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 31-41قُلْSayاِنْIfكُنْتُمْyouتُحِبُّوْنَloveاللّٰهَAllahفَاتَّبِعُوْنِیْthen follow meیُحْبِبْكُمُwill love youاللّٰهُAllahوَ یَغْفِرْand He will forgiveلَكُمْfor youذُنُوْبَكُمْ ؕyour sinsوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahغَفُوْرٌ(is) Oft-Forgivingرَّحِیْمٌ Most Merciful قُلْSayاَطِیْعُواObeyاللّٰهَAllahوَ الرَّسُوْلَ ۚand the MessengerفَاِنْThen ifتَوَلَّوْاthey turn awayفَاِنَّthen indeedاللّٰهَAllahلَا(does) notیُحِبُّloveالْكٰفِرِیْنَ the disbelievers اِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahاصْطَفٰۤیchoseاٰدَمَAdamوَ نُوْحًاand Nuhوَّ اٰلَand (the) familyاِبْرٰهِیْمَ(of) Ibrahimوَ اٰلَand (the) familyعِمْرٰنَ(of) Imranعَلَیoverالْعٰلَمِیْنَۙthe worlds ذُرِّیَّةًۢDescendentsبَعْضُهَاsome of themمِنْۢfromبَعْضٍ ؕothersوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahسَمِیْعٌ(is) All-HearingعَلِیْمٌۚAll-Knowing اِذْWhenقَالَتِ[she] saidامْرَاَتُ(the) wifeعِمْرٰنَ(of) ImranرَبِّMy Lord!اِنِّیْIndeed Iنَذَرْتُ[I] vowedلَكَto Youمَاwhatفِیْ(is) inبَطْنِیْmy wombمُحَرَّرًاdedicatedفَتَقَبَّلْso acceptمِنِّیْ ۚfrom meاِنَّكَIndeed YouاَنْتَYouالسَّمِیْعُ(are) the All-Hearingالْعَلِیْمُ the All-Knowing فَلَمَّاThen whenوَضَعَتْهَاshe delivered herقَالَتْshe saidرَبِّMy Lordاِنِّیْindeed Iوَضَعْتُهَاۤ[I] (have) delivered [her]اُنْثٰی ؕa femaleوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahاَعْلَمُknows betterبِمَا[of] whatوَضَعَتْ ؕshe deliveredوَ لَیْسَand is notالذَّكَرُthe maleكَالْاُنْثٰی ۚlike the femaleوَ اِنِّیْAnd that Iسَمَّیْتُهَا[I] (have) named herمَرْیَمَMaryamوَ اِنِّیْۤand that Iاُعِیْذُهَا[I] seek refuge for herبِكَin Youوَ ذُرِّیَّتَهَاand her offspringمِنَfromالشَّیْطٰنِthe Shaitaanالرَّجِیْمِ the rejected فَتَقَبَّلَهَاSo accepted herرَبُّهَاher Lordبِقَبُوْلٍwith acceptanceحَسَنٍgoodوَّ اَنْۢبَتَهَاand made her growنَبَاتًاa growingحَسَنًا ۙgoodوَّ كَفَّلَهَاand put her in (the) careزَكَرِیَّا ؕۚ(of) ZakariyaكُلَّمَاWheneverدَخَلَenteredعَلَیْهَاupon herزَكَرِیَّاZakariyaالْمِحْرَابَ ۙ[the] prayer chamberوَجَدَhe foundعِنْدَهَاwith herرِزْقًا ۚprovisionقَالَHe saidیٰمَرْیَمُO MaryamاَنّٰیFrom whereلَكِfor youهٰذَا ؕ(is) thisقَالَتْShe saidهُوَThisمِنْ(is)عِنْدِfromاللّٰهِ ؕAllahاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahیَرْزُقُgives provisionمَنْ(to) whomیَّشَآءُHe willsبِغَیْرِwithoutحِسَابٍ measure 3. Ali 'Imran Page 55هُنَالِكَThere onlyدَعَاinvokedزَكَرِیَّاZakariyaرَبَّهٗ ۚhis Lordقَالَhe saidرَبِّMy Lordهَبْgrantلِیْ[for] meمِنْfromلَّدُنْكَYourselfذُرِّیَّةًoffspringطَیِّبَةً ۚpureاِنَّكَIndeed, Youسَمِیْعُ(are) All-Hearerالدُّعَآءِ (of) the prayer فَنَادَتْهُThen called himالْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُthe Angelsوَ هُوَwhen heقَآىِٕمٌ(was) standingیُّصَلِّیْprayingفِیinالْمِحْرَابِ ۙthe prayer chamberاَنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahیُبَشِّرُكَgives you glad tidingsبِیَحْیٰیof Yahyaمُصَدِّقًۢاconfirmingبِكَلِمَةٍ[of] a WordمِّنَfromاللّٰهِAllahوَ سَیِّدًاand a nobleوَّ حَصُوْرًاand chasteوَّ نَبِیًّاand a Prophetمِّنَamongالصّٰلِحِیْنَ the righteous قَالَHe saidرَبِّMy Lordاَنّٰیhowیَكُوْنُcan (there) beلِیْfor meغُلٰمٌa sonوَّ قَدْand verilyبَلَغَنِیَhas reached meالْكِبَرُ[the] old ageوَ امْرَاَتِیْand my wifeعَاقِرٌ ؕ(is) [a] barrenقَالَHe saidكَذٰلِكَThusاللّٰهُAllahیَفْعَلُdoesمَاwhatیَشَآءُ He wills قَالَHe saidرَبِّMy Lordاجْعَلْmakeلِّیْۤfor meاٰیَةً ؕa signقَالَHe saidاٰیَتُكَyour signاَلَّا(is) that notتُكَلِّمَyou will speakالنَّاسَ(to) the peopleثَلٰثَةَ(for) threeاَیَّامٍdaysاِلَّاexceptرَمْزًا ؕ(with) gesturesوَ اذْكُرْAnd rememberرَّبَّكَyour Lordكَثِیْرًاmuchوَّ سَبِّحْand glorify (Him)بِالْعَشِیِّin the eveningوَ الْاِبْكَارِ۠and (in) the morning

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Translation of Verse 31-41

(3:31) (O Messenger!) Tell people: 'If you indeed love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you and will forgive you your sins. Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate.'

(3:32) Say: 'Obey Allah and obey the Messenger.' If they turn away from this then know that Allah does not love those who refuse to obey Him and His Messenger.²⁸

(3:33) Truly Allah²⁹ chose Adam and Noah and the descendants of Abraham and of 'Imran³⁰ above all mankind.

(3:34) (for His messengership) - a people alike and the seed of one another.³¹ Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

(3:35). (He also heard) when the woman of 'Imran³² said: 'O Lord! Behold, unto You do I vow that the child in my womb is to be devoted to Your exclusive service. Accept it, then, from me. Surely You alone are All-Hearing, All-Knowing.'³³

(3:36) But when she gave birth to a female child, she said: 'O Lord! I have given birth to a female' - and Allah knew full well what she had given birth to - 'and a female is not the same as a male.³⁴ I have named her Mary and commit her and her offspring to You for protection from Satan, the accursed.'

(3:37) Thereupon her Lord graciously accepted Mary and vouchsafed to her a goodly growth and placed her in the care of Zechariah. Whenever Zechariah³⁵ visited her in the sanctuary,³⁶ he found her provided with food. He asked her: 'O Mary, how did this come to you?' She said: 'It is from Allah. Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills beyond all reckoning.'

(3:38) Then Zechariah prayed to his Lord: 'O Lord! Grant me from Yourself out of Your grace the gift of a goodly offspring, for indeed You alone heed all Prayers.'³⁷

(3:39) As he stood praying in the sanctuary, the angels called out to him: 'Allah gives you good tidings of John (Yahya),³⁸ who shall confirm a command of Allah ,³⁹ shall be outstanding among men, utterly chaste, and a Prophet from among the righteous.'

(3:40) Zechariah exclaimed: 'My Lord! How shall I have a son when old age has overtaken me and my wife is barren?' He said: Thus shall it be;⁴⁰ Allah does what He wills.'

(3:41) Zechariah said: 'O my Lord! Appoint a sign for me.'⁴¹ The angel said: 'The sign for you shall be that you shall not speak to men for three days except by gesture. Remember your Lord and extol His glory by night and by day.'⁴²

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Commentary

28. This marks the conclusion of the first discourse. Reflection upon its contents, particularly the reference to the Battle of Badr, leads one to the conclusion that this section was probably revealed between the battles of Badr and Uhud, i.e. sometime in 3.A.H. The tradition mentioned by Muhammad b. Ishaq has led to the common misunderstanding that the first eighty verses of this surah were revealed on the occasion of the arrival of the deputation from Najran in 9 A.H. (See Ibn Hisham. Sirah, vol. 1, pp. 573 ff., especially p. 576; Ibn Ishaq, Life of Muhammad, tr. A. Guillaume, second impression, London, Oxford, 1968. pp. 270 ff.. especially p. 272 - Ed.) This is not true. In the first place, the introductory section indicates that the surah was revealed much earlier. Second, the Tradition narrated by Muqatil b. Sulayman states explicitly that on the occasion of the arrival of the deputation from Najran only those verses which concern the Prophets John (Yahya) and Jesus ('Isa) (peace be on them) were revealed, and the number of those verses is about thirty.

29. This marks the beginning of the second discourse. The period of its revelation is about 9 A.H., when a delegation from the Christian republic of Najran visited the Prophet. Najran lies between the Hijaz and Yaman, and comprised, at that time, seventy-three towns and villages. Its population can be gauged from the fact that an estimated one hundred and twenty thousand men could bear arms. The entire population was Christian and was under the hegemony of three Christian chiefs. The first of these, 'aqib, was the head of the community. The second, sayyid, looked after the collective and political affairs of the people. The third, usquf (bishop), was their religious leader. (See Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 573; Ibn Ishaq, Life of Muhammad, tr. A. Guillaume, pp. 270 f. - Ed.)

When the Prophet annexed Makka, the whole of Arabia became convinced that the future of the area was bound up with him, and deputations from all parts of the peninsula began to visit him. In this connection the three chiefs of Najran came to Madina accompanied by sixty people. As they were not prepared to go to war, the alternatives before them were either to embrace Islam or to live as dhimmis (protected non-Muslim subjects of the Islamic state). It was on this occasion that God revealed this discourse; it served as an invitation to the people of Najran to accept Islam.

30. 'Imran was the father of Moses and Aaron, and has been mentioned in the Bible as Amram.

31. The real error of the Christians lies in considering Jesus to be the son of God and a partner in His godhead, rather than His servant and Messenger. If this misunderstanding was removed it would become quite easy for them to advance towards Islam. Hence at the very outset of the discourse it is mentioned that Adam, Noah and the Prophets in the house of Abraham and 'Imran were all human beings. Even though many Prophets were born in the same family, one from the other, none of them was God. Their merit lay in the fact that God had chosen them to preach His religion and reform the world.

32. If the 'woman of 'Imran' is interpreted as the wife of 'Imran, this 'Imran must be different from the 'Imran just mentioned (see the preceding verse). In the Christian tradition the name of the father of Mary is mentioned as Joachim. If this expression, however, is interpreted to mean 'a woman of the house of 'Imran', it would mean that the mother of Mary belonged to that tribe. There is, unfortunately, no definite source of information that would lead us to prefer one interpretation to the other, as there is no historical record either about who the parents of Mary were, or to which tribes they belonged. Were we to accept the tradition that the mother of John (Yahya) and the mother of Jesus were cousins, then it would be valid to interpret the expression as meaning 'a woman of the tribe of 'Imran' for, according to the Gospel of Luke, the mother of John was one of the daughters of Aaron (Luke 1:5).

33. That is, God heeds the prayers of His creatures and is well aware of their intentions.

34. Since a boy is free from some of the physical shortcomings and social disabilities associated with a girl, the mother of Mary thought that had the child been a boy he would have been more able to achieve the purpose for which she had consecrated the child.

35. This section refers to that period of Mary's life when she attained her majority and was admitted to the Temple of Jerusalem, and devoted all her time to remembering God. Zechariah, into whose care she was given, was perhaps the husband of her maternal aunt, and was one of the guardians of the Temple. This Zechariah is not to be confused with the Prophet Zechariah whose assassination is mentioned in the Old Testament.

36. The word mihrab usually refers to that niche in mosques where the leader of the prayer stands. In this instance, however, the term signifies the apartments usually built in synagogues and sanctuaries on a raised platform adjacent to the place of congregational worship, which served as the residence of caretakers, servants and beggars. Mary lived in an apartment of this kind and devoted all her time to worship and prayer.

37. Until then Zechariah had no issue. The sight of this pious young girl made him yearn for a child just as virtuous and devout. When he saw that God sent food to her, by dint of His limitless power, he felt hopeful that God might also bless him with issue, despite his old age.

38. In the Bible his name is mentioned as John the Baptist. For information about him see Matthew 3, 9 and 14: Mark 1 and 6; Luke 1 and 3.

39. The 'command from Allah' signifies Jesus (peace be on him). His birth took place as the result of an extraordinary command from God and in an unusual manner, hence he is designated as 'the command' or 'word' from Allah.

40. God granted Zechariah a son despite his old age and despite the barrenness of his wife.

41. Here the request is made for some specific sign to be given by means of which Zechariah would come to know in advance when the unusual incident of the birth of a child to a couple, where the male was old and the female both old and barren, would take place.

42. The real purpose of this discourse is to disclose to the Christians the error of their belief in Jesus as God and as the son of God. The subject is introduced by mentioning the birth of John (peace be on him), anothermiraculous birth which had taken place only six months before the birth of the Messiah (peace be on him) and among his own relatives. God wants to make the Christians ask themselves why the miraculous birth of Jesus should make him God when the similarly miraculous birth of John did not make him so.