Surah 3. Aal-Imran

Allah ordained this 'reinforcement' only as good news for you and reassurance for your hearts. And victory comes only from Allah- the Almighty, All-Wise-

  - Mustafa Khattab

Allah made it but a message of hope for you; and an assurance to your hearts: (in any case) there is no help except from Allah the Exalted the Wise. ⁴⁴⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Whatever happens, whether there is a miracle or not, all help proceeds from Allah. Man should not be so arrogant as to suppose that his own resources will change the current of the world plan. Allah helps those who show constancy, courage, and discipline, and use all the human means at their disposal, not those who fold their hands and have no faith. But Allah's help is determined on considerations exalted far above our petty human motive, and by perfect wisdoms, of which we can have only faint glimpses.

to destroy a group of the disbelievers and humble the rest, causing them to withdraw in disappointment.

  - Mustafa Khattab

That he might cut off a fringe of the unbelievers or expose them to infamy and they should then be turned back frustrated of their purpose. ⁴⁴⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

A fringe of the Unbelievers: an extremity, an end, either upper or lower. Here it may mean that the chiefs of the Makkan Pagans, who had come to exterminate the Muslims with such confidence, went back frustrated in their purpose. The shameless cruelty with which they and their women mutilated the Muslim corpses on the battle-field will stand recorded to their eternal infamy. Perhaps it also exposed their real nature to some of those who fought for them. e.g., Khalid ibn Al-Walid, who not only accepted Islam afterwards, but became one of the most notable champions of Islam. He was with the Muslims in the conquest of Makkah and later on, won distinguished honours in Syria and 'Iraq.

You 'O Prophet' have no say in the matter.¹ It is up to Allah to turn to them in mercy or punish them, for indeed they are wrongdoers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 When the Prophet (ﷺ) was injured at the Battle of Uḥud, some of his companions suggested that he should pray against the pagans of Mecca. He responded, “I have not come to condemn people, but as a mercy to pray for their guidance.” The verse here says that it is not up to the Prophet whether they believe or disbelieve. A prophet’s only duty is to convey the message. Eventually, almost all Meccans accepted Islam before the death of the Prophet (ﷺ).

Not for thee (but for Allah) is the decision: whether He turn in mercy to them or punish them; for they are indeed wrong-doers. ⁴⁴⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Uhud is as much a sign-post for Islam as Badr. For us in these latter days it carries an ever greater lesson. Allah's help will come if we have faith, obedience, discipline, unity, and the spirit of acting in righteousness and justice. If we fail, His mercy is always open to us. But it is also open to our enemies, and those who seem to us His enemies. His Plan may be to bring sinners to repentance, and to teach us righteousness and wisdom through those who seem in our eyes to be rebellious or even defiant. There may be good in them that He sees and we do not,-a humbling thought that must lead to our own self-examination and self-improvement.

To Allah 'alone' belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. He forgives whoever He wills, and punishes whoever He wills. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

To Allah belongeth all that is in the heavens and on earth. He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and punisheth whom He pleaseth: but Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

O believers! Do not consume interest, multiplying it many times over. And be mindful of Allah, so you may prosper.

  - Mustafa Khattab

O ye who believe! devour not usury doubled and multiplied; but fear Allah; that ye may (really) prosper. ^{450 451}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. ii. 275 and note. The last verse spoke of forgiveness, even to enemies. If such mercy is granted by Allah to erring sinners, how much more is it incumbent on us, poor sinners to refrain from oppressing our fellow-beings in need, in matters of mere material and ephemeral wealth? Usury is the opposite extreme of charity, unselfishness, striving, and giving of ourselves in the service of Allah and of our fellow-men.

Real prosperity consists, not in greed, but in giving,-the giving of ourselves and of our substance in the cause of Allah and Allah's truth and in the service of Allah's creatures.

Guard yourselves against the Fire prepared for the disbelievers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Fear the fire which is prepared for those who reject faith.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Obey Allah and the Messenger, so you may be shown mercy.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And obey Allah and the Apostle; that ye may obtain mercy.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And hasten towards forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those mindful 'of Allah'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord and for a garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth prepared for the righteous. ⁴⁵²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Fire (iii. 131) is, as always, contrasted with the Garden,-in other words. Hell contrasted with Heaven, we are told that its width alone is that of the whole of the heavens and the earth,-all the creation we can imagine.

'They are' those who donate in prosperity and adversity, control their anger, and pardon others. And Allah loves the good-doers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Those who spend (freely) whether in prosperity or in adversity; who restrain anger and pardon (all) men; for Allah loves those who do good. ⁴⁵³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Another definition of the righteous (vv. 134-35). So far from grasping material wealth, they give freely, of themselves and their substance, not only when they are well-off and it is easy for them to do so, but also when they arc in difficulties, for other people may be in difficulties at the same time. They do not get ruffled in adversity, or get angry when other people behave badly, or their own good plans fail. On the contrary they redouble their efforts. For the charity-or good deeds-is all the more necessary in adversity. And they do not throw the blame on others. Even where such blame is due and correction is necessary, their own mind is free from a sense of grievance, for they forgive and cover other men's faults. This as far as other people are concerned. But we may be ourselves at fault, and perhaps we brought some calamity on ourselves. The righteous man is not necessarily perfect. In such circumstances his behaviour is described in the next verse.

'They are' those who, upon committing an evil deed or wronging themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness and do not knowingly persist in sin- and who forgives sins except Allah?

  - Mustafa Khattab

And those who having done something to be ashamed of or wronged their own souls earnestly bring Allah to mind and ask for forgiveness for their sins and who can forgive sins except Allah? And are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done. ^{454 455}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The righteous man, when he finds he has fallen into sin or error, does not whine or despair, but asks for Allah's forgiveness, and his faith gives him hope. If he is sincere, that means that he abandons his wrong conduct and makes amends.

Sin is a sort of oppression of ourselves by ourselves. This follows from the doctrine of personal responsibility, as opposed to that of blind fate or of an angry God or gods lying in wait for revenge or injury on mankind.

Their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and Gardens under which rivers flow, staying there forever. How excellent is the reward for those who work 'righteousness'!

  - Mustafa Khattab

For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens with rivers flowing underneath an eternal dwelling; how excellent a recompense for those who work (and strive)!

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Similar situations came to pass before you, so travel throughout the land and see the fate of the deniers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Many were the Ways of Life that have passed away before you: travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who rejected truth. ⁴⁵⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. Tennyson (In Memoriam): "Our little systems have their day. They have their day and cease to be: They are but broken lights of Thee, And Thou, 0 Lord! art more than they." Only Allah's Truth will last, and it will gain the mastery in the end. If there is defeat, we must not be dejected, lose heart, or give up the struggle. Faith means hope, activity, striving steadfastly on to the goal. Sunan: different ways by which the ancient people like Ad, Thamud, the people of the Prophet Nuh were treated because of their arrogance, disobedience and rejection of faith.

This¹ is an insight to humanity- a guide and a lesson to the God-fearing.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 “This” either refers to how the forces of evil are ultimately destroyed, or that the Quran is a reminder of the destruction of evildoers.

Here is a plain statement to men a guidance and instruction to those who fear Allah!

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Do not falter or grieve, for you will have the upper hand, if you are 'true' believers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

So lose not heart nor fall into despair: for ye must gain mastery if ye are true in faith.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If you have suffered injuries 'at Uḥud', they suffered similarly 'at Badr'. We alternate these days 'of victory and defeat' among people so that Allah may reveal the 'true' believers, choose martyrs from among you- and Allah does not like the wrongdoers-

  - Mustafa Khattab

If a wound hath touched you be sure a similar wound hath touched the others. Such days (of varying fortunes) We give to men and men by turns: that Allah may know those that believe and that He may take to Himself from your ranks martyr-witnesses (to Truth). And Allah loveth not those that do wrong. ⁴⁵⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

These general considerations apply in particular to the disaster at Uhud. (1) In a fight for truth, if you are hurt, be sure the adversary has suffered hurt also, the more so as he has no faith to sustain him. (2) Success or failure in this world comes to all at varying times: we must not grumble, as we do not see the whole of Allah's Plan. (3) Men's true mettle is known in adversity as gold is assayed in fire; Cf. also iii. 154, n. 467. (4) Martyrdom is in itself an honour and a privilege: how glorious is the fame of Hamza the Martyr? (5) If there is any dross in us, it will be purified by resistance and struggle. (6) When evil is given rope a little, it works out its own destruction; the orgies of cruelty indulged in by the Pagans after what they supposed to be their victory at Uhud filled up their cup of iniquity; it lost them the support and adherence of the best in their own ranks, and hastened the destruction of Paganism from Arabia. Cf. iii. 127 and ii. 448.