Surah 3. Ali 'Imran

---

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]

---

Quran Text of Verse 10-203. Ali 'Imran Page 51اِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelieve[d]لَنْneverتُغْنِیَwill availعَنْهُمْ[for] themاَمْوَالُهُمْtheir wealthوَلَاۤand notاَوْلَادُهُمْtheir childrenمِّنَagainstاللّٰهِAllahشَیْـًٔا ؕanythingوَ اُولٰٓىِٕكَand thoseهُمْthey (are)وَ قُوْدُ(the) fuelالنَّارِۙ(for) the Fire كَدَاْبِLike behaviorاٰلِ(of the) peopleفِرْعَوْنَ ۙ(of) Firaunوَ الَّذِیْنَand those whoمِنْ(were) fromقَبْلِهِمْ ؕbefore themكَذَّبُوْاThey deniedبِاٰیٰتِنَا ۚOur Signsفَاَخَذَهُمُso seized themاللّٰهُAllahبِذُنُوْبِهِمْ ؕfor their sinsوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahشَدِیْدُ(is) severeالْعِقَابِ (in) [the] punishment قُلْSayلِّلَّذِیْنَto those whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelieve[d]سَتُغْلَبُوْنَYou will be overcomeوَ تُحْشَرُوْنَand you will be gatheredاِلٰیtoجَهَنَّمَ ؕHellوَ بِئْسَ[and] an evilالْمِهَادُ [the] resting place قَدْSurelyكَانَit wasلَكُمْfor youاٰیَةٌa signفِیْinفِئَتَیْنِ(the) two hostsالْتَقَتَا ؕwhich metفِئَةٌone groupتُقَاتِلُfightingفِیْinسَبِیْلِ(the) wayاللّٰهِ(of) Allahوَ اُخْرٰیand anotherكَافِرَةٌdisbelieversیَّرَوْنَهُمْThey were seeing themمِّثْلَیْهِمْtwice of themرَاْیَwith the sightالْعَیْنِ ؕ(of) their eyesوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahیُؤَیِّدُsupportsبِنَصْرِهٖwith His helpمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُ ؕHe willsاِنَّIndeedفِیْinذٰلِكَthatلَعِبْرَةًsurely (is) a lessonلِّاُولِیfor the ownersالْاَبْصَارِ (of) vision زُیِّنَ[It is] beautifiedلِلنَّاسِfor mankindحُبُّ(is) loveالشَّهَوٰتِ(of) the (things they) desireمِنَofالنِّسَآءِ[the] womenوَ الْبَنِیْنَand [the] sonsوَ الْقَنَاطِیْرِand [the] heapsالْمُقَنْطَرَةِ[the] stored upمِنَofالذَّهَبِ[the] goldوَ الْفِضَّةِand [the] silverوَ الْخَیْلِand [the] horsesالْمُسَوَّمَةِ[the] brandedوَ الْاَنْعَامِand [the] cattleوَ الْحَرْثِ ؕand [the] tilled landذٰلِكَThatمَتَاعُ(is) provisionالْحَیٰوةِ(of) lifeالدُّنْیَا ۚ(of) the worldوَ اللّٰهُbut Allahعِنْدَهٗwith Himحُسْنُ(is an) excellentالْمَاٰبِ [the] abode to return قُلْSayاَؤُنَبِّئُكُمْShall I inform youبِخَیْرٍof betterمِّنْthanذٰلِكُمْ ؕthatلِلَّذِیْنَFor those whoاتَّقَوْاfear[ed]عِنْدَwithرَبِّهِمْtheir Lordجَنّٰتٌ(are) Gardensتَجْرِیْflowsمِنْfromتَحْتِهَاunderneath themالْاَنْهٰرُ[the] riversخٰلِدِیْنَabiding foreverفِیْهَاin itوَ اَزْوَاجٌand spousesمُّطَهَّرَةٌpureوَّ رِضْوَانٌand approvalمِّنَfromاللّٰهِ ؕAllahوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahبَصِیْرٌۢ(is) All-Seerبِالْعِبَادِۚof (His) slaves 3. Ali 'Imran Page 52اَلَّذِیْنَThose whoیَقُوْلُوْنَsayرَبَّنَاۤOur Lord!اِنَّنَاۤIndeed weاٰمَنَّا(have) believedفَاغْفِرْso forgiveلَنَاfor usذُنُوْبَنَاour sinsوَ قِنَاand save usعَذَابَ(from) punishmentالنَّارِۚ(of) the Fire اَلصّٰبِرِیْنَThe patientوَ الصّٰدِقِیْنَand the truthfulوَ الْقٰنِتِیْنَand the obedientوَ الْمُنْفِقِیْنَand those who spendوَ الْمُسْتَغْفِرِیْنَand those who seek forgivenessبِالْاَسْحَارِ [in the] before dawn شَهِدَBears witnessاللّٰهُAllahاَنَّهٗthat [He]لَاۤ(there is) noاِلٰهَgodاِلَّاexceptهُوَ ۙHimوَ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُand (so do) the Angelsوَ اُولُواand ownersالْعِلْمِ(of) [the] knowledgeقَآىِٕمًۢاstandingبِالْقِسْطِ ؕin justiceلَاۤ(There is) noاِلٰهَgodاِلَّاexceptهُوَHimالْعَزِیْزُthe All-Mightyالْحَكِیْمُؕthe All-Wise اِنَّIndeedالدِّیْنَthe religionعِنْدَnearاللّٰهِAllahالْاِسْلَامُ ۫(is) Islamوَ مَاAnd notاخْتَلَفَdifferedالَّذِیْنَthose whoاُوْتُواwere givenالْكِتٰبَthe Bookاِلَّاexceptمِنْۢfromبَعْدِafterمَا[what]جَآءَهُمُcame to themالْعِلْمُ[the] knowledgeبَغْیًۢاout of envyبَیْنَهُمْ ؕamong themوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیَّكْفُرْdisbelievesبِاٰیٰتِin (the) Versesاللّٰهِ(of) Allahفَاِنَّthen indeedاللّٰهَAllahسَرِیْعُ(is) swiftالْحِسَابِ (in taking) account فَاِنْThen ifحَآجُّوْكَthey argue with youفَقُلْthen sayاَسْلَمْتُI have submittedوَجْهِیَmyselfلِلّٰهِto Allahوَ مَنِand (those) whoاتَّبَعَنِ ؕfollow meوَ قُلْAnd sayلِّلَّذِیْنَto those whoاُوْتُواwere givenالْكِتٰبَthe Bookوَ الْاُمِّیّٖنَand the unlettered peopleءَاَسْلَمْتُمْ ؕHave you submitted yourselvesفَاِنْThen ifاَسْلَمُوْاthey submitفَقَدِthen surelyاهْتَدَوْا ۚthey are guidedوَ اِنْBut ifتَوَلَّوْاthey turn backفَاِنَّمَاthen onlyعَلَیْكَon youالْبَلٰغُ ؕ(is) to [the] conveyوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahبَصِیْرٌۢ(is) All-Seerبِالْعِبَادِ۠of [His] slaves

---

Translation of Verse 10-20

(3:10) Those who disbelieve, neither their wealth nor their offspring will avail them at all against Allah, and it is they who will be the fuel of the Fire

(3:11) (To them shall happen) the like of what happened to the people of Pharaoh, and those before them. They rejected Our signs, so Allah seized them for their sins. Allah indeed is severe in punishment.

(3:12) Tell those who disbelieved:⁸ 'You shall soon be overpowered and mustered to Hell - and that is an evil resting place!'

(3:13) You have already come across an instructive sign in the two hosts that encountered each other in battle (at Badr): one host fighting in the way of Allah, and the other that of unbelievers. They saw with their own eyes that one host was twice the number of the other.⁹ But (the result of the battle has proved that) Allah succours with His victory whomsoever He wills. In this there is surely a lesson for all who have eyes to see.¹⁰

(3:14) Men are naturally tempted by the lure of women, children, treasures of gold and silver, horses of mark, cattle and plantations. These are the enjoyments in the life of this world; but with Allah lies a goodly abode to return to.

(3:15) Say: 'Shall I tell you of things better than these? For the God-fearing there are, with their Lord, gardens beneath which rivers flow; there they will abide for ever, will have spouses of stainless purity¹¹ as companions, and will enjoy the good pleasure of Allah.' Allah thoroughly observes His servants.¹²

(3:16) These are the ones who pray: 'Our Lord! We do indeed believe, so forgive us our sins and keep us safe from the chastisement of the Fire';

(3:17) men who are steadfast,¹³ truthful, obedient, spend (in the way of Allah) and implore the forgiveness of Allah before daybreak.

(3:18) Allah Himself bears witness that there is no God but He;¹⁴ and likewise do the angels and the men possessed of knowledge¹⁵ bear witness in truth and justice that there is no God but He, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

(3:19) The true religion with Allah is Islam.¹⁶ The People of the Book adopted many different ways rather than follow the true way of Islam even after the knowledge of truth had reached them, and this merely to commit excesses against one another.¹⁷ Let him who refuses to follow the ordinances and directives of Allah know that Allah is swift in His reckoning.

(3:20) And if they remonstrate with you, tell them: 'I have submitted my whole being to Allah, and so have those who follow me.' And ask the People of the Book as well as those who follow no heavenly Scripture: 'Have you also submitted (to Allah)?'¹⁸ If they have submitted to Him, they are indeed on the right way but if they deviate from submitting to Allah, then your duty is merely to deliver the message. Allah observes the affairs of His servants.

---

Commentary

8. For explanation see (Surah 2, n. 161)above.

9. The actual disparity between the two armies was roughly three to one, but even a cursory glance was enough to tell the casual observer that the army of unbelievers was about twice as large as that of the believers.

10. The events and results of the Battle of Badr are briefly reviewed so as to bring home certain lessons to the Muslims. There are three important lessons to be learnt. First, the manner in which the believers and the unbelievers advanced to the battlefield clearly demonstrated the difference in the moral fibre of the two armies. In the army of the unbelievers, the soldiers held drinking parties and were entertained by the songs and dances of slave girls. The prevalent mood of that army was one of self-indulgence. On the other hand, piety, fear of God and moral restraint of the highest order characterized the Muslim army. The soldiers were busy in devotion and remembrance of God, to Whom they addressed all their prayers and supplication. It was obvious to anyone which army was fighting in God's cause. Second, the believers won a resounding victory against an army of unbelievers superior to them in numbers, and in the quality and the quantity of arms. So the victory clearly indicated which of the two armies enjoyed the support of God. Third, the outcome of the battle came as a shocking humiliation for those who, heedless of God's might, had been exulting in the strength of their arms and the number of their supporters. It came as a shock to such people when God subjected a tribe like the Quraysh, foremost in influence and power throughout Arabia, to an ignominious defeat at the hands of a few ill-equipped Makkan fugitives and peasants from Madina.

11. For explanation see (Surah 2, n. 27) above.

12. This shows that God neither showers His favours on people arbitrarily nor makes casual and superficial judgements. He knows full well the deeds and intentions of people. He also knows who merits His rewards and who does not.

13. That is, they are those who remain steadfast in the cause of Truth; who do not lose heart when they either suffer losses or are subjected to afflictions; who do not despair when they encounter reverses; who are not seduced by temptations. They are the ones who remain faithful to the Truth, even when it apparently stands no chance of prevailing see also (Surah 2, n. 60 above.)

14. The testimony in question is from God Himself, Who knows directly all the realities of the universe, Who observes every existing thing without obstruction. It is the testimony of the One from Whose sight nothing is hidden, and who can be a better first-hand witness than He? His testimony is that no one but He is possessed of the attributes of godhead; no one has the power to govern the universe, and no one has the right to claim the rights which belong exclusively to God.

15. After God, the most trustworthy testimony is that of the angels, for they carry out the administration of the universe. The testimony of the angels, based on their own observations, is that the Will of God alone reigns supreme in the universe, and they turn to Him alone in the governance of the heavens and the earth. Moreover, all creatures possessing knowledge of reality have testified, unanimously, that no one except the One True God reigns and rules over the universe.

16. In the sight of God there is only one system of life and way of conduct which is both in accord with reality and morally right. This consists of man's acknowledging God as his Lord and the sole object of his worship and devotion; of surrendering himself unreservedly to God in obedience and service. In doing so he should follow in toto the guidance communicated by God through His Messengers rather than try to devise ways of serving God according to his own lights. This mode of thought and action is known as Islam, and it is only reasonable that the Lord and Creator of the universe should accept nothing less from His creatures and servants. In his folly man thinks that he has the right to believe in and follow every doctrine that comes his way whether it be atheism or idolatry. In the sight of the Sovereign of the universe, however, all such attitudes amount to nothing short of rebellion against God.

17. This shows that the religion of every Messenger of God, in every age and clime, was none other than Islam (submission to God). Likewise, every Divine book, in whichever language it was revealed, and to whichever people it was addressed, contained the teachings of Islam. The various religions which have spread among mankind are distortions of this true, original religion, and are the result of tampering. Coveting privileges over and above those to which they were entitled, people altered the beliefs, principles and injunctions of the true religion in a manner conducive to their own interests.

18. The Prophet (peace be on him) is asked to tell them in effect: I and my followers have embraced the original, unadulterated Islam which is the true religion enjoined by God. Tell us, now, if you are prepared to give up the accretions introduced by your forefathers, and embrace this original, true religion?'