Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 3 Ali 'Imran, Ayat 121-171

وَاِذۡ غَدَوۡتَ مِنۡ اَهۡلِكَ تُبَوِّئُ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ مَقَاعِدَ لِلۡقِتَالِ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ سَمِيۡعٌ عَلِيۡمٌۙ‏ ﴿3:121﴾ اِذۡ هَمَّتۡ طَّآئِفَتٰنِ مِنۡكُمۡ اَنۡ تَفۡشَلَا ۙ وَاللّٰهُ وَلِيُّهُمَا​ ؕ وَعَلَى اللّٰهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ‏ ﴿3:122﴾ وَلَقَدۡ نَصَرَكُمُ اللّٰهُ بِبَدۡرٍ وَّاَنۡـتُمۡ اَذِلَّةٌ  ۚ فَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿3:123﴾ اِذۡ تَقُوۡلُ لِلۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ اَلَنۡ يَّكۡفِيَكُمۡ اَنۡ يُّمِدَّكُمۡ رَبُّكُمۡ بِثَلٰثَةِ اٰلَافٍ مِّنَ الۡمَلٰٓـئِكَةِ مُنۡزَلِيۡنَؕ‏ ﴿3:124﴾ بَلٰٓى ۙ اِنۡ تَصۡبِرُوۡا وَتَتَّقُوۡا وَيَاۡتُوۡكُمۡ مِّنۡ فَوۡرِهِمۡ هٰذَا يُمۡدِدۡكُمۡ رَبُّكُمۡ بِخَمۡسَةِ اٰلَافٍ مِّنَ الۡمَلٰٓـئِكَةِ مُسَوِّمِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:125﴾ وَمَا جَعَلَهُ اللّٰهُ اِلَّا بُشۡرٰى لَـكُمۡ وَلِتَطۡمَـئِنَّ قُلُوۡبُكُمۡ بِهٖ​ؕ وَمَا النَّصۡرُ اِلَّا مِنۡ عِنۡدِ اللّٰهِ الۡعَزِيۡزِ الۡحَكِيۡمِۙ‏ ﴿3:126﴾ لِيَقۡطَعَ طَرَفًا مِّنَ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡۤا اَوۡ يَكۡبِتَهُمۡ فَيَنۡقَلِبُوۡا خَآئِبِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:127﴾ لَيۡسَ لَكَ مِنَ الۡاَمۡرِ شَىۡءٌ اَوۡ يَتُوۡبَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ اَوۡ يُعَذِّبَهُمۡ فَاِنَّهُمۡ ظٰلِمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿3:128﴾ وَلِلّٰهِ مَا فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَمَا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ يَغۡفِرُ لِمَنۡ يَّشَآءُ وَ يُعَذِّبُ مَنۡ يَّشَآءُ​ ؕ وَاللّٰهُ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ‏ ﴿3:129﴾ يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَاۡكُلُوا الرِّبٰٓوا اَضۡعَافًا مُّضٰعَفَةً ​ وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ​ۚ‏ ﴿3:130﴾ وَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِىۡۤ اُعِدَّتۡ لِلۡكٰفِرِيۡنَ​ۚ‏ ﴿3:131﴾ وَاَطِيۡعُوا اللّٰهَ وَالرَّسُوۡلَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُوۡنَ​ۚ‏ ﴿3:132﴾ وَسَارِعُوۡۤا اِلٰى مَغۡفِرَةٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّكُمۡ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرۡضُهَا السَّمٰوٰتُ وَالۡاَرۡضُۙ اُعِدَّتۡ لِلۡمُتَّقِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿3:133﴾ الَّذِيۡنَ يُنۡفِقُوۡنَ فِى السَّرَّآءِ وَالضَّرَّآءِ وَالۡكٰظِمِيۡنَ الۡغَيۡظَ وَالۡعَافِيۡنَ عَنِ النَّاسِ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُحِبُّ الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَ​ۚ‏ ﴿3:134﴾ وَالَّذِيۡنَ اِذَا فَعَلُوۡا فَاحِشَةً اَوۡ ظَلَمُوۡۤا اَنۡفُسَهُمۡ ذَكَرُوا اللّٰهَ فَاسۡتَغۡفَرُوۡا لِذُنُوۡبِهِمۡ وَمَنۡ يَّغۡفِرُ الذُّنُوۡبَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ  وَلَمۡ يُصِرُّوۡا عَلٰى مَا فَعَلُوۡا وَهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿3:135﴾ اُولٰٓـئِكَ جَزَآؤُهُمۡ مَّغۡفِرَةٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّهِمۡ وَ جَنّٰتٌ تَجۡرِىۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِهَا الۡاَنۡهٰرُ خٰلِدِيۡنَ فِيۡهَا​ ؕ وَنِعۡمَ اَجۡرُ الۡعٰمِلِيۡنَؕ‏  ﴿3:136﴾ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِنۡ قَبۡلِكُمۡ سُنَنٌ ۙ فَسِيۡرُوۡا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ فَانۡظُرُوۡا كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الۡمُكَذِّبِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:137﴾ هٰذَا بَيَانٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَّمَوۡعِظَةٌ لِّلۡمُتَّقِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:138﴾ وَلَا تَهِنُوۡا وَ لَا تَحۡزَنُوۡا وَاَنۡتُمُ الۡاَعۡلَوۡنَ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:139﴾ اِنۡ يَّمۡسَسۡكُمۡ قَرۡحٌ فَقَدۡ مَسَّ الۡقَوۡمَ قَرۡحٌ مِّثۡلُهٗ ​ؕ وَتِلۡكَ الۡاَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيۡنَ النَّاسِۚ وَلِيَـعۡلَمَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنۡكُمۡ شُهَدَآءَ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظّٰلِمِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿3:140﴾ وَلِيُمَحِّصَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَيَمۡحَقَ الۡكٰفِرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:141﴾ اَمۡ حَسِبۡتُمۡ اَنۡ تَدۡخُلُوا الۡجَـنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعۡلَمِ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيۡنَ جَاهَدُوۡا مِنۡكُمۡ وَيَعۡلَمَ الصّٰبِرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:142﴾ وَلَقَدۡ كُنۡتُمۡ تَمَنَّوۡنَ الۡمَوۡتَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِ اَنۡ تَلۡقَوۡهُ فَقَدۡ رَاَيۡتُمُوۡهُ وَاَنۡتُمۡ تَنۡظُرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿3:143﴾ وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ اِلَّا رَسُوۡلٌ  ۚ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِنۡ قَبۡلِهِ الرُّسُلُ​ؕ اَفَا۟ـئِنْ مَّاتَ اَوۡ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبۡتُمۡ عَلٰٓى اَعۡقَابِكُمۡ​ؕ وَمَنۡ يَّنۡقَلِبۡ عَلٰى عَقِبَيۡهِ فَلَنۡ يَّضُرَّ اللّٰهَ شَيۡـئًا​ ؕ وَسَيَجۡزِى اللّٰهُ الشّٰكِرِيۡنَ‏  ﴿3:144﴾ وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفۡسٍ اَنۡ تَمُوۡتَ اِلَّا بِاِذۡنِ اللّٰهِ كِتٰبًا مُّؤَجَّلًا ؕ وَ مَنۡ يُّرِدۡ ثَوَابَ الدُّنۡيَا نُؤۡتِهٖ مِنۡهَا ​ۚ وَمَنۡ يُّرِدۡ ثَوَابَ الۡاٰخِرَةِ نُؤۡتِهٖ مِنۡهَا ​ؕ وَسَنَجۡزِى الشّٰكِرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:145﴾ وَكَاَيِّنۡ مِّنۡ نَّبِىٍّ قٰتَلَ ۙ مَعَهٗ رِبِّيُّوۡنَ كَثِيۡرٌ ۚ فَمَا وَهَنُوۡا لِمَاۤ اَصَابَهُمۡ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ وَمَا ضَعُفُوۡا وَمَا اسۡتَكَانُوۡا ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُحِبُّ الصّٰبِرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:146﴾ وَمَا كَانَ قَوۡلَهُمۡ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ قَالُوۡا رَبَّنَا اغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوۡبَنَا وَاِسۡرَافَنَا فِىۡۤ اَمۡرِنَا وَ ثَبِّتۡ اَقۡدَامَنَا وَانۡصُرۡنَا عَلَى الۡقَوۡمِ الۡكٰفِرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:147﴾ فَاٰتٰٮهُمُ اللّٰهُ ثَوَابَ الدُّنۡيَا وَحُسۡنَ ثَوَابِ الۡاٰخِرَةِ​ ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُحِبُّ الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:148﴾ يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِنۡ تُطِيۡعُوا الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا يَرُدُّوۡكُمۡ عَلٰٓى اَعۡقَابِكُمۡ فَتَـنۡقَلِبُوۡا خٰسِرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:149﴾ بَلِ اللّٰهُ مَوۡلٰٮكُمۡ​ۚ وَهُوَ خَيۡرُ النّٰصِرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:150﴾ سَنُلۡقِىۡ فِىۡ قُلُوۡبِ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوا الرُّعۡبَ بِمَاۤ اَشۡرَكُوۡا بِاللّٰهِ مَا لَمۡ يُنَزِّلۡ بِهٖ سُلۡطٰنًا ​​ۚ وَمَاۡوٰٮهُمُ النَّارُ​ؕ وَ بِئۡسَ مَثۡوَى الظّٰلِمِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:151﴾ وَلَقَدۡ صَدَقَكُمُ اللّٰهُ وَعۡدَهٗۤ اِذۡ تَحُسُّوۡنَهُمۡ بِاِذۡنِهٖ​ۚ حَتّٰۤی اِذَا فَشِلۡتُمۡ وَتَـنَازَعۡتُمۡ فِى الۡاَمۡرِ وَعَصَيۡتُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَاۤ اَرٰٮكُمۡ مَّا تُحِبُّوۡنَ​ؕ مِنۡكُمۡ مَّنۡ يُّرِيۡدُ الدُّنۡيَا وَمِنۡكُمۡ مَّنۡ يُّرِيۡدُ الۡاٰخِرَةَ  ​​​ۚ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمۡ عَنۡهُمۡ لِيَبۡتَلِيَكُمۡ​ۚ وَلَقَدۡ عَفَا عَنۡكُمۡ​ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ ذُوۡ فَضۡلٍ عَلَى الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:152﴾ اِذۡ تُصۡعِدُوۡنَ وَلَا تَلۡوٗنَ عَلٰٓى اَحَدٍ وَّالرَّسُوۡلُ يَدۡعُوۡكُمۡ فِىۡۤ اُخۡرٰٮكُمۡ فَاَثَابَكُمۡ غَمًّا ۢ بِغَمٍّ لِّـكَيۡلَا تَحۡزَنُوۡا عَلٰى مَا فَاتَكُمۡ وَلَا مَاۤ اَصَابَكُمۡ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ خَبِيۡرٌۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿3:153﴾ ثُمَّ اَنۡزَلَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ الۡغَمِّ اَمَنَةً نُّعَاسًا يَّغۡشٰى طَآئِفَةً مِّنۡكُمۡ​ۙ وَطَآئِفَةٌ قَدۡ اَهَمَّتۡهُمۡ اَنۡفُسُهُمۡ يَظُنُّوۡنَ بِاللّٰهِ غَيۡرَ الۡحَـقِّ ظَنَّ الۡجَـاهِلِيَّةِ​ؕ يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ هَلۡ لَّنَا مِنَ الۡاَمۡرِ مِنۡ شَىۡءٍ​ؕ قُلۡ اِنَّ الۡاَمۡرَ كُلَّهٗ لِلّٰهِ​ؕ يُخۡفُوۡنَ فِىۡۤ اَنۡفُسِهِمۡ مَّا لَا يُبۡدُوۡنَ لَكَ​ؕ يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ لَوۡ كَانَ لَنَا مِنَ الۡاَمۡرِ شَىۡءٌ مَّا قُتِلۡنَا هٰهُنَا ​ؕ قُلۡ لَّوۡ كُنۡتُمۡ فِىۡ بُيُوۡتِكُمۡ لَبَرَزَ الَّذِيۡنَ كُتِبَ عَلَيۡهِمُ الۡقَتۡلُ اِلٰى مَضَاجِعِهِمۡ​ۚ وَلِيَبۡتَلِىَ اللّٰهُ مَا فِىۡ صُدُوۡرِكُمۡ وَلِيُمَحِّصَ مَا فِىۡ قُلُوۡبِكُمۡ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ عَلِيۡمٌۢ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُوۡرِ‏ ﴿3:154﴾ اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ تَوَلَّوۡا مِنۡكُمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡتَقَى الۡجَمۡعٰنِۙ اِنَّمَا اسۡتَزَلَّهُمُ الشَّيۡطٰنُ بِبَعۡضِ مَا كَسَبُوۡا ​ۚ وَلَقَدۡ عَفَا اللّٰهُ عَنۡهُمۡ​ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوۡرٌ حَلِيۡمٌ‏ ﴿3:155﴾ يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَكُوۡنُوۡا كَالَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا وَقَالُوۡا لِاِخۡوَانِهِمۡ اِذَا ضَرَبُوۡا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ اَوۡ كَانُوۡا غُزًّى لَّوۡ كَانُوۡا عِنۡدَنَا مَا مَاتُوۡا وَمَا قُتِلُوۡا ۚ لِيَجۡعَلَ اللّٰهُ ذٰ لِكَ حَسۡرَةً فِىۡ قُلُوۡبِهِمۡ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُحۡىٖ وَيُمِيۡتُ​ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ بَصِيۡرٌ‏  ﴿3:156﴾ وَلَـئِنۡ قُتِلۡتُمۡ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ اَوۡ مُتُّمۡ لَمَغۡفِرَةٌ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ وَرَحۡمَةٌ خَيۡرٌ مِّمَّا يَجۡمَعُوۡنَ‏ ﴿3:157﴾ وَلَـئِنۡ مُّتُّمۡ اَوۡ قُتِلۡتُمۡ لَا اِلَى اللّٰهِ تُحۡشَرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿3:158﴾ فَبِمَا رَحۡمَةٍ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ لِنۡتَ لَهُمۡ​ۚ وَلَوۡ كُنۡتَ فَظًّا غَلِيۡظَ الۡقَلۡبِ لَانْفَضُّوۡا مِنۡ حَوۡلِكَ​ فَاعۡفُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَاسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ وَشَاوِرۡهُمۡ فِى الۡاَمۡرِ​ۚ فَاِذَا عَزَمۡتَ فَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى اللّٰهِ​ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُحِبُّ الۡمُتَوَكِّلِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:159﴾ اِنۡ يَّنۡصُرۡكُمُ اللّٰهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَـكُمۡ​ۚ وَاِنۡ يَّخۡذُلۡكُمۡ فَمَنۡ ذَا الَّذِىۡ يَنۡصُرُكُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِهٖ ​ؕ وَعَلَى اللّٰهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ‏  ﴿3:160﴾ وَمَا كَانَ لِنَبِىٍّ اَنۡ يَّغُلَّ​ؕ وَمَنۡ يَّغۡلُلۡ يَاۡتِ بِمَا غَلَّ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيٰمَةِ​ ۚ ثُمَّ تُوَفّٰى كُلُّ نَفۡسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتۡ وَهُمۡ لَا يُظۡلَمُوۡنَ‏  ﴿3:161﴾ اَفَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضۡوَانَ اللّٰهِ كَمَنۡۢ بَآءَ بِسَخَطٍ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ وَمَاۡوٰٮهُ جَهَنَّمُ​ؕ وَ بِئۡسَ الۡمَصِيۡرُ‏ ﴿3:162﴾ هُمۡ دَرَجٰتٌ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ بَصِيۡرٌۢ بِمَا يَعۡمَلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿3:163﴾ لَقَدۡ مَنَّ اللّٰهُ عَلَى الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ اِذۡ بَعَثَ فِيۡهِمۡ رَسُوۡلًا مِّنۡ اَنۡفُسِهِمۡ يَتۡلُوۡا عَلَيۡهِمۡ اٰيٰتِهٖ وَيُزَكِّيۡهِمۡ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الۡكِتٰبَ وَالۡحِكۡمَةَ  ۚ وَاِنۡ كَانُوۡا مِنۡ قَبۡلُ لَفِىۡ ضَلٰلٍ مُّبِيۡنٍ‏  ﴿3:164﴾ اَوَلَمَّاۤ اَصَابَتۡكُمۡ مُّصِيۡبَةٌ قَدۡ اَصَبۡتُمۡ مِّثۡلَيۡهَا ۙ قُلۡتُمۡ اَنّٰى هٰذَا​ؕ قُلۡ هُوَ مِنۡ عِنۡدِ اَنۡفُسِكُمۡ ​ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيۡرٌ‏ ﴿3:165﴾ وَمَاۤ اَصَابَكُمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡتَقَى الۡجَمۡعٰنِ فَبِاِذۡنِ اللّٰهِ وَلِيَعۡلَمَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿3:166﴾ ​وَلِيَعۡلَمَ الَّذِيۡنَ نَافَقُوۡا  ۖۚ وَقِيۡلَ لَهُمۡ تَعَالَوۡا قَاتِلُوۡا فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ اَوِ ادۡفَعُوۡا ​ۚ قَالُوۡا لَوۡ نَعۡلَمُ قِتَالًا لَّا تَّبَعۡنٰكُمۡ​ؕ هُمۡ لِلۡكُفۡرِ يَوۡمَـئِذٍ اَقۡرَبُ مِنۡهُمۡ لِلۡاِيۡمَانِ​ۚ يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ بِاَفۡوَاهِهِمۡ مَّا لَيۡسَ فِىۡ قُلُوۡبِهِمۡ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَا يَكۡتُمُوۡنَ​ۚ‏ ﴿3:167﴾ اَلَّذِيۡنَ قَالُوۡا لِاِخۡوَانِهِمۡ وَقَعَدُوۡا لَوۡ اَطَاعُوۡنَا مَا قُتِلُوۡا ​ؕ قُلۡ فَادۡرَءُوۡا عَنۡ اَنۡفُسِكُمُ الۡمَوۡتَ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ صٰدِقِيۡنَ‏ ﴿3:168﴾ وَلَا تَحۡسَبَنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ قُتِلُوۡا فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ اَمۡوَاتًا ​ؕ بَلۡ اَحۡيَآءٌ عِنۡدَ رَبِّهِمۡ يُرۡزَقُوۡنَۙ‏ ﴿3:169﴾ فَرِحِيۡنَ بِمَاۤ اٰتٰٮهُمُ اللّٰهُ مِنۡ فَضۡلِهٖ ۙ وَيَسۡتَبۡشِرُوۡنَ بِالَّذِيۡنَ لَمۡ يَلۡحَقُوۡا بِهِمۡ مِّنۡ خَلۡفِهِمۡۙ اَ لَّا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُوۡنَ​ۘ‏  ﴿3:170﴾ يَسۡتَبۡشِرُوۡنَ بِنِعۡمَةٍ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ وَفَضۡلٍۙ وَّاَنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُضِيۡعُ اَجۡرَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ  ۛۚ‏ ﴿3:171﴾

(3:121) (O Messenger!94 Remind the Muslims of the occasion) when you went forth from your home at early dawn (to the battlefield of Uhud) and placed the believers in battle arrays. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (3:122) And recall when two groups from among you were inclined to flag95 although Allah was their protector; it is in Allah that the believers should put their trust. (3:123) For sure Allah helped you at Badr when you were utterly weak. Beware, then, of Allah; perhaps you will be thankful. (3:124) And recall when you said to the believers: 'Will it not suffice you that your Lord will aid you by sending down three thousand angels?96 (3:125) If you are steadfast and mindful of God, even though the enemy should suddenly fall upon you, your Lord will help you even with five thousand marked angels. (3:126) Allah has reminded you of this only as a glad tiding to you and so as to let your hearts be at rest. Help can only come from Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. (3:127) And Allah provided this aid to you in order to cut off a part of those who disbelieved and frustrate them so that they retreat in utter disappointment. (3:128) (O Messenger!) It is not for you to decide whether He will accept their repentance or chastise them, for they surely are wrongdoers. (3:129) Whatever is in the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah. He forgives whom He wills, and chastises whom He wills: Allah is indeed All-Forgiving, Most-Compassionate.97 (3:130) Believers! Do not swallow interest, doubled and redoubled, and be mindful of Allah so that you may attain true success.98 (3:131) And have fear of the Fire which awaits those who deny the Truth. (3:132) And obey Allah and the Messenger, that you may be shown mercy. (3:133) And hasten to the for-giveness of your Lord and to a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God-fearing. (3:134) who spend in the way of Allah both in plenty and hardship, who restrain their anger, and forgive others. Allah loves such good-doers." 99 (3:135) These are the ones who, when they commit any indecency and wrong against themselves, instantly remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins - for who will forgive sins save Allah? - and who do not wilfully persist in the wrong they did. (3:136) They shall be recompensed by forgiveness from their Lord and by gardens beneath which rivers flow; there they shall abide. How good is the reward of those who labour! (3:137) Many eras have passed before you. Go about, then, in the land and behold the end of those who gave the lie to (the directives and ordinances of Allah). (3:138) This is a plain exposition for men, and a guidance and admonition for the Godfearing. (3:139) Do not, then, either lose heart or grieve: for you shall surely gain the upper hand if you are true men of faith. (3:140) If a wound has befallen you a similar wound has already befallen the people who are opposed to you.100 We make such movements to men in turn so that Allah might mark out those who are the true men of faith and select from among you those who do really bear witness (to the Truth):101 for Allah does not love the wrong-doers, (3:141) and makes men go through trials in order that He might purge the believers and blot out those who deny the Truth. (3:142) Did you think that you would enter Paradise even though Allah has not yet seen who among you strove hard in His way and remained steadfast? (3:143) You previously longed for death (in the way of Allah): now you have faced it, observing it with your own eyes.102 (3:144) Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and Messengers have passed away before him. If, then, he were to die or be slain will you turn about on your heels?103 Whoever turns about on his heels can in no way harm Allah. As for the grateful ones, Allah will soon reward them. (3:145) It is not given to any soul to die except with the leave of Allah, and at an appointed time.104 And he who desires his reward in this world, We shall grant him the reward of this world; and he who desires the reward of the Other World,105 We shall grant him the reward of the Other World. And soon shall We reward the ones who are grateful.106 (3:146) Many were the Prophets on whose side a large number of God-devoted men fought: they neither lost heart for all they had to suffer in the way of Allah nor did they weaken nor did they abase themselves.107 Allah loves such steadfast ones. (3:147) And all they said was this: 'Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, and our excesses, and set our feet firm, and succour us against those who deny the Truth.' (3:148) Thereupon Allah granted them the reward of this world as well as a better reward of the World to Come. Allah loves those who do good. (3:149) Believers! If you follow those who deny the Truth, they will drive you back on your heels,108 and you will turn about, losers. (3:150) But Allah is your Protector, and He is the best of helpers. (3:151) We will cast terror into the hearts of those who have denied the Truth since they have associated others with Allah in His divinity - something for which He has sent down no sanction. The Fire is their abode; how bad the resting place of the wrong-doers will be! (3:152) Allah surely fulfilled His promise (of succour) when you were slaying them by His leave until the moment when you flagged and quarrelled among yourselves about the matter, and acted against the order of (the Prophet). Soon He showed you what you had intensely desired - for some among you sought this world and some of you sought the Next. Thereupon, in order to put you to a test He turned you away from your foes. Still He pardoned you after that109 for Allah is Bounteous to those who believe. (3:153) Recall when you were fleeing without casting even a side glance at anyone, and the Messenger was calling out to you from the rear.110 Then Allah requited you by inflicting grief after grief upon you111 so as to instruct you neither to grieve for the losses you might suffer nor for the afflictions that might befall you. Allah knows all that you do. (3:154) Then, after inflict-ing this grief, He sent down an inner peace upon you - a sleep which overtook some of you.112 Those who were concerned merely about themselves, entertaining false notions about Allah - the notions of the Age of Ignorance - asked: 'Have we any say in the matter?' Tell them: 'Truly, all power of decision rests solely with Allah.' Indeed, they conceal in their hearts what they would not reveal to you, saying: 'If we had any power of decision, we would not have been slain here.' Say: 'Even if you had been in your houses, those for whom slaying had been appointed would have gone forth to the places where they were to be slain.' And all this happened so that Allah might test your secret thoughts and purge your hearts of all impurities. Allah knows well what is in the breasts of men. (3:155) Surely those of them who turned their backs on the day when the two armies met (at Uhud) did so because Satan made them slip because of some of their lapses. But Allah has pardoned them; He is All-Forgiving, All-Forbearing. (3:156) Believers, do not behave like those who disbelieved and say to their brothers (who meet some mishap) in the course of their journey for fighting: 'Had they remained with us, they would not have died nor been slain.' Allah makes such thoughts the cause of deep regrets in their hearts.113 For in truth it is Allah alone who grants life and deals death. Allah sees all that you do. (3:157) And were you to be slain or to die in the way of Allah, then surely Allah's forgiveness and mercy are better than all the goods they amass. (3:158) And were you to die or be slain, it is to Allah that you will all be mustered. (3:159) It was thanks to Allah's mercy that you were gentle to them. Had you been rough, hard-hearted, they would surely have scattered away from you. So pardon them, and pray for their forgiveness, and take counsel from them in matters of importance. And when you are resolved on a course of action place your trust in Allah; surely Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him). (3:160) If Allah helps you none shall prevail over you; if He forsakes you then who can help you? It is in Allah that the believers should put their trust. (3:161) It is not for a Prophet to defraud;114 and whoever defrauds shall bring with him the fruits of his fraud on the Day of Resurrection, when every human being shall be paid in full what he has earned, and shall not be wronged. (3:162) Is he who follows the good pleasure of Allah like him who is laden with Allah's wrath and whose abode is Hell? How evil that is for a resting-place! (3:163) They vary greatly in rank in the sight of Allah, and Allah sees what they do. (3:164) Surely Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He raised from among them a Messenger to recite to them His signs, and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and Wisdom. For before that they were in manifest error. (3:165) And how come when a calamity befell you, you began to ask: 'How has this come about?'115 even though the enemy has suffered at your hands (in the Battle of Badr) double what you have suffered!116 Say: This calamity has been brought about by yourselves.117 Surely Allah is All-Powerful.118 (3:166) What befell you on the day when the two hosts met was by the leave of Allah, and in order that He might mark out those who believe (3:167) and those who are hypocrites. And when these hypocrites were asked: 'Come and fight in the wayof Allah', or (at least) 'defend yourselves', they answered: 'If we but knew that there would be fighting, we would certainly have followed.119 They were nearer then to infidelity than to faith. They utter from their mouths what is not in their hearts. Allah knows well what they conceal. (3:168) These are the ones who stayed away, saying about their brothers: 'Had they followed us, they would not have been slain.' Say: 'If you speak the truth then avert death when it comes to you.' (3:169) Think not of those slain in the way of Allah as dead.120 Indeed they are living, and with their Lord they have their sustenance, (3:170) rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them out of His bounty,121 jubilant that neither fear nor grief shall come upon the believers left behind in the world who have not yet joined them. (3:171) They rejoice at the favours and bounties of Allah, and at the awareness that Allah will not cause the reward of the believers to be lost.

Notes

94. This marks the beginning of the fourth discourse of this surah. It was revealed after the Battle of Uhud and contains comments on it. The previous section ended with the assurance: 'But if you remain steadfast and mindful of Allah their designs will not cause you harm.' (See verse 120 above.) The Muslims did suffer a setback in the Battle of Uhud precisely because of this lack of patience, and because of a few mistakes committed by some of them which were indicative of insufficient piety. This discourse, therefore, is quite appropriate and warns the Muslims against such weaknesses.

The discourse contains a precise and instructive commentary on all the main events connected with the Battle of Uhud. In order to appreciate this it is appropriate to refresh our minds as to the situational context of its revelations. In the beginning of Shawwal 3 A.H., the Quraysh attacked Madina with an army of three thousand men. In addition to their numerical superiority they were also much better equipped. Moreover, they sought to avenge their losses in the Battle of Badr. The Prophet (peace be on him) and his closest Companions were of the opinion that they should defend themselves from within the boundaries of Madina, There were, however, several young people who longed for martyrdom and felt aggrieved at, not having had the opportunity to fight in the Battle of Badr. They insisted that the enemy should be resisted outside the confines of Madina. The Prophet gave in to their demands and decided to march out of the city to meet their enemies. A thousand people accompanied him. Of these, 'Abd Allah b. Ubayy broke away along with his three hundred followers after reaching the place called Shawt. This, happening as it did just before the commencement of the battle, created such perplexity and confusion that the people of Banu Salamah and Banu Harithah wanted to turn back, and it took some effort on the part of the Companions to persuade them not to.

The Prophet advanced with the remaining seven hundred Muslims and lined up his troops at the foot of Mount Uhud (a distance of approximately four miles from Madina) in such a manner that the mountain was behind and the Quraysh army in front of them. There was only one mountain pass from where the Muslims could be subjected to a surprise attack. The Prophet posted fifty archers there as guards under the- command of 'Abd Allah b. Jubayr, instructing him neither to let anyone approach nor to move away from that spot. 'Even if you see birds fly off with our flesh', the Prophet said, 'still you must not move away from this place'. (For such instructions from the Prophet see Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqat, vol. 2, pp. 39-40 and 47, and Waqidi, Maghazi, vol. 1, pp. 224 and 229 - Ed.) Then the battle commenced. In the beginning the Muslims proved the better side but instead of maintaining their onslaught until they had assured complete victory, they were overcome by the temptation of booty and turned to collecting the spoils. When the archers whom the Prophet had posted to repel the attack of the enemy from the rear saw that the enemy had taken to its heels and that people were collecting booty, they too joined the melee and began to do the same.

'Abd Allah b. Jubayr tried to persuade them not to leave their posts by reminding them of the Prophet's directive. Hardly anyone heeded him. Khalid b. Walld, who was at that time an unbeliever and who commanded the Quraysh cavalry, seized his opportunity. He rode with his men around Mount Uhud and attacked the flank of the Muslim army through the pass. 'Abd Allah b. Jubayr's depleted forces tried unsuccessfully to resist the attack.

The fleeing soldiers of the enemy also returned and joined the attack from the front and the scales of the battle turned against the Muslims. The suddenness of these attacks, from both the rear and the front, caused such confusion that many fled. Then the rumour spread that the- Prophet, himself, had been martyred. This news shattered whatever presence of mind the Companions had left, and led many who had stood firm to lose courage altogether. At this moment there remained around the injured and bleeding Prophet (peace be on him) no more than ten or twelve loyal persons who had staked their lives for his sake. Defeat seemed inevitable. Fortunately, however, the Companions realized that the Prophet was still alive. They therefore advanced towards him from all sides, rallied around him, and led him to the safety of the mountain. (For an account of the Battle of Uhud in early Islamic sources, see Ibn Hisham, Slrah, yol, 1, pp. 61 ff., Waqidi, Maghazi, vol. 1, pp. 199 ff., especially pp. 224, 229 f. and 237 ff., and Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqat, vol. 2, pp. 36-48, etc. - Ed.)

It remains a mystery why the unbelievers of Makka held back when victory was within their grasp. The Muslim ranks were in such disarray that they would have been hard pushed to resist further. (Cf. the account and conclusion of W. M. Watt regarding the Battle of Uhud in Muhammad at Medina, Oxford University Press, 1956, pp. 21 ff., especially pp. 26-9 -Ed.)

95. This refers to Banu Salamah and Banu Harithah, whose morale had been undermined as a result of the withdrawal of 'Abd Allah b. Ubayy and his followers.

96. When the Muslims saw that their enemies numbered three thousand while three hundred out of their army of one thousand had departed they began to lose heart. It was on this occasion that the Prophet spoke these words to them.

97. When the Prophet was injured he uttered words of imprecation against the unbelievers: 'How can a people that injures its own Prophet attain salvation?' These verses are in response to that utterance.

98. The major cause of the setback suffered at Uhud was that precisely at the moment of their victory the Muslims succumbed to the desire for worldly possessions, and turned to collecting booty rather than completing their task of crushing the enemy. Hence God thought fit to raise a barrier against this excessive adoration of money, and to urge them to give up usury which keeps man constantly absorbed in considering ways and means of amassing wealth and generally whets his appetite for money.

99. The existence of interest in a society generates two kinds of moral disease. It breeds greed and avarice, meanness and selfishness among those who receive interest. At the same time, those who have to pay interest develop strong feelings of hatred, resentment, spite and jealousy. God intimates to the believers that the attributes bred by the spread of interest are the exact opposite of those which develop as a result of spending in the way of God, and that it is through the latter rather than the former that man can achieve God's forgiveness and Paradise. (For further explanation see (Surah 2, n. 320 above.)

100. This alludes to the Battle of Badr. The intention is to point out to the Muslims that if the unbelievers were not demoralized by the setback they suffered at Badr then the Muslims should not be disheartened by the setback thev suffered in the Battle of Uhud.

101. The actual words of this verse, can be interpreted in two ways. One meaning could be that God wanted to select some of them so that He could bestow upon them the honour of martyrdom. The second meaning could be that out of the hotch-potch of true believers and hypocrites which their community consisted of at that moment, God wanted to sift those who were truly His witnesses over all mankind. See( Qur'an 2: 143 - Ed.)

102. This is with reference to those Companions who had urged the Prophet to go out of Madina and take on the enemy there because of their ardent desire for martyrdom. (See Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqat, vol. 2, p. 38 - Ed.)

103. When the rumour of the Prophet's martyrdom spread during the battle, it disheartened most of the Companions. The hypocrites who were in the Muslim camp began to advise the believers to approach 'Abd Allah b. Ubayy so that he might secure protection for them from Abu Sufyan. Some went so far as to say that had Muhammad really been the Messenger of God he would not have been put to death, and for that reason they counselled people to revert to their ancestral faith. It is in this context that the Muslims are now told that if their devotion to the truth is wholly bound up with the person of Muhammad (peace be on him), and if their submission to God is so lukewarm that his demise would cause them to plunge back into the disbelief they had cast off, then they should bear in mind the fact that Islam does not need them.

104. The purpose of this directive is to bring home to the Muslims that it would be futile for them to try to flee from death. No one can either die before or survive the moment determined for death by God. Hence one should not waste one's time thinking how to escape death. Instead, one should take stock of one's activities and see whether one's efforts have either been directed merely to one's well-being in this world or to well-being in the Hereafter.

105. The word thawab denotes recompense and reward. The 'reward of this world' signifies the totality of benefits and advantages which a man receives as a consequence of his actions and efforts within the confines of this world. The 'reward of the Other World' denotes the benefits that a man will receive in the lasting World to Come as the fruits of his actions and efforts. From the Islamic point of view, the crucial question bearing upon human morals is whether a man keeps his attention focused on the worldly results of his endeavours or on the results which will acrue to him in the Next World.

106. The 'ones who are grateful' are those who fully appreciate God's favour in making the true religion available to them, and thereby intimating to them knowledge of a realm that is infinitely vaster than this world. Such people appreciate that God has graciously informed them of the truth so that the consequences of human endeavour are not confined to the brief span of earthly life but cover a vast expanse, embracing both the present life and the much more important life of the Hereafter.

A grateful man is he who, having gained this breadth of outlook and having developed this long-range perception of the ultimate consequences of things, persists in acts of righteousness out of his faith in God and his confidence in God's assurance that they will bear fruit in the Hereafter. He does so even though he may sometimes find that, far from bearing fruit, righteousness leads to privation and suffering in this world. The ungrateful ones are those who persist in a narrow preoccupation with earthly matters. They are those who disregard the evil consequences of unrighteousness in the Hereafter, seizing everything which appears to yield benefits and advantages in this world, and who are not prepared to devote their time and energy to those acts of goodness which promise to bear fruit in the Hereafter and which are either unlikely to yield earthly advantages or are fraught with risks. Such people are ungrateful and lack appreciation of the valuable knowledge vouchsafed to them by God.

107. They did not surrender to the followers of falsehood merely because of their numerical inferiority and lack of resources.

108. That is, they would push them back into the same state of unbelief from which they had extricated themselves. Since the Battle of Uhud the hypocrites and the Jews had constantly propagated the idea that, had Muhammad been a true Prophet, he would not have suffered the reverse that he encountered in that battle. This reverse was offered as proof that Muhammad (peace be on him) was an ordinary person whose fortunes varied, like those of other men, between victory and defeat. They further contended that the support and patronage of God which Muhammad claimed to enjoy was a sham.

109. The failure of the Muslims was of such a serious nature that had God not pardoned them they might have been obliterated there and then. It was out of God's grace, support and patronage that after the Muslims had been overpowered by the enemy the latter were seized with perplexity and confusion, and withdrew.

110. When subjected to a sudden two-pronged attack the Muslims scattered; some fled to Madina while others climbed Mount Uhud. Despite this, the Prophet (peace be on him) did not move from his position. The enemy surrounded him on all sides and only a small party of ten to twelve followers was left with him. Even at that critical moment his feet remained firm and he continued to summon his fleeing followers towards himself. (See Waqidi, Maghazi, vol. 1, pp. 237, 240 and 241 - Ed.)

111. The 'grief referred to in this verse had many causes: (i) by the setback the Muslims suffered on the battlefield and by the rumour that the Prophet (peace be on him) had been martyred; (ii) by the fact that a large number of believers had been killed and wounded; and (iii) by the fact that nothing was known about what was happening to the Muslim families left behind in Madina. For it was possible that the enemy was greater in numbers than the total population of Madina, and that it might break through the defences of the battered

112. A strange phenomenon was then experienced by certain Muslim soldiers. Abu Talhah, who took part in the battle, states that the Muslims were seized by such drowsiness that their swords were slipping from their hands. (For several Traditions stating this incident, including one related by Abu Talhah, see Waqidi, Maghazi, vol. 1, pp. 295-6 - Ed.)

113. Such ideas had no solid ground. God's decree regarding the time of one's death cannot be deferred. Those who lack faith in God and think that everything is dependent on their own scheming and effort rather than on the overpowering Will of God become victims of perpetual remorse, since they never cease to reflect how a slightly different circumstance or slightly altered strategy could have led to an altogether different and wholesome result.

114. When the archers, whom the Prophet had posted to defend the army against any attack from the rear, saw that the spoils of the enemy were being collected, they feared that the spoils might fall in their entirety to the lot of the soldiers who were then collecting them, and that they might, therefore, be deprived of their share. It was this idea which had impelled them to leave their posts. When the Prophet returned to Madina after the battle he asked them to explain the cause of their disobedience. When he had heard their unconvincing stories he told them: 'You thought that we would act dishonestly and would not deliver you your share.' (See Alusi. Ruh al-Ma'ani, commentary on this verse - Ed.) The verse alludes to this here. The purpose is to impress upon them that the Messenger of God himself was the commander of their army and that all their affairs were in his hands alone. What made them feel that their interests were not secure even in the hands of God's Messenger? Did they think that a division of spoils under the direct supervision of the Prophet Would be made in any manner other than that dictated by absolute honesty, trustworthiness and justice?

115. The more high ranking Companions were too well aware of reality to fall prey to any misunderstandings. The ordinary believers, however, had thought that as long as God's Messenger was in their midst and as long as they enjoyed God's support and help the unbeliever, could never triumph over them. Hence, when they suffered defeat at the Battle of Uhud, their expectations were shaken and they began to wonder why things had taken the course they had. They wondered why they had been defeated even though they had fought for the sake of God's true religion with God's support, and the Messenger of God was with them on the battlefield. Furthermore, they were worried that the defeat had been at the hands of those who were out to destroy God's true religion. These verses seek to allay this sense of anxiety and rid their minds of doubt and suspicion.

116. In the Battle of Uhud seventy Muslims were martyred. In the Battle of Badr. seventy unbelievers were killed and seventy taken as captives.

117. The calamity that had befallen them was the outcome of their own weaknesses and mistakes. They had not remained sufficiently patient, they had acted, in certain respects, in a manner inconsistent with the dictates of piety, they had disobeyed the command that had been given them, they were lured by material wealth and they disputed and quarrelled among them-selves. After all this, was it still necessary to ask what caused the debacle?

118. If God has the power to make them victorious He also has the power to bring about their defeat.

119. When 'Abd Allah b. Ubayy decided to withdraw from the battlefield with his men several Muslims attempted to persuade him not to do so. Ibn Ubayy replied that he was sure that there would be no fighting that day, and he assured them that had he expected fighting to take place, he would have gone along with them.

120. For an explanation see (Surah 2. n. 155) above.

121. There is a Tradition from the Prophet that he who leaves the world after having lived righteously is greeted with a life so felicitous that he never wishes to return to the world. The only exception to this are martyrs who wish to be sent back to the world so that they may once again attain martyrdom and thereby enjoy that unique joy, bliss and ecstasy which one experiences at the time of laying down one's life for God. (Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, vol. Ill, 103, 126, 153, 173, 251, 276, 278, 284, 289; Bukhari, 'Tafsir al-Qur'an', 6 and 21: Muslim, 'Al-Imarah', 108, 109. 121 - Ed.)