Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 158–165

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

Madinan200 verses

وَلَئِن مُّتُّمْ أَوْ قُتِلْتُمْ لَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُحْشَرُونَ

3:158If you die or are slain, you will surely be mustered toward Allah.

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

3:159It is by Allah’s mercy that you are gentle to them; had you been harsh and hardhearted, they would have surely scattered from around you. So excuse them and plead for forgiveness for them, and consult them in the affairs, and once you are resolved, put your trust in Allah. Indeed Allah loves those who trust in Him.1

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

3:160If Allah helps you, no one can overcome you, but if He forsakes you, who will help you after Him? So in Allah let all the faithful put their trust.

وَمَا كَانَ لِنَبِىٍّ أَن يَغُلَّ ۚ وَمَن يَغْلُلْ يَأْتِ بِمَا غَلَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ ۚ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

3:161A prophet may not breach his trust, and whoever breaches his trust will bring his breaches on the Day of Resurrection; then every soul shall be recompensed fully for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.

أَفَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ رِضْوَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَنۢ بَآءَ بِسَخَطٍۢ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَأْوَىٰهُ جَهَنَّمُ ۚ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ

3:162Is he who follows [the course of] Allah’s pleasure like him who earns Allah’s displeasure and whose refuge is hell, an evil destination?

هُمْ دَرَجَٰتٌ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ

3:163They have ranks with Allah, and Allah watches what they do.2

لَقَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًۭا مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ لَفِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍ

3:164Allah certainly favoured the faithful when He raised up among them an apostle from among themselves to recite to them His signs and to purify them and teach them the Book and wisdom, and earlier they had indeed been in manifest error.

أَوَلَمَّآ أَصَٰبَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَدْ أَصَبْتُم مِّثْلَيْهَا قُلْتُمْ أَنَّىٰ هَٰذَا ۖ قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ

3:165What, when an affliction visits you—while you have inflicted twice as much—do you say, ‘How is this?’! Say, ‘This is from your own souls.’ Indeed Allah has power over all things.3

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 159

1.According to this auspicious verse, those who ran away from the battle of Uhud did not even deserve a place in the assembly of the Prophet (s.a.) and that he (5.a.) speaks to them. But Allah overlooked all their mistakes and ordered them good behaviour so that Muslims could not run away from Islam. So much so that He also ordered to seek their counsel so that the argument is complete. The Muslims were of the opinion that if battle would have taken place according to our advice we would have certainly succeeded. So now have discussion among yourselves so that proofs are complete. But beware, do not rely on them. When you have taken a decision you must rely on Allah alone because He likes people who rely on Him and hates those who rely on others. After this to apply this rule for appointing the caliph is open negligence and ignorance and nothing more than this. Law of Islam is one thing and pleasing the hearts of the Muslims is another.

Verse 161

2.They were the followers of Prophet (s.a.) who doubted that Prophet (s.a.) would not give their share of booty and they left their positions. Allah warned them and drew their attention towards the punishment for breach of trust, so that they would not act thus. But Alas! They took possession of the property of the daughter of Prophet (s.a.) as soon as the Prophet passed away from the world and in this way, breach of trust pervaded Islam.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    It should be clear that the word Ann has been repeatedly used in the preceding verses and this Amr (affair) also refers to war. It is not related to caliphate in any way. And this command is merely for gaining the confidence of the people and making them feel involved. Otherwise if the Prophet is in need of the advice of his people he could hardly remain a Prophet.

  2. 2

    According to some commentators both types are indicated in this ayat. And the believers as well the hypocrites are of various grades. Neither belief (Eimaan) is of a single category nor disbelief or hypocrisy.

  3. 3

    Seventy-one infidels were killed in the Battle of Badr and seventy were taken prisoners. In the Battle of Ohad seventy Muslims were slain and none was taken as prisoner. Thus it is obvious that the infidels were in deeper trouble.

  4. Benefit

    Some commentators have mentioned the importance of consultation and quoted the shura committee formed by Hazrat Umar. However, first of all Shura is regarding the personal affairs of the Muslims. It is not valid for divine affairs and the Imamate of the community is a divine affair. Secondly this shura of Umar did not even have the Muslims whom the Prophet (s.a. ) had consulted at Khandaq. Similarly there was no sign of people like Sa’ad bin Ubadah and Abu Zar. In brief it was less of a shura more a show.