Al-Baqarah, البقرة, is an arabic word which literally means “The Cow”. Surat Al Baqarah is the second and longest chapter (surah) of the Quran. It consists of 286 verses (āyāt) which begin with the “mysterious letters” (“muqatta’at”) Alif, Lam, Meim which it’s meaning is only well known to Allah, the all – knowing.
The surah encompasses a variety of topics and contains several commands for Muslims such as enjoining fasting on the believer during the month of Ramadan; forbidding interest or usury (riba); and several famous verses such as The Throne Verse, Al-Baqara 256, and the final two or three verses which are among the most popular Muslim prayers.
The surah addresses a wide variety of topics, including substantial amounts of law, and retells stories of Adam, Ibrahim (Abraham) and Musa (Moses). A major theme is guidance: urging the pagans (Al-Mushrikeen) and the Jews of Medina to embrace Islam, and warning them and the hypocrites (Munafiqun) of the fate God had visited in the past on those who failed to heed his call.
Allah said,
﴿قَالَ يَـاءَادَمُ أَنبِئْهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ فَلَمَّآ أَنبَأَهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِم قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَـوَاتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ ﴾
(He said: “O Adam! Inform them of their names,” and when he had informed them of their names, He said: “Did I not tell you that I know the Ghayb (unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing”)
Zayd bin Aslam said, “You are Jibril, you are Mika’il, you are Israfil, until he mentioned the name of the crow.” Mujahid said that Allah’s statement,
﴿قَالَ يَـاءَادَمُ أَنبِئْهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ﴾
(He said: “O Adam! Inform them of their names,”) “The name of the pigeon, the crow and everything.” Statements of a similar meaning were reported from Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, and Qatadah. When Adam’s virtue over the angels became apparent, as he mentioned the names that Allah taught him, Allah said to the angels,
﴿أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَـوَاتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ﴾
(Did I not tell you that I know the Ghayb (unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing)
This means, “Did I not state that I know the seen and unseen matters. ” Similarly, Allah said,
﴿وَإِن تَجْهَرْ بِالْقَوْلِ فَإِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ وَأَخْفَى ﴾
(And if you (O Muhammad ) speak (the invocation) aloud, then verily, He knows the secret and that which is yet more hidden) (20:7).
Also, Allah said about the hoopoe, that it said to Sulayman;
﴿أَلاَّ يَسْجُدُواْ للَّهِ الَّذِى يُخْرِجُ الْخَبْءَ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُخْفُونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ – اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ ﴾
(﴿As Shaytan (Satan) has barred them from Allah’s way﴾ so they do not prostrate before Allah, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal. Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne!) (27:25-26).
They also have comments other than what we have said about the meaning of Allah’s statement,
﴿وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ﴾
(And I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing).
It is reported from Ad-Dahhak that Ibn `Abbas said that,
﴿وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ﴾
(And I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing) means, “`I know the secrets, just as I know the apparent things, such as, what Iblis concealed in his heart of arrogance and pride.” Abu Ja`far Ar-Razi narrated that Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said that,
﴿وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ﴾
(And I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing) means, “The apparent part of what they said was: `Do you create in it that which would commit mischief and shed blood’ The hidden meaning was: `We have more knowledge and honor than any creation our Lord would create.’ But they came to know that Allah favored Adam above them regarding knowledge and honor.”
