Overview - Surah 3: Ale-Imran (The Family Of Imran )
The main topics of this Surah are Tawhid, Prophethood and the truth of the Qur' an. As Surah al-Baqarah discussed the issues related to Bani Israel, this Surah discusses some issues related to the Christian community and their religious positions. It also discusses the subjects of Hajj, Jihad, Zakat and Riba. It ends, like Surah al-Baqarah, with a profound dua.
It is named after Ale-Imran ‘the family of Imran’ – Imran being the grandfather of Jesus [Isa], and the father of Mary [Maryam]. Other than this Surah, Imran is not mentioned in the rest of the Qur’an with the exception of Surah 66: at-Tahreem – ‘Maryam daughter of Imran’ [66:12].
Zahra – The Prophet is reported to have called al-Baqarah and Ale-Imran as ‘Zahrawayn’ [Two Lights (of guidance)]
There are 200 Ayat in Surah Ale-Imran.
Sections:
- Allah is the Ever-Living, Self-Subsisting. He sent the Qur'an as He sent before the Tawrat and Injil for the guidance of people. True believers are those who accept every thing of the Book of Allah and try to understand it. Believers pray always for Allah's guidance for them.
- Those who reject the truth, their wealth and their progeny will not avail them anything against the chastisement of Allah.
- Allah bears witness for His own Tawhid as well as the angels and the people of knowledge. The religion acceptable in the sight of Allah is Islam.
- To love Allah one must follow the Prophet. Obedience to Allah and His Messenger are necessary for faith. Allah chose Adam, Noah, Family of Ibrahim and the Family of Imran to guide humanity through them. Many prophets and messengers of Allah came for this purpose.
- Birth of Jesus -peace be upon him- and his true message.
- Jesus preached the message of Tawhid. His true followers are those who recognize Tawhid. Jesus’ birth was miraculous, just as Adam’s was miraculous. Some Christians argued with the Prophet. He asked them to come for an open Mubahalah.
- Invitation to the People of the Book to come to a common word of Tawhid and obedience to Allah.
- Some People of the Book try to discredit Islam. Muslims are warned to be conscious of this challenge.
- Previous prophets and their scriptures confirm the truth of Islam.
- Charity and sacrifice are necessary to attain faith and piety. Muslims should pay attention to the Ka’bah and stand firm to give the message of Islam to the world.
- Muslims must remain conscious of Allah and must hold fast together the rope of Allah, i.e His Book and His guidance.
- Role of the Muslim Ummah in the world.
- Critical review of the Battle of Uhud
- Prohibition of Riba and emphasis on charity. Believers must hasten to seek the forgiveness from their Lord. Some beautiful characters and qualities of the believers are mentioned.
- Prophet Muhammad is only a Messenger of Allah like other messengers. His death should not mean giving up the faith. Believers must persevere and be patient in difficulties.
- Criticism of those who showed weakness during the Battle of Uhud. Muslims should be strong in their commitment to faith.
- True believers and the hypocrites. Hypocrites' delinquency at the time of Uhud
- Steadfast attitude of the Believers. Shaitan tries to frighten the Believers, but the true Believers become even stronger after trials and tests.
- Some propaganda of the People of the Book against Islam and how to respond to such challenges.
- Allah’s promise of success for the Believers. How the believers should pray to Allah and seek His blessings.
Overview
Total Ayat | 200 |
Total Words * | 3481 |
Root Words * | 452 |
Unique Root Words * | 6 |
Makki / Madani | Madani |
Chronological Order* | 89th (according to Ibn Abbas) |
Year of Revelation* | 16th year of Prophethood (3rd Year Hijri) |
Events during/before this Surah*
Battle of Uhud, Change of Qiblah from Jerusalem to Makkah - Battle of Badr, Migration from Makkah to Madinah - Building of Masjid Nabi in Madinah - Treaty with Jews of Madinah - Marriage of Prophet to Aishah, , 2nd Pledge of Aqabah, 1st Pledge of Aqabah, Death of Abu Talib - Death of Khadijah - Stoning at Ta'if - al-Isra wal Mi'raj - Night Journey, Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 3, Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 2, Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 1, 2nd Migration to Abyssinia, Physical beating and torture of some Muslims - 1st Migration of Muslims to Abyssinia, Public Invitation to Islam - Persecution of Muslims; antagonism - ridicule - derision - accusation - abuse and false propaganda., Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam , Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam , Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam
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Events during/after still to occur*
,Battle of Ahzab - Expedition of Banu Quraydhah,Treaty of Hudaiybiyah - Letters to Kings and Rulers,,Conquest of Makkah - Battle of Hunain,Hajj led by Abu Bakr - Expedition of Tabuk,Farewell Hajj by Prophet - Death of Prophet - End of Divine Revelation
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Names of Prophets Mentioned
Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub, Musa, Zakariya, Yahya, Isa, Muhammad
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Surah Index
Abraham, Abraham (neither Jew nor Christian) , Abraham (stood in first mosque at Bakkah) , Adam, Adversity (patience during) , God (ability to do anything) , God (no human is a divinity) , God (remembering him standing--- sitting--- lying down) , God (shapes you in the womb) , God (wills no wrong to His creation) , Angels, Anger (withhold) , Apostasy, Apostasy (rejection by others) , Apostasy (repentance) , Badr, Bakkah (first masjid) , Bible (distortion of) , Charity, Charity (niggardliness) , Children (of Israel) , Commandments (general religious) , Death, Death (in God’s cause) , Death (those slain in God’s cause are alive) , Disbelievers, Disbelievers (God’s promise to) , Disbelievers (relationship to belivers) , Disciples (of Jesus), Earth (creation of) , Earth (rotation of) , Food, Friends (avoid active disbelievers) , Geographic locations and History (first temple at Bakkah) , Gospel, Government (decision making in public matters) , Hajj (duty to visit Makkah) , Heaven, Heaven (pure spouses in) , Heaven (several) , Hell, History (study it) , Humankind (creation of) (from dust), Hypocrites, Iblis, Imran--- House of, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Jesus (creation of) , Jesus (disciples) , Jesus (followers above others on Resurrection day) , Jesus (his nature is as Adam’s) , Jesus (resurrection foretold) , Jews (and Christians) , Jews (slaying prophets) , Jihad, Jihad (striving hard in God’s cause) , John the Baptist, Judgement (Day) , Ka’bah, Killing, Knowledge, Knowledge (obligation upon man to obtain and impart) , Knowledge (study nature to acquire) , Kufr, Life (attraction of worldly) , Mary, Makkah (duty to visit Makkah for the Hajj) , Moses, Muhammad (only a prophet) , Native peoples (driven out of their homelands) , Noah, Pharaoh (punishment of) , Prayer (content) , Prayer (prostration) , Prophet (accept him who confirms earlier revelation) , Qur’an (some verses direct some allegorical) , Record of personal deeds, Religion, Religion (divergence of opinion) , Religion (draws together former enemies) , Religion (is self surrender to God) , Religion (use reason in) , Religious (should stay together) , Resurrection (Day) , Resurrection (followers of Jesus above non-believers) , Resurrection (of soul) , Revelation, Sexes (equality of) , Sin, Torah, Uhud (battle of) , Usury (forbidden) , Zachariah
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Guidance. This Surah is the sequel to Surah 2: al-Baqarah (The Cow) and the invitation therein is continued to The People of the Book. In Al-Baqarah the Jews were pointedly invited to accept the Guidance and in this Surah, the Christians have particularly been admonished to give up their erroneous beliefs and accept the Guidance of the Qur'an. At the same time the Muslims have been instructed to nourish the virtues that may enable them to carry out their obligations and spread the Divine Guidance.
Oneness of God. From the very outset we have the words ‘God, there is no Ilah [diety] except He....’ (3:2). Correcting any false notions about the divinty of God and the relationships between the creation and their Creator.
Firmness upon the truth. From the opening of the Surah we have the dua, "Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower." (3:8). Various facets of being firm upon Islam are mentioned throughtout the Surah, whether that be firmness ideologically (references to Christian beliefs) or militarily (references to the Battle of Uhud and reasons for defeat). Being firm upon Islam requires strong patience and the Surah ends, "O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful." (3:200).
Ways of staying steadfast:
- Holding firmly on the Qur'an and Sunnah. "And how could you disbelieve while to you are being recited the verses of Allah and among you is His Messenger? And whoever holds firmly to Allah has [indeed] been guided to a straight path." (3:101)
- Taqwah of Allah. "O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]." (3:102)
- Sticking to Allah and the Jam'ah [main body of Muslims]. "And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided." (3:103)
- Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil. "And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful." (3:104)
- Not differing in the Deen. "And do not be like the ones who became divided and differed after the clear proofs had come to them. And those will have a great punishment." (3:105)
Ale-Imran - Family of Imran
The Surah is named after the ‘Family of Imran [grandfather of Jesus]’ – amongst the greatest of families in human history [3:33]. This blessed family includes the below personalities who were known for their great service of the religion of God;
- Imran [Father of Mary]
- Wife of Imran [Mother of Mary]
- Mary [Mother of Jesus]
- Jesus [Messenger of Allah]
- Zakariyyah [Uncle of Mary/responsible for her and a Prophet]
- Yahyah [John the Baptist – son of Zakariyyah and a Prophet]
Zahra - Light
This Surah [along with al-Baqarah] are lights of guidance for the Believers in their journey to God.
- Allah does not break His promise. In the beginnig and end of the Surah, the Believer is reminded that Allah Almighty does not contravene or fail in keeping His promises. They should feel assured in this and Allah will prove to the Believer that when He promises something, He shall fulfill His promise.
"Our Lord, surely You will gather the people for a Day about which there is no doubt. Indeed, Allah will not break His promise." (3:9)
" Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not break[Your] promise." (3:194)
- There are profound duas in the beginning of the Surah and at the end, Ayat (3:8-9) and (3:193-194)
- In the beginning of the Surah, there is a mention of the Torah and the Injeel as previous revelations (3:3) – and in in the end ‘...those who believe in God and what was revealed to you and what was revealed to them....’ (3:199)
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
3rd/9th Century
730 H (1330 CE)
516 H (1123 CE)
435 H (1044 CE)
15th Century CE
3rd /4th Century Hijrah
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah
Surah al-Baqarah and Ale-Imran
- They both begin with Alif-Lam-Meem.
- Both end with profound Duas.
- Both revealed in Madinah.
- Al-Baqarah declares the Muslims as the ‘Middle Nation’ (2:143) and Ale-Imran declares the Muslims as the ‘Best nation’ (3:110) brought forth for the service of Mankind.
- They both contain Ayaat on usury/interest.
- Both contain Ayaat which state the Martyrs are alive.
- Surah al-Baqarah and Ale-Imran are the only Surahs of the Qur'an (2:96) (3:185) which have the root word زُحْزِحَ
- The first mention of Jannah in both Surah al-Baqarah and Ale-Imran mention Azwaj un Mutaharah 'Purified Spouses.' In (2:25) and (3:15).
- The question, "Do you think you will enter Jannah (without)...." appears in both Surahs (not occuring anywhere else in the Qur'an)
"Do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you?" (2:214)
"Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those of you who fight in His cause and made evident those who are steadfast?" (3:142)
Many Surahs can be grouped in pairs, examples; Surah al-Falaq and an-Nas, Surah ad-Duha and Insharah, Surah Muzzamil and Mudathir, Surah al-Anfal and at-Tawbah, Surah ar-Rahman and al-Waqiah and here in this example, Surah al-Baqarah and Ale-Imran. Indeed, the Prophet is reported to have described both Surahs as 'Zahrawayn' (Two Lights of Guidance) - Lights of guidance for the Believers in their journey to God.
Just as a Surah is a self-contained whole, the interaction of Surah-pairs and not simply of individual Surahs, yield a wider, richer perspective for the study of the relationship between Qur’anic Surahs. This pairing is on the basis of the topics discussed, and each member of a pair has a complementary relation with one another.
- The Prophet said, “Recite the Qur'an, for on the Day of Resurrection it will come as an intercessor for those who recite It. Recite the two bright ones, al-Baqara and Surah Al 'Imran, for on the Day of Resurrection they will come as two clouds or two shades, or two flocks of birds in ranks, pleading for those who recite them....” [Sahih Muslim no. 804]
- وعن النواس بن سمعان رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "يؤتى يوم القيامة بالقرآن وأهله الذين كانو يعملون به في الدنيا تقدمه سورة البقرة وآل عمران تحاجان عن صاحبهما
An-Nawwas bin Sam'an reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "The Qur'an and its people who applied it, will be brought on the Day of Resurrection preceded with Surat Al-Baqarah and Surat Al-'Imran arguing on behalf of those who applied them." [Saheeh Muslim]
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On the authority of Abu Ummamah that the Messeneger of Allah said, ‘ The Greatest Name of Allah by which if He is supplicated will be answered is in three Surahs, al-Baqarah, Ale-Imran and Taha.....i.e. al-Hayyu al-Qayyum.’ [Mustradak al-Hakim no. 1867]
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Virtue of the end of the Surah. Bilal [ra] came to the Messenger of Allah to awaken him for Salah al-Fajr and he saw him crying. He said, "O Messenger of Allah why are you crying? Indeed, Allah has forgiven you your previous and future sins." The Messenger replied, "Waiyhak O Bilal, what will prevent me from crying whereas Allah has revealed upon me this night these Ayat, "Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding" (3:190)....[until the end of the Surah]. Then he said, "Woe to the one who recites these Ayat and does not reflect upon them." [Ibn Hibban]
- Submission - words derived from S-L-M – appear most in this Surah compared with the rest of the Qur’an. The most frequent these root letters ever appear in a single Ayat also occurs in this Surah. Allah Almighty says, "So if they argue with you, say, "I have submitted myself to Allah [in Islam], and [so have] those who follow me." And say to those who were given the Scripture and [to] the unlearned, "Have you submitted yourselves?" And if they submit [in Islam], they are rightly guided; but if they turn away - then upon you is only the [duty of] notification. And Allah is Seeing of [His] servants." [3:20].
- This Surah has the most repition of the phrase ‘La ilaha ilaAllah’ – It occurs four times – (3:2), (3:6), (3:18), (3:62)
- Words derived from S-L-M – appear most in this Surah compared with the rest of the Qur’an. The most frequent these root letters ever appear in a single Ayat also occurs in this Surah. Allah Almighty says, "So if they argue with you, say, "I have submitted myself to Allah [in Islam], and [so have] those who follow me." And say to those who were given the Scripture and [to] the unlearned, "Have you submitted yourselves?" And if they submit [in Islam], they are rightly guided; but if they turn away - then upon you is only the [duty of] notification. And Allah is Seeing of [His] servants." [3:20]
- This is the only Surah in the Qur'an where the word رَمْزًا [signs, gestures] appears [3:41]
- This is the only Surah in the Qur'an where the word تَدَّخِرُونَ [store] appears [3:49]
- The triliteral root mīm ḥā ṣād م ح ص [purify, purge] only occurs in Surah Al-Imran occuring twice [3:141] and [3:154]
- Words from h-s-b ح س ب [account, calculate, think] appear most in Surah Ale-Imran compared to all other Surahs.
- Sabr (patience), Taqwa and Iman (faith) are key words in themes mentioned throughout Surah Ale-Imran.
- "O Lord" رَبَّنَا - This, a common begining of many duas, is used 9 times in the Surah. It is the highest occurance of this compared to any other Surah of the Qur'an.
- Ayat (3:154) is the longest Ayat of Surah Ale-Imran with 75 words,
ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن بَعْدِ الْغَمِّ أَمَنَةً نُّعَاسًا يَغْشَىٰ طَائِفَةً مِّنكُمْ ۖ وَطَائِفَةٌ قَدْ أَهَمَّتْهُمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ يَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّـهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ ظَنَّ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ ۖ يَقُولُونَ هَل لَّنَا مِنَ الْأَمْرِ مِن شَيْءٍ ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ الْأَمْرَ كُلَّهُ لِلَّـهِ ۗ يُخْفُونَ فِي أَنفُسِهِم مَّا لَا يُبْدُونَ لَكَ ۖ يَقُولُونَ لَوْ كَانَ لَنَا مِنَ الْأَمْرِ شَيْءٌ مَّا قُتِلْنَا هَاهُنَا ۗ قُل لَّوْ كُنتُمْ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ لَبَرَزَ الَّذِينَ كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَتْلُ إِلَىٰ مَضَاجِعِهِمْ ۖ وَلِيَبْتَلِيَ اللَّـهُ مَا فِي صُدُورِكُمْ وَلِيُمَحِّصَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ "Then after distress, He sent down upon you security [in the form of] drowsiness, overcoming a faction of you, while another faction worried about themselves, thinking of Allah other than the truth - the thought of ignorance, saying, "Is there anything for us [to have done] in this matter?" Say, "Indeed, the matter belongs completely to Allah." They conceal within themselves what they will not reveal to you. They say, "If there was anything we could have done in the matter, some of us would not have been killed right here." Say, "Even if you had been inside your houses, those decreed to be killed would have come out to their death beds." [It was] so that Allah might test what is in your breasts and purify what is in your hearts. And Allah is Knowing of that within the breasts. " (3:154)
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) * | ||
# | Root Word | Frequency in Surah | Frequency in Qur'an |
---|---|---|---|
1. | أ ل ه | 215 | 2851 |
2. | ٱلَّذِى | 77 | 1464 |
3. | ق و ل | 74 | 1722 |
4. | أ م ن | 60 | 879 |
5. | ك و ن | 55 | 1390 |
6. | ك ف ر | 43 | 525 |
7. | ر ب ب | 42 | 980 |
8. | ع ل م | 40 | 854 |
9. | ك ت ب | 36 | 319 |
10. | ش ي أ | 32 | 519 |
Root Word | Frequency in Surah |
Frequency in Qur'an |
---|---|---|
أ ل ه | 215 | 2851 |
ٱلَّذِى | 77 | 1464 |
ق و ل | 74 | 1722 |
أ م ن | 60 | 879 |
ك و ن | 55 | 1390 |
ك ف ر | 43 | 525 |
ر ب ب | 42 | 980 |
ع ل م | 40 | 854 |
ك ت ب | 36 | 319 |
ش ي أ | 32 | 519 |
“This Surah consists of four discourses:
- The first discourse (v. 1-32) was probably revealed soon after the Battle of Badr.
- The second discourse (v. 33-63) was revealed in 9 A.H. (After Hijrah - migration from Makkah to Madinah) on the occasion of the visit of the deputation from the Christians of Najran.
- The third discourse (v. 64-120) appears to have been revealed immediately after the first one.
- The fourth discourse (v. 121-200) was revealed after the Battle of Uhud.” [Mawdudi]
1. The Believers had met with all sorts of trials and hardships about which they had been forewarned in Al-Baqarah. Though they had come out victorious in the Battle of Badr they were not out of danger yet. Their victory had aroused the enmity of all those powers in Arabia which were opposed to the islamic Movement. Signs of threatening storms had begun to appear on all sides and the Muslims were in a perpetual state of fear and anxiety. It looked as if the whole Arabian world around the tiny state of Madinah - which was no more than a village state at that time - was bent upon blotting out its very existence. This state of war was also adversely affecting its economy which had already been badly disturbed by the influx of the Muslim refugees from Makkah.
2. Then there was the disturbing problem of the Jewish clans who lived in the suburbs of Madinah. They were discarding the treaties of alliance they had made with the Prophet after his migration from Makkah. So much so that on the occasion of the Battle of Badr these people of the Book sympathized with the evil aims of the idolaters in spite of the fact that their fundamental articles of Faith - Monotheism, Prophethood and Life-after-death - were the same as those of the Muslims. After the Battle of Badr they openly began to incite the Quraysh and other Arab clans to wreak their vengeance on the Muslims. Thus those Jewish clans set aside their centuries-old friendly and neighbourly relations with the people of Madinah. At last when their mischievous actions and breaches of treaties became unbearable the Prophet attacked the Bani-Qaynuqah, the most mischievous of all the other Jewish clans who had conspired with the hypocrites of Madinah and the idolatrous Arab clans to encircle the Believers on all sides. The magnitude of the peril might be judged from the fact that even the life of the Prophet himself was always in danger. Therefore his Companions slept in their armours during that period and kept watch at night to guard against any sudden attack and whenever the Prophet happened to be out of sight even for a short while they would at once set out in search of him.
3. This incitement by the Jews added fuel to the fire which was burning in the hearts of the Quraysh and they began to make preparations to avenge the defeat they had suffered at Badr. A year after this an army of 3000 strong marched out of Makkah to invade Madinah and a battle took place at the foot of Mount Uhud. The Prophet came out of Madinah with one thousand men to meet the enemy. While they were marching to the battlefield three hundred hypocrites deserted the army and returned to Madinah but there still remained a small band of hypocrites among the seven hundred who accompanied the Prophet. They played their part and did their utmost to create mischief and chaos in the ranks of the Believers during the Battle. This was the first clear indication of the fact that within the fold of the Muslim Community there was quite a large number of saboteurs who were always ready to conspire with the external enemies to harm their own brethren.
4. Though the devices of the hypocrites had played a great part in the set-back at Uhud, the weaknesses of the Muslims themselves contributed no less to it. And it was but natural that the Muslims should show signs of moral weakness for they were a new community which had only recently been formed on a new ideology and had not as yet got a thorough moral training. Naturally in this second hard test of their physical and moral strength some weaknesses came to the surface. That is why a detailed review of the Battle of Uhud was needed to warn the Muslims of their shortcomings and to issue instructions for their reform. It should also be noted that this review of the Battle is quite different from the reviews that are usually made by generals on similar occasions.
اقْرَءُوا الْقُرْآنَ فَإِنَّهُ يَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ شَفِيعًا لأَصْحَابِهِ اقْرَءُوا الزَّهْرَاوَيْنِ الْبَقَرَةَ وَسُورَةَ آلِ عِمْرَانَ فَإِنَّهُمَا تَأْتِيَانِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كَأَنَّهُمَا غَمَامَتَانِ أَوْ كَأَنَّهُمَا غَيَايَتَانِ أَوْ كَأَنَّهُمَا فِرْقَانِ مِنْ طَيْرٍ صَوَافَّ تُحَاجَّانِ عَنْ أَصْحَابِهِمَا اقْرَءُوا سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ فَإِنَّ أَخْذَهَا بَرَكَةٌ وَتَرْكَهَا حَسْرَةٌ وَلاَ تَسْتَطِيعُهَا الْبَطَلَةُ "
Abu Umama said he heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say, "Recite the Qur'an, for on the Day of Resurrection it will come as an intercessor for those who recite It. Recite the two bright ones, al-Baqara and Surah Al 'Imran, for on the Day of Resurrection they will come as two clouds or two shades, or two flocks of birds in ranks, pleading for those who recite them. Recite Surah al-Baqara, for to take recourse to it is a blessing and to give it up is a cause of grief, and the magicians cannot confront it." Sahih Muslim no. 804
- In addressing the Christians, the focus has been the ‘humanity’ of Jesus as opposed to him being Divine. Highlighting his family history demonstrates that his orgins are special but fundamentally human. The name of the Surah is named after the family of Jesus [beginning with this grandfather Jesus].
- This Surah has the most amount of repition of the phrase ‘La ilaha ilaAllah’ – It occurs four times – 3:2, 3:6, 3:18, 3:62 [Tafsir al-Maudhuyee, Dr. Mustafah Muslim vol. 1 p. 409.]
- Words derived from S-L-M – appear most in this Surah compared with the rest of the Qur’an. The most the root letters ever appear in a single Ayat also occurs in this Surah. Allah Almighty says, So if they argue with you, say, "I have submitted myself to Allah [in Islam], and [so have] those who follow me." And say to those who were given the Scripture and [to] the unlearned, "Have you submitted yourselves?" And if they submit [in Islam], they are rightly guided; but if they turn away - then upon you is only the [duty of] notification. And Allah is Seeing of [His] servants. [3:20].
- Allah says in Ayat 59 that ‘ the example of Jesus to Allah is like that of Adam....’ We find that Adam and Jesus in the whole of the Qur’an both occur exactly 25 times each.
- The Qur’an is a fulfilment of the prophecies mentioned in the Torah and Injeel.
- Allah's testimony about Himself.
- Decisive vs. Allegorical verses of The Qur'an.
- The True religion in the sight of Allah is only Islam.
- The only religion acceptable to Allah is Islam.
- Live Islam and die as a Muslim in order to get salvation.
- Followers of Isa (Jesus) were Muslims.
- Birth of Maryam (Mary), Yahya (John) and Isa (Jesus) peace be upon them.
- 'Mubahla' (calling for Allah's decision if the birth of Jesus is disputed). He was born without a father, as Adam (first man) was born without parents and Eve (first woman) was born without a mother.
- Life and death is from Allah.
- There is no escape from death.
- Those who are killed in the path of Allah are not dead, but are alive.
- Muhammad (pbuh) is no more than a Rasool/Prophet of Allah.
- Prohibition to take the unbelievers as protectors.
- The first House of Allah ever built on earth is that of Ka'bah at Makkah.
- Critical review and lessons taught during the Battle of Uhud. In his book, Zad al-Ma`ad, Ibn al-Qayyim cited many of the rulings and noble lessons derived from the battle of Uhud, among them:
1. The believers learned the negative consequence of disobedience, loss of courage and dispute, and that what occurred was the result of it. As Allah(Almighty) said: And Allah had certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing them, with His permission, until when you lost courage and fell to disputing about the [Prophet's] order and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you love. Among you are some who desire this world, and among you are some who desire the Hereafter. Then He turned you back from them [defeated] that He might test you. And He has forgiven you. (3:152)
When they experienced the consequence of their disobedience to the Messenger (Peace and blessings of Allah upon him), their weakening and their arguments, they became more careful and aware thereafter.
2. Allah's wisdom and method required that His messengers and their followers triumphed at times and are defeated at times, but the outcome was always in their favour. Because if they were continually victorious, non-believers as well as believers would join them, so believers could not be distinguished from others.
3. Sincere believers were distinguished from hypocrites, for when Allah(Almighty) gave the Muslims victory over their enemies on the day of Badr some entered Islam whose motives were not as they appeared. So, the wisdom of Allah(Almighty) necessitated a test to differentiate between the believer and the hypocrite. In this battle, the hypocrites showed their true colours and spoke of what they had previously concealed. So, the believers realized that they had an enemy from within and thus could be cautious of them and prepared for them.
4. Allah(Almighty) tests His servants in both good times and bad through that which they like and which they dislike, in victory and defeat. When they show firm obedience and servitude in what they like and what they dislike, then they are true servants of his.
5. If Allah(Almighty) had always given them victory in every circumstance and had always subdued their enemies, they would have become oppressive and arrogant. His servants are only kept righteous and balanced through good times and bad, hardship and ease.
6. When Allah(Almighty) afflicts them with setbacks, loss and defeat, they become humble and submissive, making them deserving of His might and victory.
7. Allah(Almighty) has prepared for His believing servants positions in His Paradise which they cannot reach through their deeds; they will reach them only through difficulties and trials. So, He gives them the means to reach those positions in the form of problems and ordeals.
8. When enjoying continuous health, wealth and ascendancy, human souls acquire an oppressive and impatient nature. This is a disease that hinders one on his journey to Allah(Almighty) and the Hereafter. So, when Allah(Almighty) intends to honour a soul, He gives it difficulties and hardships which serve as treatment for that disease, like a doctor who makes a patient drink a bitter medicine or removes diseased parts from him. And if he left him to his own wishes and inclinations, they would destroy him.
9. Martyrdom in the sight of Allah(Almighty) is among the highest ranks earned by His allies. The martyrs are His privileged servants who are nearest to Him. In fact, after the rank of siddeeq (the intimate and fervent supporter of a prophet) comes that of the shaheed (martyr). The only way to attain this rank is through the circumstances leading to it, i.e., being overcome by an enemy.
10. When Allah(Almighty) intends to destroy His enemies he provides them with the causes of their destruction. The greatest of these causes after unbelief is their oppression, tyranny and abuse of His sincere allies, their waging war against them and overpowering them. In this way, He(Almighty) purifies His servants of their sins and faults. And thereby, He increases the causes of His enemies' destruction.
Tafsir Zone
Sayyid Qutb Overview Prologue The Qur’ān is the Book of Islam. It is the soul and raison d’être of the Islamic mission. It is the backbone and edifice of its existence. It is its guardian and protector; its expression and manifestation; its constitution and way of life. Once all is said and done, the Qur’ān is the fountain, and the reference point, from which Islam and Muslims draw the ways and means of their actions, their systems and approach, and the provisions for their journey in this life. However, a vast chasm will continue to separate us from the Qur’ān unless we understand deep down in our consciousness that the Qur’ān was addressed to a living community that existed in real life. It dealt with genuine situations in the life of that community and interacted with human life in its true manifestation on this earth. It was the main factor in a tremendous battle within the human soul that took place on a specific part of our planet; a battle that teemed with changes, passions and responses. This divide between our hearts and the Qur’ān will continue to exist as long as we recite or listen to it as though it were a collection of fanciful religious hymns, totally disassociated from the realities of daily life facing this being we call man, and this community we call Muslims. These verses were revealed to address living souls, actual realities and events, with real meaning. They did indeed guide those souls, realities and events in an effective and vigorous manner, bringing forth a particular tangible situation with particular characteristics in man’s life, in general, and in the life of the Muslim community, in particular. The Qur’ān’s distinctive miracle lies in the fact that it was revealed to deal with the actual experience of a particular human community, at a specific and finite time in history. It led that community in a momentous battle that was to change the whole history of mankind. That notwithstanding, the Qur’ān continues to provide us with the competence and the capability to live life today, as though it were being revealed at this very moment to organise the affairs of the Muslim community, and its ongoing struggle against pervasive universal ignorance. It continues to lead Muslims in their struggle with their own souls and conscience and with the same vigour and down-to- earth spirit it displayed so long ago. In order for us, today, to capture the Qur’ān’s penetrating power, appreciate its latent vitality and receive the guidance it conveys to Muslims in every generation, we need to visualise the true nature of the earliest Muslim generation who received the Qur’ān for the first time. We need to perceive the Muslims of that generation as they went about their daily lives, facing up to events and developments in Madinah and the rest of Arabia, dealing with their enemies as well as their allies, and struggling against their own passions and desires. The Qur’ān was being revealed to deal with all that and to follow the progress of the Muslim community in their greatest battle with their own souls, with those enemies poised to strike in Madinah, Makkah and the surrounding lands, and even beyond. Indeed, we have to live with that pioneering community of Muslims and picture them in their downright humanity, their actual life and in their human predicaments. We ought to reflect on how the Qur’ān guided that community directly in their daily affairs as well as in their greater global aspirations. We have to see how the Qur’ān led those Muslims by the hand, step by step, as they stumbled and rose, deviated and returned to the true path, weakened and resisted, as they suffered and endured, as they climbed upwards slowly and painfully, striving and persevering, showing all their human characteristics, their weaknesses and capabilities. In this way, we can feel that we are being addressed by the Qur’ān in exactly the same manner as that earlier Muslim community. We can realise that the humanity whose attributes we see and know and feel within ourselves is also capable of responding to the Qur’ān and benefiting from its guidance along the same true path. Thus, we will find the Qur’ān actively working in the life of that Muslim community, but also working in our own lives as well. We will feel that as the Qur’ān is here with us today, so will it be with us tomorrow. It is not merely hymns or hollow rituals, far- removed from our changing reality; nor is it some historic record that has passed and been forgotten, having lost its efficacy and dynamic ability to interact with human life. The Qur’ān is a reality with a perpetual existence akin to that of the cosmos itself; the cosmos being God’s visual “book” while the Qur’ān is God’s recited “book”. Each book is a testimony and a witness to the Creator, and a force in the world. The universe continues to move and fulfil the functions ordained for it by its Creator: the sun moves in its orbit and performs its role, as do the moon, the earth and all the stars and planets, unhindered by the passing of time or the changes affecting their role in the universe. Similarly, the Qur’ān has fulfilled its role towards humanity, and continues to exist in its original form. Likewise, as far as his true character and original nature are concerned, man has not changed. The Qur’ān is God’s message to man. It is immutable because, despite the changes that may have taken place around him and despite the mutual effect between him and those changes, man has not changed or become a different being. The Qur’ān addresses man’s basic being and his original nature which have remained the same. It is capable of guiding human life today and in the future because it is destined so to do. That is because it is God’s last and final message and because human nature, like that of the physical universe, is constant and dynamic but never changing. Would it not be laughable if the sun, for instance, were described as old or “reactionary” and hence it should be replaced by a new and more “progressive” star? Similarly, is it not also laughable for man to be considered antiquated and “reactionary” and his replacement by some other more “enlightened” being to rule the world be argued for? It would also be ludicrous to say the same with regard to the Qur’ān, God’s last and final message to mankind. The sūrah under examination here covers a lively period in the history of the Muslims in Madinah, extending from the end of the famous Battle of Badr, in the second year of Hijrah (622 CE), to the aftermath of the Battle of Uĥud, a year later. It describes the circumstances and the atmosphere surrounding the events of that period, the impact of the Qur’ān on the life of that community, and how it interacted with the prevailing conditions, across all walks of life. The force and vitality of the Qur’ānic text brings into sharp focus the images of that period, the life of the community, and the interactions and circumstances in which that life was engulfed. It penetrates deep into the Muslims’ consciences, exploring their innermost thoughts, feelings and sensibilities; so much so that the reader feels those events in the same way that members of that community experienced them. If one closes one’s eyes, one may begin to see — as I have seen — those Muslims going about their daily lives, hither and thither, with their smiling faces and serenity, but with enemies lurking all around. Those enemies were conspiring, spreading lies and suspicion, harbouring grudges, and rallying their forces for combat with the Muslims, for them to be defeated initially at Uĥud, but later to re-group and inflict heavy losses upon the Muslims. One can picture every movement and every action that took place on the battlefield, and every inner or outward emotion and reaction that accompanied it. One can see the Qur’ān being revealed to counteract the conspiracy and the intrigue, to refute the lies and the allegations, to strengthen Muslim morale and bolster the Muslim position, to direct Muslim spirit and thoughts, to comment on events and actions and draw appropriate lessons, to establish and clarify concepts, to alert the Muslims to the treachery and deceit of their scheming enemies, and to provide them with an enlightened and judicious lead through the thorns, nettles and traps laid in their path. Beyond that, the directives and exhortations contained in this sūrah remain eternal and universal, not restricted by time, place, or circumstance. The sūrah addresses the human soul and the Muslim community — today and in the future — and the whole of mankind, as though it is being revealed at this very moment. It deals with contemporary issues and current situations, because it deals with emotional and spiritual issues, events and feelings as though these were already taken into account within the context of the sūrah. Indeed, they would have been taken into account in the overall scheme of God, the omniscient, who has full knowledge of everything. Thus, it becomes clear that the Qur’ān is the guiding light of Islam everywhere and at all times. It is the life code for every generation of Muslims whoever they may be, and their beacon along the way, century after century. For, it is God’s last and final message to mankind in all ages. The Early Years in Madinah At the time of the revelation of this sūrah, the Muslim community began to settle in their new homeland, Madinah, the city of the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him) and had gone some way into the state of affairs already described in our Introduction to sūrah 2, al-Baqarah, or The Cow (Vol. I, pp 9-16). The Battle of Badr had already taken place, and the Muslims had been blessed with victory over the Quraysh. The circumstances concomitant with achieving that victory suggested a “miracle”. This forced notable figures such as `Abdullāh ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl, a grand personality of the Khazraj tribe of Madinah, to suppress his pride, put aside his hatred for Islam, and contain his spite and envy towards the Prophet Muĥammad in order to assimilate into the Muslim community, albeit hypocritically. His only comment was: “This, Islam, is here to stay.” He had come to accept that Islam was firmly established and its progress unstoppable. This was how the seeds of the phenomenon known as hypocrisy were planted in Madinah, and which began to grow and spread. Before Badr, some people whose relatives had converted to Islam were obliged to pretend not to mind; some of the more prominent of these even pretended to have accepted Islam and joined the Muslim community while, at the same time, they continued to harbour a grudge and animosity. They were ready to scheme against the Muslims and to seek the weaker points in the structure of the new community in order to undermine Muslim ranks and strength, satisfy their own prejudices and await the appropriate moment to strike their final blow, if possible. The hypocrites found natural allies among the Jews of Madinah who had a similar or even stronger grudge and prejudices of their own towards Islam and the Prophet. Islam had posed a real and formidable threat to the status of the Jews among the Arabs of Madinah. It deprived them of the one reason they had to cause rancour and division between the two main Arab tribes of Madinah: the Aws and the Khazraj. Under Islam, people of the two tribes became “brothers and sisters”, belonging to the same united side. The Jews of Madinah were stifled and choked at the Muslim victory at Badr. From then on, they would use all their powers of intrigue, deceit and scheming to break Muslim ranks and throw doubt and confusion into Muslim hearts and minds; spreading rumours and allegations against Islam and against the Muslims personally. Then came that episode with the Jewish tribe of Qaynuqā` bringing all that animosity into the open. This they did, despite the agreements and covenants the Prophet Muĥammad had made with the Jews of Madinah following his arrival there in 622 CE. On the other hand, in the wake of their defeat at Badr, the non- Muslim Arabs were growing increasingly bitter. They could no longer afford to ignore Muhammad’s achievements or those of the Madinah camp; nor could they underestimate the threat posed to their trade, their status and their very existence in Arabia. They were, therefore, keen to eliminate that imminent threat before it was beyond their capacity to do so. As the hatred and power of the enemies of Islam were reaching their peak, the Muslim camp in Madinah was still in its infancy. It was hardly a homogeneous community; there were the elites of the earlier Muslims of Makkah (the Muhājirūn) and Madinah (the Anşār) as well as individuals who were yet to mature. The community as a whole lacked any practical experience to be able to smooth away the rough edges in its composition and to present a clear image of Islam and the phase it was going through, or to express the sum and substance of its approach and obligations. The hypocrites, headed by `Abdullāh ibn Ubayy, commanded a strong position in society. They maintained strong family and tribal ties. The Muslims, on the other hand, were yet to develop the understanding that Islam alone represented their family and tribal relationships and the only bond that united them. A certain amount of dislocation could still be found within Muslim ranks due to the existence of hypocrite and dishonest elements and their influence on the destiny and future of the whole community, as we will see clearly when we come to review the verses in this sūrah relating to the Battle of Uĥud. The Jews also enjoyed a strong position in Madinah as well as maintaining their economic ties and covenant alliances with its inhabitants. Their hostility was yet to become open, while the Muslims had yet to develop the feeling that their faith was the only covenant binding upon them, the sole symbol of their nationhood, and the basis of their behavioural and contractual dealings. They were yet to appreciate that ties and bonds, which clashed with their faith, would have no efficacy or validity. In this atmosphere, the Jews found openings for meddling, and for sowing doubts and confusion. There were Muslims who would listen to their talk and be influenced by it. There were Muslims even prepared to intervene with the Prophet on their behalf so as to spare them any possible penalty or punishment and to mitigate the harm they might cause the Muslim community. A stark example is that of `Abdullāh ibn Ubayy who spoke harshly to the Prophet in his plea on behalf of the Qaynuqā ‘ Jews. The total and decisive victory of the Muslims at Badr, however, was achieved with minimum effort and cost. The small band of Muslims who joined that expedition were scantily equipped for armed conflict. Although they confronted a much larger and well- prepared Quraysh battalion, the latter were overcome swiftly and convincingly. That victory, coming in the very first confrontation between the army of God and that of the infidels, was part of God’s scheme of things, and we may be able to discern some of its underlying purpose today. Perhaps it was designed to reinforce and strengthen the fledgling religion of Islam, or to demonstrate its efficacy in the battlefield so that it could proceed and progress thereafter. The Muslims, themselves, might have taken their victory for granted and considered that they would prevail at every stage of their ascent. After all, were they not believing Muslims and their enemies unbelievers? Was it not the case, then, that whenever the two camps met in battle, the Muslims would be certain of triumph. The Divine principles governing victory and defeat are not so simplistic or naïve. There are prerequisites pertaining to mental preparation, organisational readiness, equipment and provisions, discipline and control, as well as mental and physical alertness. This is what God meant to teach them through the setback they suffered at Uĥud, as this sūrah portrays in vivid, breathtaking and meaningful terms. It identifies the behaviour of some Muslims as the reason for their defeat and delivers constructive lessons for both individuals and the community as a whole. As we review the Battle of Uĥud, we can see that its lessons cost the Muslims enormous pain and sacrifice. They lost some of their dearest and most important members, including Ĥamzah ibn `Abd al-Muţţalib, the Prophet Muĥammad’s uncle. More serious and shocking than that, they saw God’s Messenger sustain wounds to his forehead, break one of his teeth, fall into a ditch, and have the rings of his armour embedded in his cheek. Nothing could have been more horrific and distressing for the Muslims to witness. The events of the Battle of Uĥud are preceded in the sūrah by a lengthy section completely devoted to a series of directives and exhortations aimed at an elaborate and crystal-clear statement of Islamic belief. It presents the principle of the oneness of God, or tawĥīd, in precise and unambiguous terms; it refutes the lies and suspicions propagated by Jews and Christians in Arabia, whether those emanated from their own deviation and false beliefs or those they aimed to sow in Muslim ranks so as to undermine their faith and break their unity and solidarity. Several accounts identify verses 1-83 as being revealed in connection with a visit, during the ninth year of the Muslim calendar, to Madinah by a Christian delegation from Najrān in southern Arabia. However, I doubt if these verses were revealed in that year because their context and content indicate that they were received over the earlier part of the Madinah era, during the Muslim community’s formative years. It was during that period that the Muslims were exposed to the largest part of Jewish and other intrigues, which affected both the development of their community as well as their individual behaviour. However, whether we accept those reports or not, it is clear that the verses address Christian claims and allegations, especially those relating to Jesus (peace be upon him) and focus on the principle of oneness of God. The verses clear the Christian faith of the confusion and distortions that had crept into it, and call upon Christians to believe in the one true God identified in their own scriptures which the Qur’ān had come to confirm and endorse. The section also contains references and reprimands addressed to the Jews. Specifically, it warns the Muslims against intrigues by their non-Muslim neighbours, especially the Jews of Madinah. This section, delineated in this work as Part I, which represents about half of the sūrah, covers aspects of the confrontation between Islam and other religious beliefs existing in the Arabian peninsula at the time. This conflict was not merely theological, but rather represented the theoretical aspects of the wider confrontation between the developing Muslim community and its many antagonists who connived and schemed against it, and who strenuously sought to undermine the Islamic faith itself. The essence of that confrontation between the Muslim nation and its opponents remains fundamentally the same today: secularism, international Zionism and modern-day Crusaders. It is also clear from the text of the sūrah that the means and the ends of the confrontation remain the same. This confirms that the Qur’ān is the Book of Islam and the guidebook for the Muslim nation, now and in the future, as it was its reference during its formative years so long ago. In today’s struggle, only those who are mentally unsound would reject the means that would bring certain victory and refuse to consult the Qur’ān or follow its guidance. Through weak-mindedness, carelessness or malice, those would be deceiving themselves and the Muslim nation, and rendering its enemies a great service. The discourses and the accounts given in this part of the sūrah also expose the attitude of the Jews and Christians, peoples who have deviated from their own true Scriptures, towards the Muslim community and the new faith of Islam. (See, for instance, verses 7, 23, 65, 69-72, 75, 78, 98-9, and 119-20.) It is clear from the numerous and pointed references that the instruments of war used against the Muslim community were not limited to swords and spears. First and foremost, Islam’s enemies targeted the Muslim faith. They deployed deception and intrigue, spread false allegations, plotted and conspired. They aimed to dislodge Islam, the essence that had brought the Muslim community into being. They sought to undermine and destroy the Islamic faith, because they knew, as their counterparts know today, it was the mainstay of the community; the community is only defeated when its spirit of faith is defeated. Their enemies could do the Muslims no harm so long as the Muslims themselves held fast to their faith, depended on it, lived according to its principles, championed its banner, represented its true supporters, and proudly identified with it alone. From this it is clear that the most evil of enemies are those who divert Muslims away from their faith and belief, and who lead them away from God’s path or deceive them regarding the true identity of their enemies and their long-term objectives. The struggle between the Muslim community and its enemies is, first and foremost, a struggle of faith and belief. Even when the struggle is over land or resources or economic gain or raw materials, winning the war of beliefs and ideas comes first. Long experience has taught Islam’s enemies that they cannot prevail over the Muslim community as long as the latter adhere to their faith and religion and commit themselves to its system, remaining constantly vigilant. This is why Islam’s enemies and their lackeys expend colossal energy and resources in order to deceive the Muslims and camouflage the real nature of the conflict. In this way they seek to get what they want, to dominate and exploit the Muslims, safe in the knowledge that no faith or belief can motivate them. Although its enemies today adopt more sophisticated means of intrigue against the Muslim community and use more advanced methods to sow doubts among its people and weaken their bonds, their fundamental objective remains unchanged: to lead the Muslims astray, away from their faith and their religion. The Qur’ān, therefore, concentrated first of all on frustrating these noxious efforts. It would strengthen the Muslim community’s belief in the truth it advocated; it would refute the lies and suspicions that the Jews and Christians spread about Islam; it would expound unequivocally, the grand concepts it promoted, impressing upon the Muslims the need to see the essence and value of their existence on this earth, and to appreciate their role and the role of the faith they uphold in shaping the history of mankind. The Qur’ān warned the Muslims against their opponents’ intrigue, exposed their clandestine schemes, dirty tricks and sinister aims. It identified this hatred towards Islam and Muslims as the result of the favour conferred by God for the great honour of conveying the message of Islam to the world. The Qur’ān guides the Muslims by affirming the realities and criteria of power in this world, stressing the inherent weakness of their enemies and their disgrace in the eyes of God. It cites their infidelity and deviation from God’s revealed messages and their slaying of their own prophets and messengers. It reassures them that God is on their side; He is One, the unmatched Supreme Ruler of everything, and He alone bestows power or takes it away. He will severely punish the faithless (who, in this context, are the Jews). He will humiliate them, just as He did the polytheist Arabs. (See verses 1-5, 10-13, 19, 26, 28, 68, 83, 85, 1003, 110-12, and 118-20.) A number of facts arise from the concerted and diverse campaign depicted in these verses: Firstly; the extent to which the Jews of Madinah were prepared to go to subvert Islam and undermine the Muslim community, the depth of their hatred and the wide variety of means and methods they were willing to deploy. Secondly; the great impact the campaign had on individual Muslims, thereby calling for such extensive and detailed Qur’ānic coverage. Thirdly; that, after all these centuries, we still find the same antagonists perpetrating a similar campaign of vilification and demonisation against Islam and the Muslims all over the world. They continue to pose the main threat, and so God Almighty, in His infinite wisdom, has preserved the Qur’ān as a guiding beacon for subsequent Muslim generations to be able to identify their traditional enemies clearly and accurately. The Battle of Uĥud The second part of the sūrah deals exclusively with the Uĥud campaign, but also carries affirmations relating to the principles of Islam and its outlook, together with commands and exhortations on how to build the Muslim community on those principles. It reviews the facts and events of the campaign, and the feelings and thoughts generated by it, in vivid detail. It describes most accurately the state of the Muslim community at the time and its various constituents, as outlined at the beginning of this Prologue. The link between this section and the preceding one is quite clear. It also attends to the articulation of the Islamic outlook — immediately and decisively in the heat of battle. It guides and counsels the Muslim community how to uphold their faith and to take on their obligations and responsibilities. It instructs the Muslims in the Divine rules and criteria regarding victory and defeat, complementing the lessons they had learned from their practical experience. It is hardly possible, in this general Prologue, to do justice to this section of the sūrah, but we shall return to it at the appropriate point in the commentary. The final section of the sūrah provides a summary of its main themes. It begins with a revealing reference to the physical world, God’s observed book, and its inspiring effect on believing hearts. It continues with a serene and flowing invocation on behalf of those faithful hearts, recited with God’s ‘observed book’ as a fitting backdrop. It says: “In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of night and day, there are indeed signs for men endowed with insight, who remember God when they stand, sit and lie down, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: ‘Our Lord, You have not created all this in vain. Limitless are You in Your glory. Guard us, then, against the torment of the fire. Our Lord, him whom You shall commit to the fire, You will have condemned to disgrace. The evildoers shall have none to help them. Our Lord, we have heard the voice of one who calls to faith, [saying], “Believe in your Lord, “and we have believed. Our Lord, forgive us then our sins and efface our bad deeds and let us die with the truly virtuous. Our Lord, grant us what You have promised us through Your Messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Surely, You never fail to fulfil Your promise.’” (Verses 190-4) God’s response comes next, citing the displacement, struggle and persecution suffered by the believers for the cause of God Almighty: Their Lord answers them: “I will not suffer the work of any worker among you, male or female, to be lost. Each of you is an issue of the other. Therefore, those who emigrate and are driven out of their homes and suffer persecution in My cause, and fight and are slain [for it] — I shall indeed efface their bad deeds and admit them to gardens through which running waters flow, as a reward from God. With God is the best of rewards.” (Verse 195) It is clear that these verses directly relate to the events and the aftermath of the Battle of Uĥud. The sūrah then refers to those people who received earlier revelations, and to whom it devotes the whole of its first part. It reassures the Muslims that the revelation they received has not been rejected by all of those earlier communities, as some of them believe its teachings and attest to its veracity. It says: “There are indeed among the people of earlier revelations some who believe in God and what has been bestowed from on high upon you and in what has been bestowed upon them, humbling themselves before God. They do not barter away God’s revelations for a trifling price.” (Verse 199) The sūrah closes with an appeal to believing Muslims to persevere, to forebear, and to hold fast to their faith and to fear God, a call that fits perfectly with the whole ambience of the sūrah and its many themes. No introduction to the sūrah would be complete without understanding three broad themes whose constituent elements are dotted throughout it. Firstly, the clear and precise statements made on the meaning of “religion” and “Islam”. Religious faith, as defined and affirmed by God Almighty, is not a haphazard or irrational belief in the existence of God. There is only one form of belief in God and that is an absolute, definite and certain affirmation of the oneness of God, tawĥīd. He is a God to whom mankind submit, as do all other creatures in this world. He is the power that controls and oversees the affairs of mankind and of everything in existence. Nothing can exist or function without God Almighty, and none but Him has absolute power and authority over creation. Accordingly, the religion that God would approve of is Islam, which in this context means total and absolute submission to the Divine Being. Islam is to acknowledge God as the only source of guidance in all walks of life, to recognise His revealed Book, the Qur’ān, as the final arbiter and reference and to follow the Messenger to whom it was revealed. The Book, in its essence, is one and the same, and the religion, in its essence, is one and the same. It is Islam, in its realistic and practical meaning as perceived in the human mind and conscience and in man’s daily affairs. By adopting this one religion, all believing followers of God’s appointed Messengers, in their respective generations, fall into line as long as they believe in the oneness of God and in His absolute authority and submit to Him in all aspects of their life, without exception. The sūrah highlights this theme, expanding upon it, in clear and emphatic terms, on more than thirty occasions. (See, for example, verses 2, 18-20, 23, 31-2, 52, 64, 67, 83, and 85.) Secondly, the sūrah deals with the relationship between Muslims and God. It emphasises their full submission to Him and their total acceptance of, compliance with, and acquiescence in all that He had revealed. References to this theme will be dealt with in full in their respective places in this sūrah. (See verses 7-8, 16-17, 52-3, 110, 113-14, 146-7, 172-3, 191-4, and 199.) Thirdly, the Muslims are warned against seeking alliances with the unbelievers whose position and strength are shown to be of little consequence. It emphasises that alliances with the unbelievers, who do not adhere to God’s Book or comply with the way of life He ordains, negate any presumed belief in God or ties with Him. Reference has already been made to this aspect, but since it is such a prominent feature of the sūrah, further amplification is given here. Some quotations which deal with this theme include verses 28-9, 69, 100-3, 111-12, 118, 149-51, and 196. These three broad themes complement one another perfectly in presenting the Islamic outlook and the true concept of the oneness of God, tawĥīd. The prerequisites of this concept in human life and in man’s consciousness of God Almighty are clearly delineated as also the effect all this has on the Muslims’ attitude towards the enemies of God. When read in their proper place and context in this sūrah, these verses provide greater vigour and deeper meaning. They were revealed in the thick of battle; the battle for faith and belief. During both the internal battle raging within Muslim hearts and minds, and the battle taking place in their daily lives. Hence the sūrah has come to contain such extraordinary accounts of movement, inspiration and impact. Overview (Verses 1 - 4) The Cornerstone of the Islamic Faith Alif. Lām. Mīm. God: there is no deity save Him, the Ever-living, the Eternal Master of all. He has revealed to you this Book with the truth, confirming what was revealed before it; and He has already revealed the Torah and the Gospel before this as guidance for people. (Verses 1-4) We choose as the most probable explanation of the three individual letters of the Arabic alphabet, which open the sūrah, namely, Alif; Lām; Mīm, the same explanation given in our commentary on the opening passage of the preceding sūrah al-Baqarah. These letters are mentioned here in order to draw people’s attention to the fact that this book, the Qur’ān, is composed of the same type of letters as those available to the Arabs addressed by it. It remains at the same time a miraculous book which they cannot imitate despite the fact that their language is composed of the same letters. This most probable of explanations helps us understand, without difficulty, the need for such references to the nature of the Qur’ān in many sūrahs that open with individual letters. In the preceding sūrah al-Baqarah, this reference points to the challenge thrown down subsequently in the sūrah in these terms: “If you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce one sūrah comparable to it and call upon all your witnesses, other than God, if you were truthful.” (2: 23) In this sūrah a different occasion necessitates this reference to the letters of which the Qur’ān is composed. The sūrah stresses that this Book is revealed by God, the One and only deity. It is yet composed of letters and words in the same way as earlier revelations acknowledged by their followers, who are primarily addressed by this sūrah. There is nothing new in the fact that God has chosen to reveal this Book to His Messenger in this way. The sūrah begins with confronting the People of the Book, a Qur’ānic term used to denote people of earlier Divine revelation, especially the Jews and Christians, who deny the Prophet’s message, even though their knowledge of earlier Prophets, messages, and revelations should have made them the first to accept and believe in the new message. That should have been the case if the matter was simply one of evidence and conviction. The first passage of the sūrah confronts these people in clear terms, dismissing all doubts they entertain or deliberately try to raise in people’s minds. It points out how these doubts press on the minds of people. It defines the attitude of true believers towards God’s message and defines the attitude of doubters and those who go astray. It vividly portrays the believers’ attitude towards their Lord and how they seek refuge with Him and appeal to Him. They know all His attributes. “God: there is no deity save Him, the Ever-living, the Eternal Master of all.” This emphatic opening stresses the absolute oneness of God. It identifies itself as the very basic difference between the faith of Muslims and all other religions and ideologies, whether atheist and polytheist creeds or the religions of those people of the Book, Jews and Christians alike, who have gone astray. It distinguishes the faith of Islam from all other faiths, creeds and ideologies. It is also the basic difference between the way of life of Muslims and that of the followers of all other religions. It is the faith which determines the direction and the system of life in an elaborate and perfect manner. “God: there is no deity save Him.” He has no partner in His most essential attribute of Divinity. “The Ever-living,” Who has true, self- sustaining life with absolutely no restrictions. Hence, nothing is similar to Him in this attribute. “The Eternal Master of all,” Who gives every life and sustains every existence. No life can exist in this universe without His permission. This is the central point at issue between the Islamic faith and all other ideologies; between ascribing Divinity only to God and all the multitude of erring beliefs, including idolatry, concepts which were rife at the time in the Arabian Peninsula, as well as Jewish and Christian concepts. The Qur’ān tells us that the Jews used to say that Ezra was the son of God. Something to this effect is included in the fallacies recorded in what the Jews claim to be the Holy Book (Genesis, chapter 6). As for erroneous Christian concepts, the Qur’ān speaks of the Christian belief in the Trinity and their claim that Jesus, son of Mary, was God Himself. They also attribute Divinity to Jesus and his mother, considering them gods. They also consider their priests and monks to have Divine authority. In his book, The Preaching of Islam, Thomas Arnold refers to some of these deviant concepts. A hundred years before, Justinian had succeeded in giving some show of unity to the Roman Empire, but after his death it rapidly fell asunder, and at this time there was an entire want of common national feeling between the provinces and the seat of government. Heraclius had made some partially successful efforts to attach Syria again to the central government, but unfortunately the general methods of re- conciliation which he adopted had served only to increase dissension instead of allaying it. Religious Passions were the only existing substitute for national feeling, and he tried, by propounding an exposition of faith, that was intended to serve as an eirenicon, to stop all further dispute between the contending factions and unite the heretics to the Orthodox Church and to the central government. The Council of Chalcedon (451) had maintained that Christ was “to be acknowledged in two natures, without confusion, change, diversion or separation; the difference of the natures being in nowise taken away by reason of their union, but rather the properties of each nature being preserved, and concurring into one person and one substance, not as it were divided or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and only begotten, God the Word.” The council was rejected by the Monophysites, who only allowed one nature in the person of Christ, who was said to be a composite person, having all attributes divine and human, but the substance bearing these attributes was no longer a duality, but a composite unity. The controversy between the orthodox party and the Monophysites, who flourished particularly in Egypt and Syria and in countries outside the Byzantine empire, had been hotly contested for nearly two centuries, when Heraclius sought to effect a reconciliation by means of the doctrine of Monotheism: while conceding the duality of the natures, it secured unity of the person in the actual life of Christ, by the rejection of two series of activities in this one person; the one Christ and Son of God effectuates that which is human and that which is divine by one divine human agency, i.e., there is only one will in the Incarnate Word. As for deviation in the beliefs of idolaters, the Qur’ān speaks of their worship of the jinn, the angels, the sun, the moon and idols. The least deviant in all their beliefs being the assertion by some of them that they only worshipped these idols in order that they would act as intermediaries endearing them to God. It confronting such a great heap of erring beliefs and deviant concepts, Islam declares in the clearest and strongest of terms: “God: there is no deity save Him, the Ever-living, the Eternal Master of all.” As we have said, this declaration identifies the central point at issue in matters of faith. Moreover, it is the departing point for different ways of life and codes of behaviour. When belief in the existence of God, the only God Who is Ever-living, and Who is the Eternal Master from Whom every life and every existence are derived and Who controls every living thing, is firmly established in someone’s mind, his way of life must, by necessity, be totally different from that of a person who holds to any of the confused and erring concepts. The latter cannot feel the influence on his life of the Divine Being, the One, who is actually in control of his life. With the concept of the absolute oneness of God, submission to anyone other than Him is inadmissible. There can be no room for deriving any laws or systems, moral values, economic or social systems except from God. He is the only One to Whom we turn for guidance in every matter which concerns this life or in what follows this life. With all other confused beliefs and concepts there is no one to whom we may turn. There are no boundaries distinguishing right from wrong, what is forbidden from what is lawful. All these can be determined only when the source from which they are derived is determined. For it is that source to which we turn for guidance and to which we submit ourselves in total obedience. Hence, it was necessary to put the issue very clearly right at the outset: “God: there is no deity save Him, the Ever-living, the Eternal Master of all.” This is, indeed, what gives Islamic life its unique character, one which is not confined to the realm of beliefs only. All aspects of Islamic life are derived from this basic Islamic concept of the total and absolute oneness of God. This concept cannot be truly established in our minds unless its practical influence is felt in our lives, starting with deriving our laws which relate to all fields of life from God alone, and turning to Him for guidance in every sphere of life. When the central issue is thus resolved by the declaration of the absolute oneness of God and outlining His unique attributes, which no one shares with Him, are outlined, the sūrah moves on to speak of the unity of the source from which all religions, Scriptures and Divine messages are revealed. That is to say the source of the revealed code implemented throughout all generations of human life. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
Mawdudi
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
|
Overview (Verses 1 - 4) The Cornerstone of the Islamic Faith Alif. Lām. Mīm. God: there is no deity save Him, the Ever-living, the Eternal Master of all. He has revealed to you this Book with the truth, confirming what was revealed before it; and He has already revealed the Torah and the Gospel before this as guidance for people. (Verses 1-4) We choose as the most probable explanation of the three individual letters of the Arabic alphabet, which open the sūrah, namely, Alif; Lām; Mīm, the same explanation given in our commentary on the opening passage of the preceding sūrah al-Baqarah. These letters are mentioned here in order to draw people’s attention to the fact that this book, the Qur’ān, is composed of the same type of letters as those available to the Arabs addressed by it. It remains at the same time a miraculous book which they cannot imitate despite the fact that their language is composed of the same letters. This most probable of explanations helps us understand, without difficulty, the need for such references to the nature of the Qur’ān in many sūrahs that open with individual letters. In the preceding sūrah al-Baqarah, this reference points to the challenge thrown down subsequently in the sūrah in these terms: “If you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce one sūrah comparable to it and call upon all your witnesses, other than God, if you were truthful.” (2: 23) In this sūrah a different occasion necessitates this reference to the letters of which the Qur’ān is composed. The sūrah stresses that this Book is revealed by God, the One and only deity. It is yet composed of letters and words in the same way as earlier revelations acknowledged by their followers, who are primarily addressed by this sūrah. There is nothing new in the fact that God has chosen to reveal this Book to His Messenger in this way. The sūrah begins with confronting the People of the Book, a Qur’ānic term used to denote people of earlier Divine revelation, especially the Jews and Christians, who deny the Prophet’s message, even though their knowledge of earlier Prophets, messages, and revelations should have made them the first to accept and believe in the new message. That should have been the case if the matter was simply one of evidence and conviction. The first passage of the sūrah confronts these people in clear terms, dismissing all doubts they entertain or deliberately try to raise in people’s minds. It points out how these doubts press on the minds of people. It defines the attitude of true believers towards God’s message and defines the attitude of doubters and those who go astray. It vividly portrays the believers’ attitude towards their Lord and how they seek refuge with Him and appeal to Him. They know all His attributes. “God: there is no deity save Him, the Ever-living, the Eternal Master of all.” This emphatic opening stresses the absolute oneness of God. It identifies itself as the very basic difference between the faith of Muslims and all other religions and ideologies, whether atheist and polytheist creeds or the religions of those people of the Book, Jews and Christians alike, who have gone astray. It distinguishes the faith of Islam from all other faiths, creeds and ideologies. It is also the basic difference between the way of life of Muslims and that of the followers of all other religions. It is the faith which determines the direction and the system of life in an elaborate and perfect manner. “God: there is no deity save Him.” He has no partner in His most essential attribute of Divinity. “The Ever-living,” Who has true, self- sustaining life with absolutely no restrictions. Hence, nothing is similar to Him in this attribute. “The Eternal Master of all,” Who gives every life and sustains every existence. No life can exist in this universe without His permission. This is the central point at issue between the Islamic faith and all other ideologies; between ascribing Divinity only to God and all the multitude of erring beliefs, including idolatry, concepts which were rife at the time in the Arabian Peninsula, as well as Jewish and Christian concepts. The Qur’ān tells us that the Jews used to say that Ezra was the son of God. Something to this effect is included in the fallacies recorded in what the Jews claim to be the Holy Book (Genesis, chapter 6). As for erroneous Christian concepts, the Qur’ān speaks of the Christian belief in the Trinity and their claim that Jesus, son of Mary, was God Himself. They also attribute Divinity to Jesus and his mother, considering them gods. They also consider their priests and monks to have Divine authority. In his book, The Preaching of Islam, Thomas Arnold refers to some of these deviant concepts. A hundred years before, Justinian had succeeded in giving some show of unity to the Roman Empire, but after his death it rapidly fell asunder, and at this time there was an entire want of common national feeling between the provinces and the seat of government. Heraclius had made some partially successful efforts to attach Syria again to the central government, but unfortunately the general methods of re- conciliation which he adopted had served only to increase dissension instead of allaying it. Religious Passions were the only existing substitute for national feeling, and he tried, by propounding an exposition of faith, that was intended to serve as an eirenicon, to stop all further dispute between the contending factions and unite the heretics to the Orthodox Church and to the central government. The Council of Chalcedon (451) had maintained that Christ was “to be acknowledged in two natures, without confusion, change, diversion or separation; the difference of the natures being in nowise taken away by reason of their union, but rather the properties of each nature being preserved, and concurring into one person and one substance, not as it were divided or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and only begotten, God the Word.” The council was rejected by the Monophysites, who only allowed one nature in the person of Christ, who was said to be a composite person, having all attributes divine and human, but the substance bearing these attributes was no longer a duality, but a composite unity. The controversy between the orthodox party and the Monophysites, who flourished particularly in Egypt and Syria and in countries outside the Byzantine empire, had been hotly contested for nearly two centuries, when Heraclius sought to effect a reconciliation by means of the doctrine of Monotheism: while conceding the duality of the natures, it secured unity of the person in the actual life of Christ, by the rejection of two series of activities in this one person; the one Christ and Son of God effectuates that which is human and that which is divine by one divine human agency, i.e., there is only one will in the Incarnate Word. As for deviation in the beliefs of idolaters, the Qur’ān speaks of their worship of the jinn, the angels, the sun, the moon and idols. The least deviant in all their beliefs being the assertion by some of them that they only worshipped these idols in order that they would act as intermediaries endearing them to God. It confronting such a great heap of erring beliefs and deviant concepts, Islam declares in the clearest and strongest of terms: “God: there is no deity save Him, the Ever-living, the Eternal Master of all.” As we have said, this declaration identifies the central point at issue in matters of faith. Moreover, it is the departing point for different ways of life and codes of behaviour. When belief in the existence of God, the only God Who is Ever-living, and Who is the Eternal Master from Whom every life and every existence are derived and Who controls every living thing, is firmly established in someone’s mind, his way of life must, by necessity, be totally different from that of a person who holds to any of the confused and erring concepts. The latter cannot feel the influence on his life of the Divine Being, the One, who is actually in control of his life. With the concept of the absolute oneness of God, submission to anyone other than Him is inadmissible. There can be no room for deriving any laws or systems, moral values, economic or social systems except from God. He is the only One to Whom we turn for guidance in every matter which concerns this life or in what follows this life. With all other confused beliefs and concepts there is no one to whom we may turn. There are no boundaries distinguishing right from wrong, what is forbidden from what is lawful. All these can be determined only when the source from which they are derived is determined. For it is that source to which we turn for guidance and to which we submit ourselves in total obedience. Hence, it was necessary to put the issue very clearly right at the outset: “God: there is no deity save Him, the Ever-living, the Eternal Master of all.” This is, indeed, what gives Islamic life its unique character, one which is not confined to the realm of beliefs only. All aspects of Islamic life are derived from this basic Islamic concept of the total and absolute oneness of God. This concept cannot be truly established in our minds unless its practical influence is felt in our lives, starting with deriving our laws which relate to all fields of life from God alone, and turning to Him for guidance in every sphere of life. When the central issue is thus resolved by the declaration of the absolute oneness of God and outlining His unique attributes, which no one shares with Him, are outlined, the sūrah moves on to speak of the unity of the source from which all religions, Scriptures and Divine messages are revealed. That is to say the source of the revealed code implemented throughout all generations of human life. |
- Surah Ale-Imran (Family of Imran) Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL5rHTmW5TA&index=3&list=PLFBCB5C33480F350C
- Surah Ale-Imran - Abu Hajar al Iraqi http://youtu.be/hgbD1dFSOBI
- Surah Ale-Imran - Idris Abkar http://youtu.be/1gzFvd_xzhk
- Surah Ale-Imran Abu Bakr Shatri https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebQUloIs2nE&index=3&list=PLxpAkjlGauHc08MN5sylwN5zgqtu3-HE7
- Surah Ale-Imran Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzLLK7OQ9bc&index=3&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM
- Surah Ale-Imran Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acNv2ZYHt7E&index=3&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe
- Surah Ale-Imran Idris Akbar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzIQtH7Q_1U
- Surah Ale-Imran Muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR_EDMllWW8&index=3&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG
- Ale-Imran (1-80)1 Dr Israr Ahmed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVxZOf7xK-c&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263&index=13
- Ale-Imran (1-80)2 Dr Israr Ahmed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8INOHzg-CUc&index=14&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263
- Surah Ale-Imran (81-155)1 Dr Israr Ahmed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEXe73qGcm4&index=15&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263
- Surah Ale-Imran (81-155)2 Dr Israr Ahmed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm0DD46jvCo&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263&index=16
- Surah Ale-Imran (156-End)2 Dr Israr Ahmed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt9LJ9BwaxE&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263&index=17