Al-Baqarah · Madani · ayah 98 of 286

Al-Baqarah 2:98

مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلَّهِ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَجِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَىٰلَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ

“Whoever is an enemy to Allāh and His angels and His messengers and Gabriel and Michael - then indeed, Allāh is an enemy to the disbelievers.”

Saheeh International

Essence

Hostility to any of Allah's angels or messengers is hostility to Him, and Allah Himself stands against those who reject.

A reflection

A quarrel with the King's own

At a wedding, a guest snaps at an elderly man clearing plates, assuming he is staff. Later he learns it was the bride's grandfather, who had insisted on helping.

The previous ayah answered those who called Jibrīl their enemy. This one widens the circle and then closes it. Whoever is an enemy to Allah, His angels, His messengers, Jibrīl and Mīkāʾīl, 'then Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers'.

A classical commentator explains the logic. Those named are Allah's friends and the people of His obedience. Whoever is hostile to a friend of Allah is hostile to Allah Himself. The Prophet ﷺ reported that Allah said: 'Whoever is hostile to a friend of Mine, I have declared war on him' (Sahih al-Bukhari).

Notice the ayah does not say 'He is an enemy'. It repeats the name: 'Allah is an enemy'. A later commentator says Arabs repeated a name to give it weight. Here it leaves no doubt Whose side is taken.

This is where pride has to bow. We imagine our contempt for certain people is a private matter. We sneer at the pious neighbour, mock the imam, roll our eyes at a sister's headscarf. We forget Whose servants they may be.

Does Allah, then, have enemies the way we do, out of wounded pride? A later commentator says no. Human enmity means wanting to bring harm on someone. In that sense no one can truly reach Allah, since nothing harms Him. A classical jurist explains that our 'enmity' to Allah is disobedience, and hostility to His friends. His enmity is His just punishment, and its effects made visible. He needs no one, and loses nothing when people turn away.

The same hadith shows the other side. A servant draws near to Allah through what He made obligatory, then through voluntary deeds, until Allah loves him. Then the protection runs over that servant.

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.