3. Aal-i-Imraan

(How can ye disbelieve) in Allah. This is mentioned by way of amazement, (when it is ye unto whom Allah's revelations) the Qur'an containing commands and prohibitions (are recited, and His messenger) Muhammad (is in your midst?) with you. (He who holdeth fast to Allah) he who adheres to Allah's Religion and His Book, (he indeed is guided unto a right path) he is directed along a clear, solid way, which is Islam; it is also said this means: he has become firm on this way. This verse was revealed about Mu'adh [Ibn Jabal] and his companions.

Thereafter, Allah spoke about a dispute between the Aws and the Khazraj, in which Tha'labah Ibn Ghanam and As'ad Ibn Zurarah boasted about their killings and raids on their rivals in the pre-Islamic days, saying: (O ye who believe! Observe your duty to Allah) obey Allah (with right observance) such that one obeys Him and never contravenes against Him, thank Him and never be ungrateful to him, remember Him and never forget Him; it is also said this means: obey Allah as He ought to be obeyed, (and die not save as those who have surrendered (unto Him)) sincerely acknowledging that you worship Him and declare His divine Oneness;

(And hold fast, all of you together, to the cable of Allah) hold fast to the Religion of Allah and His Book, (and do not separate) in religion. (And remember Allah's favour unto you) by giving you Islam: (how ye were enemies) before Islam (and He made friendship between your hearts) through Islam (so that ye became as brothers by His grace) by His religion, Islam; (and (how) ye were upon the brink of an abyss of fire) i.e. because of disbelief, (and He did save you from it) by means of faith. (Thus Allah maketh clear His revelations) His commands, prohibitions and favours (unto you, that haply ye may be guided) from error.

Allah then commanded goodness and reconciliation, saying: (And there may spring from you) there still exists among you (a nation) a group (who invite to goodness) who invite to reconciliation and excellence, (and enjoin right conduct) they enjoin Allah's divine Oneness and the following of Muhammad (pbuh) (and forbid indecency) they forbid disbelief, idolatry and rejection, instead following the Messenger. (Such are they who are successful) who are saved from Allah's wrath and punishment.

(And be ye not) divided in religion (as those who separated and disputed) in religion, such as the religious schisms that took place among the Jews and Christians (after the clear proofs) proofs from their Scriptures of Islam (had come unto them. For such) i.e. the Jews and Christians (there is an awful doom) greater than anything one can imagine.

(On the day (some) faces will be whitened and (some) faces will be blackened; and as for those whose faces have been blackened it will be said unto them) the angels in-charge of hell will say to them: (Disbelieved ye) in Allah (after your (profession of) belief?) in Allah. (Then taste the punishment for that ye disbelieved) in Allah.

(As for those whose faces have been whitened, Lo! in the mercy of Allah) in Allah's Paradise (they dwell for ever) never to die or leave it.

(These are revelations of Allah): the Qur'an. (We recite them unto thee) We send them with Gabriel to you (in truth) in order to show what is true and what is an error. (Allah willeth no injustice to (His) creatures) He does not will to be unjust to the jinn or human beings.

(Unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth) of created beings and marvellous things; (and unto Allah all things are returned) in the Hereafter.

(Ye are the best community that has been raised up for mankind) that ever was for mankind. Allah then showed how they were the best community that has been raised for mankind saying: (Ye enjoin right conduct) you enjoin the divine Oneness of Allah and the following of Muhammad (and forbid indecency) you forbid disbelief, idolatry and the opposition of the Messenger; (and ye believe in Allah) as well as in all revealed scriptures and messengers. (And if the People of the Scripture) i.e. the Jews and Christians (had believed it had been better for them) than what they are in now. (Some of them are believers) 'Abdullah Ibn Salam and his followers; (but most of them are evil-livers) unbelievers who break their pledges.