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 21-30اِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoیَكْفُرُوْنَdisbelieveبِاٰیٰتِin (the) Signs (of)اللّٰهِAllahوَ یَقْتُلُوْنَand they killالنَّبِیّٖنَthe Prophetsبِغَیْرِwithoutحَقٍّ ۙrightوَّ یَقْتُلُوْنَand they killالَّذِیْنَthose whoیَاْمُرُوْنَorderبِالْقِسْطِ[with] justiceمِنَamongالنَّاسِ ۙthe peopleفَبَشِّرْهُمْthen give them tidingsبِعَذَابٍof a punishmentاَلِیْمٍ painful اُولٰٓىِٕكَThoseالَّذِیْنَ(are) the ones whoحَبِطَتْbecame worthlessاَعْمَالُهُمْtheir deedsفِیinالدُّنْیَاthe worldوَ الْاٰخِرَةِ ؗand (in) the Hereafterوَ مَاAnd notلَهُمْ(will be) for themمِّنْanyنّٰصِرِیْنَ helpers 3. Ali 'Imran Page 53اَلَمْHave notتَرَyou seenاِلَی[to]الَّذِیْنَthose whoاُوْتُوْاwere givenنَصِیْبًاa portionمِّنَofالْكِتٰبِthe ScriptureیُدْعَوْنَThey are invitedاِلٰیtoكِتٰبِ(the) Bookاللّٰهِ(of) Allahلِیَحْكُمَthat (it should) arbitrateبَیْنَهُمْbetween themثُمَّthenیَتَوَلّٰیturns awayفَرِیْقٌa partyمِّنْهُمْof themوَ هُمْand they (are)مُّعْرِضُوْنَ those who are averse ذٰلِكَThatبِاَنَّهُمْ(is) because theyقَالُوْاsayلَنْNeverتَمَسَّنَاwill touch usالنَّارُthe Fireاِلَّاۤexceptاَیَّامًا(for) daysمَّعْدُوْدٰتٍ ۪numberedوَّ غَرَّهُمْAnd deceived themفِیْinدِیْنِهِمْtheir religionمَّاwhatكَانُوْاthey wereیَفْتَرُوْنَ inventing فَكَیْفَThen how (will it be)اِذَاwhenجَمَعْنٰهُمْWe will gather themلِیَوْمٍon a Dayلَّاnoرَیْبَdoubtفِیْهِ ۫in itوَ وُفِّیَتْAnd will be paid in fullكُلُّeveryنَفْسٍsoulمَّاwhatكَسَبَتْit earnedوَ هُمْand theyلَا(will) notیُظْلَمُوْنَ be wronged قُلِSayاللّٰهُمَّO Allah!مٰلِكَOwnerالْمُلْكِ(of) the DominionتُؤْتِیYou giveالْمُلْكَthe dominionمَنْ(to) whomتَشَآءُYou willوَ تَنْزِعُand You take awayالْمُلْكَthe dominionمِمَّنْfrom whomتَشَآءُ ؗYou willوَ تُعِزُّand You honorمَنْwhomتَشَآءُYou willوَ تُذِلُّand You humiliateمَنْwhomتَشَآءُ ؕYou willبِیَدِكَIn Your handالْخَیْرُ ؕ(is all) the goodاِنَّكَIndeed Youعَلٰی(are) onكُلِّeveryشَیْءٍthingقَدِیْرٌ All-Powerful تُوْلِجُYou cause to enterالَّیْلَthe nightفِیinالنَّهَارِthe dayوَ تُوْلِجُand You cause to enterالنَّهَارَthe dayفِیinالَّیْلِ ؗthe nightوَ تُخْرِجُand You bring forthالْحَیَّthe livingمِنَfromالْمَیِّتِthe deadوَ تُخْرِجُand You bring forthالْمَیِّتَthe deadمِنَfromالْحَیِّ ؗthe livingوَ تَرْزُقُand You give provisionمَنْ(to) whomتَشَآءُYou willبِغَیْرِwithoutحِسَابٍ measure لَا(Let) notیَتَّخِذِtakeالْمُؤْمِنُوْنَthe believersالْكٰفِرِیْنَthe disbelieversاَوْلِیَآءَ(as) alliesمِنْfromدُوْنِinstead ofالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ ۚthe believersوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیَّفْعَلْdoesذٰلِكَthatفَلَیْسَthen not he (has)مِنَfromاللّٰهِAllahفِیْ[in]شَیْءٍanythingاِلَّاۤexceptاَنْthatتَتَّقُوْاyou fearمِنْهُمْfrom themتُقٰىةً ؕ(as) a precautionوَ یُحَذِّرُكُمُAnd warns youاللّٰهُAllahنَفْسَهٗ ؕ(of) Himselfوَ اِلَیand toاللّٰهِAllahالْمَصِیْرُ (is) the destination قُلْSayاِنْWhetherتُخْفُوْاyou concealمَاwhatفِیْ(is) inصُدُوْرِكُمْyour breastsاَوْorتُبْدُوْهُyou disclose itیَعْلَمْهُknows itاللّٰهُ ؕAllahوَ یَعْلَمُAnd He knowsمَاwhatفِی(is) inالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ مَاand whatفِی(is) inالْاَرْضِ ؕthe earthوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahعَلٰی(is) onكُلِّeveryشَیْءٍthingقَدِیْرٌ All-Powerful 3. Ali 'Imran Page 54یَوْمَ(On the) dayتَجِدُwill findكُلُّeveryنَفْسٍsoulمَّاwhatعَمِلَتْit didمِنْofخَیْرٍgoodمُّحْضَرًا ۛۖۚpresentedوَّ مَاand whatعَمِلَتْit didمِنْofسُوْٓءٍ ۛۚevilتَوَدُّit will wishلَوْ[if]اَنَّthatبَیْنَهَاbetween itselfوَ بَیْنَهٗۤand between it (evil)اَمَدًۢا(was) a distanceبَعِیْدًا ؕgreatوَ یُحَذِّرُكُمُAnd warns youاللّٰهُAllahنَفْسَهٗ ؕ(against) Himselfوَ اللّٰهُand Allahرَءُوْفٌۢ(is) Most Kindبِالْعِبَادِ۠to (His) [the] slaves

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Translation of Verse 21-30

21. Indeed, those who deny the guidance of Allah, and kill³⁰ His prophets unjustly and kill those who rise up from among the people to enjoin justice; announce to them a painful doom.

22. These are the people whose deeds have gone waste³¹ in this world and in the Hereafter, and there will be none to help them.

23. Have you not seen those whom a portion of the Divine Book³² was given? When they are invited to the Book ³³ of Allah so that it may judge between them³⁴ a group of them turns away; and deviation is their habit ³⁵.

24. This is because they say: “The hell-fire shall not touch us, but for a few days.” And that which they used to invent has deceived them³⁶ about their religion.

25. But how (shall it be then) when We will gather them together on a Day about which there is no doubt, when everyone will be paid full what he has earned and they will not be wronged.

26. Say: “O Allah ! Lord of Power³⁷! you give power to whom You please and you strip off power from whom You please, you exalt whom You please, and You abase whom You please: in your hand is all good.³⁸ Verily, over all things You have power .

27. You cause the night to pass into the day, and You cause the day to pass into the night;³⁹ You bring forth the living from the dead and You bring forth the dead from the living ; ⁴⁰ and You give sustenance to whom You please, without measure.

28. Let not the believers take infidels for their friends in preference to the believers. ⁴¹ Whosoever does that has no relation with Allah, except by way of precaution, that you may guard yourselves from them.⁴² Allah warns you to fear Himself, and to Him you have to finally return.

29. Say: whether you hide that which is in your breasts or reveal it, Allah knows it. He knows that which is in the heavens and that which is in the earth and Allah has power over all things.

30. On the Day when every one shall find before him whatever good he has done, and whatever evil he has done, he will wish there were a long span of time between him and that Day. Allah warns you to fear Him, and Allah is affectionate towards His slaves. ⁴³

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Commentary

30. Unjustified murder and that too of a prophet! It is sufficient to highlight the seriousness of the crime. The mention of the killing of the prophets is also found in the Bible:

‘‘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 great blasphemies.’’ (Nehemiah. 9:26)

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you,” ( Matthew 23:37)

31. That is : Those persons who refuse to accept Allah’s guidance as a pretence of their religiosity and who may be guilty of murdering the prophets and who may try to harm those who make efforts to reform the society and invite people to truth and justice, the religiosity of these people has no significance in the eyes of Allah and all their religious acts and efforts will be of no avail. That they would go waste in the Hereafter is quite clear but their going waste in this world has also been seen by the people who saw what was the fate of those who opposed the holy Quran and the Messenger of Allah to whom it was revealed.

32. By a portion of the divine book is meant the Torah and Injeel, the revealed books.

33. By the Book of Allah is meant the holy Quran. The relation between Quran and Torah and other divine books is that of the whole and the part.

34. Settling those disputes which the people of the Book had raised against the religion of Allah.

35. Deviation from truth is not a new thing. This is the speciality of their ethos, a proof of which can be found in their history.

Say: “O Allah ! Lord of Power ! you give power to whom You please and you strip off power from whom You please, you exalt whom You please, and You abase whom You please: in your hand is all good. Verily, over all things You have power . You cause the night to pass into the day, and You cause the day to pass into the night ; You bring forth the living from the dead and You bring forth the dead from the living ; and You give sustenance to whom You please, without measure. (Al-Quran)

36. It points to the invented tales of the jews that they are not prepared to grant the decisive role to the Divine Book because they have become careless of the punishment in the Hereafter and there is no correct concept of bad consequences of bad acts in their minds. Although in the old divine books the same concept of requital was presented as is presented in the Quran that as a man will sow in this world so will he reap in the next, yet they manipulated the divine teachings and had convinced themselves that since they belonged to a particular religious community they would have no trouble in the Hereafter . This conviction had made them exceedingly inactive from the religious point of view.

The Muslims of modern times can see their faces in this mirror. A very large number of them is under this illusion that for salvation in the Hereafter being born a Muslim is sufficient. This wrong concept of salvation has made them disregard the real faith and righteous acts, and they have been so much steeped in evil and innovative acts (bidaat) that they are not prepared to concede to Quran the decisive role in actual practice.

37. This is the position of “power”which has been presented here in the form of a prayer. Allah is the one and only Lord and Master or every authority and of every kind of governing power. There is no partner for Him in this. Whoever gets power in this world does so only if He grants it, and whoever loses power, it is because He withdraws it from him. He grants power to individuals and groups according to His wisdom and so does He take away power from them. Therefore, He ,who has the sources and treasures of power and in whose hands is honour and glory deserves to be considered as the Highest Ruler and to Him only we must owe allegiance.

From Allah’s being Lord of Power, it follows that man should consider all power whether it may be in the form of a personal rule or a democratic government or in any other form as a trust from Allah. and should use that power according to the direction given by Him. This Quranic concept of power negatives the concept of king worship and also the belief in the divine right of kings. It also refutes the claim of democracy that its sovereignty is absolute and that it has no concern with God.

38. One of its meanings is that goodness is only in the hands of Allah and the other meaning is that there is nothing but goodness in Allah’s hand and that He is the source of goodness and blessings.

39. That is: The non-stop occurrence of night and day and the increase and decrease in their hours of duration is the doing of Allah only and none other has anything to do with it. It negates the belief of there being a night deity or a day deity.

40. For example He created man from a lifeless matter (dust), and again this very man, after dying becomes the same lifeless matter, dust. In this way He creates living creatures from lifeless matter and brings forth dead bodies from the living.

41. The relationship ,based on belief and faith has precedence over all kinds of relationships. It is not proper for the faithful or the believers to take the enemies of God as their friends. They should take only those persons as their friends, who consider Allah as their friend. It may be made clear that the meaning of this direction is not to deny the general freedom of forming relationships or friendships and not to prevent the granting of human rights of the non-belligerent infidels and dealing with them with justice and fairplay, as these things have been made clear at other places in Quran. e.g. the following verses may be seen:

“And speak aright and kindly to the people.” (Baqarah.83)

“And let not enmity of any people seduce you that you deal not justly, that is nearer to piety.” ( Maidah -8)

“(Even it your parent are polytheists) Yet bear them company in this world with kindness. (Luqman-15)

“(Show) kindness to the neighbour who is of kin (to you) and the neighbour who is not of kin and the companions at your side and the wayfarer ... (Nisa -36).

“ Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) faith, nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them”... –(Mumtahinah. 8).

42. That is: If the faithful are trapped in the midst of the infidels and if they, as a means of safeguard, take them as their friends for appearances sake, then there is nothing wrong in it; but here also it is emphasised that we should fear Allah and should not indulge in doing a thing which would harm the interests of the religion or the community or which is based on cruelty or excess. For example to betray secrets to the enemy to conspire against Islam and muslims, to indulge in unjustified fighting and killing, etc.

43. The quality of affection has a major aspect of safeguard from harm and losses. Allah is affectionate therefore He has informed His slaves about the things which lead them to the fire of Hell , so that they may be saved from this most gruelling punishment.

Say : “If you love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. Say: “Obey Allah and His messenger .” But if they turn away, then verily, Allah loves not the infidels. (Al-Quran)