3-10 Those who disbelieve, neither their wealth nor their children will avail them aught against Allah. And they will be fuel for fire—a
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَن تُغۡنِىَ عَنۡهُمۡ أَمۡوَٲلُهُمۡ وَلَآ أَوۡلَـٰدُهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـًٔ۬اۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمۡ وَقُودُ ٱلنَّارِ (١٠)
3-10a: لَن تُغۡنِىَ عَنۡهُمۡ – The meaning of اَغنیٰ عنه کذا is کفاہ (R), which means the thing which is adequate for him. This is also the meaning of اغناہ as in: لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِىٍٕ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ شَأۡنٌ۬ يُغۡنِيهِ (Every man of them, that day, will have concern enough to make him indifferent to others) (80:37). اغنی عنه occurs extensively in the Quran as in: مَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنِّى مَالِيَهۡۜ (My wealth has not availed me) (69:28), مَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنۡہُم مَّا كَانُواْ يُمَتَّعُونَ (That which they were made to enjoy will not avail them) (26:207), لَّا تُغۡنِ عَنِّى شَفَـٰعَتُهُمۡ (…their intercession will avail me not) (36:23), وَلَا يُغۡنِى مِنَ ٱللَّهَبِ (…nor availing against the flame) (77:31), إِنَّہُمۡ لَن يُغۡنُواْ عَنكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا (Surely they can avail thee naught against Allah) (45:19).
مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ – مِنۡ stands for the commencement of the purpose and design, and the purport is عذاب اللّٰه which is evident from the example given in the next verse which mentioning the punishment of Allah. Some have taken مِنۡ to mean بدل (exchange or in lieu) (Mughni), that is these things will avail them naught in lieu of obedience or mercy of Allah.
Prophecy of the vanquishment of the disbelievers: As mentioned earlier, the specific address in this Chapter is directed towards the Christians, and accordingly some take the reference here to be to the Christian delegation from Najran (RM). This delegation was representing the Christians and came to meet with the Holy Prophet. There is probably no other nation prouder of their wealth and power than the Christian nation. However, since the narration here is general, it applies to all unbelievers who seek to vanquish and eradicate Islam.
3-11 As was the case of the people of Pharaoh, and those before them! They rejected Our messages, so Allah destroyed them on account of their sins. And Allah is Severe in requiting (evil).a
ڪَدَأۡبِ ءَالِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِہِمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ (١١)
3-11a: دَأۡب – دَأۡب means tried and got tired. The meaning of both دَأۡب and دَأۡبَ appear as habit and condition, that is the state of a thing (LA). But Adhari states that by دَأۡب is meant using all their strength in unbelief (اجتہادُ ھم فی الکفر ) and becoming each other’s allies in opposing the Holy Prophet, similar to how the people of Pharoah became each other’s helpers in opposing Moses.
ذُنُوبِ – It is the plural of ذَنۡب and means: وَالذَّنۡبُ فیِ الۡاَصۡل الاخۡذُ بذَنَب الشَئ (ذَنۡب is actually the name for catching the ذَنَب that is the tail or posterior part) (R), and وَ یُسۡتَعۡمَلُ فیِ کُلّ فِعۡلٍ یُستوخَمُ عُقۡباہ اعتبارا بِذَنَبِ الشئ (and ذَنَب is used for every action whose end is unpleasant and undesirable) (R). The end is the last stage just like the tail or posterior. Lisan al-Arab states that: (الذَّنۡبُ الۡاِثۡمُ وَ الۡجُرۡمُ وَ الۡمَعۡصِیَةُ) that is ذَنۡب includes all three, اثم جرم معصیت. Now, اثم is every such action that prevents a person from earning a reward. جرم is every such action that severs one’s relation with Allah, and this meaning is derived from جَرم meaning to sever. مَعۡصِیَة is disobedience of Allah whether deliberate or inadvertent, although an inadvertent disobedience is not subject to penalty. It follows, that the scope of the meaning of the word ذَنۡب in Arabic is very wide and it can include those actions which are not sinful or disobedient, but their outcome is unpleasant. It includes actions in which there is no intention or deliberation and on the other end of the spectrum, such grave sins that can sever one’s relationship with God. So, the correct translation of ذَنۡب is not sin. The closest word to its meaning is fault. It can sometimes be so small that the doer is not blameworthy and sometimes it can be very grievous, as is the case here.
The mention of the people of Pharoah is a reminder that just as they were disgraced and overcome, the opponents of Islam would meet a similar fate.
3-12 Say to those who disbelieve: You shall be vanquished, and driven together to hell; and evil is the resting-place.a
قُل لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ سَتُغۡلَبُونَ وَتُحۡشَرُونَ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَۚ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمِهَادُ (١٢)
3-12a: تُحۡشَرُونَ – حَشۡر means to take out a people from their place of rest, to unsettle them and to push them towards war etcetera. Accordingly, the saying: النِسّاءُ لا یُحشَرۡنَ means لَا یُخۡرَجۡنَ اِلی الۡغَزۡوِ (women will not be forced to go out for war) (R). And the word حَشۡر is only spoken for a group or party (R) as in: وَٱبۡعَثۡ فِى ٱلۡمَدَآٮِٕنِ حَـٰشِرِينَ
(…and send heralds into the cities) (26:36), وَٱلطَّيۡرَ مَحۡشُورَةً۬ (And the birds gathered together) (38:19) وَإِذَا ٱلۡوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتۡ(And when the wild animals are gathered together) (81:5) وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيۡمَـٰنَ جُنُودُهُ (And his hosts were gathered to Solomon) (27:17), هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَخۡرَجَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِمۡ لِأَوَّلِ ٱلۡحَشۡرِۚ (He it is Who caused those who disbelieved of the People of the Book to go forth from their homes at the first banishment) (59:2). The gathering of the people together on the Day of Judgment in the Hereafter is also referred to as حَشۡر .
Prophecy of the unbeliever’s vanquishment at a time of strong opposition: This verse makes it clearer that those who oppose Islam will first be vanquished in this world and then will be gathered and driven towards hell. Their vanquishment in this world will be evidence of their abode in hell in the Hereafter. This prophecy belongs to a period when the followers of the Holy Prophet in Arabia were very small in number compared to the opposition, and the opposition was not only from the unbelievers of Arabia, but there was internal opposition from the hypocrites and external opposition from all the unbelievers of Arabia, the Jews and Christians, all determined to oppose Islam. Such a clear prophecy of the vanquishment of the unbelievers under such circumstances and then the fulfilment of that prophecy during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet is one of the many shining signs of the veracity of Islam. This prophecy is a source of great solace to the Muslims of today. God, who fulfilled His promise under such adverse circumstances, assisted the Muslims even in times of great weakness and vanquished opponents.
3-13 Indeed there was a sign for you in the two hosts (which) met together in encountera — one party fighting in the way of Allah and the other disbelieving, whom they saw twice as many as themselves with the sight of the eye. And Allah strengthens with His aid whom He pleases. There is a lesson in this for those who have eyes.b
قَدۡ ڪَانَ لَكُمۡ ءَايَةٌ۬ فِى فِئَتَيۡنِ ٱلۡتَقَتَاۖ فِئَةٌ۬ تُقَـٰتِلُ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَأُخۡرَىٰ ڪَافِرَةٌ۬ يَرَوۡنَهُم مِّثۡلَيۡهِمۡ رَأۡىَ ٱلۡعَيۡنِۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصۡرِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَعِبۡرَةً۬ لِّأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرِ (١٣)
3-13a: People of the Book are the primary addressees of this verse: The beginning part of this surah primarily addresses the People of the Book. In addition, attention is drawn to an armed encounter between the unbelievers and Muslims. The group whose attention is sought to be drawn is a third party, namely the Christians with whom the real dialog is taking place. The encounter between the two groups refers to the Battle of Badar as is manifest from the words that one group was fighting in the way of Allah and the other group consisted of the unbelievers who appeared to the first group as being twice their number.
Battle of Badar as a sign of the Holy Prophet’s truthfulness: The Battle of Badar is a sign of the Holy Prophet’s truthfulness because there is repeated reference in the Makkan chapters about an armed encounter between Muslims and the unbelievers in which the vanquishment of the unbelievers and the triumph of Muslims is prophesied. For brevity, only one prophecy is mentioned as a sample. In the last section of Surah Al-Qamar, it is stated: أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ نَحۡنُ جَمِيعٌ۬ مُّنتَصِرٌ۬ (٤٤) سَيُہۡزَمُ ٱلۡجَمۡعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ ٱلدُّبُرَ (٤٥) بَلِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ مَوۡعِدُهُمۡ وَٱلسَّاعَةُ أَدۡهَىٰ وَأَمَرُّ (٤٦) (Or say they: We are a host allied together to help each other? Soon shall the hosts be routed, and they will show (their) backs. Nay, the Hour is their promised time, and the Hour is most grievous and bitter) (54:44-46). Some may say that this description relates to the Day of Judgment in the Hereafter, but as repeatedly stressed, the Quran adopted such finesse in narrating prophecies that along with the disgrace in the Hereafter, it also mentioned the vanquishment in this world so that the fulfilment of the latter evidences the truth of the former. But the mention of ساعَة (time) here is the time of defeat on this earth because the mention of battle and defeat in the Hereafter is meaningless. It can only happen in this world and, in a manner of speaking, is the Doomsday for the unbelievers. It is true that in the Hereafter, they will face even greater hardship and bitter failure. The Holy Prophet also understood the prophecy to refer to the Battle of Badar as is evidenced by an authentic hadith in Bukhari which states in a commentary on this verse: عن ابن عباس ان النبی ﷺ قال و ھو فی قبه له یوم بدر اللّھم انی انشرك عھدك و وعدك اللّٰھم ان شئت لم تعبد الیوم ابد انا خذ ابو بکر بیدہ و قال حسبك یا رسول اللّٰه فقد الحجت علیٰ ربك و ھو فی الدرع فخرج و ھو یقول سیہزم الجمع و یولون الدبر بل الساعتہ موعد ھم و الساعتہ ادھیٰ و امر (It is narrated by Ibn Abbas that on the day of Badar the Holy Prophet was in a small tent beseeching Allah as follows: “O Allah, I beseech Thee to fulfill Thy promise and Thy compact! O Allah, if this be Thine will (to destroy this community), Thou wilt not be worshipped (on earth).” The destruction appeared certain based on the objective reality that existed on the ground. Objectively, the Muslims were so few and so poorly armed compared to the unbelievers that it appeared that they would be crushed. Abu Bakr took the Prophet’s hand and said: “Allah is sufficient for thee O Messenger of Allah. You have beseeched your Lord”. The Prophet was wearing his armor and he came out of his tent reciting the verse: أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ نَحۡنُ جَمِيعٌ۬ مُّنتَصِرٌ۬ سَيُہۡزَمُ ٱلۡجَمۡعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ ٱلدُّبُرَ بَلِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ مَوۡعِدُهُمۡ وَٱلسَّاعَةُ أَدۡهَىٰ وَأَمَرُّ (Soon shall the hosts be routed and they shall turn their back. Nay, the hour is their promised time, and that hour shall be most grievous and bitter) (54:45-46). There are many other similar prophecies in the Quran about this battle. The twin facts of the presence of prophecies beforehand and the drubbing that the unbelievers, with their large numbers and better armament, received at the hands of the much smaller and poorly armed Muslims makes the Battle of Badar a sign. The unbelievers are now asked to reflect on this sign.
Biblical prophecies about the Battle of Badar and migration: The battle of Badar is a sign for the Christians because prophecies about this battle exist in their scriptures. The prophecy about the migration of the Holy Prophet and the weakening of the power of Quraish in Badar are in the Book of Prophet Isaiah (See Isaiah 21:13-17).
A Divine prophecy about “The burden upon Arabia”: “In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim. The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. For they fled from the sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fall: And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it.”
There is a reference in “him that fled” to the migration of the Holy Prophet, who was accompanied by Abu Bakar on this journey. It is a fact that in the entire history of religion, there is only one migration that achieved the eminence of starting a new era. So, the reference to “him that fled” is to the migration of the Holy Prophet and the statement at the head of the prophecy, “The burden upon Arabia” limits the event to Arabia. It is stated with reference to the event of fleeing that within a year the glory of Kedar will be no more, and the brave men of Kedar will be diminished. This is what happened. The battle of Badar took place just one year after migration and the glory of Kedar was tarnished and their braves were diminished. The word Kedar in the Bible is used on multiple occasions for Bani Ishmael. The battle of Badar was a clear sign for the People of the Book.
3-13b: عِبۡرَة – The literal meaning of عَبۡر is to transgress from one state to another. عُبُور and اعتبار are derived from it. عِبۡرَة is the state in which one finds out the unknown nature of a thing by extrapolation of the nature of a known thing.
يَرَوۡنَهُم مِّثۡلَيۡهِمۡ رَأۡىَ ٱلۡعَيۡنِ – Whom they saw twice as many as themselves with the sight of the eye. And it is stated in Surah Anfal: وَإِذۡ يُرِيكُمُوهُمۡ إِذِ ٱلۡتَقَيۡتُمۡ فِىٓ أَعۡيُنِكُمۡ قَلِيلاً۬ وَيُقَلِّلُڪُمۡ فِىٓ أَعۡيُنِهِمۡ (And when He showed them to you, when you met, as few in your eyes, and He made you to appear few in their eyes) (8:44). There is no contradiction in the two statements. The facts are that the unbelievers numbered around one thousand and the Muslims were around three hundred. So, يَرَوۡنَهُم مِّثۡلَيۡهِمۡ shows that the unbelievers appeared to the Muslims to be about six hundred. The reason is that part of the unbeliever’s force was behind a hill from the vantage of the Muslim force. The showing of the unbeliever’s force as double the size of the Muslim force is not without meaning because earlier it had been stated: فَإِن يَكُن مِّنڪُم مِّاْئَةٌ۬ صَابِرَةٌ۬ يَغۡلِبُواْ مِاْئَتَيۡنِۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُمۡ أَلۡفٌ۬ يَغۡلِبُوٓاْ أَلۡفَيۡنِ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۗ (So if there be of you a hundred steadfast, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there be of you a thousand, they shall overcome two thousand by Allah’s permission) (8:66). Since the promise to overcome forces twice their size had already been given by Allah, what was shown to the Muslims was a force twice their size so that their morale remained high, and they remained confident of victory. (It does not follow, however. from this that the Muslims would not be able to overpower forces more than twice their size). This is why the unbelievers were shown to the Muslims as fewer than their actual numbers, and the Muslims were shown to the unbelievers as few because they were much smaller in number. They considered the Muslims as weak and thought they would vanquish them easily. If this expectation had not permeated their thinking, it is possible they may have given up the idea of hostilities, but Allah desired, in accordance with His prophecies, that the might of the unbelievers be smashed in the plain of Badar.
3-14 Fair-seeming to men is made the love of desires, of women and sons and hoarded treasures of gold and silver and well-bred horses and cattle and tilth. This is the provision of the life of this world. And Allah — with Him is the good goal (of life).
زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ ٱلشَّهَوَٲتِ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ وَٱلۡبَنِينَ وَٱلۡقَنَـٰطِيرِ ٱلۡمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ ٱلذَّهَبِ وَٱلۡفِضَّةِ وَٱلۡخَيۡلِ ٱلۡمُسَوَّمَةِ وَٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ وَٱلۡحَرۡثِۗ ذَٲلِكَ مَتَـٰعُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُ ۥ حُسۡنُ ٱلۡمَـَٔابِ (١٤)
3-14a: شَهَوَٲتِ – is the plural of شھوة and its literal meaning is yearning for what the soul desires. There are two kinds of human desires on this earth – one true and the other false. A true desire is one whose non-fulfilment will create a disorder in the body, and a false desire is one that will not create disorder. Sometimes مُشۡتَہَی (that is, the thing which is desired) is also called شھوة (R). The purport here actually is مُشۡتَھیات (that is, the things desired).
ٱلۡقَنَـٰطِيرِ ٱلۡمُقَنطَرَةِ – قَنَـٰطِير is the plural of قنطار ; and قَنۡطَرة جَسۡر means a bridge but is also used for a tall building. قنطار is a standard about which there is some ambiguity because some say it is forty ounces and some say twelve hundred ounces (اوقیہ ), some others say it is twelve hundred dinar and others yet seventy thousand dinars. But the truth is, as stated by Abu Ubaida, that Arabs do not know the weight of قنطار (LA) and the meaning of قَنطَر الرجلُ is that he became the owner of a large wealth (LA). Imam Raghib says that قَنَـٰطِير is the plural of قَنۡطَرة and قَنۡطَرة is spoken of wealth which would suffice for a person’s life. The derivation here from the original meaning of bridge is that the wealth is sufficient to get across the bridge of life. Further, there is no fixed standard for قَنۡطَرة as it is: غَیۡرُ مَحۡدُوۡدِ الۡقَدۡرِ فِیۡ نفسِه , just as there is no standard for richness. And the meaning of ٱلۡقَنَـٰطِيرِ ٱلۡمُقَنطَرَةِ is المجموعة قِنۡطَارًا اقِنۡطَارًا.
ٱلۡخَيۡلِ – In actuality, the word خَيۡل is used for a horse and rider together. The derivation of this meaning according to Imam Raghib is from the word خُیَلَاء which means proud and a person who is riding a horse feels a sense of pride from being superior to those walking. The word خَيۡلِ is also used for the horse and rider separately (R). It is a plural noun. The word فَرَس is used for the singular.
ٱلۡمُسَوَّمَةِ – For the meaning of سَوۡم see 2-49a. It is also used for leaving the camel in a grazing area. And سَوَّمتُه‘ is also used in the sense of اَعۡلَمۡتُه‘ (R), that is, I marked a sign on it. So the meaning of ٱلۡخَيۡلِ ٱلۡمُسَوَّمَةِ can be, الۡمُعۡلَمَةُ (left to graze) or الۡمُعۡلَمَةُ (well-nourished and marked(. According to Mujahid, ٱلۡخَيۡلِ المسومة المطھمة الحسان , a phrase from Bukhari means well-nourished beautiful horses.
ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ – is the plural of نَعَم and may mean camel, cow or goat but is used particularly for camel because the camel was a great blessing for the Arabs.
مَـَٔابِ – is a verbal noun from اَوۡب and also a noun of place and time۔ اَوۡب means to return (رجوع) , but is only used for living beings who have the independence of mind, while رجوع is common and is not limited in use to living beings with independence of mind.
Mention of worldly desires in a discussion of Christianity: The mention of worldly desires in a discussion about Christianity is a reminder that this nation will forget Allah in pursuit of the desirable things of this world. In particular, the mention of heaps of gold and silver indicates that this is not a reference to the people of Arabia, who even if they possessed gold and silver, owned it in a miniscule amount. The verse is ended with the statement that with Allah is حُسۡنُ ٱلۡمَـَٔابِ . In other words, the goal of life should not be the desirable things of this world which would not be of any great benefit. One should certainly take advantage of these things, but the goal should be to seek the pleasure of Allah, as the next verse clearly shows.
3-15 Say: Shall I tell you of what is better than these? For those who guard against evil are Gardens with their Lord, in which rivers flow, to abide in them, and pure companions and Allah’s goodly pleasure. And Allah is Seer of the servants.a
قُلۡ أَؤُنَبِّئُكُم بِخَيۡرٍ۬ مِّن ذَٲلِڪُمۡۚ لِلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوۡاْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّـٰتٌ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا وَأَزۡوَٲجٌ۬ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ۬ وَرِضۡوَٲنٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرُۢ بِٱلۡعِبَادِ (١٥)
3-15a: رِضۡوَٲنٌ۬ – It is from رضا (approval, acceptance, pleasure) and رضائے کثیر or great pleasure is called رِضۡوَٲنٌ۬ (R). Because the greatest approval is Allah’s approval, the word رِضۡوَٲنٌ۬ in the Quran is reserved solely for seeking the pleasure of Allah, as in:إِلَّا ٱبۡتِغَآءَ رِضۡوَٲنِ ٱللَّهِ (Only to seek Allah’s pleasure) (57:27); يَبۡتَغُونَ فَضۡلاً۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضۡوَٲنً۬اۖ (…seeking Allah’s grace and pleasure) (48:29) and (59:8); and يُبَشِّرُهُمۡ رَبُّهُم بِرَحۡمَةٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ وَرِضۡوَٲنٍ۬ (Their Lord gives them good news of mercy and pleasure…) (9:21). Raghib explains that there are two aspects of رضا : A person’s رضا with Allah, that is to be completely satisfied and not to think ill of any fate that is decreed for them, and Allah’s رضا with a person is to see them follow the commands of Allah and to abstain from what Allah forbids.
Blessings of Paradise: For خلود and أَزۡوَٲجٌ۬ see 2-25a and b. The same affairs mentioned in Surah Bakarah are mentioned here with the addition of رِضۡوَٲنٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ . In another place, رِضۡوَٲنٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ is stated to be the biggest blessing of Allah: وَرِضۡوَٲنٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ أَڪۡبَرُۚ (And greatest of all is Allah’s goodly pleasure) (9:72). So, by including the pleasure of Allah as a blessing of Paradise, it is indicated that the real happiness of a believer is in gaining the pleasure of Allah. This is further amplified by the description given in the Quran of the Prophet’s companion: رَضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُۚ (Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him) (58:22). This shows that obtaining the blessings of Paradise, in fact its greatest blessing, begins in this world.
The purpose of this verse is to inform us that some nations were or will be totally engrossed in the pursuit of the desires of this world, but the final result of getting so engrossed in worldly desires is never good. The most important thing is to seek the pleasure of Allah and one should exert one’s utmost to achieve this because it is the greatest blessing of this world and of the next, and Allah is: وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرُۢ بِٱلۡعِبَادِ (And Allah is Seer of the servants) (3:15). He grants a goodly reward for the good deeds of men.
3-16 Those who say: Our Lord, we believe, so forgive our sins and save us from the chastisement of the fire.
ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ (١٦)
3-16a: The prayer for forgiveness of sins, that is for salvation from human weaknesses, particularly encompasses protection from committing sins. When a non-believer believes, his past sins are forgiven. So, after purification from past sins, a new believer now supplicates to Allah to His protection that they may not commit such faults in future.
3-17 The patient and the truthful, and the obedient, and those who spend and those who ask Divine protection in the morning times.
ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ وَٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ وَٱلۡقَـٰنِتِينَ وَٱلۡمُنفِقِينَ وَٱلۡمُسۡتَغۡفِرِينَ بِٱلۡأَسۡحَارِ (١٧)
3-17a: ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ – صدق primarily refers to honesty of speech but it is used extensively both in the Quran and linguistically for actions. For example, صَدَقَ فے القتال means that he fulfilled his duty in battle and did what was required and did it in a way it was required to be done. It is stated in one place in the Quran: رِجَالٌ۬ صَدَقُواْ مَا عَـٰهَدُواْ ٱللَّهَ عَلَيۡهِۖ (…men who are true to the covenant they made with Allah) (33:23), that is they fulfilled the covenant by the actions they manifested (R). Similarly, in: لَّقَدۡ صَدَقَ ٱللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ ٱلرُّءۡيَا بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ (Allah indeed fulfilled the vision for His Messenger with truth) (48:27), by صدق is meant He showed it to be true by action. Here صدق is ranked after صبر and the meaning of صبر is امساك فی ضیق that is to restrain oneself in a time of need, hence by صَـٰدِقِينَ is meant صدق بالفعل ,that is, who do what they say. Thus, in صبر one must just restrain oneself whereas صدق requires action.
ٱلۡقَـٰنِتِينَ – قنوت is submission, that is obedience with humility. Along with صبر and صدق , the third quality in rank of a righteous personTh is قنوت . Thus, one should show patience and honesty of action but in a manner that one has made submission to Allah incumbent on oneself, and the submission should be such in which there is humility without any pride or sense of greatness.
ٱلۡمُنفِقِينَ – is fourth in rank. Even while exhibiting patience, genuineness, and humility, one cannot achieve any great purpose unless one is willing to spend one’s money and strength in the way of Allah.
ٱلۡمُسۡتَغۡفِرِينَ – See 2-199a: This is ranked fifth. Placing it after the first four attributes shows that this is the final requirement for spiritual progress. This applies to those who still seek protection from Allah despite having shown patience and honesty in their actions, despite having made obedience incumbent on themselves and despite having spent their wealth and strength in the way of Allah. They do not rely on their own souls but seek the protection of Allah. The more one seeks protection from Allah, the greater is the Divine protection accorded and as a result one gets immunized from all sorts of dangers.
ٱلۡأَسۡحَار – is the plural of سَحَر which is the blending of the darkness at the end of night with the first light of the dawning day, and that particular time is also called سَحَر (R). As narrated by Qatada, some have taken asking Divine protection in the morning to mean the morning prayer offered at dawn (IJ), while others consider it to be just asking for protection. This distinction may be without reason because in prayer one is asking for protection. Morning is mentioned specifically which seems to indicate that morning is a good time for acceptance of prayer. In actuality, the morning time is such that worldly sounds and engagements are less, man’s animal self is more sedate and hence it is a time of maximum concentration and greatest spiritual prowess. The fun and frolicking associated with the modern lifestyle generally finishes by two or three AM leaving a serene few hours before sunrise. Many long-term ill patients and those sick with infectious diseases die in the early hours of morning showing that the animal being of a person’s existence is weak at that time. So this period is most efficacious for asking God for His protection. In an authentic hadith on which there is agreement between the Sahihan (Bukhari and Muslim) and the Sunan (Tradition), the Holy Prophet said: ینزل اللّٰه تبارك و تعالیٰ فی کل لیلة الیٰ السماء الدنیا حین یبقی ثلث الیل الا خیر فیقول ھل من سائل فا عطیه ھل من داع فا ستجیب له ھل من مستغفر فا غفر له (Every night when the last one-third of the night is left, Allah the Blessed and Most High descends to the earthly sky and states ‘Is there any petitioner so that I can grant his petition. Is there any supplicant for I will accept his supplication. Is there anyone seeking protection so I will put him under My protection). Of course, Allah is free from the confines of space, so the meaning of His descent to the earthly sky only implies a special manifestation of His mercy and blessing, but to receive these blessings one needs to have a receptive heart. It is a pity that Muslims, with a few exceptions, sleep through this time of acceptance oblivious of its importance and do not take advantage of it. Emulating the style of other nations, they spend the earlier part of the night frolicking and then sleep through the time they should be awake.
ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ etcetera: These are either attributes of those mentioned as ٱلَّذِينَ in the previous verse or are independently praiseworthy qualities.
3-18 Allah bears witness that there is no god but He, and (so do) the angels and those possessed of knowledge, maintaining justice. There is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise.a
شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَأُوْلُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ قَآٮِٕمَۢا بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۚ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَڪِيمُ (١٨)
3-18a: قِسۡطۚ – means equity or an aspect of justice (and its purport is justice), and that is the reason قَسَط means he was unjust, that is, took the share of another, and the meaning of اَقۡسَطَ is he was just, that is, gave the other his share (R). Hence قاسِط is used in the sense of unjust or one who deviates: وَأَمَّا ٱلۡقَـٰسِطُونَ فَكَانُواْ لِجَهَنَّمَ حَطَبً۬ا (And as to the deviators, they are fuel of hell (72:15). مُقۡسِط is used in a good sense: إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُقۡسِطِينَ (Surely Allah loves the equitable) (5:42).
قَآٮِٕمَۢا بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۚ : There are two ways in which قَآٮِٕمَۢا بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۚ can be interpreted. Independent commentators take قَآٮِٕمَۢا بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۚ to be interposed with شَهِدَ but it is permissible to interpret it to define أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ , in which case the reading will be: وَأُوْلُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ حال کون کل واحد منہم قَآٮِٕمَۢا بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ (Rz) that is, the evidence that those possessed of knowledge have is also the same, provided that each one stands with the truth. In the opinion of the author, the latter interpretation is correct.
Three types of evidence on the unity of Allah: Allah has presented three kinds of evidence on His Oneness. First is His own evidence which takes the form of His deeds and created things which prove His Oneness. The second evidence is that of the angels whose relationship is with pious natured persons because when human nature is not affected by environmental conditions, it gives evidence of the Oneness of Allah. Generally, most people, even those who are atheists, admit the existence of God when confronted with difficulties, and idol worshippers and other type of polytheists forget their idols and assigned partners of Allah and beseech Allah alone. The evidence of the possessors of knowledge is the evidence of revealed Books which despite their many differences are unanimous that there is a God and He is One God. That is the reason why the qualification of maintain justice has been added on to those possessing knowledge because if they are honest, they will give the same evidence.
Evidence against the Christians: The rationale for presenting this comprehensive proof of the Oneness of Allah is to complete the argument against the beliefs of Christianity. Whereas the Unity of Allah is shown by His creation, the angels as reflected in the righteous nature of pious persons because angels have a relationship with them, and the evidence of just persons possessed with knowledge, no such proof can be derived about Trinity from any of these sources. Neither the laws of nature evidence this, nor can human nature in its rightful condition verify this and nor do the revealed scriptures of the world support such a contention. Even the existing gospels despite many alterations do not give evidence of three gods. When there is such strong evidence for the Unity of Allah and there can be no other convincing source on this issue besides these three, that is natural law, human nature, and the testimony of revealed books, then this is a clear refutation of the Christian doctrines and a proof of their fabrication.
3-19 Surely the (true) religion with Allah is Islam. And those who were given the Book differed only after knowledge had come to them, out of envy among themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the messages of Allah — Allah indeed is Quick at reckoning.a
إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمُۗ وَمَا ٱخۡتَلَفَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡعِلۡمُ بَغۡيَۢا بَيۡنَهُمۡۗ وَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَرِيعُ ٱلۡحِسَابِ (١٩)
3-19a: بَغۡيَۢا – The literal meaning of بَغۡي is desire and hence some have taken the meaning of بَغۡي here as: طلب الریاست و الملك و السلطان , that is a desire for kingdom, power and dominance, or its meaning is stubbornness and envy.
After showing that all the evidence proves unanimously the Oneness of God and that Islam is the only religion that teaches pure unitarianism, it is concluded that Islam is the only true religion, and no person can remain truly monotheist without adopting it. Events bear witness that this is a genuine claim. In every other religion, monotheism is adulterated with some degree of polytheist beliefs. But the pure Book of Islam not only expounds even the subtle and hidden aspects of polytheism but remains completely unadulterated.
3-20 But if they dispute with thee say: I submit myself entirely to Allah and (so does) he who follows me. And say to those who have been given the Book and the Unlearned (people): Do you submit yourselves? If they submit, then indeed they follow the right way; and if they turn back, thy duty is only to deliver the message. And Allah is Seer of the servants.
فَإِنۡ حَآجُّوكَ فَقُلۡ أَسۡلَمۡتُ وَجۡهِىَ لِلَّهِ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِۗ وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡأُمِّيِّـۧنَ ءَأَسۡلَمۡتُمۡۚ فَإِنۡ أَسۡلَمُواْ فَقَدِ ٱهۡتَدَواْۖ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡبَلَـٰغُۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرُۢ بِٱلۡعِبَادِ (٢٠)
3-20a: ٱلۡبَلَـٰغُ – The meaning of بَلَـٰغُ is reaching the pinnacle of an objective which is the meaning of بُلوغ and it also means تبلیغ which is to deliver. The meaning here is to deliver the message.
The Holy Prophet sent for all races: The Holy Prophet is commanded here to deliver the message to both the unlearned people and to the followers of the Book, and in reality, this means all the nations of the world. By the unlearned people is meant the denizens of Makkah (See 2-78a) because no prophet had been sent to them while messengers had been sent to all other nations. These nations are included in the followers of the Book. Accordingly, commentators include the hadith here in which the Holy Prophet said: بعثت الی سود و الاحمر (I have been sent to both black and white nations). It also follows from this that there is no salvation without believing in the Holy Prophet even if people have a previous Book. Thus, the message of the Holy Prophet is not only for the Unlearned people but also for the Followers of the Book.
Bayan-ul-Quran 