Day 16 - Ayah 16

 

These are the people who have bought error at the price of guidance; so their trade has brought no gain, nor have they found guidance. (Maariful Quran translation)

Those are the ones who have purchased error [in exchange] for guidance, so their transaction has brought no profit, nor were they guided. (Sahih International translation)

Tafsir Maariful Quran

• This ayat shows the basic denseness of the hypocrites - how they failed to make use of the ordinary sense of discrimination

• They had grown up in a pagan society, and knew very well what the way of the disbelievers was

• And now they had become familiar enough with Islam too, and could easily see the difference.

• But, in their greed, and for the sake of petty worldly profit, they still chose disbelief as against Islam, and bartered away something as invaluable as Iman (faith) for something as worthless, and even harmful as kufr. 
• In giving the name of 'trade' or 'commerce' to this action, the holy Quran suggests that these worldly-wise men had no understanding even of the art of trading. 
• reference: Maariful Quran p.124 (Surah Baqarah: ayah 16)

Practical Implications

• Every day we are also faced with a choice between guidance (acts of righteousness) versus misguidance (acts of disobedience) 
• For example, it is time for salah, but we are busy doing something else, we need to make a decision... 'a trade'
• We should always choose guidance over disobedience in every day acts
• On the Day of Judgement, inshAllah we will find mountains and mountains of good deeds we didn't even know we had (inshallah), because we made good decisions and turned to Allah 

Note: don't forget to practice and read the dua's due on Friday inshAllah.