Surah Ali 'Imran 3:121-129 - Quran Translation Commentary

(3:121) And (recall, O Muhammad)¹⁹³ when you departed from your home-folk at dawn, (and were) posting the believers in their positions for the battle (at Uhud). And Allah is All-hearing, All-knowing.

(3:122) When two of your groups were about to lose heart,¹⁹⁴ (but) Allah was their Protector.¹⁹⁵ And it is in Allah that the believers ought to place their trust.¹⁹⁶

(3:123) Allah had helped you at Badr¹⁹⁷ while you were so weak.¹⁹⁸ Therefore, fear Allah haply you may be thankful.

(3:124) When you were saying to the believers, 'Does it not suffice you that your Lord extends you help with three thousand angels¹⁹⁹ descending down?’

(3:125) Rather, if you observe patience, are godfearing,²⁰⁰ and, if (the enemy) surprises you,²⁰¹ your Lord will extend His help with five thousand marked angels.’²⁰²

(3:126) And Allah did not arrange it but as a source of delight for you and a means of reassurance to your hearts. But help is not but from Allah the Mighty, the Wise.

(3:127) In order that He might cut off a chunk of the unbelievers, or humiliate them, so that they may turn back frustrated.

(3:128) You have no say (O Muhammad) whatsoever in the affair. He may either turn to them (in mercy)²⁰³ or punish them, for surely, they are transgressors.²⁰⁴

(3:129: To Allah belong all that is in the heavens and the earth. He forgives whom He will, and punishes whom He will. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.²⁰⁵

Commentary

193. Bayhaqi has, in his Dala'il al Nubuwwah, reported a group of scholars as saying that the day of Uhud was the day of trial and filter. Allah tested the believers and exposed the hypocrites who used to pretend Islam but conceal unbelief. It was a day in which Allah intended to bless a section of His awliya' with martyrdom (Shawkani).

194. The two groups were the two tribes Banu Salamah and Banu Haritha who began to waver when `Abdullah ibn Ubayy withdrew with three hundred and odd of his hypocritical followers (Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, Rabi`, Suddi, `Ikrimah: Ibn Jarir).

(`Abdullah ibn Ubayy had withdrawn on the pretext that he did not see any fight in the expected clash, rather, only a massacre of the Muslims).

Uhud

Since the background of these verses is the battle of Uhud, we present here a brief account of the event.

After "the catastrophic defeat at Badr," (Asad) the Quraysh sent their emissaries to various tribes around Makkah to explain to them the gravity of the situation arising out of the Prophet setting up a power base at Madinah. There was every possibility that if unchecked, it would lead to the closing of the trade routes leading to the northern regions. As a result, the Makkans were able to raise an army of 3000, of which no less than 700 were fully armored. A division of two hundred was on horseback. A total of 250,000 Dirhams were raised in Makkah alone for the expedition. Abu Sufyan, the new Commander in Chief himself contributed a fabulous sum out of the profits he had made by the caravan, to save which the battle of Badr was supposedly fought (Hamidullah: `Ahad e Nabawi ke Maydan e Jang).

When the pagan army arrived at Madinah in 3 A.H., (Shawwal 7: Shafi`), the Prophet sought the advice of his Companions over whether they should remain in Madinah and face the besieging enemy from within or should they go out and meet them in the open. Several of those who had not participated in the battle of Badr spoke strongly in favor of going out for a face to face clash. Actually, they wanted to prove their sincere desire for martyrdom. `Abdullah ibn Ubayy however was, (and most of the Ansar: Zamakhshari, Razi) of the opinion that the Muslims should remain within Madinah. The Prophet, following the general advice, came out with his coat of mail on, ready to march out. Meanwhile the Companions had changed their mind. They reproached each other for having unduly influenced the Prophet while he was in direct contact with Allah who would have instructed him with what was best for them. Therefore they met him and told him that they were withdrawing their earlier suggestion and were leaving the matter entirely for him to decide. But the Prophet told them, "It does not behove a Prophet to put on his armor and remove them before he has fought his enemy," (because it does not befit a Prophet to show weakness: Shafi`).

So he continued with a thousand people (a hundred of whom were fully armored: Hamidullah), but a little out of town `Abdullah ibn Ubayy fell back with three hundred or so of his followers on the pretext that his advice had not been heeded (although some hypocrites still remained in the army: Thanwi). [It was suggested that the treaty with the Jews be made use of, and they be invited to fight alongside the Muslims. But the Prophet spurned the idea: Sayyid]. So the Prophet continued with the rest. (On the way he thought he would take a short cut by passing through the property owned by Mirba` b. Qayzi who was a blind hypocrite. He threw dust in the face of those who had gone to seek his permission, and refused them entry. According to one report when the Prophet went to him he said he would have thrown dust in his face if he could be sure it was not going to strike others along with him. Upon this the Companions wanted to kill him but the Prophet restrained them saying: "Let him alone. He is a man blind of eye, blind of heart: Manar). Nonetheless, on arriving at Uhud (the name of a series of mountains, about 6 7 km. away from the heart of the town: Au.) the Prophet kept Mount Uhud behind him, assigned the command of the left, right and other wings to various people and stationed fifty archers headed by `Abdullah ibn Jubayr on a hill called Al-`Ayn overlooking a pass instructing them not to abandon the post, come what may, victory or defeat; according to one version: "Even if you see vultures hovering over our heads." (Before the start of the battle the women of the enemy forces began to beat their drums and sing poetry, encouraging their fighters. When the Prophet heard them, he responded with supplications in words: "O Allah! I seek Your Strength, and with You do I join. I fight in Your cause. Enough for me is Allah, and a good Supporter He is": Manar).

When fighting began, Muslims gained an upper hand within a short time and the Makkans began to retreat. (Said Bar' b. `Azib: I saw their women running away, climbing the hills with their skirts pulled up baring their anklets and calves. Muslims began to cry: "Get the booty, get the booty": Bukhari).

At this, the archers, sensing (a repetition of Badr: Razi) and victory at hand, came down looking for booty, leaving the pass clear for Khalid ibn al Walid to advance from the rear. He easily overcame the resistance of the ten or so left with the commander on the hillock, slew them all, and moved on to attack the main army from the rear. Encouraged by this attack, the enemy front lines also assembled themselves anew and the Muslims felt crushed between the two. The enemy targeted the Prophet. (Khalid began to climb with his horses a hill that the Prophet did not want to lose the command of: Ibn Jarir). The pagans both shot arrows at the Prophet, as well as threw stones. One stone, hurled by `Abdullah b. Qum`ah, struck him in the face and broke his tooth. Ibn Qum`ah then advanced, and brought down his sword on the Prophet. (But his strike was taken by Mus`ab b. `Umayr whom Ibn Qum`ah mistook for the Prophet: Zamakhshari). Ibn Qum`ah returned to the people with the news that he had killed the Prophet. The Prophet had actually fallen into a ditch from where he was helped out, and led to a hill. He said, somewhere at that time, "Allah's anger has intensified against those who have bloodied His Messenger's face." Ka`b b. Malik said: "I was the first to recognize him from the way his shoulders inclined to the sides when he walked. 'Good news, brothers. Here is the Messenger,' I shouted out in joy. But the Prophet signaled me to be quiet." The pagans began to target him, but thanks to the valiant efforts of the ten or so Companions left with him, out of which seven died, they could do him no harm. Nevertheless, the news had spread among the Muslims that he had fallen. That added to the panic, and they began to flee. Thus the victory at hand was allowed to slip away, first by the Muslims, and then by the pagans.

At that moment Ubayy b. Khalf advanced towards the Prophet, saying he would not survive if Muhammad survived, for he used to say in Makkah that he would kill Muhammad, and had heard that the Prophet had said in reply that he would rather kill him. When the Prophet saw him advancing, he took aim and threw his spear at him. It merely kissed him leaving a scratch (on the neck: Au). But the man fell down and began to yell like a bull. The pagans picked him up and chided him for his screams. He told them that if the pain he felt were to be distributed amongst the population of Hejaz, they would all die. He died on the way back to Makkah.

Some Companions however, such as `Umar and Talha (who received seventy wounds: Ibn Kathir), fought back with the strength of the one in "despair." In the meanwhile, Muslims began to learn that the Prophet was alive. He beckoned them to himself: "Unto me, O slaves of Allah, unto me," he cried. They rallied around him and counter attacked the enemy, saving the day, but by then they had lost seventy of their men, were "too exhausted to exploit their chances of victory, and the battle ended in a draw" (Asad).

Abu Sufyan came up to the foot of the hill and called out: "Is Muhammad among you?" three times. The Prophet told them not to answer him. Then he called out: "Is Abu Quhafa's son with you (i.e. Abu Bakr)? Is Ibn al Khattab with you?" When he did not receive any answer he remarked: "Perhaps they have all been killed. Were they alive they would have answered." At that `Umar could not restrain himself, he shouted: "You have lied O enemy of God. They have been kept alive in order to humiliate you." Upon that Abu Sufyan said: "Glory to Hubal (a deity)." The Prophet told them to answer: "Allah is Glorious, Magnificent." Abu Sufyan said: "We have `Uzza (another deity) to help us but you have no `Uzza." The Prophet told them to reply: "Allah is our Protector, and you have no protector." Abu Sufyan added: "Today was against the day of Badr. Wars are like pails (of water that go up and down in a well). You will find some people disfigured. I didn't order it. But it doesn't hurt me either" (Bukhari).

Thus the disobedience of the Prophet became the cause of the disaster. (A second cause was their acceptance of ransom from the prisoners at Badr: Thanwi Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathir).

According to a report in Muslim, prior to the battle the Prophet had dreamt that his sword had broken, that a cow was slaughtered, and that he had thrust his hand in a safe coat of mail. He interpreted it as meaning that some of his followers would be martyred, he would lose one of his family members, and that Madinah would remain safe: all of which proved to be true (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

195. This shows Allah's extreme regard of the true believers in Him that it was not but a passing thought in their hearts that they should also perhaps withdraw, as had `Abdullah ibn `Ubayy. But Allah strengthened their hearts and announced that He is their Protector. Accordingly, it has been reported of Jabir (who belonged to one of those tribes) as saying, "It wouldn't have pleased me that the verse did not come down about us, because of the words: 'And Allah was their (Friend and) Protector'" (Zamakhshari, Thanwi).

The report is in the Sahihayn.

Thus Allah brought to surface what they concealed in their hearts to impress on them that He was their true Friend, who was with them all the time, to whom they should turn and in whom they should place their trust (Ibn Jarir), whenever such thoughts occur (Sayyid Qutb).

A contemporary commentator has said that the two tribes actually did announce their intention to withdraw and "it took some effort on the part of the Companions to persuade them not to." One is perplexed about the source of this story. It is neither in any of the leading tafsir nor sirah works (Au.).

196. Accordingly, when Abu `Ubaydah wrote to `Umar requesting him to beef up his forces at the Syrian front, (before the Yarmuk battle: Shafi`), `Umar wrote back that Allah is the best of those who can fortify, and that the Prophet was helped at Badr with lesser forces. Therefore, they should fight on with their faith in Allah and not write to him again. They did that and victory was granted (Ibn Kathir from Musnad Ahmad).

Tawakkul

Linguistically tawakkul is 'dependence on another out of one's weakness.' Sahal b. `Abdullah has defined it as 'Contentment accompanied by assurance, and severance of all hopes of the created.' According to the sufiya' when one begins to "depend" on the 'means,' then tawakkul has left him. (That is, when means are not treated as simply means but as those that can produce results: Au.) Qurtubi, abridged.

197. Badr was the name of a spring down south of Madinah (at about 200 km. from the city, and now a town: Au.), where the first battle of Islam took place (in 2 A.H. on 17 of Ramadan, Friday: Alusi). That happened to be also the first, of the total of 27 (according to Ibn Is-haq in Tabaqat) battles, campaigns and skirmishes in which the Prophet personally participated, in eight of which he actually fought (Qurtubi).

198. At Badr Muslims were three hundred and odd against a thousand or so of the pagans. The Prophet is reported to have said that day: "Today you are in the same numbers as were the forces of Talut the day he encountered the forces of Jalut" (Ibn Jarir).

Majid quotes: "However unimportant itself as a military engagement, this Ghazwat Badr laid the foundation of Muhammad's temporal power. Islam had won its first and decisive military victory ... Hitherto it had been a religion within a state; in al Medinah, after Badr, it passed into something more than a state religion in itself became the state. Then and there Islam came to be what the world has ever since recognized it to be a military polity" (Hitti).

199. It is reported of Abu Usayd Malik b. Rabi`ah (the last to die of the Badri sahabah: Qurtubi) as saying, after he had lost his eye sight, "Were I to be there at Badr with you and able to see, I'd show you the valley out of which emerged the angels. I harbor no doubt about it." (One of them was heard saying during the battle: 'Charge O Hayzum.' After the battle the Prophet asked Jibril who the angel was who had said that. Jibril replied: 'Not all of the inhabitants of the heaven do I know Muhammad': Qurtubi).

Ibn `Abbas has reported a man of Banu Ghifar as saying, 'I and my uncle polytheists until then were watching the battle of Badr from a distance when we saw a piece of cloud descending down. We could hear the neighing of horses proceeding from it. My uncle suffered a massive stroke at the sight and died on the spot. I too all but died out of fear.'

Ibn `Abbas has said that although angels did descend during the battles on many occasions, they did not take active part on any occasion save at Badr. Further, it is reported that Abu al Yusr, although a tiny man, captured `Abbas ibn `Abdul Muttalib at Badr. The Prophet asked him how he managed it. He said that another man, whom he never saw before or after, had aided him. The Prophet said: "That was an angel that had helped you" (Ibn Jarir).

200. Something the participants at Uhud did not come up with and so were not helped (Dahhak: Ibn Jarir). In fact, according to `Ikrimah not even the three thousand promised earlier were sent down at Uhud (Ibn Kathir).

The early commentators have differed over the battle to which this promise referred. Some believe that it was with reference to Badr; but since the need did not arise the Muslims were not helped with the additional five thousand angels promised. But some others are of the opinion that the angels did come down since Muslims observed patience and were godfearing. A third believes that this verse refers to Uhud but since the Muslims did not demonstrate patience and godfearing they were not helped with the five thousand promised (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).

Another interpretation is that the Muslims at Badr were initially promised a thousand angels as in verse 8 of al Anfal, since the forces opposing them were a thousand. However, when the news about Kurz (bringing in additional forces) reached them, and since Muslims were one against three, they were promised three thousand. Finally, they were promised that if they observed patience and godfearing, and, were their enemy to surprise them, they would be helped with five thousand more. But since the enemy did not receive the additional forces, the five thousand angels did not arrive (Alusi, Shafi`).

201. Hasan and Sha`bi have said that Kurz bin Jabir had intended to extend his help to the pagans at Badr. That caused some concern among the Muslims. Allah revealed this verse to strengthen the heart of the believers. However, since Kurz did not come up with his forces, some say that Allah also did not send down the five thousand He had promised, rather three thousand of the earlier promise sufficed (Ibn Jarir).

But Ibn Abbas' opinion is that by the terms ya' tukum min fawrihim hadha Allah meant to say, "if they arrive on you now (at Uhud)" Ibn Jarir, Shawkani from Ibn Abi Hatim.

202. It is widely reported that the angels that day wore woollen turbans in the style of Zubayr ibn al `Awwam, riding black and white horses with tufts of wool or cotton tied to their tails and forehead. This is the marking that was alluded to in the verse (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

203. "He may either turn to them (in mercy and guide them)...": The words indicate that repentance is a creation of Allah, for repentance is basically remorse, and remorse itself is one's commitment to himself that the evil act will not be repeated. In other words it is an intention. Now, if we say that man creates his intentions, then, intention will become an act, requiring another intention. This will lead to a vicious circle. Hence we say that repentance is an act of Allah (bestowed upon man) Razi.

204. Ibn `Abbas, Anas, Qatadah and Hasan report (the hadith is in Muslim: Ibn Kathir) that when the Muslims were routed at Uhud, the Prophet (saws) broke a tooth (lower right, the one after the front two teeth: Thanwi), and received a wound in his face that bled profusely, he remarked,

"كَيْفَ يُفْلِحُ قَوْمٌ شَجّوا نَبِيّهُمْ وَكَسَرُوا رَبَاعِيَتَهُ، وَهُوَ يَدْعُوهُمْ إلَىَ اللّهِ؟"

"How will a people prosper who have wounded their Prophet, broke his tooth, while he invites them to Allah!?" Upon that Allah revealed this verse. Another version (in Bukhari, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i and others: Alusi) says that the Prophet invoked Allah's curse upon some of the unbelievers, specifically naming Abu Sufyan, Harith b. Hisham, Suhayl b. `Amr and Safwan b. Umayyah, after fajr Prayers, subsequent to the defeat at Uhud. But Allah revealed this verse in response (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).

Alusi adds: The verses indicated the preferable reaction, although the unbelievers did deserve to be cursed and hence the Prophet was not wrong in reacting that way.

In fact, the four leading antagonists named by the Prophet actually embraced Islam following Allah's promise that He may turn to them in mercy (Ibn Kathir).

Bukhari, Muslim and others have also reported that whenever the Prophet faced hard times he made special supplications in his qunut in the Fajr Prayers, seeking Allah's blessings for the Muslims and His scourge on the unbelievers, naming tribes and individuals, until Allah revealed this verse and he discontinued. (Shawkani).

Rashid Rida comments: This piece of Divine revelation, coming at this juncture establishes in the heart, that which could not have been established were it not to be a part of the important events which cannot be interpreted in any other way but one. This piece is a very strong proof of tawhid and one of the proofs of the authenticity of the Prophet. Had the Prophet been founder of a kingdom, or a political manipulator he would not have said what he said on this occasion. So what share do those people have in this religion who believe that the spirits of the saints in the graves have a say in the affairs of the world ... those who believe that the supposed saints can give victory or defeat, can grant or withhold, can kill or give life, can render rich or poor, can cure or render sick ... who can do everything (for their followers). Are these to be considered Muslims and followers of the Qur'an, which said at that moment when the Prophet was wounded by the polytheists and had his teeth broken: "You have no say in the affairs," and, "Tell them all affairs are in Allah's Power?" This then is the teaching of the Qur'an and the guidance shown by the Qur'an. Were then, those people of Bukhara rightly guided who, in the face of the Russian invasion said, "Naqshbandi will save us?" Were the people of Fez rightly guided, who, in the face of the French invasion, resorted to supplications at the grave of Sheikh Idris? And, were those Muslims of numerous places rightly guided who, when facing foreign invasions, began to recite Bukhari or call upon the saints? Did they believe that those pagan practices were prescribed by Islam? Did they not recite this verse, and learn the circumstances of its revelation? Did they not learn of the acts and deeds that preceded the supplications of the righteous people of the past? Did they not learn that their righteous predecessors were always divinely helped as long as they did not remain merely cursing their adversaries in their lengthy and heart rending supplications? Therefore, act, believers, act. Prepare yourself fully (8: 60):

وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ [الأنفال : 60]

"Prepare yourselves against them with whatever force (you can muster)." There is no power without knowledge and without material means. There are no material means without justice. And there is no justice with the tyrannacal rulers. Then it is, after full preparations, that remembrance and supplications should follow (8: 45):

إِذَا لَقِيتُمْ فِئَةً فَاثْبُتُوا وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا [الأنفال : 45]

"And when you mee

t a party (in the battlefield) then be steadfast and remember Allah much," and (8: 46):

وَلَا تَنَازَعُوا فَتَفْشَلُوا [الأنفال : 46]

"Do not differ (among yourselves) or you will lose heart." This is the guidance of Islam that reflects its truth in the life of the Prophet and the righteous believers (23: 68):

أَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُوا الْقَوْلَ أَمْ جَاءَهُمْ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِ آبَاءَهُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ [المؤمنون : 68]

"Have they not then pondered the word? Or, have they received what their forefathers didn't receive?"

Quotation from Rashid Rida ends here.

205. That is, Allah is right and just in doing whatever He decides to do. If He punished those who did not sin although He does not do that He would still be just and right with them since they are His creations, and He has a right to deal with His creation the way He will. Conversely, if He rewarded those who sinned against Him although, normally He does not do that then too He would be right and just, for He is not bound by any rule and has the right to deal with His creations the way He will. (Razi, Alusi)

The Connection

Qaffal has said that since the heathens were able to raise a big army with the help of the usurious money they had amassed, Allah introduced the prohibition of usury at this juncture, when Uhud and its aftermath were being discussed, in order that the Muslims may not follow them in their footsteps and resort to usurious means to raise money for war preparations (Razi, Alusi).

Majid adds: "The close connection between war and national loans and debts is too plain to need explanation."