3. Aal-i-Imraan

The Family of Imraan · Medinan · 200 ayahs

سُورَةُ آلِ عِمۡرَانَ

Reading Tafsir al-Jalalayn by Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli & Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti

Ayahs 151–160 of 200

سَنُلْقِى فِى قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلرُّعْبَ بِمَآ أَشْرَكُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِۦ سُلْطَٰنًۭا ۖ وَمَأْوَىٰهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ ۚ وَبِئْسَ مَثْوَى ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve for what they have associated with Allah of which He had not sent down [any] authority. And their refuge will be the Fire, and wretched is the residence of the wrongdoers.

We will cast terror read ru‘b or ru‘ub into the hearts of the disbelievers after departing from Uhud they resolved to return in order to exterminate the Muslims but they were terrified and did not return; for what they have associated because of their associating with God that for which He has revealed no warrant that is no argument in support of its worship namely idols; their abode shall be the Fire; evil is the abode the resting place of the evildoers the disbelievers.

Aal-i-Imraan 3:151Listen in Qur'an →

152

وَلَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَعْدَهُۥٓ إِذْ تَحُسُّونَهُم بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَشِلْتُمْ وَتَنَٰزَعْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ وَعَصَيْتُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَآ أَرَىٰكُم مَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ مِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ ۚ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ ۖ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

And Allah had certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing the enemy by His permission until [the time] when you lost courage and fell to disputing about the order [given by the Prophet] and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you love. Among you are some who desire this world, and among you are some who desire the Hereafter. Then he turned you back from them [defeated] that He might test you. And He has already forgiven you, and Allah is the possessor of bounty for the believers.

God has been true to His promise towards you of giving you victory when you slew them by His leave by His will until you lost heart until you shrank from battle and quarrelled disagreed over the command that is the command of the Prophet s that you remain at the foot of the mountain for the arrow attack some of you saying ‘Let us depart for our comrades have been given victory’ others saying ‘We should not disobey the command of the Prophet s’; and you disobeyed his command and abandoned your station in search of the booty after He God had shown you what you longed for of assistance the response to the clause containing idhā is indicated by what precedes it that is to say ‘when you lost heart He denied you His assistance’. Some of you desired this world abandoning his station for the sake of the booty; and some of you desired the Hereafter holding to it until he was slain such as ‘Abd Allāh b. Jubayr and his companions. Then He turned you away thumma sarafakum is a supplement to the response of the clause containing idhā implied to be raddakum bi’l-hazīma ‘He turned you back in defeat’ from them the disbelievers so that He might try you that He might test you and so make manifest the sincere ones from those otherwise; yet now He has pardoned you what you have done and God is Bounteous to the believers with pardon.

Aal-i-Imraan 3:152Listen in Qur'an →

153

۞ إِذْ تُصْعِدُونَ وَلَا تَلْوُۥنَ عَلَىٰٓ أَحَدٍۢ وَٱلرَّسُولُ يَدْعُوكُمْ فِىٓ أُخْرَىٰكُمْ فَأَثَٰبَكُمْ غَمًّۢا بِغَمٍّۢ لِّكَيْلَا تَحْزَنُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا مَآ أَصَٰبَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

[Remember] when you [fled and] climbed [the mountain] without looking aside at anyone while the Messenger was calling you from behind. So Allah repaid you with distress upon distress so you would not grieve for that which had escaped you [of victory and spoils of war] or [for] that which had befallen you [of injury and death]. And Allah is [fully] Acquainted with what you do.

Remember when you were ascending fleeing in the distance not turning around not stopping for anyone and the Messenger was calling you from your rear saying ‘Come to me servants of God this way servants of God!’ so He rewarded you He requited you with grief through defeat for grief ghamman bi-ghamm; the bā’ bi- ‘with’ is said to mean ‘alā ‘for’ because of the grief that you caused the Prophet when you disobeyed his command that is with grief doubled being in addition to the grief of the booty forfeited so that li-kaylā is semantically connected either to ‘afā ‘He has pardoned’ or athābakum ‘He rewarded you’; the lā of kay-lā is thus extra you might not grieve for what escaped you of booty neither for what befell you of being slain and of defeat; and God is aware of what you do.

Aal-i-Imraan 3:153Listen in Qur'an →

154

ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلْغَمِّ أَمَنَةًۭ نُّعَاسًۭا يَغْشَىٰ طَآئِفَةًۭ مِّنكُمْ ۖ وَطَآئِفَةٌۭ قَدْ أَهَمَّتْهُمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ يَظُنُّونَ بِٱللَّهِ غَيْرَ ٱلْحَقِّ ظَنَّ ٱلْجَٰهِلِيَّةِ ۖ يَقُولُونَ هَل لَّنَا مِنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ مِن شَىْءٍۢ ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْأَمْرَ كُلَّهُۥ لِلَّهِ ۗ يُخْفُونَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِم مَّا لَا يُبْدُونَ لَكَ ۖ يَقُولُونَ لَوْ كَانَ لَنَا مِنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ شَىْءٌۭ مَّا قُتِلْنَا هَٰهُنَا ۗ قُل لَّوْ كُنتُمْ فِى بُيُوتِكُمْ لَبَرَزَ ٱلَّذِينَ كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقَتْلُ إِلَىٰ مَضَاجِعِهِمْ ۖ وَلِيَبْتَلِىَ ٱللَّهُ مَا فِى صُدُورِكُمْ وَلِيُمَحِّصَ مَا فِى قُلُوبِكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ

Then after distress, He sent down upon you security [in the form of] drowsiness, overcoming a faction of you, while another faction worried about themselves, thinking of Allah other than the truth - the thought of ignorance, saying, "Is there anything for us [to have done] in this matter?" Say, "Indeed, the matter belongs completely to Allah." They conceal within themselves what they will not reveal to you. They say, "If there was anything we could have done in the matter, some of us would not have been killed right here." Say, "Even if you had been inside your houses, those decreed to be killed would have come out to their death beds." [It was] so that Allah might test what is in your breasts and purify what is in your hearts. And Allah is Knowing of that within the breasts.

Then He sent down upon you after grief security — a slumber nu‘āsan ‘slumber’ substitutes for amanatan ‘security’ overcoming yaghshā or taghshā a party of you namely the believers. They would become dizzy under their shields and their swords would fall from their hands; and a party whose own souls distressed them that is they caused them grief so that their only wish was their deliverance regardless of the Prophet and his Companions and they were unable to fall asleep these were the hypocrites; thinking wrongly of God thoughts of those thoughts during the age of ignorance the moment they thought that the Prophet had been killed or that he would not be given victory saying ‘Have we any part whatever in the affair?’ read interrogative hal as negative mā that is we have no part in the assistance which we were promised. Say to them ‘The affair belongs entirely read accusative kullahu to denote an emphasis or nominative kulluhu as a subject of a new sentence the predicate of which is what follows to God’ that is to say the decree is His He does what He wills. They conceal within their hearts what they do not disclose what they do not manifest to you saying yaqūlūna ‘saying’ is an explication of the preceding statement ‘Had we had any part in the affair we would not have been slain here’ that is to say ‘Had the choice been ours we would not have set out and thus been slain; but we were forced to set out’. Say to them ‘Even if you had been in your houses with some among you whom God had appointed that they be slain those of you for whom it had been appointed decreed that they be slain would have sallied forth would have gone forth to the places where they were to lie’ the battleground where they were to fall and they would have been slain; and their staying put at home would not have saved them for God’s decree will be inevitably. And He did what He did at Uhud that God might try that He might test what was in your breasts your hearts of sincerity or hypocrisy and that He might prove that He might distinguish what was in your hearts; and God knows what is in the breasts what is in the hearts. Nothing can be hidden from Him and He tries people only to make matters manifest for them.

Aal-i-Imraan 3:154Listen in Qur'an →

155

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا۟ مِنكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْتَقَى ٱلْجَمْعَانِ إِنَّمَا ٱسْتَزَلَّهُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ بِبَعْضِ مَا كَسَبُوا۟ ۖ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌۭ

Indeed, those of you who turned back on the day the two armies met, it was Satan who caused them to slip because of some [blame] they had earned. But Allah has already forgiven them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing.

Truly those of you who turned away from the battle the day the two hosts the Muslim host and that of the disbelievers encountered each other at Uhud the Muslims with the exception of twelve men — truly Satan made them slip with his evil insinuations through some of what they had earned of sins namely when they disobeyed the Prophet’s command; but God pardoned them; God is Forgiving to believers Forbearing hastening not against the disobedient with punishment.

Aal-i-Imraan 3:155Listen in Qur'an →

156

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَقَالُوا۟ لِإِخْوَٰنِهِمْ إِذَا ضَرَبُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَوْ كَانُوا۟ غُزًّۭى لَّوْ كَانُوا۟ عِندَنَا مَا مَاتُوا۟ وَمَا قُتِلُوا۟ لِيَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ حَسْرَةًۭ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌۭ

O you who have believed, do not be like those who disbelieved and said about their brothers when they traveled through the land or went out to fight, "If they had been with us, they would not have died or have been killed," so Allah makes that [misconception] a regret within their hearts. And it is Allah who gives life and causes death, and Allah is Seeing of what you do.

O you who believe be not as the disbelievers that is as the hypocrites who say of their brothers that is regarding their affair when they travel in the land and then die or are on raiding campaigns ghuzzan ‘a raiding party’ is the plural of ghāzin and are then slain ‘Had they been with us they would not have died and would not have been slain’ in other words do not say as they say — so that God may make that saying of theirs as a conclusion of their affair anguish in their hearts. For God gives life and He gives death and so no staying put can prevent death and God sees what you do ta‘malūna or ya‘malūna ‘they do’ and He will requite you for it.

Aal-i-Imraan 3:156Listen in Qur'an →

157

وَلَئِن قُتِلْتُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ مُتُّمْ لَمَغْفِرَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَحْمَةٌ خَيْرٌۭ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ

And if you are killed in the cause of Allah or die - then forgiveness from Allah and mercy are better than whatever they accumulate [in this world].

And if wa-la-in the lām is for oaths you are slain in God’s way in holy struggle or die read muttum or mittum from singular form māta yamūtu that is if death comes to you thereat forgiveness that is from God for your sins and mercy therefor from Him for you the clause introduced by the lām of la-maghfiratun ‘forgiveness’ is the response to the oath clause of la’in and occupies the place of the verbal action as a subject the predicate of which is what follows are better than what they amass in this world read tajma‘ūn ‘you amass’ or yajma‘ūn ‘they amass’.

Aal-i-Imraan 3:157Listen in Qur'an →

158

وَلَئِن مُّتُّمْ أَوْ قُتِلْتُمْ لَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُحْشَرُونَ

And whether you die or are killed, unto Allah you will be gathered.

And if wa-la-in the lām is for oaths you die read in both ways muttum or mittum or are slain in the holy struggle or otherwise it is to God and to none other than Him that you shall be mustered in the Hereafter and He will requite you.

Aal-i-Imraan 3:158Listen in Qur'an →

159

فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلْقَلْبِ لَٱنفَضُّوا۟ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ ۖ فَٱعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ

So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].

It was by the mercy of God that you O Muhammad (s) were lenient with them that is that you showed indulgence toward them when they disobeyed you; had you been harsh ill-natured and fierce of heart brutish and coarse towards them they would have dispersed split away from about you. So pardon them pass over what they have done and ask forgiveness for them for their sins until I forgive them and consult them find out their opinions in the matter that is your affair in the battle and otherwise in order to win their hearts over and so that you may be emulated in this respect; and indeed the Prophet s would frequently consult them. And when you are resolved to carry out what you wish after counsel rely on God put your trust in Him and not in any counsel; for God loves those who rely on Him.

Aal-i-Imraan 3:159Listen in Qur'an →

160

إِن يَنصُرْكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمْ ۖ وَإِن يَخْذُلْكُمْ فَمَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَنصُرُكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ ۗ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ

If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely.

If God helps you if He gives you assistance against your enemy as on the Day of Badr then none can overcome you; but if He forsakes you if He refrains from assisting you as on the Day of Uhud then who is there who can help you after Him? that is after His forsaking you? In other words there is no one to help you. Therefore on God and on no one else let the believers rely.

Aal-i-Imraan 3:160Listen in Qur'an →

Commentary: Tafsir al-Jalalayn by Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli & Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.