Ali 'Imran 3:175
Family of Imran · Juz 4 · Page 73
إِنَّمَا ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ يُخَوِّفُ أَوۡلِيَآءَهُۥ فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمۡ وَخَافُونِ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ ١٧٥
That is only Satan who frightens [you] of his supporters. So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 3:174–175
The third verse (174) recounts the blessings which descended upon these noble Companions for their brave response to the call of Jihad and for saying: حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ (Allah is all-sufficient for us, and the best one to trust in). It was said:
فَانقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ لَّمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَاتَّبَعُوا رِضْوَانَ اللَّهِ
So, they returned with bounty from Allah, and grace, with no evil having even touched them -- and submitted to the pleasure of Allah.
Allah Almighty bestowed on them three blessings:
1. Such awe and terror was placed in the hearts of disbelievers that they ran away because of which the Companions remained protected against the rigours of fighting on the battlefield. Allah Almighty has used the very word نِعْمَة Ni'mah for what we refer to as blessing.
2. The second blessing conferred on them was the opportunity to engage in trading in the market of Hamra'al-Asad. The benefits yielded by such financial transactions were called فضل 'Fadl' or the bounty from Allah.
3. The third and the highest of the three blessings was the attainment of the pleasure of Allah which these blessed souls received in Jihad in a special manner
حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ : Hasbunallahu wa ni` mal-wakil: A wonderful prayer for all of us
The blessings of this prayer cited by the Holy Qur'an were not limited to the Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ in any restrictive sense. The fact is that anyone who recites this prayer devotedly with a genuine sense of faith will share in such blessings.
Muslim scholars and spiritual masters have said that one who recites this verse a thousand times with true faith, and prays, will find that Allah Almighty has not rejected his prayer. Reciting this verse under the stress of frustrations and difficulties is a proven panacea.
The fourth verse (175) tells Muslims that the real agent behind the report that the disbelievers are coming back is شیطان Satan himself who would love to see Muslims overawed. In other words, شیطان Satan is threatening Muslims with the strength of his friends - his cohorts, the disbelievers. Thus, one of the two objects of the verb يُخَوِّفُ yukhawwifu [ frightens (you)] has been left out in the text. The one mentioned is in اولیاہُ 'auliya'ahu' (of his friends) while the one understood but not mentioned is 'you' as it would be in يُخَوِّفُکم yukhawwifukum (frightens you).
In the end, the verse exhorts Muslims not to fear such threats. What is necessary is that Muslims must continue fearing Allah, the natural outcome of which will be that a true Muslim will always think twice before embarking on anything that means disobedience to Allah. The truth of the matter is that, with Allah's help and support on ones' side, no harm can come from any side.
The Fear of Allah: What does it mean?
The imperative in the present verse obligates Muslims that they must always keep fearing Allah. In another verse, يَخَافُونَ رَبَّهُم مِّن فَوْقِهِمْ (They fear their Lord above them-16:50) those who do so have been praised. Some revered elders have explained it by saying that fearing Allah does not mean that one should be scared stiff or sit back in tears. Far from it, a God-fearing person is one who leaves everything which may become a source of Allah's displeasure or punishment.
Abu ` Ali al-Daqqaq, may Allah's mercy be upon him, says that Abu Bakr ibn al-Fuwarrak ؓ was sick so he paid him a visit. When Abu Bakr saw him, he was in tears. Abu ` Ali consoled him by saying that there was nothing to worry about, Allah Almighty will give him health soon enough. Abu Bakr corrected Abu 'Ali's impression and said that he was certainly not weeping because of any fear of death. What he really worried about was his fate after death lest he may be awarded some punishment then. (Qurtubi)
Page 73
3:174
فَٱنقَلَبُواْ بِنِعۡمَةٖ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَفَضۡلٖ لَّمۡ يَمۡسَسۡهُمۡ سُوٓءٞ وَٱتَّبَعُواْ رِضۡوَٰنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو فَضۡلٍ عَظِيمٍ ١٧٤
So they returned with favor from Allāh and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allāh, and Allāh is the possessor of great bounty.
3:175
إِنَّمَا ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ يُخَوِّفُ أَوۡلِيَآءَهُۥ فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمۡ وَخَافُونِ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ ١٧٥
That is only Satan who frightens [you] of his supporters. So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.
3:176
وَلَا يَحۡزُنكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُسَٰرِعُونَ فِي ٱلۡكُفۡرِۚ إِنَّهُمۡ لَن يَضُرُّواْ ٱللَّهَ شَيۡـٔٗاۚ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَلَّا يَجۡعَلَ لَهُمۡ حَظّٗا فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ١٧٦
And do not be grieved, [O Muḥammad], by those who hasten into disbelief. Indeed, they will never harm Allāh at all. Allāh intends that He should give them no share in the Hereafter, and for them is a great punishment.
3:177
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشۡتَرَوُاْ ٱلۡكُفۡرَ بِٱلۡإِيمَٰنِ لَن يَضُرُّواْ ٱللَّهَ شَيۡـٔٗاۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ ١٧٧
Indeed, those who purchase disbelief [in exchange] for faith - never will they harm Allāh at all, and for them is a painful punishment.
3:178
وَلَا يَحۡسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ أَنَّمَا نُمۡلِي لَهُمۡ خَيۡرٞ لِّأَنفُسِهِمۡۚ إِنَّمَا نُمۡلِي لَهُمۡ لِيَزۡدَادُوٓاْ إِثۡمٗاۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ مُّهِينٞ ١٧٨
And let not those who disbelieve ever think that [because] We extend their time [of enjoyment] it is better for them. We only extend it for them so that they may increase in sin, and for them is a humiliating punishment.
3:179
مَّا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَنتُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ حَتَّىٰ يَمِيزَ ٱلۡخَبِيثَ مِنَ ٱلطَّيِّبِۗ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُطۡلِعَكُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَجۡتَبِي مِن رُّسُلِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُۖ فَـَٔامِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦۚ وَإِن تُؤۡمِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَلَكُمۡ أَجۡرٌ عَظِيمٞ ١٧٩
Allāh would not leave the believers in that [state] you are in [presently] until He separates the evil from the good. Nor would Allāh reveal to you the unseen. But [instead], Allāh chooses of His messengers whom He wills, so believe in Allāh and His messengers. And if you believe and fear Him, then for you is a great reward.
3:180
وَلَا يَحۡسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَبۡخَلُونَ بِمَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ هُوَ خَيۡرٗا لَّهُمۖ بَلۡ هُوَ شَرّٞ لَّهُمۡۖ سَيُطَوَّقُونَ مَا بَخِلُواْ بِهِۦ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۗ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَٰثُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ ١٨٠
And let not those who [greedily] withhold what Allāh has given them of His bounty ever think that it is better for them. Rather, it is worse for them. Their necks will be encircled by what they withheld on the Day of Resurrection. And to Allāh belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth. And Allāh, of what you do, is [fully] Aware.