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Bal'am ibn Ba'ura

بلعام بن باعوراء

Bal'am was one of the scholars of Bani Israel, as Sheikh Omar Abdelkafy mentions him 1. The Sheikh says that he travelled a long road in knowledge and guidance, so that when he deviated his deviation was equally long 2.

Depth

At a glance

Roles
Scholar
Era
Pre-Islamic Arabia
Region
Levant & Iraq
Review

Ethics and character

Summary

Bal'am was one of the scholars of Bani Israel, as Sheikh Omar Abdelkafy mentions him 1. The Sheikh says that he travelled a long road in knowledge and guidance, so that when he deviated his deviation was equally long 2.

From Sheikh Omar Abdelkafy's Tafsir lectures (episode 03)

The Sheikh mentions that the verse he is discussing came after the story of Bal'am, one of the scholars of Bani Israel 1.

He says that Bal'am travelled a long road in knowledge and guidance, so that when he deviated his deviation was equally long, even though God had given him a wide share of knowledge and guidance 2.

From Sheikh Omar Abdelkafy's lectures on Sharh Kitab al-Fawa'id

The Sheikh cites the story of Bal'am ibn Ba'ura as a warning that knowledge can deceive its holder, and says that he disobeyed God and stayed on the earth (needs_source: a story the lecture gives without a source). 3 4

He says the story is in the Qur'an, and he quotes a verse, not named by him. 3 4

People and things also explored

Ada' al-dayn (paying a debt: its ruling, the manner of payment, insolvency and the debts of the dead)· Ada' al-shahada (performing testimony: the duty on request, the excused witness, and the wording)· Manners of the Qur'an bearer· Biting and the liability for injury it causes (add)· Adha (harm of a slight kind: removing harmful things and the duty not to harm)· Justice and grace (adl wal-fadl)· Pardon (afw) in purity, worship, contracts and penalties· Covenant (ahd) and the duty to keep it; oath by the covenant of God

Sources

  1. Assabile archive of Omar Abdelkafy's lectures (audio and video) , Tafsir Al Quran Al Qareem, episode 3, at 00:07:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  2. Assabile archive of Omar Abdelkafy's lectures (audio and video) , Tafsir Al Quran Al Qareem, episode 3, at 00:08:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  3. Assabile archive of Omar Abdelkafy's lectures (audio and video) , Sharh Ketab Al Fawaed, episode 2, at 01:27:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  4. Assabile archive of Omar Abdelkafy's lectures (audio and video) , Sharh Ketab Al Fawaed, episode 2, at 01:27:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Bal'am ibn Ba'ura”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/balam-ibn-baura/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-25.

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Wing

People

Prophets, companions, scholars, rulers, scientists, poets, travelers: women and men who shaped the story. Related

Ada' al-dayn (paying a debt: its ruling, the manner of payment, insolvency and the debts of the dead)

Paying a debt in the form owed is obligatory by consensus. A debt due now must be paid on demand when the debtor can pay; a deferred debt is not due before its term. Payment is made in like items, with value owed where there is no like; a better payment is allowed when unconditioned. Remission, gift, assignment, set-off and settlement take the place of payment. A solvent debtor who refuses is compelled, imprisoned and his apparent property sold; the majority hold that a bankrupt is put under interdiction and his property divided among creditors, against Abu Hanifa. The insolvent is given respite, and his debt may be paid from zakat if he borrowed for himself in a lawful matter. A dead person's debt attaches to his estate and takes precedence over bequests and inheritance.