Surah 3. Ali 'Imran

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Verses [Section]: 1-9[1], 10-20 [2], 21-30 [3], 31-41 [4], 42-54 [5], 55-63 [6], 64-71 [7], 72-80 [8], 81-91 [9], 92-101 [10], 102-109 [11], 110-120 [12], 121-129 [13], 130-143 [14], 144-148 [15], 149-155 [16], 156-172 [17], 173-180 [18], 181-187 [19], 188-200 [20]

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Quran Text of Verse 110-120كُنْتُمْYou areخَیْرَ(the) bestاُمَّةٍ(of) peopleاُخْرِجَتْraisedلِلنَّاسِfor the mankindتَاْمُرُوْنَenjoiningبِالْمَعْرُوْفِthe rightوَ تَنْهَوْنَand forbiddingعَنِ[from]الْمُنْكَرِthe wrongوَ تُؤْمِنُوْنَand believingبِاللّٰهِ ؕin Allahوَ لَوْAnd ifاٰمَنَbelievedاَهْلُ(the) Peopleالْكِتٰبِ(of) the Bookلَكَانَsurely would have beenخَیْرًاgoodلَّهُمْ ؕfor themمِنْهُمُAmong themالْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ(are) the believersوَ اَكْثَرُهُمُbut most of themالْفٰسِقُوْنَ (are) defiantly disobedient لَنْNeverیَّضُرُّوْكُمْwill they harm youاِلَّاۤexceptاَذًی ؕa hurtوَ اِنْAnd ifیُّقَاتِلُوْكُمْthey fight youیُوَلُّوْكُمُthey will turn (towards) youالْاَدْبَارَ ۫the backsثُمَّthenلَاnotیُنْصَرُوْنَ they will be helped ضُرِبَتْStruckعَلَیْهِمُon themالذِّلَّةُthe humiliationاَیْنَwhereverمَاthatثُقِفُوْۤاthey are foundاِلَّاexceptبِحَبْلٍwith a ropeمِّنَfromاللّٰهِAllahوَ حَبْلٍand a ropeمِّنَfromالنَّاسِthe peopleوَ بَآءُوْAnd they incurredبِغَضَبٍwrathمِّنَfromاللّٰهِAllahوَ ضُرِبَتْand struckعَلَیْهِمُon themالْمَسْكَنَةُ ؕthe povertyذٰلِكَThatبِاَنَّهُمْ(is) becauseكَانُوْاthey used toیَكْفُرُوْنَdisbelieveبِاٰیٰتِin (the) Versesاللّٰهِ(of) Allahوَ یَقْتُلُوْنَand they killedالْاَنْۢبِیَآءَthe Prophetsبِغَیْرِwithoutحَقٍّ ؕrightذٰلِكَThatبِمَا(is) becauseعَصَوْاthey disobeyedوَّ كَانُوْاand they used toیَعْتَدُوْنَۗtransgress لَیْسُوْاThey are notسَوَآءً ؕ(the) sameمِنْamongاَهْلِ(the) Peopleالْكِتٰبِ(of) the Bookاُمَّةٌ(is) a communityقَآىِٕمَةٌstandingیَّتْلُوْنَ(and) recitingاٰیٰتِ(the) Versesاللّٰهِ(of) Allahاٰنَآءَ(in the) hoursالَّیْلِ(of) the nightوَ هُمْand theyیَسْجُدُوْنَ prostrate یُؤْمِنُوْنَThey believeبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ الْیَوْمِand the Dayالْاٰخِرِthe Lastوَ یَاْمُرُوْنَand they enjoinبِالْمَعْرُوْفِ[with] the rightوَ یَنْهَوْنَand forbidعَنِ[from]الْمُنْكَرِthe wrongوَ یُسَارِعُوْنَand they hastenفِیinالْخَیْرٰتِ ؕthe good deedsوَ اُولٰٓىِٕكَAnd thoseمِنَ(are) fromالصّٰلِحِیْنَ the righteous وَ مَاAnd whateverیَفْعَلُوْاthey doمِنْofخَیْرٍa goodفَلَنْthen neverیُّكْفَرُوْهُ ؕwill they be denied itوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahعَلِیْمٌۢ(is) All-Knowingبِالْمُتَّقِیْنَ of the God-fearing 3. Ali 'Imran Page 65اِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelievedلَنْneverتُغْنِیَwill availعَنْهُمْ[for] themاَمْوَالُهُمْtheir wealthوَ لَاۤand notاَوْلَادُهُمْtheir childrenمِّنَagainstاللّٰهِAllahشَیْـًٔا ؕanythingوَ اُولٰٓىِٕكَand thoseاَصْحٰبُ(are the) companionsالنَّارِ ۚ(of) the Fireهُمْtheyفِیْهَاin itخٰلِدُوْنَ (will) abide forever مَثَلُExampleمَا(of) whatیُنْفِقُوْنَthey spendفِیْinهٰذِهِthisالْحَیٰوةِ[the] lifeالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldكَمَثَلِ(is) like (the) exampleرِیْحٍ(of) a windفِیْهَاin itصِرٌّ(is) frostاَصَابَتْit struckحَرْثَ(the) harvestقَوْمٍ(of) a peopleظَلَمُوْۤاwho wrongedاَنْفُسَهُمْthemselvesفَاَهْلَكَتْهُ ؕthen destroyed itوَ مَاAnd notظَلَمَهُمُ(has) wronged themاللّٰهُAllahوَ لٰكِنْ[and] butاَنْفُسَهُمْthemselvesیَظْلِمُوْنَ they wronged یٰۤاَیُّهَاO youالَّذِیْنَwhoاٰمَنُوْاbelieve[d]!لَا(Do) notتَتَّخِذُوْاtakeبِطَانَةً(as) intimatesمِّنْfromدُوْنِكُمْother than yourselvesلَاnotیَاْلُوْنَكُمْthey will spare youخَبَالًا ؕ(any) ruinوَدُّوْاThey wishمَاwhatعَنِتُّمْ ۚdistresses youقَدْIndeedبَدَتِ(has become) apparentالْبَغْضَآءُthe hatredمِنْfromاَفْوَاهِهِمْ ۖۚtheir mouthsوَ مَاand whatتُخْفِیْconcealsصُدُوْرُهُمْtheir breastsاَكْبَرُ ؕ(is) greaterقَدْCertainlyبَیَّنَّاWe made clearلَكُمُfor youالْاٰیٰتِthe Versesاِنْifكُنْتُمْyou wereتَعْقِلُوْنَ (to use) reason هٰۤاَنْتُمْLo! You areاُولَآءِthoseتُحِبُّوْنَهُمْyou love themوَ لَاbut notیُحِبُّوْنَكُمْthey love youوَ تُؤْمِنُوْنَand you believeبِالْكِتٰبِin the Bookكُلِّهٖ ۚall of itوَ اِذَاAnd whenلَقُوْكُمْthey meet youقَالُوْۤاthey sayاٰمَنَّا ۖۗۚWe believeوَ اِذَاAnd whenخَلَوْاthey are aloneعَضُّوْاthey biteعَلَیْكُمُat youالْاَنَامِلَthe finger tipsمِنَ(out) ofالْغَیْظِ ؕ[the] rageقُلْSayمُوْتُوْاDieبِغَیْظِكُمْ ؕin your rageاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahعَلِیْمٌۢ(is) All-Knowingبِذَاتِof whatالصُّدُوْرِ (is in) the breasts اِنْIfتَمْسَسْكُمْtouches youحَسَنَةٌa goodتَسُؤْهُمْ ؗit grieves themوَ اِنْand ifتُصِبْكُمْstrikes youسَیِّئَةٌmisfortuneیَّفْرَحُوْاthey rejoiceبِهَا ؕat itوَ اِنْAnd ifتَصْبِرُوْاyou are patientوَ تَتَّقُوْاand fear (Allah)لَاnotیَضُرُّكُمْwill harm youكَیْدُهُمْtheir plotشَیْـًٔا ؕ(in) anythingاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahبِمَاof whatیَعْمَلُوْنَthey doمُحِیْطٌ۠(is) All-Encompassing

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Translation of Verse 110-120

110. You are the best ummah¹³⁸ that has been raised up for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is worng, and believing in Allah. And if the people of the Book had faith, it would have been better for them;¹³⁹ among them are some who have faith, but most of them are transgressors.

111. They will not harm you barring a trifling annoyance: if they fight you, they will show you their backs.¹⁴⁰ Then they will not be helped.

112. They are struck with ignominy wherever they are found, except when under a covenant from Allah and from men (they receive temporary refuge).¹⁴¹ They incurred the wrath of Allah and they were struck with wretchedness.¹⁴² That is because they rejected the signs of Allah, and slew the prophets wrongfully. That is because they disobeyed and transgressed beyond bounds. ¹⁴³

113. Not all of them are alike. Of the people of the Book there is a group that stands (by the covenant); they recite the revelations of Allah during the hours of night, and prostrate before Him.

114. They believe in Allah and the Last Day; they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong; and are active in good work. They are from the righteous¹⁴⁴.

115. And whatever good that they would do will not be denied, and Allah knows well the God-fearing people.

116. ( But) the riches and the children of those who rejected faith will not avail them aught¹⁴⁵ against Allah; they will be the companions of the fire, dwelling therein (for ever).

117. What they spend in the life of this world may be likened to the frosty wind which strikes and destroys¹⁴⁶ the harvest of the people who have wronged themselves. It is not Allah who has wronged them, but they wrong themselves.

118. O You who believe! Take not into your confidence others beside yourselves¹⁴⁷, who would spare no pains to ruin you. They only wish your distress. Their hatred is revealed by (the utterance of) their mouths; but what their breasts conceal is greater. We have made clean to you the directives, if you will understand.

119. You are the ones that love them while they love you not,¹⁴⁸ and you believe in all the Books. When they meet you, they say: “we believe,”¹⁴⁹ but when they are alone they bite their fingers in rage (at you). Say: “Perish in your rage. “ Indeed, Allah knows well what is hidden in the breasts.

120. If any good befalls you, it grieves them: but if some misfortune overtakes you, they rejoice at it.¹⁵⁰ But if you observe patience and are God-fearing¹⁵¹ not the least harm their cunning will do to you. Verily, Allah is surrounding all that they do.

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Commentary

138. Best Ummah or the best community because this is the very Ummah that follows the right religion. The people of the Book adopted deviated ways in religion and therefore lost the original faith. Now Allah has raised the Muslim Ummah for the reformation and guidance of humanity. The quality of this Ummah is this that it is equipped with faith and performs the duty of enjoining what is right and forbids what is wrong. For this reason it has been called the best Ummah and not because of its birth or racial connections, as the people of the Book think about themselves.

The really deserving people to be called the best Ummah were the companions of the holy Prophet and the people who immediately followed them, in whom these qualities were found. As regards those Muslims who have no interest in faith and whose every effort is directed towards enjoining what is wrong and forbidding what is right are not worthy of this high office. (See Surah Baqarah Note No. 166).

139. That is: If these jews and the Christians would have embraced Islam and would have joined the best Ummah, it would have been better for them. But among them there are only a few who have faith and the majority of them are wrong doers and transgressors.

140. It is about the people of the Book of that time that they were very weak-willed, and therefore could talk only of inflicting harm. They cannot stand in opposition to the true people of faith. Subsequent events confirmed this statement of the Quran, as the people of the Book were made to taste the ignominy of great defeat.

141. They do not stand on their strength. If at some place they have been given shelter by an Islamic state under a covenant, then at another place other nations have given them refuge These supports are temporary. Their own honour and dignity is nothing.

142. As a fruit of their love for this world, there was no willingness in them to give preference to the Hereafter over the world and to offer sacrifies for the faith, and they had reached the nadir of moral downfall and evil-doing.

143. There is evidence of these crimes of theirs in the Bible also:

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you. (Mat: 23:37)

“Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee and cast thy law behind their back and killed thy prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to thee and they committed great blasphemies therefore thou didst give them into the hand of their enemies, (Neh 9: 26,27)

144. This refers to that group of the people of the Book which stood by the covenant made with Allah. They were righteous and faithful and as the truth about the prophet and the Quran went on becoming clear to them, they accepted the faith and joined the group of Muslims. Quran here has eulogised only such people of the Book, only.

145. That is: The thing which prompts them to reject faith is the love of wealth and children, but these things, wealth and children will not save them from the divine punishment.

146. In this example wind signifies good acts and charity, and by the icy and frosty wind is meant lack of correct faith and rejection of belief. The harvest means the earnings. etc in the material world. As the wind, which is generally useful for agriculture but the same wind when it becomes icy cold and brings frost with it, proves to be highly disadvantageous for the harvest, in the same way good acts and charity, inspite of their being useful. are destructive to the reward of the Hereafter if they are bereft of feelings of faith and are contaminated with the poison of rejection (kufr).

147. In this verse Muslims are directed not to take any persons outside the Islamic nation into their confidence, and the reason for the same has also been stated. These people on account of their hatred of Islam and Muslims will spare no pains to harm your interests. This direction was given at the time of the battle when it was feared that Muslims might reveal their war secrets to the Jews on account of their old friendly relations because the Jews were supporting the enemies of the Muslims and rancour had developed in the heart of the Jews against Islam. The guiding principle which can be derived from this verse is that wherever the striving for the supremacy of Islam has entered the stage of jihad or where the Muslims are in power politically, there the Muslims should be extra cautious in respect of the war secrets and political manouevres. etc. and they should not reveal their secrets to or take into confidence those who have refused to accept the faith and join the Islamic nations.

148. That is: You are their well wishers, while they do not wish you well. They are morbadly anti-Islam and anti-Muslim.

149. The Jews claimed that they believed in Allah and the Last Day, therefore they were faithful, although they were not prepared to recognise Quran as the revealed Book from Allah. Quran says that as long as a person is not prepared to accept all the revealed Books including Quran as Divine Books, he cannot be faithful and his faith is not at all reliable.

150. This is the picture of those who do not like that Islam should propagate and prosper and the Islamic nation should attain supremacy. They are always prejudiced against Islam and Muslims. and every success of Muslims is an utterly painful event for them.

151. Here righteousness refers to following the directions that have been given above.