Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 101–108

3. Aal-i-Imraan · The Family of Imraan

Madinan200 verses

وَكَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ وَأَنتُمْ تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ ءَايَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ وَفِيكُمْ رَسُولُهُۥ ۗ وَمَن يَعْتَصِم بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ هُدِىَ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ

3:101And how would you be faithless while the signs of Allah are recited to you and His Apostle is in your midst? Whoever takes recourse in Allah is certainly guided to a straight path.12

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِۦ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ

3:102O you who have faith! Be wary of Allah with the wariness due to Him and do not die except as Muslims.

وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًۭا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءًۭ فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًۭا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

3:103Hold fast, all together, to Allah’s cord, and do not be divided [into sects]. Remember Allah’s blessing upon you when you were enemies, then He brought your hearts together, so you became brothers with His blessing. And you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, whereat He saved you from it. Thus does Allah clarify His signs for you so that you may be guided.345*

وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌۭ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى ٱلْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ

3:104There has to be a nation among you summoning to the good, bidding what is right, and forbidding what is wrong. It is they who are the felicitous.

وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ تَفَرَّقُوا۟ وَٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتُ ۚ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌۭ

3:105Do not be like those who became divided [into sects] and differed after manifest signs had come to them. For such there will be a great punishment

يَوْمَ تَبْيَضُّ وُجُوهٌۭ وَتَسْوَدُّ وُجُوهٌۭ ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْوَدَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ أَكَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَٰنِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ

3:106on the day when [some] faces will turn white and [some] faces will turn black. As for those whose faces turn black [it will be said to them], ‘Did you disbelieve after your faith? So taste the punishment because of what you used to disbelieve.’

وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ٱبْيَضَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ فَفِى رَحْمَةِ ٱللَّهِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ

3:107But as for those whose faces become white, they shall dwell in Allah’s mercy, and they will remain in it [forever].

تِلْكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ظُلْمًۭا لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ

3:108These are the signs of Allah, which We recite to you in truth, and Allah does not desire any wrong for the creatures.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 101

1.A Jew named Shaash Bin Kais tried to create trouble by reminding the people about the previous differences. So Allah revealed the ayat: what is the propriety of the quarrel in the presence of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)? After this, Muslims were invited and informed about the fear of god and made careful about the lawful and unlawful and the action according to it. The fear of God means no chastity. On the contrary it is completed restriction of the law of Islam. They were then prevented by giving a reference of brotherhood and the misunderstandings of the past generation, so that any mistake would not repeat themselves again. After that they were invited towards good and enjoined to what is right and forbidding the wrong, so that it would prevent the others from conflict. And this is the duty of each and every Muslim but one party among them should concentrate solely on this task, otherwise they could forment unrest at any time. Creating troubles and quarrels is an old tactic of Jews and Christians. After Moosa (a.s.), Jews were divided into 71 groups and Christians were divided into 72 groups after Isa (a.s.). But it is indeed sad commentary that Muslims are divided into 73 sects. All these signs are manifest that Muslim people be protected from their behaviour and should not adopt the action of divisiveness.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Nizamuddin Nishapuri writes in Gharaibul Quran that the eternal presence of the Prophet mentioned in this ayat denotes that even if the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) would not be present. His place shall be occupied by a member of his Ahle Bayt (a.s.), who are his successors and designated legatees. And this is also confirmed in Hadith Thaqlayn (the tradition of two weighty things).

  2. 2

    Siraatul Mustaqeem is the path of justice and wisdom which is the religion of Islam for men. Otherwise even Allah is said to be the Siraatul Mustaqeem is Surah Hud.

  3. 3

    The rope of Allah is the divine religion and the book of Allah. They are personified in the form of Ahle Bayt (as.).

  4. 4

    All these condition of the Muslims are kindly described in the speech of Ja’far at-Tayyar in the court of Negus and the sermon of Fatima (s.a.) regarding Fadak.

  5. 5

    Shaykh Muhammad Abduh writes in his Tafseerul Manaar that ordinary Muslims should learn the method of Amr bil Ma’roof from the Shias. A Shia lady came to our house for wetnursing a child and began to attract him towards the Shia faith. If only the general Momineen once again pay attention to their distinguishing characteristic.

  6. Benefit

    Imam Sadiq (a.s.) explains the absolute piety in way that after obeying Allah there should be no disobedience. There should be not forgetfulness after the remembrance of Allah. After being thankful to Allah, there should not be denial of the divine favours. (Ma’ani Al-Akhbar).