Surah 3. Al-i'Imran, Ayah 20
| فَإِنْ حَاجُّوكَ فَقُلْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّهِ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِ ۗ وَقُلْ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ وَالْأُمِّيِّينَ أَأَسْلَمْتُمْ ۚ فَإِنْ أَسْلَمُوا فَقَدِ اهْتَدَوْا ۖ وَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ |
| Transliteration | : | fa- 'in h.aajjo -ka fa- qul aslamtu wajh -e li- 'allaah wa- man ittabaca -ni wa- qul li- 'alladhena 'oto al- kitaab wa- al- 'ummeyen 'a- aslamtum fa- 'in aslamo fa- qad ihtadaw wa- 'in tawallaw fa- 'inna-maa calay -ka al- balaagh wa- 'allaah bas.er bi- al- cibaad |
| Pickthall | : | And if they argue with thee, (O Muhammad), say: I have surrendered my purpose to Allah and (so have) those who follow me. And say unto those who have received the Scripture and those who read not: Have ye (too) surrendered? If they surrender, then truly they are rightly guided, and if they turn away, then it is thy duty only to convey the message (unto them). Allah is Seer of (His) bondmen. |
| Asad | : | Thus, [O Prophet,] if they argue with thee, say, "I have surrendered my whole being unto God, and [so have] all who follow me!" - and ask those who have been vouchsafed revelation aforetime, as well as all unlettered people,14 "Have you [too] surrendered yourselves unto Him?" And if they surrender themselves unto Him, they are on the right path; but if they turn away-behold, thy duty is no more than to deliver the message: for God sees all that is in [the hearts of] His creatures. |
| Malik | : | So if they argue with you (O Muhammad), tell them: "I have submitted myself entirely to Allah and so have those who follow me." Then ask those who are given the Book and those who are illiterates: "Will you also submit yourselves to Allah?" If they become Muslims they shall be rightly guided but if they turn back, you need not worry, because your sole responsibility is to convey the Message. Allah is watching all His servants very closely. |
| Yusuf Ali | : | So if they dispute with thee say: "I have submitted my whole self to Allah and so have those who follow me." And say to the people of the Book and to those who are unlearned: "Do ye (also) submit yourselves?" If they do they are in right guidance but if they turn back thy duty is to convey the Message; and in Allah's sight are (all) His servants. 360 361 362 |
Note - 14According to Razi, this refers to people who have no
revealed scripture of their own.
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Note - 360Wajh: whole self. See n. 114 to ii. 112.
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Note - 361The People of the Book may be supposed to know something
about the previous religious history of mankind. To them
the appeal should be easy and intelligible, as all
Religion is one, and it is only being renewed in Islam.
But the appeal is also made to the Pagan Arabs, who are
unlearned, and who can well be expected to follow the
example of one of their own, who received divine
enlightenment, and was able to bring new knowledge to
them. A great many of both these classes did so. But the
few who resisted Allah's grace, and actually threatened
and persecuted those who believed, are told that Allah
will look after His own.
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Note - 362Note the literary skill in the argument as it proceeds.
The mystery of birth faintly suggests that we are coming
to the story of Jesus. The exposition of the Book
suggests that Islam is the same religion as that of the
People of the Book. Next we are told that the People of
the Book made their religion one-sided, and through the
priesthood of the family of Imran, we are brought to the
story of Jesus, who was rejected by a body of the Jews as
Muhammad was rejected by a body of both Jews and
Christians.
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The People of the Book may be supposed to know something about the previous religious history of mankind. To them the appeal should be easy and intelligible, as all Religion is one, and it is only being renewed in Islam. But the appeal is also made to the Pagan Arabs, who are unlearned, and who can well be expected to follow the example of one of their own, who received divine enlightenment, and was able to bring new knowledge to them. A great many of both these classes did so. But the few who resisted Allah's grace, and actually threatened and persecuted those who believed, are told that Allah will look after His own. |
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Note the literary skill in the argument as it proceeds. The mystery of birth faintly suggests that we are coming to the story of Jesus. The exposition of the Book suggests that Islam is the same religion as that of the People of the Book. Next we are told that the People of the Book made their religion one-sided, and through the priesthood of the family of Imran, we are brought to the story of Jesus, who was rejected by a body of the Jews as Muhammad was rejected by a body of both Jews and Christians. |
