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 a 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.
In verse 42 -43 of Suratul Baqarah, Allah says;
﴿وَلاَ تَلْبِسُواْ الْحَقَّ بِالْبَـطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُواْ الْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ – وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلوةَ وَآتُواْ الزَّكَوةَ وَارْكَعُواْ مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ ﴾
(42. And mix not truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth while you know (the truth).) (43. And perform As-Salah, and give Zakah, and bow down along with Ar-Raki`in.)
Allah forbade the Jews from intentionally distorting the truth with falsehood and from hiding the truth and spreading falsehood,
﴿وَلاَ تَلْبِسُواْ الْحَقَّ بِالْبَـطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُواْ الْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴾
(And mix not truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth while you know (the truth)).
So Allah forbade them from two things; He ordered them to make the truth known, as well as explain it. Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas mentioned the Ayah,
﴿وَلاَ تَلْبِسُواْ الْحَقَّ بِالْبَـطِلِ﴾
(And mix not truth with falsehood) and said; “Do not mix the truth with falsehood and the facts with lies.” Qatadah said that,
﴿وَلاَ تَلْبِسُواْ الْحَقَّ بِالْبَـطِلِ﴾
(And mix not truth with falsehood) means, “Do not mix Judaism and Christianity with Islam,
﴿وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ﴾
(while you know (the truth).) that the religion of Allah is Islam, and that Judaism and Christianity are innovations that did not come from Allah.” It was reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basri said similarly.
Also, Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Ibn `Abbas said that,
﴿وَتَكْتُمُواْ الْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ﴾
(nor conceal the truth while you know (the truth).) means, “Do not hide the knowledge that you have of My Messenger and what he was sent with. His description, which you know about, can be found written in the Books that you have.”
It is possible that it means, “..although you know the tremendous harm that this evil will cause people, misguiding them and leading them to the Fire, because they will follow the falsehood that you mixed with the truth in your claims.”
﴿وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلوةَ وَآتُواْ الزَّكَوةَ وَارْكَعُواْ مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ ﴾
(And perform As-Salat and give Zakah, and bow down along with Ar-Raki`in.)
Muqatil said, “Allah’s statement to the People of the Book,
﴿وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلَوةَ﴾
(And perform As-Salah) commands them to perform the prayer behind the Prophet ,
﴿وَآتَوُاْ الزَّكَوةَ﴾
(and give Zakah) commands them to pay the Zakah to the Prophet , and
﴿وَارْكَعُواْ مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ﴾
(and bow down along with Ar-Raki`in) commands them to bow down with those who bow down among the Ummah of Muhammad . Allah therefore commands the People of the Book to be with, and among the Ummah of Muhammad .” In addition, Allah’s statement,
﴿وَارْكَعُواْ مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ﴾
(And bow down along with Ar-Raki`in) means, “And be among the believers performing the best deeds they perform, such as, and foremost, the prayer.” Many scholars said that this Ayah (2:43) is proof for the obligation of performing the prayer in congregation (for men only). I will explain this ruling in detail in Kitab Al-Ahkam Al-Kabir, Allah willing.
