ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Al-mizan an Exegesis of the Qur'an (volume Two) Volume 2: Surah Baqarah, Verse 152 Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me. (152). **COMMENTARY ** Allah first mentioned His favor on the Muslims that He sent to them a Prophet from among them a favor that cannot be measured in any way.

Then he pointed to another great favor in that He guided them to the straight path and led them to the highest perfection. Then game the third favor of giving them a qiblah of their own through that rule, their religion began its journey to perfection, their worship was unified and their religious and social virtues were enhanced. Reminding them of these threefold favors, He calls them to remember Him and to be thankful to Him.

They should remember Him with their devotion and obedience, so that He remembers them with His favor He will increase for them His bounty and grace, if they are thankful to Him, and if they are not ungrateful for His favors.

He had already said to them: and remember your Lord when you forget and say: 'May be my Lord will guide me to a nearer course to the right than this" (18:24); If you are grateful, I would certainly give you more; and if you are ungrateful, My chastisement is truly severe (14:7). These two verses were revealed before the verse of the qiblah in this chapter. "adh Dhikr" (remembrance) is sometimes used as opposite of "al ghaflah" (inattention and heedlessness).

Allah says: and do not follow him whose heart We have made inattentive to Our remembrance (18:28). Inattention is "not knowing that one knows although the original knowledge is present in memory". "Remembrance", as its opposite, means "knowing that one knows " The word "remembrance" at other times is used as opposite to "an nisyan" (forgetfulness). Forgetfulness is "cessation of knowledge from mind"; and as its opposite, remembrance means "presence of knowledge in mind".

It is to this meaning that the words of Allah refer in the verse: and remember your Lord when you forget... (18:24). This remembrance, like its opposite "forgetfulness", is a concept which has its own special effects and exclusive characteristics. Sometimes when those effects and characteristics are found, we say that one remembers, although there is no actual remembrance; or that one has forgotten, although there is no actual forgetfulness.