3. Ali 'Imran Page 51 اِنَّ Indeed الَّذِیْنَ those who كَفَرُوْا disbelieve[d] لَنْ never تُغْنِیَ will avail عَنْهُمْ [for] them اَمْوَالُهُمْ their wealth وَلَاۤ and not اَوْلَادُهُمْ their children مِّنَ against اللّٰهِ Allah شَیْـًٔا ؕ anything وَ اُولٰٓىِٕكَ and those هُمْ they (are) وَ قُوْدُ (the) fuel النَّارِۙ (for) the Fire كَدَاْبِ Like behavior اٰلِ (of the) people فِرْعَوْنَ ۙ (of) Firaun وَ الَّذِیْنَ and those who مِنْ (were) from قَبْلِهِمْ ؕ before them كَذَّبُوْا They denied بِاٰیٰتِنَا ۚ Our Signs فَاَخَذَهُمُ so seized them اللّٰهُ Allah بِذُنُوْبِهِمْ ؕ for their sins وَ اللّٰهُ And Allah شَدِیْدُ (is) severe الْعِقَابِ (in) [the] punishment قُلْ Say لِّلَّذِیْنَ to those who كَفَرُوْا disbelieve[d] سَتُغْلَبُوْنَ You will be overcome وَ تُحْشَرُوْنَ and you will be gathered اِلٰی to جَهَنَّمَ ؕ Hell وَ بِئْسَ [and] an evil الْمِهَادُ [the] resting place قَدْ Surely كَانَ it was لَكُمْ for you اٰیَةٌ a sign فِیْ in فِئَتَیْنِ (the) two hosts الْتَقَتَا ؕ which met فِئَةٌ one group تُقَاتِلُ fighting فِیْ in سَبِیْلِ (the) way اللّٰهِ (of) Allah وَ اُخْرٰی and another كَافِرَةٌ disbelievers یَّرَوْنَهُمْ They were seeing them مِّثْلَیْهِمْ twice of them رَاْیَ with the sight الْعَیْنِ ؕ (of) their eyes وَ اللّٰهُ And Allah یُؤَیِّدُ supports بِنَصْرِهٖ with His help مَنْ whom یَّشَآءُ ؕ He wills اِنَّ Indeed فِیْ in ذٰلِكَ that لَعِبْرَةً surely (is) a lesson لِّاُولِی for the owners الْاَبْصَارِ (of) vision زُیِّنَ [It is] beautified لِلنَّاسِ for mankind حُبُّ (is) love الشَّهَوٰتِ (of) the (things they) desire مِنَ of النِّسَآءِ [the] women وَ الْبَنِیْنَ and [the] sons وَ الْقَنَاطِیْرِ and [the] heaps الْمُقَنْطَرَةِ [the] stored up مِنَ of الذَّهَبِ [the] gold وَ الْفِضَّةِ and [the] silver وَ الْخَیْلِ and [the] horses الْمُسَوَّمَةِ [the] branded وَ الْاَنْعَامِ and [the] cattle وَ الْحَرْثِ ؕ and [the] tilled land ذٰلِكَ That مَتَاعُ (is) provision الْحَیٰوةِ (of) life الدُّنْیَا ۚ (of) the world وَ اللّٰهُ but Allah عِنْدَهٗ with Him حُسْنُ (is an) excellent الْمَاٰبِ [the] abode to return قُلْ Say اَؤُنَبِّئُكُمْ Shall I inform you بِخَیْرٍ of better مِّنْ than ذٰلِكُمْ ؕ that لِلَّذِیْنَ For those who اتَّقَوْا fear[ed] عِنْدَ with رَبِّهِمْ their Lord جَنّٰتٌ (are) Gardens تَجْرِیْ flows مِنْ from تَحْتِهَا underneath them الْاَنْهٰرُ [the] rivers خٰلِدِیْنَ abiding forever فِیْهَا in it وَ اَزْوَاجٌ and spouses مُّطَهَّرَةٌ pure وَّ رِضْوَانٌ and approval مِّنَ from اللّٰهِ ؕ Allah وَ اللّٰهُ And Allah بَصِیْرٌۢ (is) All-Seer بِالْعِبَادِۚ of (His) slaves 3. Ali 'Imran Page 52 اَلَّذِیْنَ Those who یَقُوْلُوْنَ say رَبَّنَاۤ Our Lord! اِنَّنَاۤ Indeed we اٰمَنَّا (have) believed فَاغْفِرْ so forgive لَنَا for us ذُنُوْبَنَا our sins وَ قِنَا and save us عَذَابَ (from) punishment النَّارِۚ (of) the Fire اَلصّٰبِرِیْنَ The patient وَ الصّٰدِقِیْنَ and the truthful وَ الْقٰنِتِیْنَ and the obedient وَ الْمُنْفِقِیْنَ and those who spend وَ الْمُسْتَغْفِرِیْنَ and those who seek forgiveness بِالْاَسْحَارِ [in the] before dawn شَهِدَ Bears witness اللّٰهُ Allah اَنَّهٗ that [He] لَاۤ (there is) no اِلٰهَ god اِلَّا except هُوَ ۙ Him وَ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُ and (so do) the Angels وَ اُولُوا and owners الْعِلْمِ (of) [the] knowledge قَآىِٕمًۢا standing بِالْقِسْطِ ؕ in justice لَاۤ (There is) no اِلٰهَ god اِلَّا except هُوَ Him الْعَزِیْزُ the All-Mighty الْحَكِیْمُؕ the All-Wise اِنَّ Indeed الدِّیْنَ the religion عِنْدَ near اللّٰهِ Allah الْاِسْلَامُ ۫ (is) Islam وَ مَا And not اخْتَلَفَ differed الَّذِیْنَ those who اُوْتُوا were given الْكِتٰبَ the Book اِلَّا except مِنْۢ from بَعْدِ after مَا [what] جَآءَهُمُ came to them الْعِلْمُ [the] knowledge بَغْیًۢا out of envy بَیْنَهُمْ ؕ among them وَ مَنْ And whoever یَّكْفُرْ disbelieves بِاٰیٰتِ in (the) Verses اللّٰهِ (of) Allah فَاِنَّ then indeed اللّٰهَ Allah سَرِیْعُ (is) swift الْحِسَابِ (in taking) account فَاِنْ Then if حَآجُّوْكَ they argue with you فَقُلْ then say اَسْلَمْتُ I have submitted وَجْهِیَ myself لِلّٰهِ to Allah وَ مَنِ and (those) who اتَّبَعَنِ ؕ follow me وَ قُلْ And say لِّلَّذِیْنَ to those who اُوْتُوا were given الْكِتٰبَ the Book وَ الْاُمِّیّٖنَ and the unlettered people ءَاَسْلَمْتُمْ ؕ Have you submitted yourselves فَاِنْ Then if اَسْلَمُوْا they submit فَقَدِ then surely اهْتَدَوْا ۚ they are guided وَ اِنْ But if تَوَلَّوْا they turn back فَاِنَّمَا then only عَلَیْكَ on you الْبَلٰغُ ؕ (is) to [the] convey وَ اللّٰهُ And Allah بَصِیْرٌۢ (is) All-Seer بِالْعِبَادِ۠ of [His] slaves
(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.
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?'