Surah 3. Aal-Imran

they rejoice in the glad tiding of God's blessings and bounty, and [in the promise] that God will not fail to requite the believers

  - Mohammad Asad

They feel happy to have received Allah's grace and bounty and have come to know that most surely Allah does not waste the reward of the believers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They rejoice because of favor from Allah and kindness, and that Allah wasteth not the wage of the believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

who responded to the call of God and the Apostle after misfortune had befallen them.¹³⁰ A magnificent requital awaits those of them who have persevered in doing good and remained conscious of God:

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "after injury had afflicted them". Most of the commentators assume that this is an allusion to the losses sustained by the Muslims at the battle of Uhud. It is, however, probable that the implication is much wider, the more so since this passage connects directly with the preceding verses which speak, in general terms, of the martyrs who die in God's cause. There is a distinct tendency on the part of most of the classical commentators to read minute historical references into many Qur'anic passages which express ideas of a far wider import and apply to the human condition as such. Verses {172-175} are an instance of this. Some commentators are of the opinion that they refer to the fruitless expedition to Hamra'al-Asad on the day following the battle of Uhud, while others see in it an allusion to the Prophet's expedition, in the following year, known to history as the "Little Badr" (Badr as-Sughra); others, again, think that verse {172} refers to the former and verses {173-174} to the latter. In view of this obvious lack of unanimity - due to the absence of a really authoritative support, either in the Qur'an itself or in authentic Traditions, for any of these speculative assumptions - there is every reason for concluding that the whole passage under consideration expresses a general moral, rounding off, as it were, the historical references to the battle of Uhud and the lessons to be drawn therefrom.

As for those, who, even after their injuries during the battle of Uhud, responded to the call of Allah and His Rasool to follow the Qureysh army which was gathering to attack again, there will be a great reward for such of those who do righteous deeds and refrain from evil,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

As for those who heard the call of Allah and His messenger after the harm befell them (in the fight); for such of them as do right and ward off (evil), there is great reward,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

those who have been warned by other people,¹³¹ "Behold, a host has gathered against you; so beware of them!" - whereupon this only increased their faith, so that they answered, "God is enough for us; and how excellent a guardian is He!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "those to whom people said".

and who, when the people told them: "Your enemies have mustered a great force against you: fear them," grew more firm in their faith and replied: "Allah's help is all-sufficient for us. He is the best protector."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those unto whom men said: Lo! the people have gathered against you, therefore fear them. (The threat of danger) but increased the faith of them and they cried: Allah is sufficient for us! Most Excellent is He in Whom we trust!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

- and returned [from the battle] with God's blessings and bounty, without having been touched by evil:¹³² for they had been striving after God's goodly acceptance - and God is limitless in His great bounty.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the moral evil arising out of weakness of faith and loss of courage: an allusion to what happened to many Muslims at Uhud.

As a result they returned home with blessings and grace from Allah and suffered no harm at all. Besides this, they had the honor of following what pleased Allah, and Allah is the Owner of mighty grace.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So they returned with grace and favor from Allah, and no harm touched them. They followed the good pleasure of Allah, and Allah is of infinite bounty.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

It is but Satan who instills [into you] fear of his allies:¹³³ so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [truly] believers!

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., people who "ally themselves with Satan" by deliberately doing wrong.

Now you must have realized that it was the Shaitan who was trying to prompt you to fear his followers. But have no fear of them. Fear Me, if you are true believers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

It is only the devil who would make (men) fear his partisans. Fear them not; fear Me, if ye are true believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And be not grieved by those who vie with one another in denying the truth: verily, they can in no wise harm God. It is God's will that they shall have no share¹³⁴ in the [blessings of the] life to come; and tremendous suffering awaits them.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "that He will not assign to them a share".

O Muhammad, let not those who rush headlong into unbelief grieve you; surely they can do absolutely no harm to Allah. Allah intends to give them no share in the Hereafter. They shall have a grievous punishment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Let not their conduct grieve thee, who run easily to disbelief, for Lo! they injure Allah not at all. It is Allah's will to assign them no portion in the Hereafter, and theirs will be an awful doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Verily, they who have bought a denial of the truth at the price of faith can in no wise harm God, whereas grievous suffering awaits them.

  - Mohammad Asad

Those who barter away faith for unbelief will in no way harm Allah. They shall have a painful punishment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those who purchase disbelief at the price of faith harm Allah not at all, but theirs will be a painful doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And they should not think - they who are bent on denying the truth - that Our giving them rein is good for them: We give them rein only to let them grow in sinfulness; and shameful suffering awaits them.¹³⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

This is an allusion to the doctrine of natural law (in Qur'anic terminology, sunnat Allah, "God's way") to which man's inclinations and actions - as well as all other happenings in the universe - are subject. The above verse says, as it were, "Since these people are bent on denying the truth, Our giving them rein [that is, freedom of choice and time for a reconsideration of their attitude] will not work out for their benefit but will, on the contrary, cause them to grow in false self-confidence and, thus, in sinfulness." As in many similar passages in the Qur'an, God attributes here their "growing in sinfulness" to His own will because it is He who has imposed on all His creation the natural law of cause and effect. (See also note [4] on 14:4 .)

Let not the Unbelievers think that Our granting of respite is good for their souls. We grant them respite so that they may add more to their sins. They shall have a disgraceful punishment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And let not those who disbelieve imagine that the rein We give them bodeth good unto their souls. We only give them rein that they may grow in sinfulness. And theirs will be a shameful doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

It is not God's will [O you who deny the truth] to abandon the believers to your way of life:¹³⁶ [and] to that end He will set apart the bad from the good. And it is not God's will to give you insight into that which is beyond the reach of human perception: but [to that end] God elects whomsoever He wills from among His apostles.¹³⁷ Believe, then, in God and His apostles; for if you believe and are conscious of Him, a magnificent requital awaits you.

  - Mohammad Asad

Some commentators (e.g., Razi) assume that the expression ma antum 'alayhi (lit., "that upon which you are") denotes here "the condition in which you are" - i.e., the state of weakness and confusion in which the Muslim community found itself after the battle of Uhud - and that, therefore, this passage is addressed to the believers. This interpretation, however, is not plausible. Apart from the fact that the believers are here referred to in the third person. while ma antum 'alayhi is in the second person plural, the latter expression denotes almost invariably, both in the Qur'an and in the Traditions, people's mode of life and beliefs. Moreover, we have reliable reports to the effect that Ibn 'Abbas, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Muqatil and Al-Kalbi unhesitatingly declared that the people addressed here are "those who deny the truth" to whom the preceding passages refer (see Tabari's and Baghawi's commentaries on this verse). Read in this sense, the above passage implies that the believers would, in time, differ from the unbelievers not only in their convictions but also in their social aims and their manner of living.

I.e., it is through these apostles that God vouchsafes to man a partial glimpse of the reality of which He alone has full knowledge.

Allah will not leave the believers in their present condition; you are in this condition only until He separates the Evil from the Good. Allah will not do this by disclosing to you the secrets of the unseen. As for disclosing the unseen, Allah chooses those of his Rasools whom He pleases. Therefore, believe in Allah and His Rasool. If you have faith and guard yourselves against evil, you shall have a great reward.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

It is not (the purpose) of Allah to leave you in your present state till He shall separate the wicked from the good. And it is not (the purpose of) Allah to let you know the unseen. But Allah chooseth of His messengers whom He will, (to receive knowledge thereof.) So believe in Allah and His messengers. If ye believe and ward off (evil), yours will be a vast reward.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND THEY should not think - they who niggardly cling to all that God has granted them out of His bounty - that this is good for them: nay, it is bad for them.¹³⁸ That to which they [so] niggardly cling will, on the Day of Resurrection, be hung about their necks: for unto God [alone] belongs the heritage of the heavens and of the earth; and God is aware of all that you do.

  - Mohammad Asad

This is an allusion to the way of life of the unbelievers mentioned in verse {179} above: a way of life characterized by extreme attachment to the material things of this world - a materialism based on a lack of belief in anything that transcends the practical problems of life.

Let not those who are niggardly in giving for charity from what Allah has blessed them with, think that it is good for them: nay it is very bad for them. All the wealth they hoarded with niggardly behavior will be hung around their necks like a collar on the Day of Resurrection. It is Allah who will inherit the heavens and the earth. Allah is well aware of all your actions.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And let not those who hoard up that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty think that it is better for them. Nay, it is worse for them. That which they hoard will be their collar on the Day of Resurrection. Allah's is the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Informed of what ye do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

God has indeed heard the saying of those who said, "Behold, God is poor while we are rich!"¹³⁹ We shall record what they have said, as well as their slaying of prophets against all right,¹⁴⁰ and We shall say [unto them on Judgment Day]: "Taste suffering through fire

  - Mohammad Asad

According to several authentic Traditions, the Jews of Medina were given to satirizing the phraseology of the Qur'an, and especially 2:245 - "Who is it that will offer up unto God a goodly loan, which He will amply repay, with manifold increase?"

Regarding this accusation levelled against the Jews, see surah {2}, note [48].

Allah has heard the statement of those who said: " Allah is poor and we are rich!" Their words are recorded and so is their unjust killings of the Prophets." On the Day of Judgement, We shall say: "Taste now the torment of burning!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Verily Allah heard the saying of those who said, (when asked for contributions to the war): "Allah, forsooth, is poor, and we are rich!" We shall record their saying with their slaying of the Prophets wrongfully and We shall say: Taste ye the punishment of burning!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

in return for what your own hands have wrought - for never does God do the least wrong to His creatures!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Here is the reward of your misdeeds. Allah is not unjust to His servants."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

This is on account of that which your own hands have sent before (you to the judgment). Allah is no oppressor of (His) bondmen.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

As for those who maintain, "Behold, God has bidden us not to believe in any apostle unless he comes unto us with burnt offerings"¹⁴¹ , - say [unto them, O Prophet]: "Even before me there came unto you apostles with all evidence of the truth, and with that whereof you speak: why, then, did you slay them, if what you say is true?"¹⁴²

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "with an offering which the fire consumes" -in other words, unless he conforms to Mosaic Law, which prescribes burnt offerings as an essential part of divine services. Although this aspect of the Law had been left in abeyance ever since the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the Jews of post-Talmudic times were convinced that the Messiah promised to them would restore the Mosaic rites in their entirety; and so they refused to accept as a prophet anyone who did not conform to the Law of the Torah in every detail.

At the time of the martyrdom of John the Baptist and of Zachariah, of Jesus' exclamation, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets" (Matthew xxiii, 37), and of the reference of Paul of Tarsus to the Jews "who killed their own prophets" (I Thessalonians ii, 15), the Second Temple was still in existence, and burnt offerings were a daily practice: thus, the refusal of the Jews to accept the prophets alluded to, culminating in their killing, could not be attributed to those prophets' lack of conformity with Mosaic Law.

They also claim: "Allah has commanded us to believe in no Rasool unless he shows us a sacrifice consumed by a fire from the Heaven." Ask them: "Other prophets before me have come to you with clear arguments and showed this miracle you are asking for. Why did you kill them if what you say is true?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

(The same are) those who say: Lo! Allah hath charged us that we believe not in any messenger until he bring us an offering which fire (from heaven) shall devour. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Messengers came unto you before me with miracles, and with that (very miracle) which ye describe. Why then did ye slay them? (Answer that) if ye are truthful!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And if they give thee the lie - even so, before thy time, have [other] apostles been given the lie when they came with all evidence of the truth, and with books of divine wisdom, and with light-giving revelation.

  - Mohammad Asad

O Muhammad if they reject you by calling you an impostor, so did they reject other Rasools before you, although they brought them clear signs, Psalms, and the enlightening Book.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And if they deny thee, even so did they deny messengers who were before thee, who came with miracles and with the Psalms and with the Scripture giving light.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Every human being is bound to taste death: but only on the Day of Resurrection will you be requited in full [for whatever you have done] - whereupon he that shall be drawn away from the fire and brought into paradise will indeed have gained a triumph: for the life of this world is nothing but an enjoyment of self-delusion.

  - Mohammad Asad

Every soul shall taste death. You shall receive your full reward for everything which you have striven for, on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is spared from the fire and is admitted into paradise will have attained the objective of this worldly life; for the life of this world is nothing but an illusory enjoyment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Every soul will taste of death. And ye will be paid on the Day of Resurrection only that which ye have fairly earned. Whoso is removed from the Fire and is made to enter Paradise, he indeed is triumphant. The life of this world is but comfort of illusion.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall