Al-Baqarah · Madani · ayah 235 of 286

Al-Baqarah 2:235

وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا عَرَّضْتُم بِهِۦ مِنْ خِطْبَةِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ أَوْ أَكْنَنتُمْ فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ سَتَذْكُرُونَهُنَّ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا إِلَّآ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا ۚ وَلَا تَعْزِمُوا۟ عُقْدَةَ ٱلنِّكَاحِ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ أَجَلَهُۥ ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ فَٱحْذَرُوهُ ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ

“There is no blame upon you for that to which you [indirectly] allude concerning a proposal to women or for what you conceal within yourselves. Allāh knows that you will have them in mind. But do not promise them secretly except for saying a proper saying. And do not determine to undertake a marriage contract until the decreed period[93] reaches its end. And know that Allāh knows what is within yourselves, so beware of Him. And know that Allāh is Forgiving and Forbearing.”

Saheeh International

Essence

A hope of marriage may be hinted at honourably, never pressed on the grieving; Allah knows what you hold within, and He forgives.

A reflection

He knows what you are rehearsing

For weeks a man has been rehearsing, in his head, what he will say to a widow once her waiting period ends. He has told no one. As far as he is concerned, it is entirely private.

The ayah does not shame him for the feeling. But it closes with two sentences side by side. 'Know that Allah knows what is in yourselves, so be wary of Him. And know that Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing'.

A classical scholar of the heart sees in the first sentence a whole station of the spiritual path: murāqaba, living aware of being watched. It is the steady knowledge that He sees the outer and the inner at every moment. The word for being wary, ḥadhar, is the alertness of a watchman awake before the danger comes, not panic once it has arrived.

Then comes the second sentence. The same scholar comments that without His forgiveness and forbearance, you would have fallen into the utmost hardship. He knows everything in you, and still He is gentle with it.

This is how majesty shrinks the ego without crushing the person. The ego imagines its inner world is a private kingdom, unseen and answerable to no one. The ayah opens the door of that kingdom and shows Who has always been standing there. Then it shows that He is merciful.

Does Allah need us to know this? He is free of all need (35:15). We need it, so that our hidden feelings are held to account and also held in mercy.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.