during the intense heat,

the manna and the quails, and so forth.

These signs attested to the existence of the Creator and the truth of Moses by whose hand these signs appeared. Yet, so many among them changed Allah's favor, by preferring disbelief to faith and by ignoring Allah's favors,

وَمَن يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

And whoever changes Allah's favor after it had come to him, then surely, Allah is severe in punishment.

Similarly, Allah said about the disbelievers of Quraysh:

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُواْ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّواْ قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ الْبَوَارِ

جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَهَا وَبِيْسَ الْقَرَارُ

Have you not seen those who have changed the blessings of Allah into disbelief, and caused their people to dwell in the house of destruction Hell, in which they will burn, ـ and what an evil place to settle in! (14:28-29)

Then Allah said;