QII 3
آلِ عِمْرَان
Āl ʿImrān
The Family of Imran
|
آلِ
عِمْرَان |
|
|
Classification |
|
|
Position |
Juzʼ 3–4 |
|
No. of Rukus |
20 |
|
No. of verses |
200 |
|
No. of words |
3503 |
|
No. of letters |
14605 |
|
Opening muqaṭṭaʻāt |
Alif Lam Meem |
1-6 It
is Allah Who has revealed Torah, Gospel and Al-Quran
(3:4) for the guidance
of mankind;2 and He has also revealed the Criterion (to
distinguish truth from falsehood). A severe chastisement lies in store for
those who deny the signs of Allah. Allah is All-Mighty; He is the Lord of
Retribution.
·
2. The Torah is generally taken --------a lengthy EN
29
Aug 2022, 01 safar (2)1444
·
(3:6) It is He Who fashions you in the wombs as He wills.4 There is no God
but He; the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
·
· .
·
7-9 Decisive
vs Allegorical verses and Supplication of the Believers
ayatun
muhkamatun matashabaha
· (3:7)
It is He Who has revealed the Book to you. Some of its verses are absolutely
clear and lucid, and these are the core of the Book.5
· Others
are ambiguous.6 Those in whose hearts there
is perversity, always go about the part
which is ambiguous, seeking mischief and
seeking to arrive at its meaning arbitrarily, although none
knows their true meaning except Allah. On the contrary, those
firmly rooted in knowledge say: 'We believe
in it; it is all from our Lord alone.'7 No
one derives true admonition from anything except the men of understanding.
5. Muhkam means that which has been made firmly and perfectly. The muhkam
verses mentioned here are those Qur'anic verses which are embodied in
clear and lucid language and whose meaning is not liable to any ambiguity and
equivocation. The words of these verses are clear pointers to their true
meaning and, therefore, it is difficult to subject them to arbitrary
interpretation. Such verses form the core of the Holy Book; they
are the verses which fulfil the true purpose for which the Qur'an was revealed,
and they invite the whole world to Islam. They embody admonition
and instruction as well as the refutation of erroneous doctrines and
the elucidation of the Right Way. They also contain the fundamentals
of the true faith; teachings relating to belief, worship and morality, and
mandatory duties and prohibitions. These
are the verses which will guide the genuine seeker after Truth who turns to the
Qur'an in order to find out what he ought and ought not to do.
6. 'Ambiguous' verses are those whose meaning may have some degree
of equivocation. It is obvious that no way of life can be prescribed for man unless
a certain amount of knowledge explaining the truth about the universe, about
its origin and end, about man's position in it and other matters of similar
importance, is intimated to him. It is also evident that
the truths which lie beyond the range of human perception have
always eluded and will continue to elude man; no words exist in the human
vocabulary which either express or portray them. In speaking about such things,
we necessarily resort to words and expressions generally employed in connection
with tangible objects. In the Qur'an, too, this kind of language is employed in
relation to supernatural matters; the verses which have been characterized as
'ambiguous' refer to such matters.
At best, such expressions may serve to either bring man close to
or enable him to formulate some view of reality, even if it is a faint one. The
more one tries to determine the precise meaning of such verses, the more their
ambiguities proliferate, and the more one is confronted with choosing between
several plausible interpretations. All this is likely to alienate one
progressively further away' from the Truth instead of bringing one closer to
it. Those who seek the Truth and do not hanker after the satisfaction of their
egocentric quest for exotic superfluities, will be satisfied with the dim
vision of reality derived from these verses. They will concentrate their
attention instead on the clear and lucid 'core' verses of the Qur'an. It will
be left to those who are either out to make mischief and mislead people or who
have an abnormal passion for superfluities to devote their attention to hair-splitting
discussions about the contents of the 'ambiguous" verses.
7. This might give rise to an unnecessary problem: How can people
believe in 'ambiguous' verses when the contents of these cannot be grasped?
The precise verses are easy to understand and deal mostly
with matters of belief and practice, such as the belief in one God
(Sûrah 112), forbidden foods (see 5:3),
and the commandments in 6:151-152 and 17:23-39. As for
the elusive verses, their full meaning is known only to Allah, such as the
meaning of letter combinations at the beginning of some sûrahs, such as
Alif-Lãm-Mĩm (see Stylistic Features), and how Allah settles
Himself on the Throne.
Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
30
Aug 2022, 02 safar (2)1444
10-13 Warning
to the unbelievers and Lesson from the Battle of Badr
(3:13) You have already
come across an instructive sign in the two hosts that encountered each other in battle
(at Badr): one host fighting in the way of Allah, and the other that of
unbelievers. They saw with their own eyes that one host was twice the number of
the other.9 But
(the result of the battle has proved that) Allah
succours with His victory whomsoever He wills. In this there is surely a lesson
for all who have eyes to see.10
9. The actual disparity between the two armies was roughly three
to one, but even a cursory glance was enough to tell the casual observer that
the army of unbelievers was about twice as large as that of the believers.
10. The events and results of the Battle of Badr are briefly
reviewed so as to bring home certain lessons to the Muslims.
There are three important lessons to
be learnt. First, the manner in which the believers and the unbelievers
advanced to the battlefield clearly demonstrated the difference in the moral
fibre of the two armies. In the army of the unbelievers, the soldiers held
drinking parties and were entertained by the songs and dances of slave girls. The
prevalent mood of that army was one of self-indulgence. On the other hand, piety,
fear of God and moral restraint of the highest order characterized the Muslim army.
The soldiers were busy in devotion and remembrance of God, to Whom they
addressed all their prayers and supplication. It was obvious to anyone which
army was fighting in God's cause. Second, the believers won a resounding
victory against an army of unbelievers superior to them in numbers, and in the
quality and the quantity of arms. So the
victory clearly indicated which of the two armies enjoyed the
support of God. Third, the outcome of the battle came as a shocking humiliation
for those who, heedless of God's might, had been exulting in the strength of
their arms and the number of their supporters.
It came as a shock to such people when God subjected a tribe
like the Quraysh, foremost in influence and power throughout Arabia, to an
ignominious defeat at the hands of a few ill-equipped Makkan fugitives and
peasants from Madina.
31
Aug 2022, 03 safar (2)1444
14-17 Comforts
of this life vs The life in Hereafter
(3:15) Say: 'Shall I tell you of things better than these? For the
God-fearing there are, with their Lord, gardens beneath which rivers flow;
there they will abide for ever, will have spouses of stainless purity11 as
companions, and will enjoy the good pleasure of Allah.' Allah
thoroughly observes His servants.12
11. For explanation see (Surah 2, n. 27) above.
(3:16) These are the
ones who pray: 'Our Lord! We do indeed believe, so forgive us our sins and keep
us safe from the chastisement of the Fire';
(3:17) men who are steadfast,13 truthful, obedient, spend (in the way of Allah) and implore the forgiveness of Allah before
daybreak.
01
sep 2022, 04 safar (2)1444
18-20 Testimony
of Allah about Himself and that the True Religio in the sight of Allah is
Al-Islam
(3:19) The true religion with
Allah is Islam.16
The People of the Book
adopted many different ways rather than follow the true way of Islam even after
the knowledge of truth had reached them, and this merely to commit excesses
against one another.17 Let him who refuses to follow the ordinances and directives
of Allah know that Allah is swift in His reckoning.
16.
In the sight of God
there is only one system of life and way of conduct which is
both in accord with reality and morally right. This consists of man's
acknowledging God as his Lord and the sole object of his worship and devotion;
of surrendering himself unreservedly to God in obedience and service. In doing so he should follow in toto the
guidance communicated by God through His Messengers rather than try to devise
ways of serving God according to his own lights. This mode of thought and
action is known as Islam, and it is only reasonable that the Lord and Creator
of the universe should accept nothing less from His creatures and servants. In
his folly man thinks that he has the right to believe in and follow every
doctrine that comes his way whether it be atheism or idolatry. In the sight of
the Sovereign of the universe, however, all such attitudes amount to nothing
short of rebellion against God.
17. This shows that
the religion of every Messenger of God, in
every age and clime, was none other than Islam (submission to God). Likewise,
every Divine book, in whichever language it was revealed, and to whichever
people it was addressed, contained the teachings of Islam. The various religions which have spread among
mankind are distortions of this true, original religion, and are the result of tampering. Coveting
privileges over and above those to which they were entitled, people altered the beliefs, principles and injunctions of the true
religion in a manner conducive to their own interests.
02
sep 2022, 05 safar (2)1444
21-25 Warning
to the Unbelievers and Faith of the Jews and Christians
(3:23) Have you not noticed those who have been given a
portion of the Book? Whenever their learned men are summoned to the
Book of Allah to judge the differences between them,22 a party
of them turns away in aversion.
3:24) This is because they say: 'The fire of Hell shall
not touch us except for a limited number of days.'23 The false
beliefs which they have forged have deluded them in their faith.
23.
These people considered themselves to be God's favourites and cherished the
illusion that, regardless of what they did, they were bound to enter Paradise.
03
sep 2022, 06 safar (2)1444
26-27 Allah
is the One Who controls the kingdom and honor
(3:26) Say:
'O Allah, Lord of all
dominion! You give dominion to whom You will, and take away dominion
from whom You will, and
You exalt
whom You will, and abase whom You will. In Your
Hand is all good. Surely You are All-Power-ful.
(3:27) You cause the
night to pass into the day and the day to pass into the night. You bring forth
the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living, and
You give sustenance to whom You will beyond all reckoning.'24
24.
Those who disbelieved
and disobeyed were seen to be prosperous, whereas the believers, with their
devotion and loyalty to God, suffered all the deprivation, persecution and
torment to which the Prophet and his followers were subjected around the year 3
A.H. The contrasting states of the two groups of men were the reverse of what
would naturally be expected. This raised disturbing questions in people's minds
about the underlying wisdom of this phenomenon.
The verse conveys
God's answer.
04
sep 2022, 07 safar (2)1444
28-30 Prohibition
of taking unbelievers as protectors
(3:28) The believers
may not take the unbelievers for their allies in preference to those who
believe. Whoever does this has nothing to do with Allah
unless he
does so in order to protect himself from their wrong-doing.25 Allah warns
you to beware of Him for it is to Allah that you will return.
(3:30) The Day is
approaching when every soul shall find itself confronted with whatever good it
has done and whatever evil it has wrought. It will then wish there is a wide space between it and
the Day! Allah warns you to beware of Him; He is most tender towards His
servants.27
27.
It is out of sheer
goodwill that God warns people against deeds likelyto have devastating
consequences for them.
05
sep 2022, 08 safar (2)1444
31-32 Order
to obey and follow
the Prophet
(3:31) (O Messenger!)
Tell people: 'If you indeed love
Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you and will forgive you your sins. Allah is All-Forgiving,
All-Compassionate.'
(3:32) Say: 'Obey Allah and obey the
Messenger.' If they turn away from this then know that Allah does not love those who refuse to obey
Him and His Messenger.28
06
sep 2022, 09 safar (2)1444
(3:33) Truly Allah29 chose Adam and Noah and the descendants of Abraham and of 'Imran30 above all mankind.
30. 'Imran was the father of Moses and Aaron, and has been mentioned in the Bible as Amram.
(3:34) (for His
messengership) - a people alike and the
seed of one another.31 Allah is
All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
31.
The real error of the Christians lies in considering Jesus to be the son of God
and a partner in His godhead, rather than His servant and Messenger. If this
misunderstanding was removed it would become quite easy for them to advance
towards Islam.
Hence at the very outset of the discourse it is mentioned that
Adam, Noah and the Prophets in the house of Abraham and 'Imran were all human
beings. Even though many Prophets were born in the same family, one from the
other, none of them was God. Their merit lay in the fact that God had chosen
them to preach His religion and reform the world.
07
sep 2022, 10 safar (2)1444
35-37 Birth
and growth of Maryem (Mary)
(3:35). (He also heard)
when the woman of 'Imran32 said: 'O Lord! Behold, unto You do I vow that the child in my womb
is to be devoted to Your exclusive service. Accept it, then, from me. Surely You alone are
All-Hearing, All-Knowing.'33
32.
If the 'woman of
'Imran' is interpreted as the wife of 'Imran, this 'Imran must be different from the 'Imran just mentioned (see the preceding verse). In the Christian tradition
the name of the
father of Mary is mentioned as Joachim. If this expression, however, is interpreted to
mean 'a woman of the house of 'Imran', it would mean that the mother of Mary
belonged to that tribe.
There is, unfortunately, no definite source of information that
would lead us to prefer one interpretation to the other, as there is no historical
record either about who the parents of Mary were, or to which tribes they
belonged. Were we to accept the
tradition that the mother of John (Yahya)
and the mother of Jesus were cousins, then it would be valid to interpret the
expression as meaning 'a woman of the tribe of 'Imran' for, according to the
Gospel of Luke, the mother of John was one of the daughters of Aaron (Luke
1:5).
3:36 The
prayers of Mary’s mother were answered. In a ḥadîth collected
by Bukhâri and Muslim, the Prophet (ﷺ)
says, “Every child is touched by Satan when they are born—and they cry because
of this contact—except Jesus and his mother.” — Dr.
Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
(3:37) Thereupon her Lord graciously accepted Mary and vouchsafed to her a goodly growth and placed her in the care of Zechariah.
Whenever Zechariah35 visited her in the sanctuary,36 he found her provided with food. He asked her: 'O Mary,
how did this come to you?' She said: 'It is from Allah. Allah provides
sustenance to whom He wills beyond all reckoning.
08
sep 2022, 11 safar (2)1444
38-41 Supplication
of Zakariya for his son Yahya (John)
(3:38) Then Zechariah
prayed to his Lord: 'O Lord! Grant me from Yourself out of Your grace the gift of a goodly offspring, for indeed You alone heed all Prayers.'37
37.
Until then Zechariah had no issue.
The sight of this pious young girl made him yearn for a child
just as virtuous and devout. When he saw that God sent food to her, by dint of
His limitless power, he felt hopeful that God might also bless him with issue,
despite his old age.
(3:39) As he stood praying in the sanctuary, the angels called out
to him: 'Allah gives you good tidings of John (Yahya),38 who
shall confirm a command of Allah ,39 shall
be outstanding among men, utterly chaste, and a
Prophet from among the righteous.'
38. In the Bible his name is
mentioned as John the Baptist. For information about him
see Matthew 3, 9 and 14: Mark 1 and 6; Luke 1 and 3.
39. The
'command from Allah' signifies Jesus (peace be on him). His birth took place as
the result of an extraordinary command from God and in an unusual manner, hence
he is designated as 'the command' or 'word' from Allah.
(3:41) Zechariah said:
'O my Lord! Appoint a sign for me.'41 The angel said: 'The sign for you shall be that you shall not
speak to men for three days except by gesture. Remember your Lord and extol His glory by night and by day.'42
42. The real purpose of this discourse is to
disclose to the Christians the error of their belief in Jesus as God and as the
son of God. The subject is introduced by mentioning the birth of John (peace be
on him), anothermiraculous birth which had taken place only six months before
the birth of the Messiah (peace be on him) and among his own relatives.
God
wants to make the Christians ask themselves why the miraculous birth of Jesus
should make him God when the similarly miraculous birth of John did not make
him so
09
sep 2022, 12 safar (2)1444
42-44 Status
of Maryem (Mary) among the women of the world
(3:42) Then came
the time when the angels said: 'O Mary! Behold, Allah has chosen you, and made
you pure, and exalted you
above all the women in the world.
10
sep 2022, 13 safar (2)1444
45-46 News
of Isa (Jesus) birth
(3:45) And when the
angels said: 'O Mary! Allah gives you the glad tidings of a command from Him: بِكَلِمَةٍۢ
his name shall be
Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary. He shall be highly honoured in this world and
in the Next, and shall be one of those near stationed to Allah.
(3:46) And he shall speak to men in the cradle and also later when he grows to maturity and shall indeed be among
the righteous
In the Quran,
Jesus is called the “Word” of Allah since he was created with the word “Be!”
— Dr.
Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
11
sep 2022, 14 safar (2)1444
47-51 Birth
of Isa (Jesus) son of Maryem and Miracles given to Isa (Jesus)
. (3:50) And I have come to confirm the truth of whatever there still
remains of the Torah,46 and to make lawful to you some of the
things which had been forbidden to you.47 have come to you with a sign from your
Lord; so have fear of Allah and obey me.
46.
The fact that Jesus preached the same religion as that expounded earlier by
Moses and the other Prophets is also borne out by the statements of the
existing Gospels:
According
to Matthew, in his Sermon
on the Mount the Messiah categorically declared: 'Think not
that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to
abolish them but to fulfil them' (Matthew 5: 17). And when a Jewish lawyer
enquired: 'Teacher,
which is the greatest commandment in the Law?',
Jesus
replied:
'You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
And
a second is like it,
you shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depends the law and
the prophets' (ibid., 22: 37-40). He also instructed his disciples: The scribes
and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so practise and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they
do; for they preach, but do not practise' (ibid., 23: 2-3).
47. What Jesus wanted to impress upon them was that he would
abolish the prohibitive innovations which had infiltrated the original Divine
Law (Shari'ah}. These were the results of the superstitions of their ignorant
commoners, the legal hair-splitting of their lawyers, the extremism of their
world-renouncing pietists, and the ascendancy and predominance of non-Muslim
peoples over them. In determining what is lawful and unlawful, Jesus would be
guided by the injunctions of God and not by the inventions of human beings.
12
sep 2022, 15 safar (2)1444
52-53 Followers
of Isa (Jesus) were Muslims
(3:52) And when Jesus perceived their leaning
towards unbelief, he asked: 'Who will be my helpers in the way of Allah?'
The disciples49 said:
'We are the helpers of Allah. We believe in Allah,50 and be our witness
that we have submitted ourselves exclusively to Allah.
49.
The word hawari means
approximately the same as the word ansar in the Islamic
tradition. In the Bible the usual terms are 'apostles' and 'disciples'. Jesus'
chosen disciples were called apostles in the sense that they had been entrusted
with a mission by him rather than in the sense of having been entrusted with a
mission by God.
50. At various places the
Qur'an characterizes man's participation in the effort to establish the
supremacy of Islam as 'helping God'. This needs a little explanation.
God has endowed man with the freedom of will and choice, with the
result that He does not resort to His omnipotent will to compel man either to
do certain things or to refrain from others. He rather leaves man free to adopt the course that pleases him -
be it that of either belief or unbelief, of either obedience or disobedience. God prefers to instruct man by means of
persuasive argument and admonition, so as to bring home to him that even though
he is free to disbelieve, disobey and defy the Will of God, his own interest and well-being lie in serving
and obeying his Creator.
Hence, directing people to the right path by persuasion and admonition is of
concern to God
, He regards those who contribute to this
cause as His allies and helpers. This is, in fact, the most exalted position
attainable by man. When a man performs Prayers, keeps his fast and
worships God in other ways, he is merely on the level of service and subjection
to God.
But when a man strives to spread God's true
religion and to enthrone it in actual life, he is honoured with the status of God's ally
and helper, which is the zenith of man's spiritual growth. 'Literally, 'and be
our witness that we are Muslims' - Ed.
13
sep 2022, 16 safar (2)1444
54-54 Plot
to kill Isa (Jesus)
55-57 Allah's
promise to Isa (Jesus) (3:54)
Then they schemed
(against the Messiah), and Allah countered their schemes by schemes of His own.
Allah is the best of schemers.
14
sep 2022, 17 safar (2)1444
55-57 Allah's
promise to Isa (Jesus)
(3:55) (And it was part
of His scheme) when Allah said: 'O Jesus! I will recall you51 and raise you up
to Me and will purify you
(of the company) of
those who disbelieve,52 and will set your followers above the
unbelievers till the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me you shall return, and I
will judge between you regarding what you differed.
51.
The expression used is
mutawaffika. The original meaning of tawaffa is to take and receive. To 'seize
a person's sou!' constitutes the figurative rather than the literal meaning of
the word. Here the word is used in the sense of 'recall',
The
Israelites had persisted in their disobedience, and despite repeated warnings
and admonitions their collective behaviour had become increasingly corrupt.
They had killed a succession of Prophets and were out to shed the blood of all
those who invited them to righteousness and moral rectitude. In order to
complete His argument against them, and
to give them a last chance to reform themselves, God sent to
them two great Prophets, Jesus and John the Baptist. These Prophets carried
with them such overwhelming proof of their designation by God that no ground
was left for anyone to disbelieve in them, except those who were obstinately hostile to the Truth and who
had become exceedingly bold in their opposition to it.
Yet the Israelites let this last opportunity slip away. They not only spurned
the message of the Prophets but also brazenly indulged in many other atrocious
crimes. One of their chiefs
had John beheaded at the behest of a dancing girl, and their priests and
scribes conspired to have Jesus put to death by the Roman authorities. Further admonition would have been a sheer waste of time. God,
therefore, decided to recall His Prophet and condemned the Israelites to
perpetual disgrace.
It should be noted that this whole discourse (verses 3: 33 ff.) is devoted to
repudiating the Christian belief in the godhead of Jesus, and to reforming
their beliefs. The main reasons for
the spread of these false beliefs were: (i) the miraculous birth of Jesus; (ii)
the miracles which he performed; and (iii) his ascension into heaven (which is
mentioned categorically in the Christian scriptures). The Qur'an confirms the
miraculous birth of Jesus and asserts that this fatherless birth is a
manifestation of God's omnipotence. God creates whomsoever He wills and in the
manner He chooses. This extraordinary birth neither proves that Jesus was God
nor that he had any share in God's godhead. The miracles of Jesus are also
verified by the Qur'an; in fact it enumerates them one by one. The Qur'an,
however, makes it clear that Jesus performed these miracles in accordance with
God's will, and not of his own innate power.
15 sep 2022, 18 safar
(2)1444
(3:59) Surely, in the
sight of Allah,
the similitude of the
creation of Jesus is as the creation of Adam
whom He created out of dust, and then said:
'Be', and he was.53
53.
This means that if Jesus' miraculous birth is sufficient proof that he should
be regarded either as God or as the son of God then there are even stronger grounds to apply this
to Adam. For, while Jesus was born without a father, Adam was born with neither
father nor mother.
16
sep 2022, 19 safar (2)1444
(64
65-68
69-71)
(3:64)
Say:56 'People
of the Book! Come to a word common between us and you:57 that we shall
serve none but Allah and shall associate none with Him in His divinity and that
some of us will not take others as lords beside Allah.' And if they turn their
backs (from accepting this call), tell them: 'Bear witness that we are the ones
who have submitted ourselves exclusively to Allah.'
17
sep 2022, 20 safar (2)1444
65-68
(3:67) Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian; he was a Muslim, wholly devoted to God.59 And he certainly was not amongst those who associate others
with Allah in His divinity.
59.
The word hanif denotes
someone who turns his face away from all other directions in order to follow
one particular course. We have tried to convey this sense through the expression:
'a Muslim, wholly devoted to God'.
(3:68) Surely the people who have the best
claim to a relationship with Abraham are those who followed him in the past, and presently this Prophet
and those who believe in him; Allah is the guardian of the
men of faith
18 sep
2022, 21 safar (2)1444
69-71)
(3:70) O People of the
Book! Why do you reject the signs of Allah even though you yourselves witness
them?60
60.
Another rendering of this could be, 'and you yourselves bear witness' to
Muhammad's prophethood. However it is translated the sense remains the same. In
fact,
the impeccable purity of
the life of the Prophet, the astounding impact of his teachings and training on
the lives of his Companions, and the loftiness of the teachings of the Qur'an
all constituted such illustrious signs of God that it was very difficult for
anyone conversant with the lives of the Prophets and the tenor of Divine
Scriptures to doubt the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be on him).
It is a fact that many
Jews and Christians (especially their scholars) came, to recognize in their hearts that Muhammad was
the very Prophet whose coming had been announced by the preceding
Prophets. This fact was so overwhelming that, despite their intransigence, they
could not help but give verbal expression, at times, to the truth of the
Prophet's teachings. This is why the Qur'an repeatedly blames them for
maliciously misrepresenting the signs of God which they saw with their own eyes
and to which they themselves attested.
19
sep 2022, 22 safar (2)1444
72-74 Hypocrites
among Jews and Christians
(3:72) A party of the
People of the Book said:
'Believe in the
morning what has been revealed to those who believe, and then deny it in the
evening
that they may thus retract (from their faith).'61
61.
This was one of the devices adopted by the
leaders and rabbis of the Jews who lived on the
outskirts of Madina in order to damage the
mission of Islam. To demoralize the
Muslims and create misgivings about the Prophet (peace be on him), they sent
their agents to
embrace Islam publicly, then to renounce it, and subsequently to
go about telling people they had done so because of the faults they had found
in Islam, the Muslims and their Prophet.
(3:73) They also say among themselves: 'Do not
follow anyone except him who follows your faith.' Say: 'Surely true guidance is
Allah's. It is His favour that anyone should be given the like of what you have
been given in the past, and that others should have been given firm evidence to
proffer against you before your Lord.' Say: 'Surely bounty is in the Hand of
Allah; He gives it to whom He wills. Allah is All-Embracing,62 All-Knowing.63
62.
The word wasi' which is used here occurs in the Qur'an in three contexts. The first context is the narrow-mindedness and mean outlook of
certain people, in contrast to which God is not 'narrow'. The second context is
the denunciation of
miserliness, meanness and niggardliness, in contrast to which God is Generous and Munificent. The third
context is the ascription of finite,
limited concepts to God
as a result of their
limitedimagination, whereas the truth is that God is infinite see (Surah
2, n. 116 above)
20
sep 2022, 23 safar (2)1444
(3:75) And among the
People of the Book there are some who would restore you even if you were to entrust a treasure of
gold, and of them there are
some whom were you to
entrust with one gold piece, will not restore it unless you stand over them.
That is because they
say: 'We will not be taken to task for whatever we may do to non-Jews (ummls).64 Thus they falsely fix a lie upon Allah, and do so wittingly.
64. This was not merely the misconception of the ignorant mass of Jews. Their
religious teaching was the same and the legal doctrines of their accepted religious authorities
and jurists reflected this idea.
With
regard to injunctions on loans
and interest the Bible makes a clear distinction between an Israelite
and a non-Israelite (Deuteronomy
15: 1-3; 23: 20).
It is stated in the Talmud
that
f the bullock of an Israelite injures the
bullock of a non-Israelite the former is not liable to any penalty, but not
vice versa. Similarly, it is laid
down that if anyone finds an unclaimed article he should enquire amongst the
people who live nearby. If they are Israelites he should announce his find; if
not he may keep it without saying anything further.
Rabbi Samuel Ishmael says that if a dispute between a Jew and a Gentile is brought before a judge, he should base his verdict on Jewish law if it is favourable; if
the law of the Gentiles goes in favour of the Jew he should justify his
judgement by saying that the Gentile has no valid ground for complaint since
judgement was given according to his own law.
Even if both laws are unfavourable towards the
Jew the judge should still find some pretext for deciding in his favour. Rabbi
Samuel says that benefit should be derived from every mistake the non-Israelite
may make. (See Paul Isaac
Hershon, Talmudic Miscellany, London, 1880, pp. 37 and 210-21.)
(3:77) There shall be no
share in the Life to Come for those who sell away the covenant of Allah and
their oaths for a trivial gain. On the Day of Resurrection Allah will neither
address them, look at them, nor will He purify them.65 A
painful chastisement lies ahead of them.
65.
The reason is that,
despite their worst crimes, they still thought that on the Day of Judgement
they alone would be honoured with God's favour, and that towards them alone He
would turn His gracious attention. They also entertained the belief that if
they had been stained by any trace of sin, it would be washed away by the grace
of their pious elders. Such people are warned here that the treatment meted out
to them in the Next Life will be altogether contrary to their expectations.
(3:78) And there is a
party among them who twist their
tongues while reciting the Book to make you think that it is part of the Book
when in fact it is not.66 They say: 'It is from Allah', when in
fact it is not from Allah.
They falsely fix a lie upon Allah, and do so wittingly.
66.
This could mean that they either distort the meaning of the Scriptures or twist
the words of the text in order to misinterpret it. Its real meaning, however,
seems to be that when, during their reading of the Scriptures, they encounter
any word or sentence which goes against their interests, and the beliefs and
notions which they cherish, they distort the meaning of it by deliberately
twisting their tongues. Instances of such tongue-twisting are not altogether
wanting among those who, despite their belief in the Qur'an, share some of
these people's characteristics.
For instance, some people who stress the superhuman character of
the Prophet (peace be on him) misread the following verse:
innama ana basharun mithlukum (Qur'an 18: 110) (I
am nothing but a human being like you), replacing innama by inna ma ana and
translate it: '(O Prophet), say to them: "I am not a human being like
you."
21
sep 2022, 24 safar (2)1444
79-80 Isa
(Jesus) never said to worship him instead of Allah
(3:80) He will never enjoin you to take the angels or
Prophets for your lords.
Will he enjoin upon you unbelief when you have submitted yourselves to Allah?68
· 68. This refutation is directed at all the false concepts which were attributed to the
Messengers of God by various nations, and then made an integral part of the
religious scriptures. These concepts were false in that they elevated either
the Prophets or the angels to the level of deities
·
22 sep 2022, 25 safar
(2)1444
81-82 Covenant
of Allah with all the Prophets concerning the Last Prophet Muhammad pbuh
(3:81) And recall when Allah took a covenant from the Prophets: 'This is the Book and the Wisdom which I have
given you. But should a Prophet come to you confirming that which is already
with you, you shall believe
in him and shall help him.69 So saying, Allah asked: 'Do you agree and accept to take up the burden of the covenant?' They answered: 'We agree,' He said: 'Then
bear wirness; and I will be with you among the witness.
69.
A party of the People of the Book would fain lead you astray, whereas in truth
they lead none astray except themselves, but they do not realize it.
·
23 sep 2022, 26 safar
(2)1444
83-85 No
religion is acceptable to Allah other than Al-Islam
(3:85)
And whoever seeks a way other
than this way a submission (Islam), will find that it will not be accepted from
him and in the Life to come he will be among the losers.
·
24 sep 2022, 27 safar
(2)1444
(3:91) Truly those who disbelieved and died as unbelievers, not even an earth full of gold will be accepted from them as
ransom. For such people there is painful chastisement;
and none shall come to their help.
·
25 sep 2022, 28 safar
(2)1444
92-92 Criteria for righteousness
(3:92) You shall not
attain righteousness until you
spend out of what you love (in the way of Allah).75 Allah knows whatever you spend.
75.
The purpose of this verse is to remove the misconception of the Jews concerning 'righteousness'
.
The Jews had inherited an elaborate
legal code which had accumulated as a result of the casuistry and hair-splitting legalism of their jurists. Their notion of 'righteousness' consisted of outward, formal
conformity to that code and they evaluated all day-to-day actions, especially
the trivial ones, in terms of conformity to that code. Narrow-mindedness,
greed, covetousness, meanness, concealment of the Truth and readiness to barter
with it lay beneath this veneer of formal piety. They were, nevertheless,
considered pious in the minds of the people; Jewish public opinion condoned
their conduct because it conformed to its concept of 'righteousness'.
In order to remove this misconception
they
are told that the things they considered fundamental to righteous conduct are
of little consequence.
The real spirit of righteousness consists in the love of God - a love which makes man value the good pleasure of God above all worldly acquisitions. If the love of anything seizes a man's mind to
such an extent that he is unable to sacrifice it for the sake of the love of
God, then that thing has virtually become an idol, and until he smashes it the
door to righteousness will remain closed to him. If a man lacks this spirit,
then his excessively formal and legalistic approach in religious matters can be
considered no more than glossy paint over a piece of hollow, worm-eaten wood.
It may be possible to deceive human beings by the sheer lustre of the outer
paint, but not God.
·
26 sep 2022, 29 safar
(2)1444
93-95 Lawful
and unlawful food for the Children of Israel
(3:93) All food (that is lawful in the Law revealed
to Muhammad) was lawful to the Children of Israel,76 except what Israel77 made unlawful to
themselves before the revelation of the Torah. Tell them: 'Bring the Torah and recite any
passage of it if you are truthful.'
76.
When the Jewish rabbis found no grounds for criticizing the fundamental
teachings of the Prophet (there was no difference between the teachings of the
previous Prophets and that of the Arabian Prophet on matters which constitute
the core of religion), they raised objections about the details of religious
law. The first objection
was that the Prophet (peace be on him) had declared lawful a number of things
which had been reckoned as unlawful since the time of the ancient Prophets.
What is said here is a refutation of that objection.
77. If 'Israel' is taken to mean the 'Children of Israel' then the
interpretation of this verse must be that before the revelation of the Torah
they treated a number of things as prohibited on the grounds of custom and
usage alone. If, however, 'Israel' signifies Jacob (Ya'qub) then, the meaning
is that he avoided the use of certain foods, which his descendants wrongly
understood to be religiously prohibited, as a result of either a temperamental
dislike or an ailment. This latter version is more commonly accepted. It
becomes clear from the next verse that the Biblical injunction regarding the prohibition of the flesh of camels and
rabbits was not part of the original Torah but an interpolation by Jewish
doctors. (For a detailed discussion see ( Surah
6, n. 122 below.)
When Jacob fell sick, he made camel meat unlawful for himself, but not for
the rest of his people.
— Dr. Mustafa
Khattab, the Clear Quran
·
27 sep 2022, 30 safar
(2)1444
96-97 First
House of Allah on earth
(3:96) Behold, the first
House (of Prayer) established for mankind is the one at Bakkah: it is full of blessing and a centre of
guidance for the whole world.79
79.
The second objection raised by the Jews was that the direction for Prayer had
been changed from Jerusalem to the Ka'bah. This objection is answered in (Surah 2
(see verses 142 ff. and nn. 142 and 147
above) The Bible, itself,
testifies that Jerusalem was built by
Solomon more than four and a half centuries after Moses (see 1 Kings 6: 1), and that it was during his time that the
worshippers of the One God began to pray towards it (1 Kings 8: 29-30). It is
established by traditions from numerous sources which are undisputed throughout
Arabia, however, that the
Ka'bah was constructed by Abraham who lived some eight or nine
centuries before Moses. That the Ka'bah was older than the Temple of Jerusalem
was beyond dispute.
(3:97) In it there are clear signs and the
station of Abraham;80 whoever enters it becomes secure.8
1 Pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed
to Allah by all who can make their way to it. As for those who refuse to follow His command, surely Allah does not stand in need of anything.
80.
Here it is stressed that there are several clear signs which prove that the Makkan sanctuary enjoys God's blessing and has
been chosen by Him as His sanctuary.
Even
though it is located in the
middle of wide expanses of desert God has seen to it that
its inhabitants enjoy a satisfactory
living. Although the rest of
Arabia was plunged into chaos and disorder for about two and a half thousand
years, peace and tranquillity reigned in both the precincts and the environs of
the Ka'bah. Thanks to the Ka'bah the entire Arabian peninsula enjoyed four
months of peace and order every year. These were the sacred months when people
went on Pilgrimage. Moreover, barely a half century before the revelation of
these verses, people had seen how Abrahah, the Abyssinian invader, fell prey to
God's scourge when he attacked Makka with the intention of destroying the
Ka'bah. At that time, this incident was known to everybody in Arabia. Its
memory was fresh and many eye-witnesses were still alive at the time of the
Prophet (peace be on him).
81. Even during the pre-Islamic era - the Age of Ignorance in
Arabia - this sanctuary enjoyed such veneration that even those who thirsted
for each other's blood saw their enemies in the sacred territory but dare not
attack them.
·
28 sep 2022, 01 Rabi ul
awl (3)1444
98-101 Disbelief
of the Jews and Christians and do not obey the Jews or Christians
· 29 sep 2022, 02 Rabi ul awl (3)1444
·
…
·
102-103 Live
Islam, die as a Muslim, and be not divided amon yourselves
·
·
(3:102) Believers! Fear
Allah as He should be feared, and
·
see
that you do not die save in the state of submission to Allah.82
·
· 82. They should remain steadfast in their
obedience and loyalty to God.
·
·
(3:103) Hold fast together to the cable of Allah83 and
be not divided. Remember the blessing that Allah bestowed upon
you: you were once enemies then He brought your hearts together, so that
through His blessing you became brothers. You stood on the brink of a pit of
fire and He delivered you from it.84 Thus Allah makes
His signs clear to you that you may be guided to the right way.85
·
· 83. The expression 'cable of Allah', in this
verse, refers to the 'religion of God'. The reason for use of the word 'cable' (habl) is that it both
establishes a bond between man and God and joins all believers together. To
take a firm hold on this cable means that the believers should attach profound
importance to their religion: this should always be the centre of their concerns; they should continually strive to
establish it; and the common desire to serve it should make them co-operate
with each other.
·
30sep 2022, 02 Rabi ul awl
(3)1444
·
104-109 Punishment
for those who divide Muslims into sects
·
·
(3:105) Do not be like those who fell into factions and differed among
themselves86 after
clear signs had come to them. A mighty chastisement awaits them.
·
86. The reference is to those communities
which received clear and straightforward teachings of the true religion but who
had abandoned the fundamentals, forming separate sects around trivial and
subsidiary questions; they became so engrossed in quarrelling over superfluous
and insignificant questions that they lost sight of the mission God had entrusted
to them, and even lost interest in those fundamentals of belief and righteous
conduct which are essential for man's salvation and felicity.
·
·
(3:106) On the Day when some faces will turn bright and ther faces
will turn dark. Those whose faces have turned dark will be told: 'Did you fall
into unbelief after you had been blessed with belief? Taste, then, chastisement
for your unbelief.
· (3:107) And those whose faces
have turned bright, they will be in the mercy of Allah, and therein they shall
abide.
·
· 01 oct 2022, 04 Rabi ul awl (3)1444
(3:110) You are now the best people brought forth for
(the guidance and reform of) mankind.88
You enjoin what is right
and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. Had the People of the Book89 believed it were better for them. Some of them are believers
but most of them are transgressors.
88.
This is the same declaration that was made earlier (see verse 2: 143 above). The Arabian Prophet (peace be on him) and his
followers are informed that they are being assigned the guidance and leadership
of the world, a position the Israelites had been relieved of because they had
shown themselves unsuitable.
The
Muslims were charged with this responsibility because of their competence. They
were the best people in terms of character and morals and had developed in
theory and in practice the qualities essential for truly righteous leadership,
namely the spirit and practical commitment to promoting good and suppressing
evil and the acknowledgement of the One True God as their Lord and Master. In
view of the task entrusted to them, they had to become conscious of their
responsibilities and avoid the mistakes committed by their predecessors see ((
(Surah
1, nn. 123 and 144
above))).
(3:111)
They will not be able to harm you except for a little hurt, and if they fight
against you they will turn their backs (in flight), and then they will not be
succoured.
·
02 oct 2022, 05 Rabi ul
awl (3)1444
89. 'People of the Book'
refers here to the Children of Israel.
116-120 Hypocritical
charity and Intimate friendship should be only with the believers
(3:117) The example of what they spend in the life of this world
is like that of a wind accompanied with frost which
smites the harvest of a people who wronged themselves, and lays it to waste.91
It is not Allah who wronged them; rather it is they who wrong
themselves. Blogxxxx
3:117
21102022
91. The term 'harvest' in this parable refers to
this life which resembles a field of cultivation the harvest of which one will
reap in the World to Come. The 'wind' refers to the superficial appearance of
righteousness, for the sake of which unbelievers spend their wealth on
philanthropic and charitable causes. The expression 'frost' indicates their
lack of true faith and their failure to follow the Divine Laws, as a result of
which their entire life has gone astray.
By means of this parable God seeks to bring home to them that
while wind is useful for the growth of cultivation if that wind turns into
frost it destroys it. So it is with man's
acts of charity: they can prove helpful to the growth of the harvest one will
reap in the Hereafter but are liable to be destructive if mixed with unbelief.
God is the Lord and Master of man as well as of all that man owns, and the
world in which he lives. If a man either does not recognize the sovereignty of
his Lord and unlawfully serves others or disobeys God's Laws then his actions
become crimes for which he deserves to be tried; his acts of 'charity' are but
the acts of a servant who unlawfully helps himself to his master's treasure and
then spends it as he likes
. (3:118)
Believers! Do not take for intimate friends those
who are not of your kind.
They spare no effort to
injure you.92 Indeed they love all that distresses you. Their hatred is clearly manifest in what they say, and what their breasts conceal is even greater. Now We have made Our messages clear to you, if only you can
understand (the danger of their intimacy).
(3:120) If anything good
happens to you they are grieved; if any misfortune befalls you they rejoice at
it. But
if you
remain steadfast and mindful of Allah their designs will not cause you harm.
Allah surely encompasses all that they do.
·
17 oct 2022, 20 Rabi ul
awl (3)1444
121
(3:121) (O Messenger!94 Remind the Muslims of the occasion) when you went forth from
your home at early dawn (to the battlefield of Uhud) and placed the believers
in battle arrays. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
94.
it is appropriate to refresh our minds as to the situational
context of its revelations. In the beginning of Shawwal 3 A.H., the Quraysh
attacked Madina with an army of three thousand men. In addition to their
numerical superiority they were also much better equipped. Moreover, they
sought to avenge their losses in the Battle of Badr. The Prophet (peace be on
him) and his closest Companions were of the opinion that they should defend
themselves from within the boundaries of Madina, There were, however, several
young people who longed for martyrdom and felt aggrieved at, not having had the
opportunity to fight in the Battle of Badr. They insisted that the enemy should
be resisted outside the confines of Madina. The Prophet gave in to their
demands and decided to march out of the city to meet their enemies. A thousand
people accompanied him. Of these, 'Abd Allah b. Ubayy broke away along with his
three hundred followers after reaching the place called Shawt. This, happening
as it did just before the commencement of the battle, created such perplexity
and confusion that the people of Banu Salamah and Banu Harithah wanted to turn
back, and it took some effort on the part of the Companions to persuade them
not to.
The Prophet advanced
with the remaining seven hundred Muslims and lined up his troops at the foot of
Mount Uhud (a distance of approximately four miles from Madina) in such a
manner that the mountain was behind and the Quraysh army in front of them.
There was only one mountain pass from where the Muslims could be subjected to a
surprise attack. The Prophet posted fifty archers there as guards under the-
command of 'Abd Allah b. Jubayr, instructing him neither to let anyone approach
nor to move away from that spot.
'Even if you see birds fly off with our
flesh', the Prophet said, 'still you must not move away from this place'. (For such instructions from the Prophet see
Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqat, vol. 2, pp. 39-40 and 47, and Waqidi, Maghazi, vol. 1, pp.
224 and 229 - Ed.) Then the battle commenced. In the beginning the Muslims
proved the better side but instead of maintaining their onslaught until they
had assured complete victory, they were overcome by the temptation of booty and
turned to collecting the spoils. When the archers whom the Prophet had posted
to repel the attack of the enemy from the rear saw that the enemy had taken to
its heels and that people were collecting booty, they too joined the melee and
began to do the same.
'Abd Allah b. Jubayr
tried to persuade them not to leave their posts by reminding them of the
Prophet's directive. Hardly anyone heeded him. Khalid b. Walld, who was at that
time an unbeliever and who commanded the Quraysh cavalry, seized his
opportunity. He rode with his men around Mount Uhud and attacked the flank of
the Muslim army through the pass. 'Abd Allah b. Jubayr's depleted forces tried
unsuccessfully to resist the attack.
The fleeing soldiers of the enemy also returned and joined the attack from the
front and the scales of the battle
turned against the Muslims.
The suddenness of these attacks, from both the rear and the front, caused such
confusion that many fled. Then the rumour spread that the- Prophet, himself, had been martyred. This
news shattered whatever presence of mind the Companions had left, and led many
who had stood firm to lose courage altogether. At this moment there remained around the injured and
bleeding Prophet (peace be on him) no more than ten or twelve loyal persons who
had staked their lives for his sake. Defeat seemed inevitable. Fortunately,
however, the Companions realized that the Prophet was still alive. They
therefore advanced towards him from all sides, rallied around him, and led him
to the safety of the mountain. (For an account of the Battle of Uhud in early
Islamic sources, see Ibn Hisham, Slrah, yol, 1, pp. 61 ff., Waqidi, Maghazi,
vol. 1, pp. 199 ff., especially pp. 224, 229 f. and 237 ff., and Ibn Sa'd,
Tabaqat, vol. 2, pp. 36-48, etc. - Ed.)
It remains a mystery why the unbelievers of Makka held back when victory was within
their grasp. The Muslim ranks were in such disarray that they would have been
hard pushed to resist further. (Cf. the account and
conclusion of W. M. Watt regarding the Battle of Uhud in Muhammad at Medina,
Oxford University Press, 1956, pp. 21 ff., especially pp. 26-9 -Ed.)
·
18 oct 2022, 21 Rabi ul
awl (3)1444
122-123-
·
19 oct 2022, 22 Rabi ul
awl (3)1444
124-127
·
20 oct 2022, 23 Rabi ul
awl (3)1444
128-129
(3:128) (O Messenger!)
It is not for you to decide whether
He – Almighty )will accept their repentance or chastise them, for they
surely are wrongdoers
Footnote
When the
Prophet (ﷺ) was injured at the Battle of Uḥud, some of his companions
suggested that he should pray against the pagans of Mecca. He responded, “I
have not come to condemn people, but as a mercy to pray for their
Footnote
When the Prophet (ﷺ) was injured at the Battle of Uḥud, some of his
companions suggested that he should pray against the pagans of Mecca. He
responded, “I have not come to condemn people, but as a mercy to pray for their
guidance.” The verse here says that it is not up to the Prophet whether they believe
or disbelieve. A prophet’s only duty is to convey the message. Eventually,
almost all Meccans accepted Islam before the death of the Prophet (ﷺ).
— Dr.
Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
· 21 oct 2022, 24Rabi ul awl (3)1444
. 130-136 Prohibition
of usury and
Allah loves the charitable people
(3:130) Believers! Do not swallow interest, doubled and redoubled, and be mindful of Allah
so that you may attain true success.98
98.
The major cause of the setback suffered at Uhud was that precisely at the
moment of their victory the Muslims
succumbed to the desire for worldly possessions, and turned to collecting booty rather than completing their task of crushing
the enemy. Hence God thought fit to raise a barrier against this excessive
adoration of money, and to urge
them to give up usury which keeps man constantly absorbed in considering ways
and means of amassing wealth and generally whets his appetite for money.
(3:134) who spend in the way of Allah both in plenty and
hardship,
who restrain their anger, and forgive others. Allah loves such good-doers." 99
99.
The existence of interest in a society
generates two kinds of moral disease.
It
breeds greed and
avarice, meanness and selfishness among those who receive
interest. At the same time, those who have to pay interest develop strong feelings of hatred,
resentment, spite and jealousy. God intimates to the believers
that the attributes bred
by the spread of interest are the exact opposite of those which develop as a
result of spending in the way of God, and that it is through the latter rather than the former that
man can achieve God's forgiveness and Paradise. (For further explanation see (Surah
2, n. 320 above.)
(3:135) These are the
ones who, when they commit any indecency and wrong against themselves, instantly remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their
sins - for who will forgive sins save Allah? - and who
do not wilfully persist in the wrong they did
· 22 oct 2022, 25Rabi
ul awl (3)1444
137-141 Believers
are promised to have upper hand
(3:139) Do not, then,
either lose heart or grieve: for you shall surely gain the upper hand if you are true men of
faith.
(3:140) If a wound has befallen you a similar
wound has already befallen the people who are opposed to you.100 We make such movements
to men in turn so that Allah might mark out those who are the true men of faith
and select from among you those who do really bear witness (to the Truth):101 for Allah does not love the wrong-doers,
100.
This alludes to the Battle of Badr. The intention is to point out to the
Muslims that if the unbelievers were not demoralized by the setback they
suffered at Badr then the Muslims should not be disheartened by the setback
thev suffered in the Battle of Uhud.
101. The actual words of this verse, can be interpreted in two ways. One meaning could be
that God wanted to select some of them so that He could bestow upon them the honour
of martyrdom. The second meaning could be that out of the hotch-potch of true
believers and hypocrites which their community consisted of at that moment, God
wanted to sift those who were truly His witnesses over all mankind. See( Qur'an
2: 143 - Ed.)
· 23 oct 2022, 26Rabi ul awl (3)1444
142-143 No
paradise without trial
· 24 oct 2022, 27Rabi ul awl (3)1444
144-145 Muhammad (pbuh) is no more than a Rasool of
Allah
(3:144) Muhammad is no
more than a Messenger, and Messengers have passed away before him. If, then, he were to die or be slain will you
turn about on your heels?103 Whoever turns about on his heels
can in no way harm Allah. As for the grateful ones, Allah will soon reward them.
103.
When the rumour of the Prophet's martyrdom spread during the battle, it
disheartened most of the Companions. The hypocrites who were in the Muslim camp began to advise
the believers to approach 'Abd Allah b. Ubayy so that he might secure protection for them from
Abu Sufyan.
Some went so far as to
say that had Muhammad really been the Messenger of God he would not have been
put to death, and for that reason they counselled people to revert to their
ancestral faith. It is in this context
that the Muslims are now told that if their devotion to the truth is wholly
bound up with the person of Muhammad (peace be on him), and if their submission
to God is so lukewarm that his demise would cause them to plunge back into the
disbelief they had cast off, then they should bear in mind the fact that Islam
does not need them.
(3:145) It is not given to any
soul to die except with the leave of Allah, and at an appointed time.104 And he who desires
his reward in this world, We shall grant him the reward of this world; and he
who desires the reward of the Other World,105 We shall grant him
the reward of the Other World. And soon shall We reward the ones who are
grateful.106
104.
The purpose of this directive is to bring home to the Muslims that
it would be futile for them to try to flee from death.
No one can either die
before or survive the moment determined for death by God.
Hence one should not waste one's time thinking how to escape
death. Instead, one should take stock of one's activities and see whether one's
efforts have either been directed merely to one's well-being in this world or
to well-being in the Hereafter
· 25oct 2022, 28Rabi ul awl (3)1444
146-148 Prophets
and their followers and Supplication of
the believers
(3:147) And all they said was this: 'Our Lord! Forgive us our sins,
and our excesses, and set our feet firm, and succour us against those who deny
the Truth.
· 26oct 2022, 29Rabi ul awl (3)1444
149-151 Do not follow the
unbelievers
(3:149) Believers! If you follow those who deny the Truth, they will drive you
back on your heels,108 and you will turn about, losers.
108.
That is, they would push them back into the same state of unbelief from which
they had extricated themselves
. Since the Battle of Uhud the hypocrites and the
Jews had constantly propagated the idea that,
had Muhammad been a true
Prophet, he would not have suffered the reverse that he encountered in that
battle. This reverse was
offered as proof that Muhammad (peace be on him) was an ordinary person whose
fortunes varied, like those of other men, between victory and defeat. They
further contended that the support and patronage of God which Muhammad claimed
to enjoy was a sham.
· 27oct 2022, 01 Rabi ul ahir
(4)1444
152-153 Result
of disobeying the Rasool
(3:152) Allah surely
fulfilled His promise (of succour) when you were slaying them by His leave until the moment when you flagged and
quarrelled among yourselves about the matter, and acted against the order of
(the Prophet). Soon He showed you what
you had intensely desired - for some among you sought this world and some of
you sought the Next. Thereupon, in order to put you to a test He turned you
away from your foes. Still He pardoned you after that109 for Allah is Bounteous to those who believe.
109.
The failure of the
Muslims was of such a serious nature that had God not pardoned them they might
have been obliterated there and then.
It was out of God's
grace, support and patronage that after the Muslims had been overpowered by the enemy the
latter were seized with perplexity and confusion, and withdrew
· 03nov 2022,
08 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
154-155 After
grief Allah bestowed peace and There is no escape from death
(3:154) Then, after inflict-ing
this grief, He sent down an inner
peace upon you - a sleep which overtook some of you.112 Those who were concerned merely about themselves,
entertaining false notions about Allah - the notions of the Age of Ignorance -
asked: 'Have we any say in the matter?' Tell them: 'Truly, all power of decision rests solely
with Allah.' Indeed, they conceal
in their hearts what they would not reveal to you, saying: 'If we had any power
of decision, we would not have been slain here.'
Say: 'Even if you had been in your houses, those for whom slaying had
been appointed would have gone forth to the places where they were to be
slain.'
And all this happened so
that Allah might test your
secret thoughts and purge your hearts of all impurities. Allah knows well what
is in the breasts of men.
112.
A strange phenomenon was then experienced by certain Muslim soldiers. Abu Talhah, who
took part in the battle, states that the Muslims were seized by such drowsiness that their swords were slipping
from their hands. (For several
Traditions stating this incident, including one related by Abu Talhah, see
Waqidi, Maghazi, vol. 1, pp. 295-6 - Ed.)
· 04nov 2022,
09 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
156-158 Life and death is from Allah
(3:156) Believers, do
not behave like those who disbelieved and say to their brothers (who meet some
mishap) in the course of their journey for fighting: 'Had they remained with
us, they would not have died nor been slain.' Allah makes such thoughts the
cause of deep regrets in their hearts.113 For in truth it is Allah alone who grants life and
deals death. Allah sees all that you do.
.
(3:157)
And were you to be slain or to die in the way of Allah, then surely Allah's forgiveness and mercy are better than
all the goods they amass.
·
05nov 2022, 10 Rabi ul ahir
(4)1444
159-159 Consult
before making a decision, once decision is made then be firm
·
3:159) It was thanks to Allah's mercy that you
were gentle to them. Had you been rough, hard-hearted, they would
surely have scattered away from you. So pardon
them, and pray for their forgiveness, and take
counsel from them in matters of importance. And when you are resolved on a
course of action place your trust in Allah; surely Allah l0ves those who put
their trust (in Him).
· 06nov 2022,
11 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
160-161 Put
your trust in Allah
(3:160) If Allah helps you none shall prevail over you; if He forsakes
you then who can help you? It is in Allah that the believers should put their
trust.
· 07nov 2022,
12 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
· 08nov 2022,
13 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
(3:165) And how come
when a calamity befell you, you began to ask: 'How has this come about?'115 even though the enemy has suffered at your hands (in the
Battle of Badr) double what you have suffered!116 Say:
This calamity has been brought about by
yourselves.117 Surely Allah is All-Powerful.118
115.
The more high ranking Companions were too well aware of reality to fall prey to
any misunderstandings.
The ordinary believers, , had thought that as long as God's Messenger was in their midst
and as long as they enjoyed God's support and help the unbeliever, could never triumph over them. Hence, when they suffered defeat at the Battle
of Uhud, their expectations
were shaken and they began to wonder why things had taken the course they had.
.
Furthermore, they were worried
that the defeat had been at the hands of those who were out to destroy God's
true religion. These verses seek to
allay this sense of anxiety and rid their minds of doubt and suspicion.
116. In the Battle of Uhud seventy Muslims were martyred. In the
Battle of Badr. seventy unbelievers were killed and seventy taken as captives.
117. The calamity that had
befallen them was the outcome of their own weaknesses and mistakes. They had not remained sufficiently patient,
they had acted, in certain respects, in a manner inconsistent with the dictates
of piety
, they had disobeyed the
command that had been given them, they were lured by material wealth and they disputed and
quarrelled among them-selves. After all this, was it still necessary to ask
what caused the debacle?
118. If God has the power to make them
victorious He also has the power to bring about their defeat.
(3:168) These are the
ones who stayed away, saying about their brothers: 'Had they followed us, they
would not have been slain.'
Say: 'If you speak the truth then avert death
when it comes to you.
(3:169) Think not of those slain in the way of Allah as dead.120 Indeed they are living, and with their Lord they have their sustenance,
120.
For an explanation see (Surah
2. n. 155) above.
(3:170) rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them out of His bounty,121 jubilant that
neither fear nor grief shall come upon the believers left behind in the world
who have not yet joined them.
121.
There is a Tradition
from the Prophet that he who leaves the world after having lived
righteously is greeted with a life so felicitous that he never wishes to return
to the world. The only exception to this are martyrs who wish to be sent back
to the world so that they may once again attain martyrdom and thereby enjoy
that unique joy, bliss and ecstasy which one experiences at the time of laying
down one's life for God. (Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, vol. Ill, 103, 126, 153,
173, 251, 276, 278, 284, 289; Bukhari, 'Tafsir al-Qur'an', 6 and 21: Muslim,
'Al-Imarah', 108, 109. 121 - Ed.)
· 09nov 2022,
14 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
172-175 Character
of the believers at Uhud+
Many details about Uhud war BLOG
The Prophet (ﷺ) realized that the city of Medina became
vulnerable after the Muslim loss at Uḥud.
So on the next day of the battle he decided to lead a small force of his companions—many
of whom had been wounded at Uḥud—to chase away the
Meccan army which was camping at a place called Ḥamrâ'
Al-Asad—not far from Medina. Abu Sufyân, commander of the Meccan army, sent a
man to discourage the Muslims from following the Meccans. Although the man
falsely claimed that the Meccans were mobilizing to launch a decisive attack on
Medina, the Prophet became more determined to chase them away. Eventually, the
Meccans decided to flee and not waste their victory after the Prophet sent a revert
to Islam—who was friends with Abu Sufyân—to convince him to withdraw; otherwise
Muslims were going to avenge their loss at Uḥud.
3:172
— Dr.
Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
This refers to the warning mentioned in 3:173.
3:175
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
· 10nov 2022,
15 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
ُ 176-178 Punishment for bartering belief for unbelief
·
(3:178) Do not let the, unbelievers imagine that
the respite We give them is good for them. We
give them respite so that they may grow in wickedness. A humiliating
chastisement lies in store for them
· 11nov 2022,
16 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
179-179 Adverse
conditions are a test from Allah
(3:179) Allah will not let the believers stay in the
state they are:125 He will set the wicked apart from the good. Allah is not
going to disclose to you what is hidden in the realm beyond the reach of
perception,126 but He chooses from among His Messengers
whom He wills (to intimate such knowledge). Believe, then, in Allah and in His
Messengers; and if you believe and become God-fearing, yours will be a great
reward.
125.
That is, God does not want to see the Muslim community in a hotch-potch
condition with the true men of faith indistinguishable from the hypocrites.
126. This means that God
does not resort to revelation to provide information as to whether specific
individuals are true men of faith or hypocrites. God creates, instead, certain
situations in which the faith of those who profess to believe is severely
tested. The result is that the man of faith stands out clearly from the
hypocrite
· 12nov 2022,
17 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
181-184 Jews insulted Allah and
uttered a lie against Him
187-189 Punishment for claiming
credit for some thing you have not done
181-187 [19]
180-180 Punishment for the niggardly
(3:180) Those who are
niggardly about what Allah has granted them out of His bounty think that
niggardli ness is good for them; it is bad for them. What they were niggardly
about will turn into a halter round their necks on the Day of Resur-rection. To Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the
earth;127 and Allah is well aware
of what you do.
· 13nov 2022,
18 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
181-187
[19]
181-184
Jews insulted Allah and uttered a lie against Him
(3:181) Allah has heard
the saying of those who said: 'Allah
is poor, and we are rich.128 We shall record what they have said, and the fact of their slaying
the Prophets unjustly, and we shall say to them: Taste now the torment of the Fire.
128.
This statement was made by the Jews. On the revelation of the Qur'anic verse (2: 245): 'Who of you will lend Allah a
goodly loan?', the Jews began to
ridicule it and said: 'Look, God has now gone bankrupt and has begun to beg of
His creatures for loans.'
(3:183) To those who
say: 'Allah has directed us that we accept none as Messenger until he makes an offering that the fire will consume', say: 'Other Messengers came to you before me
with clear signs, and with the sign you have mentioned. So why did you slay them, if what you say is true?129
129.
The Bible mentions at several places that the token of Divine acceptance of a
person's sacrificial offering was the appearance of a mysterious fire which
consumed the offering. (See Judges 6: 20-1 and 13: 19-20; 2 Chronicles 7: 1-2.)
The Bible does not state, however, that the consuming fire was an
indispensable token of prophethood and that anyone not endowed with that miracle could not be a
Prophet.
The Jews in discussing the claim of Muhammad
(peace be on him) to be a Messenger of God brought up the question of this
miraculous sign, and used it as a pretext for denying that claim. There was
even clearer evidence of the Jews' hostility to Truth: they had not hesitated
to murder a number of Prophets who had been endowed with the miracle of
consuming fire. The Bible mentions, for example, the Prophet Elijah who had
challenged the worshippers of Ba'l to sacrifice a bull, promising that he too
would sacrifice a bull. He stated that the offering of the one who was truthful
would be consumed by the miraculous fire. The confrontation took place before a
large crowd and it was Elijah's sacrifice which was consumed by the fire. This
so antagonized the Ba'1-worshipping Queen that the henpecked King decided to
put the Prophet Elijah to death. Elijah was forced to leave his homeland and
take refuge in the mountains of Sinai. (See 1 Kings 18 and 19.) The Jews are
told in effect: 'How dare you ask for the miracle of the consuming fire when in
the past you have not even refrained from murdering Prophets who performed that
miracle?'
· 14nov 2022,
19 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
185-185
Everyone has to die
(3:185) Everyone is bound to taste death and you shall receive your full reward on the Day
of Resurrection. Then, whoever is spared the Fire and is admitted to Paradise
has indeed been successful.
The life
of this world is merely an illusory enjoyment
· 15nov 2022,
20 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
186-186
Test of the believers
(3:186) (Believers!) You will certainly be put to test
in respect of your properties and lives, and you will certainly hear many
hurtful things from those who were
granted the Book before you and those who have associated others with Allah in
His divinity. If you remain patient and God-fearing131 this indeed is a matter of great resolution.
· 16nov 2022,
21 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
187-189
Punishment for claiming credit for some thing you have not done
(3:187) And recall when
Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Book: 'You shall explain it to men and not hide it.132 Then
they cast the Book behind their backs, and sold it away for a trivial gain.
Evil indeed is their bargain.
132. Although the Jews remembered that some
Prophets had been endowed with the miracle of consuming fire, they conveniently
forgot their covenant with God at the time they were entrusted with the Scripture, and their
mission as the bearers of the Scripture.
The 'covenant' to which this verse
alludes is mentioned at
several places in the Bible. In the last sermon of
Moses, cited in Deuteronomy, he again and again calls the attention of Israel to the covenant
in the following words: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and you
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all
your might. And these words which I command shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your
children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk
by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your
hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of
your house and on your gates.' (Deuteronomy 6: 4-9.)
Then, in his last testament Moses said: 'And on the day you pass over the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God
gives you, you shall set up large stones, and plaster them with plaster and you
shall write upon them all the words of this law, when you pass over to enter the land which the
Lord your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the
God of your fathers, has promised you. And when you have passed over the
Jordan, you shall set up these
stones, concerning which I command you this day, on Mount Ebal, and you shall
plaster them with plaster.' (Deuteronomy 27: 2-4.) When the Levites were handed a copy of the Torah, they were
instructed to gather men, women and children every seventh year on the occasion
of the Feast of Tabernacles and to recite the entire text to them. But their
indifference to the Book of God grew to such a point that seven hundred years
later even the priests of the Temple of Solomon and the Jewish ruler of
Jerusalem did not know that they had the Book of God with them. (See 2 Kings
22: 8-13.)
·
17nov 2022, 22 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
·
·
(3:188,189) Do not think
that those who exult in their misdeeds and
·
love to be praised for what indeed they have
not done,133 do not think that they are secure from chastisement. A
painful chastisement awaits them.
· 133.
· They wanted people to go about trumpeting that
such and such a person had made great sacrifices in the cause of God and had
sincerely guided people to the right way even though the facts might be the
reverse of what they claimed.
·
18nov 2022, 23 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444
·
·
·
190-194 Signs
from Nature and Supplication of the believers
(3:191) those who remember Allah while standing,
sitting or (reclining) on their backs, and reflect in the creation of the heavens and the
earth,135 (saying):
'Our Lord! You have not created this in vain. Glory to You! Save us, then, from
the chastisement of the Fire.136
(3:194) 'Our Lord, fulfil
what You promised to us through Your Messengers, and disgrace us not on the Day of Resurrection;
indeed You never go back on Your promise.138
138.
Such people do not doubt the fact that God will fulfil His promises. What they
do doubt is whether they will be reckoned among those for whom those promises
were made. Hence they pray to God to make them worthy of His promised rewards.
They are afraid lest they remain targets of slander and ridicule by the
unbelievers in this world, and then be disgraced in the Hereafter before the
same unbelievers who may mock them once again saying that their faith has been
of no avail to them.
·
19nov
2022, 24 Rabi ul ahir (4)14445-
·
195 Acceptance
of supplication by Allah19
·
·
(3:195) Their Lord answered the Prayer thus: "I will not
suffer the work of any of you, whether male or female, to go
to waste; each of you is from the other.139 Those
who emigrated and were driven out from their homesteads and were persecuted in
My cause, and who fought and were slain, indeed I shall wipe out their evil
deeds from them and shall certainly admit them to the gardens beneath which
rivers flow." This is their reward with their Lord; and with Allah lies the
best reward.140
·
139. All humans are equal in the sight of God.
·
God does not have separate criteria for
judging the male and the female, the master and the slave, the high and the low.
· 140. It
is reported that some non-Muslims came to the Prophet and said that Moses had
produced his staff and had been endowed with the miracle of the shining hand
see( Qur'an
7: 108; 20: 22), and
that Jesus restored sight to the blind and cured the lepers see (Qur'an
31 49). Other Prophets had also been granted miracles. What
miracles, they enquired, could the Prophet perform? In response the Prophet
recited all the verses from (verse
190 )to the end of this surah, adding that that was what he had
brought.
·
20nov 2022, 25 Rabi ul ahir (4)14445-
·
·
·
·
196-200 Do
not be deceived by the unbelievers and Be patient and excel in patienc
·
(3:200) Believers, be steadfast, and vie in
steadfastness,141 stand firm in your faith, and hold Allah in
fear that you may attain true success.
·
· 141. The original Arabic word is " sabiru". This has two
possible meanings. One is that whenever
they are in confrontation with unbelievers, the believers should endure even
greater hardships for
· their cause, and display a higher degree of
fortitude than the unbelievers. The other is that the believers should try to
excel one another in facing the opposition and hostility of unbelievers with
courage and fortitude.
·
·
21nov 2022, 26 Rabi ul ahir (4)1444-
§ QQQ
end of Sur 3 QQQ
·
·
·
