Ali 'Imran 3:17
Family of Imran · Juz 3 · Page 52
ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ وَٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ وَٱلۡقَٰنِتِينَ وَٱلۡمُنفِقِينَ وَٱلۡمُسۡتَغۡفِرِينَ بِٱلۡأَسۡحَارِ ١٧
The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allāh], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn.
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 3:16–17
The Supplication and Description of Al-Muttaqin
Allah describes the Muttaqin, His pious servants, whom He promised tremendous rewards,
الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا
(Those who say: "Our Lord! We have indeed believed") in You, Your Book and Your Messenger.
فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا
(so forgive us our sins) because of our faith in You and in what You legislated for us. Therefore, forgive us our errors and shortcomings, with Your bounty and mercy,
وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
(and save us from the punishment of the Fire.)
Allah then said,
الصَّبِرِينَ
((They are) those who are patient) while performing acts of obedience and abandoning the prohibitions.
وَالصَّدِقِينَ
(those who are true) concerning their proclamation of faith, by performing the difficult deeds.
وَالْقَنِتِينَ
(and obedient) meaning, they submit and obey Allah,
وَالْمُنَفِقِينَ
(those who spend) from their wealth on all the acts of obedience they were commanded, being kind to kith and kin, helping the needy, and comforting the destitute.
وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالاٌّسْحَارِ
(and those who pray and beg Allah's pardon in the last hours of the night) and this testifies to the virtue of seeking Allah's forgiveness in the latter part of the night. It was reported that when Ya`qub said to his children,
سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّى
(I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you) 12:98 he waited until the latter part of the night to say his supplication.
Furthermore, the Two Sahihs, the Musnad and Sunan collections recorded through several Companions that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«يَنْزِلُ اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالى فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلى سَمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الْآخِرُ، فَيَقُولُ: هَلْ مِنْ سَائِلٍ فَأُعْطِيَهُ؟ هَلْ مِنْ دَاعٍ فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ؟ هَلْ مِنْ مُسْتَغْفِرٍ فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ؟»
(Every night, when the last third of it remains, our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, descends to the lowest heaven saying, "Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to his invocation Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him")
The Two Sahihs recorded that `A'ishah said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed Witr during the first part, the middle and latter parts of the night. Then, later (in his life), he would perform it (only) during the latter part." `Abdullah bin `Umar used to pray during the night and would ask, "O Nafi`! Is it the latter part of the night yet" and if Nafi` said, "Yes," Ibn `Umar would start supplicating to Allah and seeking His forgiveness until dawn. This Hadith was collected by Ibn Abi Hatim.
Page 52
3:16
ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ١٦
Those who say, 'Our Lord, indeed we have believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire,' "
3:17
ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ وَٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ وَٱلۡقَٰنِتِينَ وَٱلۡمُنفِقِينَ وَٱلۡمُسۡتَغۡفِرِينَ بِٱلۡأَسۡحَارِ ١٧
The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allāh], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn.
3:18
شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَأُوْلُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ قَآئِمَۢا بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۚ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ١٨
Allāh witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge - [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
3:19
إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡإِسۡلَٰمُۗ وَمَا ٱخۡتَلَفَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡعِلۡمُ بَغۡيَۢا بَيۡنَهُمۡۗ وَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَرِيعُ ٱلۡحِسَابِ ١٩
Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allāh is Islām. And those who were given the Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the verses of Allāh, then indeed, Allāh is swift in [taking] account.
3:20
فَإِنۡ حَآجُّوكَ فَقُلۡ أَسۡلَمۡتُ وَجۡهِيَ لِلَّهِ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِۗ وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡأُمِّيِّـۧنَ ءَأَسۡلَمۡتُمۡۚ فَإِنۡ أَسۡلَمُواْ فَقَدِ ٱهۡتَدَواْۖ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡبَلَٰغُۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرُۢ بِٱلۡعِبَادِ ٢٠
So if they argue with you, say, "I have submitted myself to Allāh [in Islām], and [so have] those who follow me." And say to those who were given the Scripture and [to] the unlearned,1 "Have you submitted yourselves?" And if they submit [in Islām], they are rightly guided; but if they turn away - then upon you is only the [duty of] notification. And Allāh is Seeing of [His] servants.
1 translator’s note
- Those who had no scripture (i.e., the pagans). ↩
3:21
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكۡفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقۡتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ بِغَيۡرِ حَقّٖ وَيَقۡتُلُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فَبَشِّرۡهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ٢١
Those who disbelieve in the signs of Allāh and kill the prophets without right and kill those who order justice from among the people - give them tidings of a painful punishment.
3:22
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ حَبِطَتۡ أَعۡمَٰلُهُمۡ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ ٢٢
They are the ones whose deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and for them there will be no helpers.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy