NAME: آل عمران, Ali Imran.
Name taken from Verse 33 where there is a mention of the “Family of Imran”.
٣٣ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ آدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَآلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
33 Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of ‘Imran over the worlds.
But It does not mean that this name is the actual topic discussed in the whole Surah. It is just a reference and mark/symbol to distinguish this Surah from others as is with most other Surahs of Quran. While there are diversified topics discussed in these Surahs.
ENGLISH NAME: The House or Family of Imran.
CHAPTER NUMBER: 3
SURAH ALE IMRAN TOTAL VERSES: 200
SURAH ALE IMRAN TOTAL WORDS: 3,501
TOTAL UNIQUE WORDS WITHOUT REPETITION: 1,469
TOTAL LETTERS: 14,985
REVELATION PERIOD:
Medinan, Approx. 624 – 628 AD.
MAIN CHARACTERS:
God, Adam, Nuh, Family Of Ibrahim & Imran, Zechariah, Mary/Maryam, Yahya/John, Jesus, People Of The Book, Christians, Jacob, Martyrs, Children of Israel, Jews.
SURAH ALE IMRAN MAIN TOPICS:
Decisive/commandments vs. Allegorical verses, Allah Chose Adam, Nuh, Family Of Ibrahim & Imran over the worlds, Jesus story & Miracles, Event And Aya/Verse Of Mubahala, Challenge of Prophet to christian delegation, God took Covenant from all Prophets regarding Prophet Muhammad , Hold firmly the rope Of Allah and do not become divided, Indirect Mention of Uhad and Badr War, Those who killed in the way of God are alive.
SURAH ALE IMRAN KEY VERSES:
٧ هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ ۖ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ ۗ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ۗ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
7 It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise – they are the foundation of the Book – and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allah. But those firm in knowledge say, “We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord.” And no one will be reminded except those of understanding.
٦١ فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَنِسَاءَنَا وَنِسَاءَكُمْ وَأَنْفُسَنَا وَأَنْفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَاذِبِينَ
61 Then whoever argues with you about it after [this] knowledge has come to you – say, “Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then supplicate earnestly [together] and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars [among us].”
٦٤ قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ ۚ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ
64 Say, “O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you – that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah.” But if they turn away, then say, “Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].”
٨١ وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ النَّبِيِّينَ لَمَا آتَيْتُكُمْ مِنْ كِتَابٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنْصُرُنَّهُ ۚ قَالَ أَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُمْ إِصْرِي ۖ قَالُوا أَقْرَرْنَا ۚ قَالَ فَاشْهَدُوا وَأَنَا مَعَكُمْ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ
81 And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], “Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him.” [Allah] said, “Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?” They said, “We have acknowledged it.” He said, “Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses.”
٨٥ وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
85 And whoever desires other than Islam as religion – never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.
١٠٣ وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا ۚ وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنْتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُمْ بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا وَكُنْتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِنَ النَّارِ فَأَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
103 And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you – when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.
١٤٤ وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ ۚ أَفَإِنْ مَاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِكُمْ ۚ وَمَنْ يَنْقَلِبْ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَنْ يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيْئًا ۗ وَسَيَجْزِي اللَّهُ الشَّاكِرِينَ
144 Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.
١٩٠ إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ
190 Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.
SUMMARY OF TOPICS
7(Muhkamat and Mutashabihat, Decisive/Commandments vs. Allegorical Verses), 13(Battle Of Badr Fight, Seeing Double in Number), 18(Witness Of Allah That There Is No Deity Except Him, Of Angels And Men Of Knowledge but Standing in Justice), 28(Do Not Do Alliance/ Friendship With Disbelievers in Preference Over Believers), 33(Allah Chose Adam, Nuh, Family of Ibrahim & Imran Over the Worlds), 35-36(Wife Of Imran, Pledge/Nazr/Vowed for Child That She Would Dedicate in God’s Cause, Birth of Marry/Maryam), 37(Zechariah Saw Food, He Said O Mary, From Where Is This [Coming] to You?” She Said, “It Is From Allah.), 38-41(Zechariah Prayed for a Child, God Gave Him Yahya’s Tiding, and a Token That Zechariah Would Remain Mute for 3 Days), 44(God Says: Muhammad You Were Not There When They Threw/ Cast Pens for Maryam as to Which of Them Should Be Responsible for Her), 45-48( Tiding Of Jesus, and That He Would Speak in the Cradle, Maryam Says How Can I Have a Child as None Touched Me), 49(Miracles Of Jesus), 54-55(Plan To Kill Jesus, God Said to Jesus; I Ascend You Unto Me), 59(Jesus Is Like Adam as Both Created Miraculously), 61(Event And Aya/Verse Of Mubahala, Challenge of Prophet Muhammad to Christian Delegation To Invoke God’s Curse on the Liars), 64 (Invitation to The People Of the Book: Come on Common Terms), 72-80(Traits and characteristics Of People Of The Book), 81(God Took Covenant From all Prophets Regarding Prophet Muhammad “You [Must] Believe in Him and Support Him”), 93(All Food Was Lawful/Halal Except What Jacob Had Made Unlawful to Himself), 96( First Sanctuary Is Becca/Mecca), 103(Hold Firmly the Rope/ Cable Of Allah and Do Not Become Divided.), 104(Amr Bil Maruf Wa Nahy An Al Munkar/ Enjoining Right and Forbidding Wrong ), 106(on the Day of Judgement Some Faces Will Turn White and [Some] Faces Will Turn Black.), 111-112(Zilat/ Humiliation For People Of The Book Fighting With Muhammad Because They Disbelieved in the Verses of Allah and Killed the Prophets Without Right), 113(They Are Not [All] the Same; Among the People of the Scripture Is a Community Standing [in Obedience]), 121-129(Battle of Uhad, Two Parties Among You Were About To Lose Courage, God Helped You With 3000 to 5000 Angels), 130(Riba, Usury, Interest: O You Who Have Believed, Do Not Consume Usury, Doubled and Multiplied), 133(Jannat/ Jannah, Paradise Diameter and Size as Wide as the Heavens and Earth), 140-143(Indirect Mention of Uhad and Badr War: Allah May Purify the Believers [Through Trials]), 144(Muhammad Is Not but a Messenger. [Other] Messengers Have Passed on Before Him. So if He Was To Die or Be Killed, Would You Turn Back on Your Heels), 152-168(Mention of Uhad Battle), 169(Those Who Killed in the Way of God Are Alive, Martyr Are Alive Getting Provision/Rizq From Their Lord), 181-183(Jews Insulted Allah and Uttered a Lie Against Him, Their Demand of Fire Sacrifice as a Sign To Accept Prophethood), 187(Allah Took a Covenant From Those Who Were Given the Scripture, [Saying], “You Must Make It Clear to the People and Not Conceal It), 190-191(in the Universe There Are Signs for People Of Understanding Who Consider the Creation Around Them), 192-198(Prayer & Supplication of the Believers and Acceptance by God)
SURAH ALE IMRAN BRIEF COMMENTARY & BACK GROUND
This Surah consists of 200 verses divided into 20 Rukus/Sections. This is the third Surah of the Quran a Madani Surah i.e revealed after the Hijrah of Prophet Muhammad. Ale Imran means “the family of Imran. A family from which many prophets came including Moses/Mosa, Aaron/Harun Zachariah and Yahya/John. Yahya/John the Baptist, has a significant place in Christianity thus this Surah has a special importance for Christians and address itself to them. Surah Baqarah addresses primarily to the Jews/Children of Israel and in Surah Ale Imran the addressee is mainly the Christians. The Muslims have been advised to learn from the history of the people of the Book and also to guard themselves against their mischiefs.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal said that Abdullah bin Buraydah narrated from his father, “I was sitting with the Prophet and I heard him saying,
تَعَلَّمُوا سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ فَإِنَّ أَخْذَهَا بَرَكَةٌ، وَتَرْكَهَا حَسْرَةٌ، وَلَا تَسْتَطِيعُهَا الْبَطَلَة
Learn Surah Baqarah, because in learning it there is blessing, in ignoring it there is sorrow, and the sorceresses cannot memorize it.
He stopped for a while and then said,
تَعَلَّمُوا سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ وَآلَ عِمْرَانَ فَإِنَّهُمَا الزَّهْرَاوَانِ، يُظِلَّانِ صَاحِبَهُمَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كَأَنَّهُمَا غَمَامَتَانِ أَوْ غَيَايَتَانِ أَوْ فِرْقَانِ مِنْ طَيْرٍ صَوَافَّ، وَإِنَّ الْقُرآنَ يَلْقى صَاحِبَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حِينَ يَنْشَقُّ عَنْهُ قَبْرُهُ كَالرَّجُلِ الشَّاحِبِ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ: هَلْ تَعْرِفُنِي؟ فَيَقُولُ: مَا أَعْرِفُكَ. فَيَقُولُ: أَنَا صَاحِبُكَ الْقُرْآنُ الَّذِي أَظْمَأْتُكَ فِي الْهَوَاجِرِ وَأَسْهَرْتُ لَيْلَكَ وَإِنَّ كُلَّ تَاجِرٍ مِنْ وَرَاءِ تِجَارَتِهِ، وَإِنَّكَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ كُلِّ تِجَارَةٍ فَيُعْطَى الْمُلْكَ بِيَمِينِهِ وَالْخُلْدَ بِشِمَالِهِ وَيُوضَعُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ تَاجُ الْوَقَارِ، وَيُكْسَى وَالِدَاهُ حُلَّتَانِ لَا يَقُومُ لَهُمَا أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا، فَيَقُولَانِ: بِمَا كُسِينَا هَذَا؟ فَيُقَالُ: بِأَخْذِ وَلَدِكُمَا الْقُرْآنَ ثُمَّ يُقَالُ: اقْرَأْ وَاصْعَدْ فِي دَرَجِ الْجَنَّةِ وَغُرَفِهَا، فَهُوَ فِي صُعُودٍ مَا دَامَ يَقْرأُ هَذًّا كَانَ أَوْ تَرْتِيلًا
Learn Surah Baqarah and Ale Imran because they are two lights and they shade their people on the Last Day, just as 2 clouds, two shade or two lines of birds. The Quran will meet its companion in the shape of a pale faced man on the Day of Resurrection when his grave is opened. The Quran will ask him, ‘Do you know me’ The man will say, ‘I do not know you.’ The Qur’an will say, ‘I am your companion, the Quran, which has brought you thirst during the heat and made you stay up during the night. Every merchant has his certain trade. But, this Day, you are behind all types of trade.’ Kingship will then be given to him in his right hand, eternal life in his left hand and the crown of grace will be placed on his head. His parents will also be granted two garments that the people of this life could never afford. They will say, ‘Why were we granted these garments’ It will be said, Because your son was carrying the Quran. It will be said (to the reader of the Quran), ‘Read and ascend through the stages of Paradise.’ He will go on ascending as long as he recites, whether reciting slowly or quickly.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal recorded that An-Nawwas bin Saman said that the Messenger of Allah said,
يُؤْتَى بِالقُرْآنِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَأَهْلِهِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ بِهِ تَقْدَمُهُم سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ وَآلُ عِمْرَان
On the Day of Qiryamah the Quran and its people who used to implement it will be brought forth, preceded by Surah Baqarah and Imran.
An-Nawwas said, “The Messnger of Allah set 3 examples for these 2 Surahs and I did not forget these examples ever since. The Prophet said,
كَأَنَّهُمَا غَمَامَتَانِ، أَوْ ظُلَّتَانِ سَودَاوَانِ بَيْنَهُمَا شَرْقٌ، أَوْ كَأَنَّهُمَا فِرْقَانِ مِنْ طَيْرٍ صَوَافَّ، يُحَاجَّانِ عَنْ صَاحِبِهِمَا
They will come like 2 clouds, 2 dark shades or 2 lines of birds arguing on behalf of their people.
The major portion of this Surah revealed after the battle of Badr. Though the believers had come out triumphant in the Battle of Badr, they were not absolutely out of danger. As now they have more enemies than before. Then there was the problem of the Jewish tribes who lived in the outskirts of Madinah. Despite their following a monotheist religion they conspire with the polytheists of Mecca against Muslims. And because of all these conspiracies, the Meccans again attacked Madina just after a year of Battle of Badr and thus started the battle of Uhad. Meccans army was 3,000 men while Muslims were one thousand in number. But the Muslim army also has many hypocrites inside it. They did much damage by first leaving the army on various excuses and returning to Madinah and then by creating mischief and chaos during the battle. In addition to all this, the weaknesses of believers were also played a part in the defeat. This is the reason that a comprehensive review of the Battle of Uhad was required to inform the Muslims of their shortcomings and to issue instructions for their reform.
