Ali 'Imran 3:56
Family of Imran · Juz 3 · Page 57
فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَأُعَذِّبُهُمۡ عَذَابٗا شَدِيدٗا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ ٥٦
And as for those who disbelieved, I will punish them with a severe punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers."
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
Change
Commentary on 3:56–58
Sequence
In the previous verse (56), it was said that Allah will be the final judge and decision-maker in what they used to differ in between them-selves. This verse describes that decision.
Commentary
Are the sufferings of this world beneficial for the next life?
The words "I shall punish them in this world and in the Hereafter" in verse 56 may create a little doubt. Since the statement here relates to the Judgment to be pronounced on the Last Day, how can the statement -'I shall punish them in this world and in the hereafter`- be explained as this world of ours would not exist at that time and even though it exists today, but the Judgment is to be given on the Day of Resurrection?
This difficulty can be resolved by turning to an analogy. This saying is similar to the saying of a judge to a culprit -'Right now I am sending you to the jail for a year; if you misbehave there, I shall make it for two years'- which simply means that those two years will be counted from the day the punishment is being awarded. Based on this, it is certain that following any misbehaviour the two-year punishment will become effective. So, given the misconduct, the validity of this whole will regulate itself for one more year as 'add-on'.
The same applies here as the punishment in the world has already been given; now the punishment of the Hereafter will be added on and the sum-total will be finally executed on the Last Day, that is, having been punished in the world will not serve as expiation for the punishment of the Hereafter. This is contrary to the condition of believers who, when struck by suffering in the mortal world, have their sins forgiven and find the punishment due in the Hereafter lightened or warded off. For this reason, a hint to this effect has been made in لَا يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِي and Allah does not like transgressors -v. 57), that is, believers are dear because of their belief and the beloved ones are always treated in such a manner. The disbelievers are detested because of their disbelief and those detested do not receive such treatment. (Bayan a1-Qur'an)
Page 57
3:53
رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا بِمَآ أَنزَلۡتَ وَٱتَّبَعۡنَا ٱلرَّسُولَ فَٱكۡتُبۡنَا مَعَ ٱلشَّٰهِدِينَ ٥٣
Our Lord, we have believed in what You revealed and have followed the messenger [i.e., Jesus], so register us among the witnesses [to truth]."
3:54
وَمَكَرُواْ وَمَكَرَ ٱللَّهُۖ وَٱللَّهُ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡمَٰكِرِينَ ٥٤
And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And Allāh is the best of planners.
3:55
إِذۡ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوۡقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ فَأَحۡكُمُ بَيۡنَكُمۡ فِيمَا كُنتُمۡ فِيهِ تَخۡتَلِفُونَ ٥٥
[Mention] when Allāh said, "O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify [i.e., free] you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allāh alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ.
3:56
فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَأُعَذِّبُهُمۡ عَذَابٗا شَدِيدٗا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ ٥٦
And as for those who disbelieved, I will punish them with a severe punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers."
3:57
وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمۡ أُجُورَهُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٥٧
But as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, He will give them in full their rewards, and Allāh does not like the wrongdoers.
3:58
ذَٰلِكَ نَتۡلُوهُ عَلَيۡكَ مِنَ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ وَٱلذِّكۡرِ ٱلۡحَكِيمِ ٥٨
This is what We recite to you, [O Muḥammad], of [Our] verses and the precise [and wise] message [i.e., the Qur’ān].
3:59
إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَۖ خَلَقَهُۥ مِن تُرَابٖ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ٥٩
Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allāh1 is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him, "Be," and he was.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., regarding His creation of him. ↩
3:60
ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلۡمُمۡتَرِينَ ٦٠
The truth is from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters.
3:61
فَمَنۡ حَآجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ فَقُلۡ تَعَالَوۡاْ نَدۡعُ أَبۡنَآءَنَا وَأَبۡنَآءَكُمۡ وَنِسَآءَنَا وَنِسَآءَكُمۡ وَأَنفُسَنَا وَأَنفُسَكُمۡ ثُمَّ نَبۡتَهِلۡ فَنَجۡعَل لَّعۡنَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰذِبِينَ ٦١
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 Allāh upon the liars [among us]."