The Secrets and Virtues of Surah al-Baqarah

Introduction to Surah al-Baqarah

Surah al-Baqarah has a total of 286 verses and was gradually revealed in Medina over a span of about ten years. In the arrangement of the Mushaf, it is placed as the 2nd surah, while in order of revelation it is the 87th. It takes its name (al-Baqarah, meaning “the Cow”) from the story of the Children of Israel sacrificing a cow, mentioned between verses 67 and 71.

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The Secrets and Virtues of Surah al-Baqarah
Introduction to Surah al-Baqarah
Virtues of Surah al-Baqarah
1. Protection Against Sorcery
2. Driving Satan Out of the Home
Āyat al-Kursī (2:255)
3. Protection from Hypocrisy
Extra Insights and Conclusion
Primary References (Classic Works)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized how comprehensively this surah covers the core aspects of the faith, saying:

“Surah al-Baqarah almost encompasses the entirety of the religion.”

Reference: Tirmidhī, Faḍāʾil al-Qurʾān 2/2876

Within Surah al-Baqarah lies Āyat al-Kursī (2:255), sometimes referred to as Kursī, and because it stands at such a spiritual “peak” of the Qur’an, the surah has also been called Sanām al-Qurʾān (the highest point of the Qur’an). Additionally, due to its radiant guidance, it is known as Zahrāʾ (the radiant). As the longest surah in the Qur’an, it is often seen as a wide-ranging summary of the entire scripture.

Virtues of Surah al-Baqarah

1. Protection Against Sorcery

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) spoke of the blessings of this surah and the protection it provides:

“Recite this surah, for reciting it brings blessings; abandoning it brings regret. Sorcerers’ spells have no effect on the one who recites it.”

Reference: Tirmidhī, Faḍāʾil al-Qurʾān 2/2876

2. Driving Satan Out of the Home

The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught that when Surah al-Baqarah is recited, Satan cannot remain in that home:

“Do not turn your homes into graves. Indeed, Satan cannot stay in a house where Surah al-Baqarah is recited. There is no house in which this surah is recited, except that Satan flees, letting out a hideous sound as it leaves. Everything has a pinnacle, and the pinnacle of the Qur’an is Surah al-Baqarah. Within it is a verse that stands as the chief of all Qur’anic verses: Āyat al-Kursī. Whoever recites Surah al-Baqarah in their home at night keeps Satan away for three nights, and whoever recites it in the morning keeps Satan away for three days.”

References: Tirmidhī, Faḍāʾil al-Qurʾān 2/2876; al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ al-Bayān; al-Qurṭubī, al-Jāmiʿ li Aḥkām al-Qurʾān

Āyat al-Kursī (2:255)

Arapça Metin (Arabic Text):
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

Latin Transliteration (Separate Line):
Allāhu lā ilāha illā Huwa-l-Ḥayyul-Qayyūm(u), lā ta’khudhuhu sinatun wa lā nawm(un). Lahū mā fi-s-samāwāti wa mā fi-l-arḍ(i). Man dhā lladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahu illā bi-idhnih(ī). Yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wa mā khalfahum, wa lā yuḥīṭūna bi-shayʾin min ʿilmihī illā bimā shāʾ. Wasiʿa kursiyyuhu-s-samāwāti wa-l-arḍ(a), wa lā yaʾūduhu ḥifẓuhumā, wa Huwa-l-ʿAlīyu-l-ʿAẓīm(u).

English Translation:
“Allah—there is no god worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs everything in the heavens and on earth. Who could possibly intercede with Him without His permission? He fully knows what lies before them and what is behind them, while they cannot grasp any of His Knowledge except what He wills. His Kursī (seat) extends over the heavens and the earth, and preserving them does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Magnificent.”

References: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī; al-Qurṭubī, al-Jāmiʿ li Aḥkām al-Qurʾān

3. Protection from Hypocrisy

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also stated that consistent recitation of Surah al-Baqarah and Āl ʿImrān shields one from hypocrisy:

“Whoever recites Surah al-Baqarah and Āl ʿImrān by day is protected from hypocrisy until evening, and whoever recites both of them by night is safe from hypocrisy until morning. Reciting these surahs at night is as if standing in worship all night long.”

Reference: Tirmidhī, Faḍāʾil al-Qurʾān 2/2876

Extra Insights and Conclusion

Through its wide-ranging themes, Surah al-Baqarah provides a comprehensive overview of Islamic beliefs, worship, moral codes, and societal guidelines. Regular recitation and study of this surah:

Brings blessings and spiritual protection
Keeps the devilish influences at bay
Shields against sorcery and harmful energies
Contributes to purity of faith, distancing the believer from hypocrisy

May we be among those who frequently recite, ponder, and implement the teachings of the Qur’an, reaping the blessings of Surah al-Baqarah in our homes and lives.