Surah Ali 'Imran 3:10-20 - Quran Translation Commentary

11. They adopted the same attitudes as the people of Firaun and their predecessors: they denied our revelations and so Allah seized them for their sins. And Allah is severe in punishment.

12. Say to those who disbelieve: Soon will you be vanquished and gathered together to hell, an evil resting place.

13. There is a sign for you in the clash of two hosts . One side was fighting in the cause of Allah and the other one was infidel; they saw with their own eyes twice their number. And Allah strengthens with his help whom He pleases. Verily, herein is a lesson for those who have eyes to see.¹⁸

14. Beautified for mankind is the love of the pleasurable things from women, and sons and stored-up heaps of gold and silver, and excellent horses, cattle and farm-land. Such are the provisions of the life of this world. The excellent abode ¹⁹ is, however with Allah .

15. Say : Shall I inform you of something better than that ? For the righteous,²⁰ with their Lord are gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will live eternally and for them there will be pure spouses and they will enjoy Allah’s pleasure.²¹ And Allah keeps an eye on His slaves²².

16. These are the people who say: “Our Lord! we have indeed believed, forgive us, then, our sins, and save us from the agony of fire (of Hell).

17. These people are patient ; truthful, extremely obedient, who spend (for Allah), and who pray for forgiveness in the hours prior to dawn.²³ ,²⁴.

18. Allah gave witness that there is no god but He, and the angels and the men of learning (too give witness) –Maintaining justice in His administration, there is no god but He, the Exalted in Power, the Wise²⁵.

19. Verily, with Allah, the religion²⁶ is Islam. And the people of the Book differed only after knowledge²⁷ came to them, merely on account of rancour among themselves ; and whosoever denies the Signs of Allah (let him know that), Allah is swift in calling to account²⁸.

20. So if they (even after this) dispute with you, say: “I have submitted myself to Allah and so have those who follow me.” And say to the people of the Book and to the unlearned²⁹: “Do you also submit yourselves (to Allah).” If they do, they are rightly guided. But if they turn away, your duty is to merely convey the Message. And Allah keeps an eye on His slaves.

Commentary

16. Those people are meant who refuse to believe in the Quran being the Book revealed by Allah.

17. Possessions and progeny, wealth and children have been mentioned because often their love causes an obstruction in the way of Truth.

18.This is a reference to an event in the Battle of Badr, which was fought in the year 02 A. H. between the Muslims and the infidels at the place called Badr. This was the first battle that the followers of the Quran fought under the leadership of the Prophet of Islam. In this battle the infidels had an army of about one thousand while the Muslims numbered only three hundred and thirteen. When the battle actually started the Muslims appeared to the infidels as if they were twice the number of the infidels. which frightened them. All this happened because the help of Allah was with the faithful. As a result of which the people of faith who were small in number became victorious and the disbelievers who were very large in number faced defeat.

A reference to this event here points to the magnificent future for the people of Truth because in this conflict of truth and falsehood the help and support of Allah has manifested itself in favour of the believers.

19. The things which have been mentioned here are such as are liked and loved by man naturally and accordingly his love for them is not objectionable. But to allow this love, this attachment to these things to cross the limit and to think of them as the purpose of life instead of as a means of test, is to allow these things to carry him to a bad end. The purpose of this verse is to save man from this imbalance. In the context in which this verse has been revealed, it shows that the things which act as obstacle for a man to accept the message of Quran is his love for and attachment to the material things, because the message of Quran considers it absolutely wrong that man should fall a prey to the lure of the material things and may spend his life in an irresponsible luxurious manner. According to Quran the worldly things and material provisions are ephemeral and will last only for a short while and that these things have been granted to man in order to test him, and that is why they have been beautified and made attractive. As regards the future and the everlasting reward, it will be made available in the Hereafter. provided man qualifies himself deserving to get it,

20. “Taqwa” the word used here is an all embracing terminology, and here its this aspect is more prominent: that is to adopt a correct and balanced attitude in connection with the desires of the self and to make the gifts of the Hereafter as the ideal is the main and real taqwa (righteousness).

21. The pleasure of Allah is superior to all the gifts and pleasures. When Allah is pleased with His slave, then what fortune is there that he did not achieve ? In Paradise man will not only get material and physical gifts and pleasure but also the spiritual wealth of the happiness of the Lord’s pleasure.

22. That is: Allah has in His view the conditions of His slaves, therefore the slave who will follow the right path and will adopt the right attitude there is no worry for him. He will definitely be blessed with the pleasure of his Lord.

23. The hours prior to dawn are very suitable and propitious for praying and most opportune for seeking forgiveness of Allah. At the time when the world is sleeping and the physical self requires rest and comfort, at such a time getting up and praying for Allah‘s forgiveness is an act of great endurance, which is free from all the pollutions of pretensions.

24. These qualities guarantee a man’s elevation and greatness. Those whose character has these characteristics are not attracted by the beauty and glitter of the world but they make the Hereafter as their ideal.

25. In this verse Allah has given witness, so also His angels and the men of learning for His oneness and for His dispensing justice.

Every thing of this universe gives witness to Allah’s existence and oneness. There is nothing that does not provide a proof of His being one and the balance which is found in the system of His universe proves that its Creator has the attribute of justice and balance.

The Oneness of Allah is the very call of man’s nature and inner self. This is also an evidence of Allah’s Oneness that such a feeling has been created in man. The evidence of Allah’s oneness has also been provided through the revelations from Allah, and Quran is its open and unambiguous proof.

The witness of the angels is a statement of fact. The angels enforce Allah’s commands in the universe and bring Allah’s revelations to the prophets. Therefore, their witness is a manifestation of reality. The polytheists consider them as partners in godship but they themselves deny any kind of polytheism, and give witness to the oneness of Allah. Whenever they were sent down to the prophets from Allah, they brought the message of oneness of Allah only.

By the witness of the men of learning is meant the witness of those people who are blessed with the knowledge of the reality about God and Universe. This knowledge has been obtained by mankind through the prophets and this reality- knowing group of the learned men has been providing evidence in every age of the fact that it is ‘He only who is worthy of being worshipped and it is He only whose oneness deserves to be given evidence of by our hearts and tongues. This group has given such evidence even by offering magnificent sacrifices. The mention of the learned men along with the mention of the angels shows the importance given to the men of learning.

26. In the text the word “Ad-Deen” is used , which means the real and original deen –religion, which is really sent down by Allah.

27. Knowledge here means the knowledge of truth, which is especially the knowledge of the basic things of the religion, after receiving which there is no room for any difference of opinion.

28. It means that the religion which Allah has sent down for the guidance of mankind is Islam. This religion is Allah’s religion and He has been sending down this religion to all prophets. He had not sent any religion other than Islam to any prophet or messenger anywhere at any time but the followers of the Prophets disagreed among themselves and invented new religions. The Judaism and Christianity are of this type. This dissension by these followers was not on account of the fact that they had no knowledge about the truth but they did so inspite of the truth having been manifest to them due to their selfishness, mutual hostility and mischievous mentality. Since Allah is the Establisher of justice and balance, He sent down Islam anew so that the path of truth may be clear to mankind. If even after this they adopted the path of infidelity and rejected the clear signs of Allah, then He will take their account very soon.

29. The literal meaning of the word “Ummi” (Unlearned) is a person who does not know reading and writing but this word has been used in a terminological sense for Bani Ismail as a title because they had neither a divine book with them nor had they any formal education. As opposed to this Bani Israel had a divine book and they also had formal education.