Ali 'Imran 3:144–200

Muhammad is only a Messenger like the messengers of Allah who came before him, who died or were killed. If he were to die or be killed would you turn back from your faith, and stop fighting? Whoever among you turns back from his faith will not harm Allah in any way. He is the Strong, the Victorious. Such a person only harms himself by exposing himself to loss in this world and the Afterlife. Allah will reward those who are thankful to Him by making them firm in their faith and in struggling for His sake.

No person can die except by the divine decree of Allah, when the time Allah has written for them has come to an end and their set time of death has arrived: their life will not be made longer or shorter. Whoever desires worldly gain through what they do, Allah will give them of it, according to what He has decreed for them, and they will have no share in the Afterlife. Yet whoever desires the reward of Allah in the Afterlife through what they do, Allah will give them its reward, and He will give a great reward to those who are thankful to their Lord.

Many of Allah’s prophets fought with many groups of their followers. They were not cowardly about fighting because of death and wounds that they received for Allah’s sake; and they did not weaken in fighting the enemy or surrender to them, but they were patient and firm. Allah loves those who are patient with hardship and misfortune for His sake.

When they were given these trials, these patient people asked Allah to forgive them for their disobedience and for overstepping the limits in what they did, to make their feet firm when they meet their enemy, and to help them against those who disbelieved in Him.

So, Allah gave them the reward of this life by giving them victory and strength, and gave them the most excellent reward of the Afterlife, where they will receive His favour, and live in bliss eternally in Paradise. Allah loves those who always try to do their best in their worship and transactions.

O you who have faith in Allah and follow His Messenger, if you obey the disbelieving Jews, Christians and idolaters in the misguidance they instruct you in, then you will return after your faith back to the disbelief you were upon, and you will become losers in this world and in the Afterlife.

These disbelievers will not help you if you obey them; rather, Allah is your helper against your enemies. So, obey Him, for He, may He be glorified, is the best of helpers, and you will not need anyone apart from Him.

Allah will put great fear in the hearts of the disbelievers, so that they are not able to stand firm to fight you. This is because of worshipping false gods next to Allah, and following their own desires, when no proof has been sent down to them to do so. Their resting place in the Afterlife will be the fire of Hell. What a miserable resting place the fire of Hell is for the wrongdoers!

Allah kept the promise He gave you of victory over your enemies on the day of Uḥud, when you were engaging them in battle, by Allah’s permission, until you became weaker in your resolve to do as the Messenger had commanded you, and you disagreed about whether to stay at your posts or leave them in order to obtain the gains of war. You disobeyed the Messenger’s command to stay at your positions no matter what may happen. This occurred after Allah showed you the victory over your enemies that you wanted so much. Among you are those who desire the goods of this world, and it was those who left their positions; and among you are those who desire the reward of the Afterlife, and it was those who stayed at their positions, obeying the Messenger’s command. Then Allah turned you away from them and gave them power over you so as to test you, and to make clear who were the believers who were patient with trials and who were those who abandoned their positions and became weak. Allah has indeed forgiven you for what you committed when you went against the Messenger’s command, and Allah’s grace for the believers is great: guiding them to faith, forgiving their disobedience, and rewarding them for the difficulties they go through.

Remember, O believers, when you ran away on the day of Uḥud, when failure came upon you because you went against the command of the Messenger. None of you looked at anyone else, and the Messenger called you from behind, between you and the idolaters, saying, ‘Come to me, servants of Allah! Come to me, servants of Allah!’ Allah repaid you for this with pain and distress, followed by pain and distress: first because of the victory and gains of war you lost; and then with the rumour that the Prophet had been killed that spread among you. Later you came to know that the Prophet had not been killed, so that you would not grieve about the victory and gains of war that you lost, or the deaths and wounds that you received, as a way of making misfortune and pain easier on you. Allah is aware of everything you do and of everything in your hearts.

Then He sent down on you, after the pain and distress, peace and security. A group among you, who trusted in the promise of Allah, became overcome by sleep because of the peace and serenity in their hearts. Another group were not blessed with security or sleep, and they were the hypocrites, who only worried about their own safety, and felt upset and scared. They thought badly of Allah, thinking that He would not help His Prophet or support His servants, like those of the time of ignorance before Islam did, who did not understand Allah’s reality. These hypocrites said, due to their ignorance of Allah, that they did not have a say in whether they went out to fight; and if they had, they would not have done so. Tell them, O Prophet, in reply, that everything that happens is up to Allah, and that He decreed that they would go out to fight. These hypocrites hide in themselves doubt and bad opinion which they do not show to you, saying that if they had a say in whether they had gone to fight, then people would not have been killed in this place. Tell them, O Prophet, in reply, that if they had been in their houses far from the places of battle and death, those whom Allah had destined to be killed would inevitably go out to the places of their death. Allah only did this to test the intentions and motives in your hearts, and to reveal the faith and hypocrisy in them. Allah knows what is in the hearts of people, and nothing is hidden from Him.

Those of you who were defeated, O Companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him), on the day the army of the idolaters and the army of the Muslims met at Uḥud, it was Satan who made you slip, because of what you had earned from doing wrong. Allah has forgiven them, and will not take them to account for it, out of His favour and mercy. Allah forgives those who repent to Him, and is Forbearing, not quick to punish.

O you who have faith in Allah and follow His Prophet, do not be like those among the hypocrites who disbelieve, who do not have faith in destiny and Allah’s decree, and who say of their relatives if they travel to earn a living or go out to fight and they die or are killed: If they had stayed with us, and not gone or not fought, then they would not have died or been killed. Allah makes this belief in their hearts increase their regret. Allah alone gives life and death as He wills: staying behind would not stop His decree, and going would not bring it more quickly. Allah sees what you do. None of what you do is hidden from Him and you will be rewarded according to what you do.

If you are killed or die in Allah’s path, O believers, Allah will forgive you and be merciful with you, and that is better than this world along with what the people of this world collect of its passing pleasures.

If you die – however you may die – or you are killed in Allah’s path, you will all return to Allah alone, and He will reward you according to what you have done.

Due to Allah’s great mercy, your character, O Prophet, was made to be gentle with your Companions. If you were harsh in your words and actions and hard-hearted, they would have left you. So, pardon them their shortcomings with you and ask Allah to forgive them for what is between them and Allah; and ask their opinion in whatever needs to be agreed upon. Then if you decide on something after agreeing together, then go ahead with it, and trust in Allah. Allah loves those who trust in Him, giving them success and support.

If Allah supports you with His help and aid, then no one can overcome you, even if everyone in the earth came together against you; yet if He does not help or protect you, then no one can help you after Him. Help is in His Hands alone. So let those who have faith depend on Him and on no one else.

No of the prophets of Allah would be dishonest and take anything from the gains of war which Allah had not assigned for him. Whoever dishonestly takes something from the gains of war will be repaid by being disgraced on the Day of Judgement: carrying whatever he took in front of creation. Then every soul will be given the total reward of what they earned. No one will be wronged by any addition to their disobedience or by any subtraction from their good actions.

Before Allah, someone who has faith and does good actions that please Allah is not the same as someone who disbelieves and does wrong, earning Allah’s anger and Hell as their resting place. What an awful resting place and destination Hell is!

They are different in the ranks and levels in the Afterlife: those who follow Allah’s pleasure find their places in Paradise, according to how high their rank in it is; and those who follow what displeases Allah find their places in Hell, according to how low their rank in it is. Allah sees what they do. Nothing is hidden from Him, and everyone will be rewarded according to what they do.

Allah blessed the believers and favoured them when He sent them a messenger from among them, who: recited the Qur’ān to them, purified them from worshipping others next to Allah and from shameful character traits, and taught them the Qur’ān and the ways of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Before this Messenger was sent, they were clearly astray from the right path and guidance.

O believers, when disaster struck you at Uḥud, and many of you were killed, and you had beforehand afflicted on your enemies a disaster twice as great in terms of those killed and captured on the day of Badr; why then did you ask where this calamity came from? You claimed that since you are believers and the Prophet of Allah is with you, it should not have occurred. Tell them, O Prophet, that what happened to them came from their own actions and disobedience. Allah is powerful over all things, giving victory to whomever He wills, and leaving whomever He wills

The death, wounds and defeat you suffered on the day of Uḥud, when your army and the army of the idolaters met, was by the permission and decree of Allah, with far-reaching wisdom behind it: to make it clear who truly had faith.

And He did this in order to demonstrate who the hypocrites were! When they were told to fight in Allah’s path, or to defend their womenfolk and their people, they said, ‘Had we known that you were going to fight properly, then we would have followed you; but you actually throw yourselves to death!’ At that moment, they were closer to showing their disbelief than their faith, saying with their tongues what was not in their hearts. Allah knows best what they hide in their breasts, and will repay them accordingly.

Those who stayed behind from fighting, and said of their relatives who suffered on the day of Uḥud that if they had done as they said and not gone to fight then they would not have been killed, tell them, O Prophet, in reply, to keep death away from themselves when it arrives, if they are telling the truth in their claim that they would not have been killed if they had listened to them; and that the reason they themselves escaped death was because they stayed behind from fighting in Allah’s cause.

Do not think, O Prophet, that those who have been killed struggling for the sake of Allah are dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord in His generosity, provided with blessings that we do not know about.

They are delighted and rejoicing in what Allah has given them from His grace, and looking forward to meeting their brothers who are still on earth. If they are killed during a similar struggle, then they will receive the same grace as them. There is no fear on them in terms of what awaits them in the Afterlife, and no sorrow about any worldly fortunes that passed them by.

They rejoice in the great reward that awaits them from Allah, and the increase of great reward, and that Allah does not let the reward of those who have faith go to waste, but repays it completely, and increases it.

Those who responded to the instruction of Allah and His Messenger when they were called to go out and fight for the sake of Allah, and to meet the idolaters in the battle of Ḥamrā’ Al-Asad, which followed the battle of Uḥud, after they had suffered wounds on the day of Uḥud, their wounds did not stop them from responding to the call of Allah and His Messenger. Those of them who acted nobly, and were Mindful in following His instructions and keeping away from what He had prohibited, will have a great reward from Allah: Paradise.

Some of the idolaters said to them that the Quraysh, led by Abū Sufyān, had come together in great numbers to fight against them and to finish them off, warning them against meeting them. But their words and attempts to scare them only increased their reliance on Allah and their trust in His promise. So they went out to meet them, saying that Allah was enough for them and that He is the best Protector, while committing their lives to Him.

They returned from the battle of Ḥamrā’ Al-Asad with a great reward from Allah, an increase in their rank and security from their enemy, whilst suffering no deaths or wounds. They did what pleased Allah, always doing as He instructed and not going against Him; and the grace of Allah for His servants who have faith is great.

It is only Satan frightening you with his helpers and supporters. Do not fear them, because they have no power or strength; but fear Allah alone, by always doing as He instructs, if you truly have faith in Him.

Do not sorrow, O Messenger, because of those hypocrites who rush to disbelief, turning on their heels. They do not harm Allah in any way, but only harm themselves by distancing themselves from faith in Allah and from doing as He instructs. Allah wills their defeat and failure, and that they will have no portion of bliss in the Afterlife: they will have a great punishment in the fire of Hell.

Those who exchange faith for disbelief will not harm Allah in any way: He is the Mighty and free from any need of His creation. They only harm themselves, and they will have a painful punishment in the Afterlife.

Those who disbelieve in their Lord and stubbornly resist His sacred law should not think that it is good for them because they are given time and live long, remaining as they are, in disbelief. It is not as they think. They are only given more time to multiply in sin, disobedience upon their disobedience: they will have a humiliating punishment.

Allah would not leave you, O believers, as you are, mixed with the hypocrites with no separation between you, without making it clear those who truly have faith. So He separates you through different obligations and trials, to make clear those who have faith and those who are hypocrites, and to separate the good from the bad. He would not give you knowledge of the Ghaib so that you could distinguish between a believer and a hypocrite; but Allah chooses whomever He wills of His messengers and gives them some knowledge of the Ghaib, as He gave His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) knowledge of the state of the hypocrites. So have faith in Allah and His Messenger; and if you truly have faith and are mindful of Allah, then follow His instructions and stay away from what He has prohibited – so that you gain a great reward from Allah.

Those who are not generous with the blessings Allah has given them out of His kindness, not fulfilling Allah’s right with it, should not think that this is good for them. Rather, it is bad for them, because whatever they are miserly with will be hung around their necks on the Day of Judgement as a punishment. To Allah alone belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. He is the Living after all His creation has passed away. Allah is well aware of the good and evil that you do, and will reward you accordingly.

Allah certainly heard when the Jews said that Allah was poor, because He asked them for a ‘loan’, and that they were rich because of their wealth. Allah will record this shameful statement in their record of actions along with the eagerness of their ancestors in killing the prophets of Allah on purpose and unjustly. Allah will tell all of them to taste the punishment of burning in the fire of Hell.

This punishment is because of the disobedience and disgraceful acts you committed with your own hands, O Jews! Allah does not wrong any of His servants.

They are those who lied in their claim that Allah had instructed them in His scripture and from His prophets to not have faith in a messenger unless he came to them with a charitable offering which fire would then burn from the sky. In their claiming this they also restricted other miraculous signs and evidences the prophets came with. Due to this, Allah instructed His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to ask them why, when messengers had come to them before with clear proofs of the truth of their message, and even with what they had mentioned of an offering burned by fire from the sky, did they reject them and kill them if they were telling the truth!

If they reject you, O Prophet, do not feel saddened, because it is normal for the disbelievers to act like this. Many messengers were rejected before you, who came with clear proofs, and books containing teachings and great wisdom, and the scripture, guiding people through the rulings of the sacred law.

Every soul, no matter its state, must taste death. No created being should be dazzled by this world. On the Day of Judgement, you will be given the reward for your actions in full, with nothing decreased. Whoever Allah averted from the fire of Hell and granted entry into Paradise, has achieved real success. The life of this world is only a passing enjoyment – only those who are misled become attached to it.

You will certainly be tested, O believers, in your wealth – in relation to fulfilling your duties concerning it – and with the misfortunes sent down with it, and in yourselves with regards to how you conduct yourselves with the orders and prohibitions of the sacred law. Also, you will certainly hear many things from those who were given the scripture before you, and from those who worship others with Allah, that are hurtful to you, criticising you and your sacred way of life. But if you are patient with the misfortunes and trials you are given, and are mindful of Allah, doing what He instructs and staying away from what He has prohibited, then that will lead to the good consequences and it is a matter O believers that requires firm resolve.

Remember, O Prophet, when Allah took a firm promise from the scholars among the Christians and Jews: that they should make the revelation of Allah clear to people, and not hide the guidance in it, or the evidence of the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). But they broke the promise and paid no attention to it, hiding the truth and revealing what was false. They exchanged the promise of Allah for a small price, such as the position or wealth it might buy them. What a terrible price they traded Allah’s promise for!

Do not think, O Prophet, that those who rejoice in the shameful actions they have committed, and who love people to praise them for good things which they did not do, are secure and safe from the punishment. Rather, Hell is their place, and they will have a painful punishment.

With Allah alone is the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them: in its creation and administration. Allah is powerful over all things.

In the creation of the heavens and the earth, from nothing with no precedent, and in the following of the night and day, and the difference in their length, are clear signs for those of understanding, which lead them to the Creator of the universe, worthy alone of worship.

Those who remember Allah in all conditions – standing, sitting and lying on their sides – and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth, saying that their Lord did not originate this wonderful creation without a reason, and is far above that, and ask Him to protect them from the punishment of the fire of Hell, by enabling them to do good and protecting them from doing wrong – they say:

Our Lord, whoever You enter into the fire of Hell from your creation has been humiliated and disgraced. On the Day of Judgement, the wrongdoers will have no helpers to protect them from Allah’s punishment and repayment.

Our Lord, we have heard a caller to faith saying, ‘Have faith in your Lord’. So we responded to him and have faith in what he calls us to and we follow the sacred law, so forgive us our sins and do not disgrace us; and do not take us to account for our bad actions. Let us die with the righteous; and enable us to do good and stay away from disobedience.

Our Lord, give us guidance and the help in this world that You promised us through the words of Your messengers, and do not disgrace us on the Day of Judgement by entering us into the fire of Hell. Our Lord, You are generous and never do You break Your promise.

So their Lord responded to their prayer, saying that He does not allow the reward of anything you do, small or big, to be lost, whether the person who does it is male or female. You are from one another in your origins, and the faith that you follow does not reward males and females differently. Those who emigrated for the sake of Allah (driven from their homes by the disbelievers), suffered harm in order to obey their Lord, and who fought for the sake of Allah and died so that the Word of Allah would be supreme, they will certainly be forgiven their sins on the Day of Judgement: it will be overlooked, and they will be entered into gardens with rivers flowing under their palaces, as a reward from Allah – with Allah is the best reward, unlike any other.

O Prophet, do not feel burdened nor distressed by the movement of the disbelievers in the land, and their power and the extent of their trade and provision. All of this is passing, and all that they will have left is their bad deeds.

This world is a brief enjoyment that does not last. The destination they will return to on the Day of Judgement will be Hell – what a terrible resting place the fire of Hell is for them!

Yet those who are mindful of their Lord, following His instructions and staying away from what He has prohibited, they will receive gardens with rivers flowing under their palaces, where they shall live eternally – a reward prepared for them from Allah. What Allah has prepared for the righteous is better than any of the worldly pleasures the disbelievers may have obtained.

Nevertheless, the People of the Scripture are not all the same. There is a group among them who have faith in Allah, the truth and guidance He revealed to you and what was revealed to them in their scriptures; and they do not discriminate between the messengers of Allah, but humble themselves before Him, desiring what is with Him, and not exchanging His verses and signs for a small enjoyment in this world. Such people will have a great reward with their Lord. Allah is quick to take account of what people do, and quick to reward them.

O you who have faith in Allah and follow His Messenger, be patient with the obligations of the sacred law, and with the misfortunes that you are given in this world; and outdo the disbelievers in patience and determination, so that they are not more patient than you; and struggle for the sake of Allah and be Mindful, following His instructions and staying away from what He has prohibited, so that you may reach what you desire of safety from the fire of Hell and entry into Paradise.