Verses 63–70
3. Aal-i-Imraan · The Family of Imraan
Madinan200 verses
فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
3:63But if they turn away, indeed Allah knows best the agents of corruption.
قُلْ يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ تَعَالَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍۢ سَوَآءٍۭ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِۦ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًۭا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقُولُوا۟ ٱشْهَدُوا۟ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ
3:64Say, ‘O People of the Book! Come to a common word between us and you: that we will worship no one but Allah, that we will not ascribe any partner to Him, and that some of us will not take some others as lords besides Allah.’ But if they turn away, say, ‘Be witnesses that we have submitted [to Allah].’12
يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَتِ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ وَٱلْإِنجِيلُ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦٓ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
3:65O People of the Book! Why do you argue concerning Abraham? Neither the Torah nor the Evangel were sent down until [long] after him. Do you not exercise your reason?
هَٰٓأَنتُمْ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ حَٰجَجْتُمْ فِيمَا لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ فَلِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِيمَا لَيْسَ لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
3:66Ah! You are the very ones who argue about that of which you have knowledge. But why do you argue about that of which you have no knowledge? And Allah knows and you do not know.
مَا كَانَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّۭا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّۭا وَلَٰكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًۭا مُّسْلِمًۭا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
3:67Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian. Rather, he was a Hanif, a Muslim, and he was not one of the polytheists.3
إِنَّ أَوْلَى ٱلنَّاسِ بِإِبْرَٰهِيمَ لَلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ وَهَٰذَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
3:68Indeed the nearest of all people to Abraham are those who follow him and this prophet and those who have faith, and Allah is the guardian of the faithful.
وَدَّت طَّآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَوْ يُضِلُّونَكُمْ وَمَا يُضِلُّونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
3:69A group of the People of the Book were eager to lead you astray; yet they lead no one astray except themselves, but they are not aware.
يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لِمَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَنتُمْ تَشْهَدُونَ
3:70O People of the Book! Why do you deny Allah’s signs while you testify [to their truth]?
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 64
1.Jews and Christians were having different views and narrating various legends. Thus they had no faith on Islamic traditions. Allah declared that all the incidents narrated by the Prophet (s.a.),are true and those who refused to accept them were termed transgressors. After that announced Islam’s policy of peace that: We are ready to make peace on a just and fair decision; give up polytheism and worship Allah alone, Who is One and has no partner. Then announced: If you would not follow the right path, we shall neither force you nor come under your control. It is OUT open declaration that we are Muslims.
Verse 67
2.Some people say that if in the time of Ibrahim (a.s.) there were no Christianity and Judaism there was no Islam also, then why is he called a Muslim? The answer is that Islam is the one and only true religion from the very beginning. The use of this word since the time of Nuh (a.s.) is found in the Quran. Islam does not mean the law of the Prophet (s.a.). Rather it is the basic faith and principles of beliefs which have remain unchanged through the ages.
Verse 69
3.In every age there has been a party of Christians who resorted to spread Christianity and when they failed they spread mischief against Islam. Allah has warned the Muslims of the danger that beware do not to believe them. These foolish people are in toss when they claim that the foundations of Islam are shaken and Oneness of Allah and prophethood have become invalid! In such a case how will the proof of Isa’s (a.s.) Prophethood remain valid? May Allah guide them.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
Sawaa - That is justice and equity.
- 2
Adi bin Khatam asked the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) why we are restrained from making the rich people our Lords while they were not considering them Lords. He (s.a.) replied that if they had followed their orders and prohibition it means that actually they considered them Lords.
- 3
One who remains aloof from falsehood. They are idiots who argue upon the Christianity and Judaism of Ibrahim (a.s.). There was no Christians and Jewish faith in his age. Moosa (a.s.) was born 1000 years after him and Isa (a.s.) after 2000 years.
Benefit
The 68th ayat is the proof that proximity to prophethood is not due to blood relationship or family ties because its correct method is obedience and following. That is why Ali (a.s.) has said that the friend of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is only the one who obeys God, even though he might not be related to him and the enemy of the Prophet (s.a.) is one who disobeys God, even though he might be his closest relative.