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 144-148وَ مَاAnd notمُحَمَّدٌ(is) Muhammadاِلَّاexceptرَسُوْلٌ ۚa Messengerقَدْcertainlyخَلَتْpassed awayمِنْfromقَبْلِهِbefore himالرُّسُلُ ؕ[the] (other) MessengersاَفَاۡىِٕنْSo ifمَّاتَhe diedاَوْorقُتِلَis slainانْقَلَبْتُمْwill you turn backعَلٰۤیonاَعْقَابِكُمْ ؕyour heelsوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیَّنْقَلِبْturns backعَلٰیonعَقِبَیْهِhis heelsفَلَنْthen neverیَّضُرَّwill he harmاللّٰهَAllahشَیْـًٔا ؕ(in) anythingوَ سَیَجْزِیAnd will rewardاللّٰهُAllahالشّٰكِرِیْنَ the grateful ones وَ مَاAnd notكَانَisلِنَفْسٍfor a soulاَنْthatتَمُوْتَhe diesاِلَّاexceptبِاِذْنِby (the) permissionاللّٰهِ(of) Allahكِتٰبًا(at a) decreeمُّؤَجَّلًا ؕdeterminedوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیُّرِدْdesiresثَوَابَrewardالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldنُؤْتِهٖWe will give himمِنْهَا ۚthereofوَ مَنْand whoeverیُّرِدْdesiresثَوَابَrewardالْاٰخِرَةِ(of) the HereafterنُؤْتِهٖWe will give himمِنْهَا ؕthereofوَ سَنَجْزِیAnd We will rewardالشّٰكِرِیْنَ the grateful ones وَ كَاَیِّنْAnd how manyمِّنْfromنَّبِیٍّa Prophetقٰتَلَ ۙfoughtمَعَهٗwith himرِبِّیُّوْنَ(were) religious scholarsكَثِیْرٌ ۚmanyفَمَاBut notوَ هَنُوْاthey lost heartلِمَاۤfor whatاَصَابَهُمْbefell themفِیْinسَبِیْلِ(the) wayاللّٰهِ(of) Allahوَ مَاand notضَعُفُوْاthey weakenedوَ مَاand notاسْتَكَانُوْا ؕthey gave inوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahیُحِبُّlovesالصّٰبِرِیْنَ the patient ones وَ مَاAnd notكَانَwereقَوْلَهُمْtheir wordsاِلَّاۤexceptاَنْthatقَالُوْاthey saidرَبَّنَاOur Lordاغْفِرْforgiveلَنَاfor usذُنُوْبَنَاour sinsوَ اِسْرَافَنَاand our excessesفِیْۤinاَمْرِنَاour affairsوَ ثَبِّتْand make firmاَقْدَامَنَاour feetوَ انْصُرْنَاand give us victoryعَلَیagainstالْقَوْمِ[the people]الْكٰفِرِیْنَ the disbelievers فَاٰتٰىهُمُSo gave themاللّٰهُAllahثَوَابَrewardالدُّنْیَا(in) the worldوَ حُسْنَand goodثَوَابِrewardالْاٰخِرَةِ ؕ(in) the Hereafterوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahیُحِبُّlovesالْمُحْسِنِیْنَ۠the good-doers

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Translation of Verse 144-148

144. And Muhammad is but a messenger ; other messengers have already passed away before him. If he dies or were slain, will you then turn back on your heels?¹⁷² If any did turn back on heel, not the least harm will he do to Allah. And Allah will reward those who are grateful¹⁷³.

145. And no soul can ever die except by Allah’s command at a term appointed and written.¹⁷⁴ Whosoever desires the reward of the world, we bestow on him thereof; and whosoever desires the reward of the Hereafter, we bestow on him thereof. We shall reward the thankful.

146. And many prophets have passed in whose company a number of godly men have fought. ¹⁷⁵ They were never discouraged if they met with disaster in the way of Allah nor did they weaken nor did they give in. And Allah loves those who show fortitude.

147. And all that they said was: “Our Lord! forgive us our sins and excesses we have committed in our duty,¹⁷⁶ make our foothold firm, and give us victory over the disbelievers.

148. So Allah gave them the reward of the world and the excellent reward of the Hereafter . And Allah loves those who do good¹⁷⁷ deeds.

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Commentary

172. Turning back on heels means to return to kufr (rejection of faith) and to non-islamic life. Here the point that is proposed to be brought home is that as there had come many messengers from Allah in this world, in the same way Muhammad ( peace be upon him) was also one of His messengers. As the other prophets had to die, in the same way this prophet would also have to taste death. His being a prophet does not mean that he would not die nor that he would not be slain. This world is a place for test and trial and even prophets have been subjected to trials.

From a reference to the context it can be seen that the idea is to remove the impression which was formed in the minds of some muslims after they had heard the rumours of the death of the Prophet in the Battle of Uhud.

It may be noted that during the battle of Uhud the infidels had spread the rumour that the Prophet was slain in the battle which caused a disorder in the battle lines of the Muslims, although some of his brave companions had given the morale-building reply that why should they not lay down their lives for the same purpose for which the Prophet has laid down his life, or that when the Prophet is not there, what is the use of living without him.

173. That is: Those who valued highly the blessing which they received in the form of Islam, Allah will give them reward regardless of the fact whether their Prophet is present among them or is dead.

174. Allah has fixed the time of death of every person, which is noted in a book. Death comes exactly at that appointed time, neither before nor after. Therefore, it is not proper to run away from the religious duty of jihad for fear of death.

175. The allusion is to those battles which were fought under the leadership of prophets Samuel, Dawood (David) Sulaiman (Solomon) and others. The idea is to raise the morale of the Muslims that they should not be discouraged by the hardships which they were experiencing in the battle of Uhud. Encountering of hardship and adversities in the way of Allah is not a new thing. The past prophets and their companions had also to pass through these stages and after passing through these stages only they reached the high places and ranks.

176. That is: While facing these difficulties and hardships they did not speak ill of their God and messenger, but they acknowledged their weaknesses and begged for forgiveness of their sins and transgressions. The outcome of their attitude was that they were successful in this world and in the next world also they bagged the best rewards from Allah.

177. In the text the word ‘Mohsineen’(those who do good) has been used, that is those who do ‘ehsan’ or the good work in their lives meaning righteous and virtuous people those who not only perform their duties but also do it in an excellent manner. In the above verses the people who have been said to have the quality of laying down their lives in the cause of Allah have been called ‘Mohsineen.’

It shows that in the meaning of ‘Ehsan’(good work), striving for religion even at the cost of one’s life and to offer sacrifices for Allah are included to a great extent.