Ali 'Imran 3:178–200

Allah then mentioned how He gives them respite despite their indulgence in disbelief, saying: (And let not those who disbelieve) the Jews (imagine that the rein We give them) that the respite, progeny and wealth We give them (bodeth good unto their souls. We only give them rein) wealth and progeny (that they may grow in sinfulness) sinfulness in this world, later to be thrown into the dungeons of hell in the Hereafter. (And theirs will be a shameful doom) by means of which they shall be shamed day after day and hour after hour; it is also said that this means: a severe doom; and it is also said that from (Let not their conduct grieve you) to (And theirs will be a shameful doom) was revealed about the idolaters of Mecca on the Day of Uhud.

With regard to the idolaters saying to Muhammad: �You say to us that there are amongst us believers and unbelievers. Show us, O Muhammad, who believes among us and who does not�, Allah then said: (It is not (the purpose) of Allah to leave the believers) and unbelievers (in your present state) of religion until the believer becomes an unbeliever and the unbeliever becomes a believer if it is so in His decree (till He shall separate the wicked from the good) the damned from the felicitous, the unbeliever from the believer and the hypocrite from the sincere. (And it is not (the purpose of) Allah to let you know) O people of Mecca (the unseen) such that you know who believes and who does not. (But Allah chooseth) selects (of His messengers whom He will) i.e. Muhammad, and informs him of some of the unseen through revelation. (So believe in Allah and His messengers) believe in all the messengers and Scriptures. (If ye believe) in Allah and all the Scriptures and messengers (and ward off (evil)) ward off disbelief and idolatry, (yours will be a vast reward) an abundant reward in Paradise.

Allah then mentioned the miserliness of the Jews and hypocrites in relation to that which Allah hath given them, saying: (And let not those who hoard up that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty) in terms of wealth (think that it is better for them. Nay, it is worse for them. That which they hoard) of wealth, i.e. gold and silver (will be their collar on the Day of Resurrection) will be used as a collar of fire around their necks. (Allah's is the heritage of the heavens and the earth) the stores of the heavens and earth, i.e. rain and vegetation, are Allah's; it is also said that this means: the dwellers of the heavens and earth will die and dominion shall be for Allah, the One, the Conqueror, (and Allah is Informed of what ye do) of acts of generosity or miserliness.

Then Allah mentioned the Jews, Finhas Ibn 'Azura' and his friends when they said: �O Muhammad! Allah is poor: He is asking us to give Him a loan�, saying (Verily Allah heard the saying of those) Finhas Ibn 'Azura' and his fellows (who said, (when asked for contributions to the war): �Allah, forsooth, is poor) He needs us to give Him a loan, (and we are rich!�) and we do not need a loan from Him. (We shall record their saying) We shall preserve for them what they have said in the Hereafter (with their slaying of the Prophets) just as We shall record for them their slaying of the prophets (wrongfully) without them having committed any crime (and We shall say: Taste ye the punishment of burning!) which is very severe.

(This) punishment (is on account of that which your own hands have sent before you) which your hands have earned. (Allah is no oppressor of (His) bondmen) such that He punishes them without them having committed a crime.

((The same are) those) i.e. the Jews (who say: Lo! Allah hath charged us) Allah has commanded us in the Scripture (that we believe not in any messenger) we will not accept that anyone is sent with a message (until he bring us an offering which fire (from heaven) shall devour) that is until Allah sends a fire which will devour this offering, as it happened in the time of the [Jewish] prophets. (Say) O Muhammad: (Messengers came unto you before me with miracles) with commands and prohibitions as well as signs, (and with that (very miracle) which ye describe) of an offering [devoured by fire], Zachariah, John and Jesus. (Why then did ye slay them?) why did you kill John and Zachariah, when such an offering [devoured by fire] took place during their time. ((Answer that) if ye are truthful) in your claim.

When they replied that their fathers never killed any prophet wrongfully, Allah said: (And if they deny thee) O Muhammad regarding what you say to them, do not be saddened, (even so did they deny messengers who were before you) their people denied them, (who came with miracles) with commands and prohibitions and signs of prophethood (and with the Psalms) and with the news relating to the Scriptures of past nations (and with the Scripture giving light) showing the lawful and the prohibited.

Allah then mentioned their deaths and what happens after their deaths, saying: (Every soul) that breathes (will taste of death. And ye will be paid on the Day of Resurrection only that which ye have fairly earned) the reward of your works. (Whoso is removed from the Fire) by means of declaring Allah's divine Oneness and doing righteous works (and is made to enter Paradise, he indeed is triumphant) in that he gains Paradise and that which it contains, and is further saved from hell and that which it contains. (The life of this world is but comfort of illusion) which is comparable to the relative duration of the stuff one has at home such as pottery, bottles, and the like.

Allah then mentioned the harm that the unbelievers inflicted on the Prophet and his Companions, saying: (Assuredly ye will be tried) you will be tested (in your property) by the loss of your property (and in your persons) and in what befalls your persons of sicknesses, pain, killings, beatings and general misfortunes, (and ye will hear much wrong from those who were given the Scripture before you) i.e. the Jews and Christians: you will hear vilification, defamation, lies and false testimony against Allah, (and from the idolaters) i.e. the Arab idolaters. (But if ye persevere) in the face of their harm (and ward off (evil)) and ward off transgressing against Allah while facing such harm, (then that) steadfastness and endurance (is of the steadfast heart of things) is the best of things and the most firm for believers.

Then Allah mentioned His covenant with the people of the Book in the Scripture, which required them to exposit the traits and description of His Prophet, saying: (And (remember) when Allah laid a charge on those who had received the Scripture) i.e. the Torah and the Gospel ((He said): Ye are to expound it) the trait and description of Muhammad (to mankind and not to hide it) not to hide these traits and description of Muhammad in their Scripture. (But they flung it behind their backs) and did not act upon it (and bought thereby a little gain) a paltry acquisition in their means of living by hiding the traits and description of Muhammad in their Scripture. (Verily evil is that which they have gained thereby) evil is that which they have chosen for themselves: Judaism and the concealment of the traits and description of Muhammad.

Allah then mentioned their longing for praise and credit for that which they-the Jews-did not have, saying: (Think not) suppose not, O Muhammad (that those who exult in what they have given) whereby they changed the traits and description of Muhammad in their Scripture, (and love to be praised for what they have not done) they like that people say they have good in them when they do not. They like that people say that they are follower of the Religion of Abraham and that they are good to the poor. (Think not) O Muhammad, (they are in safety from the doom. A painful doom is theirs) a severe torment shall be theirs.

(Unto Allah belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth) to Allah belong the stores of the heavens (rain) and the earth (vegetation). (Allah is Able to do all things) in relation to the dwellers of the heavens and the earth and to their stores.

Allah then exposited on the sign of His ability to the unbelievers of Mecca when they said: " O Muhammad, bring us a clear sign to prove what you are saying " , saying: (Lo! In the creation of the heavens) in that which We created in the heavens of angels, the sun, moon, stars and clouds (and the earth) and in the creation of the earth and what is in it of mountains, seas, trees and beasts (and (in) the difference of night and day) and in the alternation of day and night (are tokens (of His sovereignty)) signs of His divine Oneness (for men of understanding) for those among them who have reasons,

(Such as remember Allah) pray to Allah, (standing) when they are able to, (sitting) when they cannot stand, (and reclining) when they can neither stand nor sit, (and consider) the marvellous things which are contained in (the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and say): Our Lord) they say: O our Lord! (Thou createdst not this in vain) for nothing. (Glory be to Thee!) exalt Allah [from any thought that He created them in vain]. (Preserve us from the doom of Fire) drive away from us the torment of hell.

(Our Lord) they say: O our Lord! (Whom Thou causest to enter the Fire: him indeed Thou hast confounded) You have humiliated. (For evil-doers) for the idolaters (there will be no helpers) none will prevent what is going to happen to them in the Hereafter.

(Our Lord!) they say: O our Lord. (Lo! we have heard a crier) they mean Muhammad (calling unto Faith) calling to Allah's divine Oneness: (�Believe ye in your Lord!� So we believed) in You, in Your Scripture as well as in Your Messenger. (Our Lord! Therefore forgive us our sins) our enormities, (and remit from us) overlook (our evil deeds) other than enormities, (and make us die the death of the righteous) take our souls to You in a state of faith and gather them with the souls of the prophets and the righteous.

(Our Lord!) and they say: O our Lord. (And give us that which Thou hast promised to us by Thy messengers) on the tongue of Your Messenger, i.e. Muhammad. (Confound us not) torment us not (upon the Day of Resurrection) as You will torment the unbelievers. (Lo! Thou breakest not the tryst) resurrection after death and that which You have promised the believers.

(And their Lord hath heard them) and answered their request ((and He saith): Lo! I suffer not the work of any worker, male or female, to be lost) I thwart not the actions of any one of you. (Ye proceed one from another) if some of you follow the religion of others or are allies to them. Allah then exposited the honour He bestowed upon the Emigrants (al-Muhajirun), saying: (So those who fled) from Mecca to Medina with the Prophet (pbuh) and after the Prophet (and were driven forth from their homes) the Meccan unbelievers drove them from their homes in Mecca (and suffered damage for My cause) for My obedience, (and fought) the enemy in the way of Allah (and were slain) until they were killed, (verily I shall remit their evil deeds from them) which were committed in the course of jihad (and verily I shall bring them into Gardens beneath which) beneath its trees and habitations (rivers) rivers of wine, water, honey and milk (flow. A reward from Allah) a recompense for them from Allah. (And with Allah is the fairest of rewards) a good return which is better than their reward.

Allah then reminded them of the evanescence of this world and of the continuity of the Hereafter, and encouraged them to seek the latter, saying: (Let not the vicissitude (of the success) of those who disbelieve in the land) the coming and going of the Jews for trade, (deceive thee) O Muhammad! Although Muhammad is here the addressee, this is directed at his Companions.

(It is but a brief comfort) it is but a paltry benefit in the life of this world. (And afterward their habitation will be hell, an ill abode) an ill spread and end result.

(But those who keep their duty to their Lord) Allah says: and those who believe in the divine Oneness of their Lord by repenting from disbelief, (for them are Gardens beneath which) beneath its trees and habitations (rivers) of wine, water, honey and milk (flow, wherein they will be safe for ever) they dwell therein for eternity, never to die or to leave it. (A gift of welcome) a reward (from their Lord. That which Allah hath in store) in terms of reward (is better for the righteous) for those who declare Allah's divine Oneness than that which He has given the unbelievers in the life of this world.

Allah then described those from the people of the Book who had believed-'Abdullah Ibn Salam and his followers-saying: (And Lo! of the People of the Scripture there are some who believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto you) the Qur'an (and that which was revealed unto them) of Scripture: the Torah, (humbling themselves before Allah) humble and meek vis-�-vis Allah in worship. (They purchase not a trifling gain) a paltry recompense of means of living (at the price of the revelations of Allah) by hiding the traits and description of Muhammad in the Scripture. (Verily their reward) their recompense (is with their Lord) in Paradise, (and Lo! Allah is swift to take account) when He takes people into account, He is very swift.

Allah then encouraged them to be steadfast in jihad and misfortunes, saying: (O ye who believe!) in Muhammad and the Qur'an. (Endure) in jihad along with your Prophet, (outdo all others in endurance) overwhelm and overcome your enemy, (be ready) along with your Prophet for your enemy as long as they stand in wait to attack you; it is also said that this means: (Endure) the performance of the obligations and the avoidance of transgressions, (outdo all others in endurance) overwhelm and overcome the partisans of deviant beliefs and blameworthy innovations, (be ready) with your horses for the sake of Allah, (and observe your duty to Allah) obey Allah in that which He has commanded you, such that you never abstain from it, (in order that ye may succeed) in order that you be saved from Allah's wrath and punishment'.