Assalamu Alaikum Brothers in Islam, Can you please help me understand as to why in Surah Baqarah the verse 149 is repeated again in 150? > So from wherever you go out [for prayer, O Muhammad] turn your face toward al- Masjid al-Haram, and indeed, it is the truth from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do. **[Surah Baqarah : 149]** and > And from wherever you go out [for prayer], turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] may be, turn your faces toward it in order that the people will not have any argument against you, except for those of them who commit wrong; so fear them not but fear Me. And [it is] so I may complete My favor upon you and that you may be guided. > **[Surah Baqarah : 150]**

Assalam o Alaikum brothers, Someone just asked me a question, and to be frank, I didn't have a substantial reply. I'm also quiet confused now regarding this topic. I understand that Allah swt in surah Baqarah 2:30 speaks about creating a Khalifa (vicegerent) on the earth. This was prior to creating Adam (as). I understand that Allah Swt gave Adam (as) free will. Iblees (Laanatallah Alayhi) however, decieved Adam (as) to disobey Allah swt by eating from the forbidden tree. This is as I personally understand, the only reason for him to be expelled from heaven and sent down to earth. Now here is where I'm confused astagfirullah! If Allah swt even prior to creating Adam (as) had already decided to send Adam (as) to earth as seen in Surah Baqarah 2:30. Does this mean that Allah swt had pre destined Adam (as) to disobey? Because if He hadn't, and if Adam (as) wouldn't have disobeyed, he wouldn't be expelled from heaven right? Or would he be expelled regardless of his disobedience? To summarize, from what little I understand, Allah prior to creating Adam(as) willed to create a being whom he would place in the earth as a Khalifa. But the only way that Adam (as) would be expelled is by disobedience to Allah. So Adam (as) didn't really have a choice? And if Adam (as) didn't eat from the tree, would he still be in heaven?

In the Quran: >Allah taught Adam all the names of everything, then He showed them to the angels and said: "Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful." They (angels) said: "Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise." > >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 unseen in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been hiding?" The Angels say that they have no knowledge except what Allah has taught them. Are their names unknown to them as Allah has not told them - in which case why does Allah ask Adam to tell the Angels their names rather than Himself, or do they know their names but have hidden it from Allah?

[2:118] In sura 2:118 it states "We have made Our signs abundantly clear for those who firmly believe" What does **abundantly clear** mean here? What could be these signs?

I am not a muslim, so I apologize for any mistake I might make while writing this question. I have recently started reading an english translation of the Quran, and there is a recurring phrase I am not sure how to interpret: "if you only knew". It occurs in a few places in Al-Baqarah, for example here, in 2:184: > [Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] – then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] – a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess – it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, **if you only knew.** (The translation here is Sahih International.) I need help understanding what is meant by this phrase. What would change, if we knew what?

In the Qur'an we have these verses: > And they ate [DUAL] thereof, and their [DUAL] shame became clear to > them; and they [DUAL] began to draw over them of the leaves of the > garden; and Adam opposed his Lord, so he erred. (20:121) > > Then his Lord chose him [masc. Singular], and turned towards him, and > guided. (20:122) And: > Then received Adam words from his Lord, and He turned towards him > [masc. Singular]; He is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful. > (2:37) So in terms of the Arabic (male singular), only Adam was forgiven, not Hawah. What's the explanation for this? JAK.

In [Surat Al-Baqarah ayah 62](http://quran.com/2/62) , Allah (The Glorified) says; > Sahih International
Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews > or Christians or Sabeans [before Prophet Muhammad] - those [among > them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness - > will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be > concerning them, nor will they grieve. Who were (or are?) the people called الصابئين according to this ayah, and what makes them relevant in the context of this ayah? How are they similar with Jews or Christians? I assume similarity because they were mentioned alongside Jews and Christians.

>###Sahih International (translation ) Indeed, Allah is not timid to present an example - that of a mosquito or what is smaller than it. And those who have believed know that it is the truth from their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, they say, "What did Allah intend by this as an example?" He misleads many thereby and guides many thereby. And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient.* What exactly is the meaning of this ayah? Is the supposed question 'Why do mosquitos or that which is smaller (bacteria, viruses etc) exist?' I looked into this a few years ago when I was first considering Islam (I have now converted, Alhamdulillah) and all I could find when I looked into it all that I could find were opinions and guess work of people who didn't seem to have studied the Quran or hadith, and had nothing to back up their claims. Is there a conclusive (perhaps majority) scholarly opinion on this ayah? How can I understand it better?

When we ask people who we call them as kafeer to follow Allah's revelation, Allah says that they will answer like in surah Al-Baqarah verse 2:170. > *When it is said to them, “Follow what Allah has revealed,” they reply, “No! We only follow what we found our forefathers practicing.” Would they still do so, even if their forefathers had absolutely no understanding or guidance?.* Honestly I have some non-muslims friends and in my experiences they never answered me like that. They just said that they're not convinced. Nothing else. Just like us, they also believe that they follow the true religion, not just their forefathers'. But at the same time very often I heard muslims especially sheikhs say something like this. > We must be grateful to be born in Islam. Something weird here. How can we be grateful to be born with the religion of our ancestors while at the same time the verse itself says that we need to follow Allah not our ancestors since they know nothing. Let's talk statistics. Out of all growth of any fastest growing religion today, only 0.6% come from conversion. The rest is from higher fertility rates. That means 99.4% of someone's religion was inherited from their parents not because they learn the truth. So how to prove that we're not among those who inherit their faith from their forefathers like said in the verse above?.

The translation is: > Remember, when your Lord said to the angels: "*I have to place a > trustee on the **earth*** 1....." [2:30] And these two ayah shows us how Adam and his wife lived in Janna, but after they made a mistake, God send them to Earth. **[2:35]** > And We said to Adam: "Both you and your spouse live in the **Garden**, eat > freely to your fill wherever you like, but approach not this tree or > you will become transgressors.2 **[2:36]** > .... Go, one the antagonist of the other, and live on the **earth** for a time > ordained, and fend for yourselves."3 I heard the story like this: Adam and his wife were living in Janna, they made a mistake for eating the tree because of Shaitan's temptation, Allah send them on the Earth. But as we see, Allah told angles I have to place a trustee on the Earth, then Does Allah made his decision to put them on the Earth even before their mistake? OR **Does the word Earth in first ayah means Garden or Janna but in implicit way?** --- 1, 2, 3: From **tanzil.net** , the translation of **Ahmed Ali**

Why do Sunnis only recite one verse and Shias recite three verses as Ayatul kursi (Qur'an 2:255 )?

Ayatul-Kursi (Qur'an 2:255 ) is generally said to be of great benefits e.g. it's recitation is encouraged in order to come under divine protection among many other. Sure it speaks of His Throne. But what makes it so important? Is there a tradition from Muhammad (saww) which speaks of its importance (at such an exalted level)? Also, traditions speaking of it's protective nature would be appreciated.

What is meant in the Qur'an by > If you cannot do this, and you never will, then beware of the Fire prepared for the disbelievers, the fuel of which is man and stones. > > — [Quran 2:24](https://quran.com/2/24) The "man and stones" phrase is what is confusing me. Does this simply mean that the fire is fueled by stones. Does this encourage stoning or is there a meaning I'm not seeing? Thanks.

In the verse 2:238: > Guard strictly your [habit of] prayers, especially the Middle Prayer; and stand before Allah in a devout [frame of mind]. What does Middle Prayer mean?

Is the Holy Quran one book? Or Is the Holy Quran a collection of multiple distinct books (each with a name and signs)? In reference to 98:2-3 and multiple different verses which different books are named. Eg- al kitab, om al kitab, al quran, al zabur, etc etc. Beginning with 2:2 and the age old question- the Arabic word thalika al kitab being interpreted as “this book” and not “that book”.

I didn't find any implicit Verse showing us who were on earth before Adam. I think according to this verse [[**2:30**]][1] > And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, > I will make upon the earth a successive authority." They said, "Will > You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds ***blood***, > while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?" Allah said, "Indeed, I > know that which you do not know." Allah showing us(in explicit way) that there were creatures living on earth that have **blood**. Do we have any Hadith or another verse showing us who were living on earth before Adam?

> And He taught Adam the names, all of them; then he presented them to > the angels, and said, "Tell Me the names of these, if you are > sincere." (2:31) > He said, "O Adam, tell them their names." And when he told them their > names, He said, "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the > heavens and the earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you > conceal?" (2:33) 1. What names is Allah (SWT) referring to? His own names? Name of the Angels? or there is any other names? 2. Why did Allah felt the urge to confront with Angels regarding creation of prophet Adam (PBUH) ?

Assalamu Alaikum brothers in Islam, Surah Baqarah 2 :111 - : > [And they say, "None will enter Paradise except one who is a Jew or a Christian." That is [merely] their wishful thinking, Say, "Produce your proof, if you should be truthful."] The verse speaks of how the Jews and Christians have no proof that they and only they are going to heaven. What does this mean? Does this mean that in their Bible ( old and new testament) there is no verse stating clearly that they solely are going to heaven? Or is this a different proof? Please elaborate.

Al-Baqarah 2:2 states: >This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah; Keeping in view of the above Ayat, wasn't the Quran sent down as a "revelation" to Prophet Muhammad? Furthermore, it wasn't compiled as a book till several years till after his death. My question is, why is this Ayat referring to Quran as a book?

Could someone explain me the last verses of Surah Baqarah: https://quran.com/2/286 Keeping in view of this verse, Why there is severe pain and miseries in our lives? Seeking explanation and clarity...