3. Aal-i-Imraan

Allah then explained His covenant with the prophets on the day of �Yes, indeed!� regarding Muhammad's traits and description, saying: (When Allah made (His) covenant with the Prophets) He says: Allah made a covenant with the prophets that they will show to one another the traits, description and merit of Muhammad, ((He said): Behold that which I have given ye) when I did give you (of the Scripture and knowledge) containing details of the lawful and the unlawful. (And) you also made a covenant with your nation that (afterward there will come unto you a messenger, confirming) by calling to Allah's divine Oneness (that which ye possess) of Scripture. (Ye shall believe in him) He says: you shall acknowledge him and his virtue (and ye shall help him) with the sword against his enemies and also by expositing his trait. (He said: Do ye agree?) Allah asked them whether they accepted (and will you take My burden) My covenant (in this) what I said? (They) the prophets (answered: We agree) we accept. (He) Allah (said: Then bear ye witness) of this. (I will be a witness with you) of this also. Allah thus made them witnesses of one another and He Himself is a witness. And so each prophet explained this to his nation, and each prophet made the members of his nation witnesses for each other, just as each prophet bore witness to it.

(Then whosoever after this) the covenant (shall turn away) from among the nations: (they will be miscreants) who have broken the covenant and are unbelievers.

Allah then mentions the dispute of the Jews and Christians and the question which they put to the Prophet (pbuh) regarding who really follows the religion of Abraham. When the Prophet (pbuh) told them that they were both far from the Religion of Abraham, they said that they did not accept this judgement. Hence, Allah said: (Seek they) with you (other than the religion of Allah) Islam (complete surrender to Allah), (when unto Him submiteth) acknowledges Islam and Allah's divine Oneness (whosoever is in the heavens) of angels (and the earth) of believers, (willingly) the dwellers of the heavens willingly, (or unwillingly) the dwellers of the earth unwillingly. It is also said that this means: the sincere among the believers acknowledge this willingly while the hypocrites do so unwillingly; it is also said this means: those who are born Muslim acknowledge this willingly while those who were made to embrace Islam do so unwillingly, (and unto Him they will be returned) after death.

Allah then proceeds to explain the status of faith so that this serves for them as an indication to faith, saying: (Say) O Muhammad: (We believe in Allah) alone without any partner (and that which is revealed unto us) and in that which the Qur'an has revealed to us (and that which was revealed unto Abraham) and we believe in Abraham and his Scripture (and Ishmael) and his Scripture (and Isaac) and his Scripture (and Jacob) and his Scripture (and the tribes) the Children of Jacob and their scriptures, (and that which was vouchsafed unto Moses) and we believe in Moses and his Scripture (and Jesus) and his Scripture (and the Prophets) and we believe in all the prophets and their scriptures (from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them) we do not disbelieve in any of the prophets; it is also said this means: we do not disassociate any one of them from Allah in relation to prophethood and Islam, (and unto Him we have surrendered) we acknowledge His worship and divine Oneness and we are sincere to him in Religion.

(How shall Allah guide) to His religion (a people who disbelieved) in Allah (after their belief and (after) they bore witness that the messenger) Muhammad (is true and after clear proofs (of Allah's sovereignty)) the exposition of the Truth and the Book (had come unto them. And Allah guideth not wrong-doing folk) the idolaters and those who are not fit for His religion.

(As for such, their reward is that on them rests the curse of Allah) the punishment of Allah (and of angels) and the curse of the angels (and of men combined) and the curse of the believers.

(They will abide therein) in the curse. (Their doom will not be lightened, neither will they be reprieved) their punishment will not be deferred;

(Save those who afterward) after their apostasy (repent) from disbelief and hypocrisy (and do right) sincerely declare Allah's divine Oneness. (Lo! Allah is Forgiving) of those who repent among them, (Merciful) towards those who die in a state of repentance.

(Lo! those who disbelieve) in Allah (after their (profession of) belief) in Allah, (and afterward grow violent in disbelief) do not waver in their disbelief: (their repentance will not be accepted) as long as they remain in that state. (And such are those who are astray) from guidance and Islam.