Surah 3. Aal-Imran

AND [remember, O Prophet, the day] when thou didst set out from thy home at early morn to place the believers in battle array.⁹⁰ And God was all-hearing, all-knowing

  - Mohammad Asad

This reference to the battle of Uhud, to which many verses of this surah are devoted, connects with the exhortation implied in the preceding verse, "if you are patient in adversity and conscious of God, their guile cannot harm you at all". Since this and the subsequent references cannot be fully understood without a knowledge of the historical background, a brief account of the battle would seem to be indicated. In order to avenge their catastrophic defeat at Badr in the second year after the hijrah, the pagan Meccans - supported by several tribes hostile to the Muslims - mustered in the following year an army comprising ten thousand men under the command of Abu Sufyan and marched against Medina. On hearing of their approach, in the month of Shawwal 3 H., the Prophet held a council of war at which the tactics to be adopted were discussed. In view of the overwhelming cavalry forces at the disposal of the enemy, the Prophet himself was of the opinion that the Muslims should give battle from behind the fortifications of Medina and, if need be, fight in its narrow streets and lanes; and his plan was supported by some of the most outstanding among his Companions. However, the majority of the Muslim leaders who participated in the council strongly insisted on going forth and meeting the enemy in the open field. In obedience to the Qur'anic principle that all communal affairs must be transacted on the basis of mutually-agreed decisions (see verse 159 of this surah, as well as 42 : 38), the Prophet sorrowfully gave way to the will of the majority and set out with his followers towards the plain below the mountain of Uhud, a little over three miles from Medina. His army consisted of less than one thousand men; but on the way to Mount Uhud this number was still further reduced by the defection of some three hundred men led by the hypocritical 'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy, who pretended to be convinced that the Muslims did not really intend to fight. Shortly before the battle, two other groups from among the Prophet's forces - namely, the clans of Banu Salamah (of the tribe of Al-Aws) and Banu Harithah (of the tribe of Khazraj) almost lost heart and were about to join the defectors (3 : 122) on the plea that because of their numerical weakness the Muslims must now avoid giving battle; but at the last moment they decided to follow the Prophet. Having less than seven hundred men with him, the Prophet arrayed the bulk of his forces with their backs to the mountain and posted all his archers - numbering fifty - on a nearby hill in order to provide cover against an outflanking manoeuvre by the enemy cavalry; these archers were ordered not to leave their post under any circumstances. In their subsequent, death-defying assault upon the greatly superior forces of the pagan Quraysh, the Muslims gained a decisive advantage over the former and almost routed them. At that moment, however, most of the archers, believing that the battle had been won and fearing lest they lose their share of the spoils, abandoned their covering position and joined the melee around the encampment of the Quraysh. Seizing this opportunity, the bulk of the Meccan cavalry under the command of Khalid ibn al-Walid (who shortly after this battle embraced Islam and later became one of the greatest Muslim generals of all times) veered round in a wide arc and attacked the Muslim forces from the rear. Deprived of the cover of the archers, and caught between two fires, the Muslims retreated in disorder, with the loss of many lives. The Prophet himself and a handful of his most stalwart Companions defended themselves desperately; and the Prophet was seriously injured and fell to the ground. The cry immediately arose, "The Apostle of God has been killed!" Many of the Muslims began to flee; some among them were even prepared to throw themselves upon the mercy of the enemy. But a few of the Companions - among them 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and Talhah - called out, "What good are your lives without him, O believers? Let us die as he has died!" - and threw themselves with the strength of despair against the Meccans. Their example at once found an echo among the rest of the Muslims, who in the meantime had learnt that the Prophet was alive: they rallied and counter-attacked the enemy, and thus saved the day. But the Muslims were now too exhausted to exploit their chances of victory, and the battle ended in a draw, with the enemy retreating in the direction of Mecca. On the next day the Prophet started in pursuit of them at the head of seventy of his Companions. But when the Muslims reached the place called Hamra' al-Asad, about eight miles south of Medina, it became obvious that the Meccans were in no mood to risk another encounter and were rapidly marching home; and thereupon the tiny Muslim army returned to Medina.

O Muhammad, remember that morning when you left your household at an early hour to assign the believers to their battle-posts (in the battle of Uhud): Allah hears and knows everything.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And remember when thou settedst forth at daybreak from thy housefolk to assign to the believers their positions for the battle, Allah was Hearer, Knower.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

when two groups from among you were about to lose heart,⁹¹ although God was near unto them and it is in God that the believers must place their trust:

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the clans of Banu Salamah and Banu Harithah, who had almost joined the deserters led by 'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy (see preceding note).

Remember when two of your companies became fainthearted and Allah protected them through strengthening their hearts. In Allah should the believers put their trust.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

When two parties of you almost fell away, and Allah was their Protecting Friend. In Allah do believers put their trust.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

for, indeed, God did succour you at Badr, when you were utterly weak.⁹² Remain, then, conscious of God, so that you might have cause to be grateful.

  - Mohammad Asad

A reference to the battle of Badr, in 2 H., which is dealt with extensively in surah {8}.

Allah helped you at the battle of Badr when you were helpless. Therefore, have fear of Allah; perhaps you may become thankful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah had already given you the victory at Badr, when ye were contemptible. So observe your duty to Allah in order that ye may be thankful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[And remember] when thou didst say unto the believers: "Is it not enough for you [to know] that your Sustainer will aid you with three thousand angels sent down [from on high]?

  - Mohammad Asad

Remember when you said to the believers, "Is it not enough that Allah should send down three thousand angels to help you?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And when thou didst say unto the believers: Is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should support you with three thousand angels sent down (to your help)?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Nay, but if you are patient in adversity and conscious of Him, and the enemy should fall upon you of a sudden, your Sustainer will aid you with five thousand angels swooping down!"⁹³

  - Mohammad Asad

As is evident from the next verse, the Prophet's allusion to God's aiding the believers with thousands of angels signifies, metaphorically, a strengthening of the believers' hearts through spiritual forces coming from God (Manar IV, 112 ff., and IX, 612 ff.). A very similar announcement - relating to the battle of Badr - occurs in {8:9-10}, where "one thousand" angels are mentioned. As regards these varying numbers (one, three and five thousand), they would seem to indicate the unlimited nature of God's aid to those who are "patient in adversity and conscious of Him". It is reasonable to assume that the Prophet thus exhorted his followers immediately before the battle of Uhud, that is, after three hundred men under the leadership of 'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy had deserted him and some of the others "almost lost heart" in the face of the greatly superior enemy forces.

Of course! If you remain patient and on your guard, Allah will send to your aid not three thousand but, five thousand specially marked angels in case of a sudden attack from the enemy.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Nay, but if ye persevere, and keep from evil, and (the enemy) attack you suddenly, your Lord will help you with five thousand angels sweeping on.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And God ordained this [to be said by His Apostle⁹⁴ ] only as a glad tiding for you, and that your hearts should thereby be set at rest - since no succour can come from any save God, the Almighty, the Truly Wise -

  - Mohammad Asad

According to many commentators (see Manar IV, 112), this interpolation is justified by the preceding two verses, which show that it was the Prophet who, under divine inspiration, made this promise to his followers. See also 8:9 , where a similar promise is voiced on the occasion of the battle of Badr.

Allah has told you this as a good news and that your hearts may be at ease thereby; victory comes only from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah ordained this only as a message of good cheer for you, and that thereby your hearts might be at rest--Victory cometh only from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise--

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[and] that [through you] He might destroy some of those who were bent on denying the truth, and so abase the others⁹⁵ that they would withdraw in utter hopelessness.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "that He might destroy some...or [so] abase them". It is obvious that the particle aw ("or") does not, in this context, denote an alternative but, rather, a specification (tanwi') - as, for instance, in the phrase "ten persons were killed or injured": meaning that some of them were killed and others injured.

( Allah sent the aid of Angels for the believers to offset the aid of Shaitans to the unbelievers) so that He might cut off a flank of the unbelievers or put them to flight, making them withdraw with utter disappointment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

That He may cut off a part of those who disbelieve, or overwhelm them so that they retire, frustrated.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[And] it is in no wise for thee [O Prophet] to decide whether He shall accept their repentance or chastise them - for, behold, they are but wrongdoers,

  - Mohammad Asad

O Prophet, you have no authority to decide the affair; it is up to Allah whether He pardon or punish them since they are wrongdoers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

It is no concern at all of thee (Muhammad) whether He relent toward them or punish them; for they are evildoers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

whereas unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth: He forgives whom He wills, and He chastises whom He wills; and God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.⁹⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

As recorded in several authentic Traditions, the Prophet invoked, during the battle of Uhud, God's curse upon the leaders of the pagan Quraysh (Bukhari, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i and Ahmad ibn Hanbal); and when he lay on the ground severely injured, he exclaimed, "How could those people prosper after having done this to their prophet, who but invites them to [acknowledge] their Sustainer?" - whereupon the above two verses were revealed (Muslim and Ibn Hanbal).

To Allah belongs all that is in the Heavens and in the earth. He pardons whom He pleases and punishes whom He pleases. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. He forgiveth whom He will, and punisheth whom He will. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not gorge yourselves on usury, doubling and re-doubling it⁹⁷ - but remain conscious of God, so that you might attain to a happy state;

  - Mohammad Asad

For a definition of riba ("usury"), see note [35] on 30:39 , the earliest Qur'anic reference to this term. As for the connection of the above verse with the subject-matter dealt with in the foregoing, the best explanation is, to my mind, the one offered by Qiffal (as quoted by Razi): Since it was mainly through usurious gains that the pagan Meccans had acquired the wealth which enabled them to equip their powerful army and almost to defeat the poorly-armed Muslims at Uhud, the latter might have been tempted to emulate their enemies in this respect; and it was to remove this temptation - from them as well as from later generations of believers - that the prohibition of usury was once again stressed through revelation.

O believers! Do not live on usury (compound interest) which is compounded over and over again. Have fear of Allah so that you may prosper.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O ye who believe! Devour not usury, doubling and quadrupling (the sum lent). Observe your duty to Allah, that ye may be successful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and beware of the fire which awaits those who deny the truth!

  - Mohammad Asad

Guard yourself against the Fire which is prepared for the unbelievers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And ward off (from yourselves) the Fire prepared for disbelievers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And pay heed unto God and the Apostle, so that you might be graced with mercy.

  - Mohammad Asad

Obey Allah and His Rasool so that you may find mercy.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And obey Allah and the messenger, that ye may find mercy.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer's forgiveness and to a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which has been readied for the God-conscious

  - Mohammad Asad

Rush towards the forgiveness from your Rabb to a Paradise as vast as the Heavens and the earth which is prepared for the righteous people;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who ward off (evil);

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

who spend [in His way] in time of plenty and in time of hardship, and hold in check their anger, and pardon their fellow-men because God loves the doers of good;

  - Mohammad Asad

they are those who spend generously in the way of Allah, whether they are in prosperity or in adversity, who control their anger and forgive other people for Allah loves such charitable people,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those who spend (of that which Allah hath given them) in ease and in adversity, those who control their wrath and are forgiving toward mankind; Allah loveth the good;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and who, when they have committed a shameful deed or have [otherwise] sinned against themselves, remember God and pray that their sins be forgiven - for who but God could forgive sins? - and do not knowingly persist in doing whatever [wrong] they may have done.

  - Mohammad Asad

who, if they commit an indecency or wrong their own souls, earnestly remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins; for no one can forgive sins except Allah, and those who do not knowingly persist in something wrong which they have done.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins--Who forgiveth sins save Allah only?--and will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

These it is who shall have as their reward forgiveness from their Sustainer, and gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide: and how excellent a reward for those who labour!

  - Mohammad Asad

Such people will be rewarded with forgiveness from their Rabb plus gardens beneath which the rivers flow, to live therein forever. How excellent is the reward for such laborers!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The reward of such will be forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide for ever, a bountiful reward for workers!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[MANY] WAYS of life have passed away before your time.⁹⁸ Go, then, about the earth and behold what happened in the end to those who gave the lie to the truth:

  - Mohammad Asad

The word sunnah (of which sunan is the plural) denotes a "way of life" or "conduct" (hence its application, in Islamic terminology, to the way of life of the Prophet as an example for his followers). In the above passage, the term sunan refers to the "conditions (ahwal) characteristic of past centuries" (Razi), in which, despite all the continuous changes, an ever-recurring pattern can be discerned: a typically Qur'anic reference to the possibility, and necessity, of learning from man's past experiences.

As for those who rejected the Divine Revelations, there have been many examples before you; therefore, travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who rejected the truth.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Systems have passed away before you. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for those who did deny (the messengers).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

this [should be] a clear lesson unto all men, and a guidance and an admonition unto the God-conscious.

  - Mohammad Asad

This (Al-Qur'an) is a clear declaration to mankind, a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

This is a declaration for mankind, a guidance and an admonition unto those who ward off (evil).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Be not, then, faint of heart, and grieve not:⁹⁹ for you are bound to rise high if you are [truly] believers.

  - Mohammad Asad

A reference to the near-disaster at Uhud and the heavy loss of lives (about seventy men) which the Muslims had suffered.

Do not grieve and get disheartened: for you will have the upper hand if you are the believers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Faint not nor grieve, for ye will overcome them if ye are (indeed) believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

If misfortune¹⁰⁰ touches you, [know that] similar misfortune has touched [other] people as well; for it is by turns that We apportion unto men such days [of fortune and misfortune]: and [this] to the end that God might mark out those who have attained to faith, and choose from among you such as [with their lives] bear witness to the truth¹⁰¹ - since God does not love evildoers -

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "a wound" (qarh) or, according to some philologists, "pain caused by a wound".

I.e., "His decision to let some of you die as martyrs in His cause is not due to love of the sinful enemies who oppose you, but to His love for you." The term shuhada' (pl. of shahid) denotes "witnesses" as well as "martyrs". The rendering adopted by me comprises both the concepts of "bearing witness to the truth" and of "martyrdom" in God's cause.

If you have suffered a wound, so did the enemy. We alternate these days of varying fortunes among mankind so that Allah may know the true believers and take witnesses to the truth (grant martyrdom) from among you, for Allah does not love the unjust people,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

If ye have received a blow, the (disbelieving) people have received a blow the like thereof: These are (only) the vicissitudes which We cause to follow one another for mankind, to the end that Allah may know those who believe and may choose witnesses from among you; and Allah loveth not wrong-doers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall