SURAH AL-IMRAN (AYAH 1 to 10)

Sura (3) AL-IMRAN [The Family of Imran] Aya 1 to 200 in 20 Sections

Revealed in Madina

SECTION 1

The Qur’an and the previous scriptures---The correct knowledge of the verses of the Qur’an---Misinterpretation of the figurative verses---Prayer for correct guidance from Allah.

الم {1}

[Q3:1] Alif-Laam-Meeem

[Q3:1] Alif Lam Mim.

[Q3:1]  Alif Lam Mim.

See the commentary of verse 2:1 of al Baqarah.

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(3:1) Alif, Lam, Mim.

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ {3:2}

[Q3:2] Allaahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal Haiyul Qaiyoom

[Q3:2] ALLAH (SWT), (there is) no God but He, the Everliving, the Self-subsisting by Whom all things subsist

[Q3:2] ALLAH (SwT) tiada Tuhan (yang berhak disembah) melainkan Dia, Yang Tetap Hidup, Yang Kekal selama-lamanya mentadbirkan sekalian makhlukNya.

Refer to the commentary of verse 2:255 of al Baqarah for "ALLAH (SWT)! There is no God save He, the ever-living, the self-subsisting." Hayy, the ever-living, and qayyum, the self-subsisting, are the two attributes of ALLAH (SWT) which break up and blot out the absurd doctrine of the divinity of Jesus Christ. [A] He, who did not have an existence before his creation, like any other mortal, was brought into being by ALLAH (SWT), therefore, and cannot be hayy, the everliving; and also [B] He cannot be qayyum, the self-subsisting, because, according to the Christians, he was crucified.

Ì  Ibna Ishaq says that verses 3:3 to 80 of this surah were revealed about the Christians of Najran whom the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) with his Ahlul Bayt confronted in a spiritual contest known as the event of mubahilah (see commentary of verse 61 of this surah).

A great deal of metaphysical nonsense, based on conjecture and speculation, is put forward by the Christians in support of their claim, yet they themselves do not understand the doctrine of divinity of Jesus, which they take as true without examination or proof. Moreover, there is no consensus among their theologians. The most popular belief is triune, three in one, or a trinity in unity-god is a spiritual organism, having living components which can be called organs only so long as they remain united and interrelated to each other in the whole, therefore, God is one but has components which perform separate functions. Jesus has a mysterious double nature which makes him a member of the trinity. The idea of trinity or the doctrine of divinity of Jesus was not given by prophet Isa. Please refer to the quotations of the Old and the New Testaments given in the commentary of verse 2:255 of al Baqarah.

ALL ORGANISMS ARE FINITE. TO FUNCTION IN A HARMONIOUS WHOLE THE COMPONENTS MUST BE INTERDEPENDENT. There must be an omnipotent will or a primal cause to keep the diverse components together, without being disunited, in order to let them work in harmony. THE PRIMAL CAUSE IS ALLAH (SWT). None of the components or their whole can be ALLAH (SWT) because they obey and follow the will of the primal cause.

Ä  Hayy, the everliving, is He who knows and acts freely without any limitations. Any organism whose components are finite and dependent cannot be an everliving infinite.

Ä  Qayyum, the self-subsisting, (a magnified form of the adjective qayam-standing and enduring) is He who stands (subsists) by Himself and all other stand (are subsisted) by His eternal endurance.

ANYTHING, COMPOSED OF COMPONENTS WITH SEPARATE FUNCTIONS, IS GOVERNED BY THE LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT; AND that which needs reason or cause to be effective or sufficient cannot be self-subsisting, "ALLAH (SWT) is the self-subsisting" means that to be effective or sufficient He does not need a reason or cause because He Himself is the prime cause.

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(3:2) Allah, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, Who sustains the entire order of the universe - there is no God but He. *1

*1. For explanation see Surah 2, n. 278 above.

نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَنْزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنْجِيلَ {3:3}

[Q3:3] Nazzala 'alaikal Kitaaba bilhaqqi musaddiqal limaa baina yadaihi wa anzalat Tawraata wal Injeel.
[Q3:3] He has revealed to you the Book with truth, verifying that which is before it, and He revealed the Taurat and the Injeel aforetime, a guidance for the people, and He sent the Furqan.

[Q3:3] Dia menurunkan kepadamu (wahai Muhammad) Kitab Suci (Al-Quran) dengan mengandungi kebenaran, yang mengesahkan isi Kitab-kitab Suci yang telah diturunkan dahulu daripadanya dan Dia juga yang menurunkan Kitab-kitab Taurat dan Injil.

Tawrat, Injil and the books, mentioned here and in other verses of the Qur’an, refer to that which was revealed to Musa, Isa and other prophets.

TAWRAT (THE REVEALED WILL OF ALLAH (SWT) WAS REVEALED TO MUSA. In hebrew it means LIGHT.

ï  But the Old Testament is a collection of several other books in addition to the Pentateuch.

ï  The four gospels of the New Testament are not the Injil revealed to prophet Isa. These gospels contain only some extracts of the sayings of Isa, and narrate his activities in Galilee, Jerusalem and other habitations of the Jews.

ï  The Christian Bible is a book of traditions like the books of traditions written by Muslim, Bukhari and other writers of traditions. These four gospels were written by the followers of Jesus, whom the Christian church proclaims as the apostles. IN FACT the teaching of Jesus is the gospel, which means glad tidings or good news, because the advent of the last prophet of ALLAH (SWT), the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), was foretold by him, as mentioned in John 14: 16, 17; and 15: 26; and 16: 7 to 13 (see commentary of verse 2:40 of al Baqarah).

ï  THE OLD AND THE NEW TESTAMENTS, KNOWN AS THE BIBLE, is an edited edition of the corrupted and distorted Jewish scripts, prepared to give currency to the doctrine of trinity.

It is mentioned in Mark 1: 15 that Jesus asked his disciples to believe in the gospel and preach it to the children of Israel. The gospel referred to by Isa was the Injil, original text of which is not available. On account of theological considerations adhered to by the first council of Venice, the four gospels, written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; are said to be authentic, otherwise there is no historical evidence to support this claim. There were other gospels written by some other disciples but they are treated as apocryphal (spurious) and non-canonic.

THE QUR’AN IS THE ONLY UNCORRUPTED BOOK OF ALLAH (SWT), CONTAINING THE TRUE WORD OF ALLAH (SWT)  IN ITS ORIGINAL PURITY, REVEALED TO THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), who pronounced it as it was *revealed to him, *recorded then and there, *preserved, *never tampered with, *and transferred to generation after generation.

Ì  Falsehood cannot come near it from before it nor from behind it. (It is) a revelation from the all-wise, the most praised. (Ha Mim 41:42)

Ì  For kitab see commentary of verse 2:2 of al Baqarah.

Ì  Bil haqq means (with) truth, certainty, reason, justice and proof, in contrast to the false notions and fabricated dogmas of the other corrupted religions and creeds.

Ì  Musaddiqan means the Qur’an verifies and confirms the preachings of the earlier prophets about the unity of ALLAH (SWT) and His demand from man to do good and adopt righteousness.

Ì  Furqan means that which teaches us to distinguish between good and evil, truth and falsehood. It also means salvation. It is another name of the Qur’an.

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(3:3) He has revealed this Book to you, setting forth the truth and confirming the earlier Books, and earlier He revealed the Torah and Gospel.

مِنْ قَبْلُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَأَنْزَلَ الْفُرْقَانَ ۗ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انْتِقَامٍ {3:4}

[Q3:4] Min qablu hudal linnaasi wa anzalal Furqaan; innallazeena kafaroo bi Aayaatil laahi lahum 'azaabun shadeed; wallaahu 'azeezun zun tiqaam.

[Q3:4] Surely they who disbelieve in the communications of ALLAH (SWT) they shall have a severe chastisement; and ALLAH (SWT) is Mighty, the Lord of retribution.

[Q3:4] Sebelum (Al-Quran diturunkan), menjadi petunjuk bagi umat manusia dan Dia juga yang menurunkan Al-Furqan (yang membezakan antara yang benar dengan yang salah). Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang kufur ingkar akan ayat-ayat keterangan ALLAH (SwT) itu, bagi mereka azab seksa yang amat berat dan (ingatlah), ALLAH (SwT) Maha Kuasa, lagi berhak membalas dengan azab seksa (kepada golongan yang bersalah).

THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE IN ALLAH (SWT)'S SIGNS SHALL BE SEVERELY PUNISHED. THE VERSES OF THE QUR’AN ARE HIS SIGNS.

±  Signs also refer to the miracles the messengers of ALLAH (SWT) and His chosen representatives (the Ahlul Bayt) put into operation under His command and guidance,

For which readers are requested to refer to the commentary of verses 2:50, 56, 60, 65 and 243 of al Baqarah.

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(3:4) for the guidance of mankind; *2 and He has also revealed the Criterion (to distinguish truth from falsehood). A severe chastisement lies in store for those who deny the signs of Allah. Allah is All-Mighty; He is the Lord of Retribution.

*2. The Torah is generally taken to signify the first five books of the Old Testament, and the Injil (Gospel), to mean the four Gospels of the New Testament, even though those books form a part of it. This has sometimes caused people to wonder if these books were indeed revealed by God. If they are accepted as revealed, one may wonder if the Qur'an really verifies their contents as this verse says. The fact is, however, that the Torah is not identical with the first five books of the Old Testament even though those books form a part of the Torah. Likewise, the Injil is not identical with the four Gospels of the New Testament.
        THE FACT IS THAT THE TORAH, in the Qur'anic usage, signifies the revelations made to Moses (peace be on him), in about forty years, from the time he was appointed a Prophet until his death. These include the Ten Commandments', which were handed over to him inscribed on stone tablets. Moses took down the rest of the revealed injunctions and handed over one copy to each of the twelve tribes of Israel, and one copy to the Levites for safe keeping. It is this book which was known as the Torah and it existed until the first destruction of Jerusalem. The copy entrusted to the Levites was put beside the Ark of the Covenant along with the Commandment tablets, and the Israelites knew it as the Torah. The Jews, however, neglected the Book: during the reign of Josiah the King of Judah the Temple of Solomon was under repair and the high priest, Hilkiah, chanced to find the Book lying in the construction area. He gave it to the King's secretary, Shaphan, who in turn took it to the King as if it were a strange find (see 2 Kings 22: 8-13).
       HENCE, when the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, conquered Jerusalem and razed it and the Temple of Solomon to the ground, the Israelites lost for ever the few original copies of the Torah which they possessed, and which they had consigned to obscurity. At the time of Ezra the priest, some Israelites returned from captivity in Babylon, and when Jerusalem was rebuilt the entire history of Israel, which now comprises the first seventeen books of the Old Testament, was recorded by Ezra with the assistance of some other elders of the community. Four of these books, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, consist of a biographical narrative of Moses. In this biography those verses of the Torah available to Ezra and the other elders are also recorded and in the contexts in which they were revealed. The present Torah, therefore, comprises those fragments of the original book which are interspersed throughout the biography of Moses (composed in the manner described above).
       In locating these fragments of the original Torah there are certain expressions which help us. These are interspersed between the different pieces of biographical narration and usually open with words such as: 'Then the Lord said to Moses', and 'Moses said, the Lord your God commands you.' These expressions, then, are fragments of the original Torah. When the biographical narration re-commences, however, we can be sure that the fragment of the true Torah has concluded. Wherever authors and editors of the Bible have added anything of their own accord, by way of either elaboration or elucidation, it has become very difficult for an ordinary reader to distinguish the original from the explanatory additions. Those with insight into Divine Scripture, however, do have the capacity to distinguish between the original revealed fragments and the later, human interpolations.
       It is these scattered fragments of the original revealed Book which the Qur'an terms as the Torah, and it is these which it confirms. When these fragments are compared with the Qur'an, there is no difference between the two as regards the fundamental teachings. Whatever differences exist relate to legal matters and are of secondary importance. Even today a careful reader can appreciate that the Torah and the Qur'an have sprung from one and the same Divine source.
       LIKEWISE, INJIL signifies the inspired orations and utterances of Jesus (peace be on him), which he delivered during the last two or three years of his life in his capacity as a Prophet. There are no certain means by which we can definitively establish whether or not his statements were recorded during his lifetime. It is possible that some people took notes of them and that some followers committed them to memory. After a period of time, however, several treatises on the life of Jesus were written. The authors of these treatises recorded, in connection with the biographical account, those sayings of his which they had received from the previous generation of co-religionists, in the form of either oral traditions or written notes about events in his life. As a result the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are not identical with the Injil. Rather, the Injil consists of those statements by Jesus which form part of these Gospels. Unfortunately we have no means of distinguishing the fragments of the original Injil from the pieces written by the authors themselves. All we can say is that only those sections explicitly attributed to Jesus, for example in statements such as: 'And Jesus said' and 'And Jesus taught', constitute the true Injil. It is the totality of such fragments which is designated as the Injil by the Qur'an, and it is the teachings contained in these fragments that the Qur'an confirms. If these fragments are put together and compared with the teachings of the Qur'an one notices very few discrepancies between the two, and any discrepancies that are found can be resolved easily by unbiased reflection. 

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ {3:5}

[Q3:5] Innal laaha laa yakhfaa 'alaihi shai'un fil ardi wa laa fis samaaa'.
[Q3:5] ALLAH (SWT) -- surely nothing is hidden from Him in the earth or in the heaven.

[Q3:5] Sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) tidak tersembunyi kepadaNya sesuatu pun yang ada di bumi dan juga yang ada di langit.

ALLAH (SWT) KNOWS **THE HIDDEN, **THE MANIFEST, **THE SEEN AND **THE UNSEEN. HE IS AWARE OF EVERYTHING AND EVERY EVENT IN THE UNIVERSE, BECAUSE HE IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS.

Ù  Prophet Isa has made it clear in his following statement that he was only a mortal, created by ALLAH (SWT), and not ALLAH (SWT) as the Christian church wrongly claims:

But about the day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, not even the son; only the Father. (Mark 13: 32).

In surah al Nazi-at ALLAH (SWT) informs the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) that he does not have to explain to the people when the hour will be, because He (ALLAH (SWT) alone knows its term or termination.

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(3:5) Nothing in the earth and in the heavens is hidden from Allah. *3

*3. That is, God knows all the facts of the universe. Hence the Book which He has revealed is, of necessity, true. It may be more appropriate to say that the unadulterated Truth can be made available to man only through this Book, which has been revealed by the All-Knowing, All-Wise God. 

هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَوِّرُكُمْ فِي الْأَرْحَامِ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ ۚ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ {3:6}

[Q3:6] Huwal lazee yusawwirukum fil arhaami kaifa yashaaa'; laa ilaaha illaa Huwal 'Azeezul Hakeem.
[Q3:6] He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He likes; there is no ALLAH (SWT) but He, the Mighty, the Wise

[Q3:6] Dialah yang membentuk rupa kamu dalam rahim (ibu kamu) sebagaimana yang dikehendakiNya. Tiada Tuhan (yang berhak disembah) melainkan Dia, Yang Maha Kuasa, lagi Maha Bijaksana. 

"As He likes" IMPLIES THE OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DIVINE WILL. HE DOES WHAT HE WILLS.

A thorough study of the formation and development of the embryo in any specie, brought into being by the particular protoplasm of its member, proves that it is a carefully designed operation. The way in which the parts of an individual, the members of a specie, and all the species are connected with each other, as the components of the universe, PROVIDES SUFFICIENT PROOF THAT THE CREATOR, DESIGNER AND ARCHITECT OF THE WHOLE AS WELL AS THE COMPONENTS IS HE, THE ALMIGHTY, THE ALL WISE, THE ONE SELF-SUBSISTING (QAYYUM), BESIDES WHOM THERE IS NO ALLAH (SWT).

§  Someone asked Tolstoy:

"Do you see the hand of ALLAH (SWT) (a miracle) in the birth of Christ?"

He replied:

"I see the hand of ALLAH (SWT) in the birth of every child."

THE HAND OF ALLAH (SWT) IS VISIBLE IN THE WORKING OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE. HE IS THE FIRST, THE EVERLASTING, THE APPARENT AND THE HIDDEN.

Although ordinarily the laws enforced by the will of ALLAH (SWT) keep the creation in operation, yet He is not unable to manifest the extraordinary, which the ignorant or the pseudo intellectuals deny, BECAUSE He has power over all things and He does what He wills. Reproduction by means of an unfertilised ovum is common in insects and bees. If the author of the nature so wills, He can make use of this process in a human being also. So He created Isa without a father. This verse is an introduction to the birth of Isa, narrated in the subsequent verses.

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(3:6) It is He Who fashions you in the wombs as He wills. *4 There is no God but He; the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

*4. This refers to two important facts. The first is that no being knows human nature as well as God does; it is thus imperative that man should depend on the guidance revealed by God, something man needs the most. The second is that the Being Who takes care of all of man's requirements, major and minor, from the time of conception onwards, will not fail to provide guidance for man's conduct in this life. 

هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ ۖ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ ۗ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ۗ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ {3:7}

[Q3:7] Huwal lazeee anzala 'alaikal Kitaaba minhu Aayaatum Muh kamaatun hunna Ummul Kitaabi wa ukharu Mutashaabihaatun faammal lazeena fee quloobihim ziyghun fa yattabi'oona ma tashaabaha minhubtighaaa 'alfitnati wabtighaaa'a taaweelih; wa maa ya'lamu taaweelahooo illal laah; warraasikhoona fil 'ilmi yaqooloona aamannaa bihee kullum min 'indi Rabbinaa; wa maa yazzakkaru illaaa ulul albaab.
[Q3:7] He it is Who has revealed the Book to you; some of its verses are decisive, they are the basis of the Book, and others are allegorical; then as for those in whose hearts there is perversity they follow the part of it which is allegorical, seeking to mislead and seeking to give it (their own) interpretation. But none knows its interpretation except ALLAH (SWT), and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say: We believe in it, it is all from our Lord; and none do mind except those having understanding.

[Q3:7] Dialah yang menurunkan kepadamu (wahai Muhammad) Kitab Suci Al-Quran. Sebahagian besar dari Al-Quran itu ialah ayat-ayat "Muhkamaat" (yang tetap, tegas dan nyata maknanya serta jelas maksudnya); ayat-ayat Muhkamaat itu ialah ibu (atau pokok) isi Al-Quran dan yang lain lagi ialah ayat-ayat "Mutasyaabihaat" (yang samar-samar, tidak terang maksudnya). Oleh sebab itu (timbulah faham yang berlainan menurut kandungan hati masing-masing) adapun orang-orang yang ada dalam hatinya kecenderungan ke arah kesesatan, maka mereka selalu menurut apa yang samar-samar dari Al-Quran untuk mencari fitnah dan mencari-cari Takwilnya (memutarkan maksudnya menurut yang disukainya). Padahal tidak ada yang mengetahui Takwilnya (tafsir maksudnya yang sebenar) melainkan ALLAH (SwT) dan orang-orang yang tetap teguh serta mendalam pengetahuannya dalam ilmu-ilmu agama, berkata: Kami beriman kepadanya, semuanya itu datangnya dari sisi Tuhan kami dan tiadalah yang mengambil pelajaran dan peringatan melainkan orang-orang yang berfikiran.

As explained in the commentary of verse 2:2 of al Baqarah the Qur’an was revealed to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). HE KNEW THE TRUE MEANING OF EVERY VERSE, OR AFTER HIM, IT WAS ALI WHO CLAIMED THAT HE KNEW WHEN, WHY AND FOR WHOM EVERY VERSE OF THE QUR’AN WAS REVEALED.

v  MOST OF THE VERSES OF THE QUR’AN ARE CLEAR AND DECISIVE. THERE IS NO AMBIGUITY IN THEM. They are known as the MUHKAMAT. They *relate to the fundamentals of the faith, such as *the oneness of ALLAH (SWT), *the directions pertaining to the practice of the faith and *the laws governing the day to day life of the faithful. They can neither be changed nor modified. Any man of average intelligence can understand and follow them.

v  The MUTASHABIHAT are the verses which HAVE BEEN COMPOSED IN SUBTLE AND PROFOUND DICTION AND STYLE. They carry implications other than the literal meanings, AND THEREFORE, are capable of giving different significations, like "The hand of ALLAH (SWT) is on their hands" in verse 48:10 of al Fat-h.

Verse 11:1 of al Hud says that the Qur’an is a book of clear and decisive verses. Verse 39:23 of al Zumar says that ALLAH (SWT) has sent down the very best discourse as a book conformable in its repetition and consimilarity. Only the men of understanding who possess a higher level of intelligence contemplate and find out the meaningful implications of such verses. Average and ordinary minds cannot figure out or have knowledge of the real purport of such verses, AND IF they try this on their own, they are bewildered and go astray.

Ø  As mentioned in the commentary of verse 2:1 of al Baqarah, the huruf muqatta-at are also meaningful BUT their subtle and profound meanings are known to ALLAH (SWT) and His chosen representatives (Muhammad and ali Muhammad) only. THEREFORE, those who know the true purport of these symbolic letters occupy the highest position in the domain of knowledge and wisdom.

      IN THE WELL-KNOWN TRADITION OF THAQALAYN THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) HAS CLEARLY MADE KNOWN THE FACT THAT WHOSO REMAINS ATTACHED WITH THE QUR’AN AND HIS AHLUL BAYT, AFTER HIS DEPARTURE FROM THIS WORLD, WILL NEVER GO ASTRAY, BECAUSE THESE TWO WEIGHTY AUTHORITIES WILL NEVER BE SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER, AND JOINED TOGETHER, THEY SHALL MEET THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) AT THE SPRING OF KAWTHAR; AND "I AM THE CITY OF KNOWLEDGE AND ALI IS ITS GATE", SAID THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) IN ORDER TO GUIDE THE FAITHFULS SO THAT, TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE QUR’AN, THEY MUST REFER TO ALI AND HIS AHLUL BAYT, WHO ALONE KNOW THE TRUE MEANINGS OF THE MUTASHABIHAT.

Zaygh means disease, perversity, evil, and wicked intention, the inclination to go against the truth and to blunder, revolt and go astray. 

Fitna means to create mischief, or to create difference of opinion and to mislead.

"None knows its interpretation except ALLAH (SWT) and those (who are) firmly rooted in knowledge", renders null and void all attempts made by scholars to discover the true meanings of the mutashabihat. 

THE FIRMLY ROOTED IN KNOWLEDGE ARE THOSE WHOM ALLAH (SWT) HIMSELF GIVES THE KNOWLEDGE, as verse 29:49 of al Ankabut says: “But it is clear revelations in the hearts of those who have been given knowledge.”

HOW THE COMPLEX VERSES CAN BE INTERPRETED IS NOT MENTIONED IN THIS VERSE, NOR ANYWHERE IN THE QUR’AN, BUT it is clearly disclosed that besides ALLAH (SWT) only those, endowed with divine knowledge, know the true meanings of the mutashabihat. 

Ä  The firmly rooted in knowledge are the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his Ahlul Bayt, the thoroughly purified ones (Ahzab 33:33),

Ä  who possess the desired purity of heart and soul, essential for receiving and holding the truth in order to use it (Waqi-ah 56:77 to 79) to do good to themselves and to others. It is obvious that there is no conceivable necessity of revealing complex verses or letter symbols if even the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), to whom the Qur’an was revealed, did not know their meanings.

Ä  It is only a hypothetical inquiry, otherwise there is the clear mention of rasikhuna fil ilm (the firmly rooted in knowledge) in this verse, the first among whom is the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), and after him, as said earlier, his Ahlul Bayt are the custodians of his knowledge and wisdom, who alone are entitled to interpret every word of the Qur’an.

IN REPLY TO ANAS BIN MALIK'S QUERY ABOUT RASIKHUNA FIL ILM THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) SAID:

"they are those whose hands do not do aught but that which is just, righteous and good; whose tongues do not utter aught but that which is true; whose hearts and minds are enlightened and rational; whose stomachs are free from that which is forbidden."

THE AYAH AL TAT-HIR (AHZAB 33:33) CONFIRMS THAT ONLY THE THOROUGHLY PURIFIED MUHAMMAD AND ALI MUHAMMAD ARE THE RASIKHUNA FIL ILM. 

v  Verse 31:13 of Luqman says THAT POLYTHEISM (SHIRK) IS THE MOST GRIEVOUS INEQUITY, THE WORST TYPE OF IMPURITY.

[*] It is a historical fact that all the companions of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), before embracing Islam, for a long time in their lives, were idolworshippers.

[**] The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), Bibi Fatimah and Ali ibne Abi Talib and their children were the only ones who were free from the impurity of polytheism right from the day they were born. All Muslims, in every age, add karamallahu wajhu (ALLAH (SWT) graced and honoured his face above others) after the name of Ali, BECAUSE he never worshipped any ghayrallah (other than ALLAH (SWT)).

Ø  The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) pointed out the essential purity of body and soul in Ali, equal to his own purity, when he said:

"O Ali! Your flesh is my flesh, your blood is my blood. You and I are from one and the same divine light"

©  verses 3:18 of ali imran, 4:162 of al nisa, 29:49 of ankabut, and 58:11 of al mujadalah REFER

TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DIVINELY ENDOWED WITH KNOWLEDGE.

**AS ORDINARY HUMAN BEINGS are unable to know the meanings of the mutashabihat, the divine mercy guides the sincere seekers of the truth to turn to the ahladh dhikr, [the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his Ahlul Bayt] (see commentary of verse 16:43 of al Nahl and verse 21:7 of al Anbiya): "So ask the people of dhikr (the reminder or the Qur’an) if you do not know."

NOTHING IN THE EARTH OR IN THE HEAVENS IS HIDDEN FROM ALLAH (SWT), THE SELF-SUBSISTING, BECAUSE HE IS THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK OF CREATION (the development of the embryo has been mentioned in the previous verse as an example).

In this verse He says that the author of the ‘book of creation’ is also the author of the ‘book of legislation’ (the Qur’an).

Ë  The “book of creation” (the universe) contains miscellaneous signs. *Some are clear. *Some are intricate and perplexing. For example (in the book of creation) the function and the significance of every part of the human structure has been studied and defined except the "appendix".

ï  Now a rational student of the book of creation will say: "As no part is without some significance, this also must have some meaning, though I have not yet understood it."

ï  On the contrary a mischief-maker will mix up that which is known with that which is not known and deny both by saying: "As no reason or significance is found in this part, therefore, there is no reason or significance in the whole."

Ë  Likewise in the “book of legislation”, *some signs (verses) are clear and decisive (muhkam), and *some have several possible meanings (mutashabih), THEREFORE,

ï  THE RATIONAL MIND will try to understand the mutashabih (unclear) verses in the light of the muhkam (clear and decisive) verses, by proceeding from the known to the unknown or from the concrete to the abstract; BUT

ï  THE PERVERSE MIND will judge that which is certainly precise and definite in the light of the complex so as to mislead people by dubious misinterpretations.

Verse 11:1 of al Hud says that all the verses of the book are *well arranged and firmly established. **The arrangement of the words in the verses and the verses in the surahs is so accurate and proper that they all form a consistent unity, though they were separately revealed. It implies that the Qur’an was already arranged and established before its revelation, which is confirmed by verse 17:105 of Bani Israil.

In verse 39:23 of al Zumar, the book is presented as *consistent, *consimilar and *conformable in its parts (mutashabihan). BUT in this verse mutashabihat refers to *the meanings, *the implications, *the connotations and *the denotations of the complex passages.

–  Muhtam (clear) and mutashabih (complex) are relative terms. What is unclear to some may be apparent and definite to others. There may be quite a few features and viewpoints inherent in certain ideas, or commands, or narrations. Studying them from a particular angle will make their meaning and purpose crystal clear BUT THEIR clarity may turn into obscurity when they are viewed from another standpoint.

AT ALL EVENTS, *the complex should be examined AND *interpreted in the light of that which is clear and decisive, *OR AS explained by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), *OR BY those whose authority has been established by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and the Qur’an (see commentary of verses 1:6 and 7 of al Fatihah, and verses 2:2, 30 to 37 and 124 of al Baqarah). In the light of verses 75:16 to 19 of al Qiyamah, the divine agency collects, recites and interprets the Qur’an.

AS THE BOOK IS A GUIDANCE FOR MANKIND, THERE SHOULD BE NO UNINTELLIGIBLE OR INCOMPREHENSIBLE PASSAGE IN IT. THERE IS NONE.

»    As asserted by the Ahlul Bayt, rasikhuna fil ilm is conjuncted with ALLAH (SWT) and yaquluna is an adverbial clause qualifying the state of knowledge, referring to rasikhun. In the Nahj al Balagha, Ali ibne Abi Talib says that the rasikhuna fil ilm believe in the unknown in the light of the known.

      As explained in the commentary of verse 2:3 of al Baqarah the knowledge of the ghayb (unknown) is with the infinite, therefore, the awareness of the finite created beings, EVEN IF they are endowed with the divine insight, cannot be at par with the absolute wisdom of the ghayb ul mutlaq, the hayyul qayyum creator.

ALL THAT WHICH BECOMES (IN OBEDIENCE) EFFECTIVE, AS SOON AS HE WILLS, IS KNOWABLE TO MAN. A finite being can know as much as the infinite all-wise likes him to know and grow in knowledge, which implies that basically his knowledge was insufficient BUT he rises towards the level of perfection, with the help of divine endowment, on his own merits, to become aware of the meanings of all that which has been revealed in the book, because, IF IT IS NOT SO, SUCH REVELATIONS (MUTASHABIHAT) WOULD BE UNPROFITABLE AND FRUSTRATING. So what Imam Ali ibne Abi Talib and Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir have said in this connection is true.

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(3:7) It is He Who has revealed the Book to you. Some of its verses are absolutely clear and lucid, and these are the core of the Book. *5 Others are ambiguous. *6 Those in whose hearts there is perversity, always go about the part which is ambiguous, seeking mischief and seeking to arrive at its meaning arbitrarily, although none knows their true meaning except Allah. On the contrary, those firmly rooted in knowledge say: 'We believe in it; it is all from our Lord alone.' *7 No one derives true admonition from anything except the men of understanding.

*5. Muhkam means that which has been made firmly and perfectly. The muhkam verses mentioned here are those Qur'anic verses which are embodied in clear and lucid language and whose meaning is not liable to any ambiguity and equivocation. The words of these verses are clear pointers to their true meaning and, therefore, it is difficult to subject them to arbitrary interpretation. Such verses form the core of the Holy Book; they are the verses which fulfil the true purpose for which the Qur'an was revealed, and they invite the whole world to Islam. They embody admonition and instruction as well as the refutation of erroneous doctrines and the elucidation of the Right Way. They also contain the fundamentals of the true faith; teachings relating to belief, worship and morality, and mandatory duties and prohibitions. These are the verses which will guide the genuine seeker after Truth who turns to the Qur'an in order to find out what he ought and ought not to do. 
*6. 'Ambiguous' verses are those whose meaning may have some degree of equivocation. It is obvious that no way of life can be prescribed for man unless a certain amount of knowledge explaining the truth about the universe, about its origin and end, about man's position in it and other matters of similar importance, is intimated to him. It is also evident that the truths which lie beyond the range of human perception have always eluded and will continue to elude man; no words exist in the human vocabulary which either express or portray them. In speaking about such things, we necessarily resort to words and expressions generally employed in connection with tangible objects. In the Qur'an, too, this kind of language is employed in relation to supernatural matters; the verses which have been characterized as 'ambiguous' refer to such matters.
At best, such expressions may serve to either bring man close to or enable him to formulate some view of reality, even if it is a faint one. The more one tries to determine the precise meaning of such verses, the more their ambiguities proliferate, and the more one is confronted with choosing between several plausible interpretations. All this is likely to alienate one progressively further away' from the Truth instead of bringing one closer to it. Those who seek the Truth and do not hanker after the satisfaction of their egocentric quest for exotic superfluities, will be satisfied with the dim vision of reality derived from these verses. They will concentrate their attention instead on the clear and lucid 'core' verses of the Qur'an. It will be left to those who are either out to make mischief and mislead people or who have an abnormal passion for superfluities to devote their attention to hair-splitting discussions about the contents of the 'ambiguous" verses.
*7. This might give rise to an unnecessary problem: How can people believe in 'ambiguous' verses when the contents of these cannot be grasped?
The fact is that a reasonable person will believe that the Qur'an is the Book of God through his reading of its clear and lucid verses, rather than by learning fanciful interpretations of the ambiguous verses. Once so convinced, he is not likely to be worried by doubts and anxieties caused by the ambiguities of the verses concerned. One who seeks the Truth is satisfied with the obvious meaning of these verses, and wherever he encounters complications and ambiguities he abstains from pursuing their solution too far. Instead of wasting his time splitting hairs, he is content to believe in the things laid down in the Book of God, without seeking to know them precisely and in detail. He turns his attention, in the main, to questions of a practical nature.

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ {3:8}

[Q3:8] Rabbanaa laa tuzigh quloobanaa ba'da iz hadaitanaa wa hab lanaa mil ladunka rahmah; innaka antal Wahhaab.

[Q3:8] Our Lord! Make not our hearts to deviate after Thou hast guided us aright, and grant us from Thee mercy; surely Thou art the most liberal Giver.

[Q3:8] (Mereka berdoa dengan berkata): Wahai Tuhan kami! Janganlah Engkau memesongkan hati kami sesudah Engkau beri petunjuk kepada kami dan kurniakanlah kepada kami limpah rahmat dari sisiMu; sesungguhnya Engkau jualah Tuhan Yang melimpah-limpah pemberianNya. 

THIS IS A PRAYER OF THE RASIKHUNA FIL ILM, A PRECAUTION TO AVOID POSSIBLE PERVERSION OF THE MIND AND THE HEART, EVEN AFTER RECEIVING THE GUIDANCE. They pray for ALLAH (SWT)'s mercy on the day of judgement. The aim and purpose of their lives in the world, a temporary and transient stay, is to make preparation for the eternal life of the hereafter.

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(3:8) They pray to Allah: 'Our Lord! Do not let our hearts swerve towards crookedness after You have guided us to the right way, and. bestow upon us Your mercy. Surely You, only You, are the Munificent Giver!

SECTION 2

The Ultimate Triumph of the Unity of ALLAH

Prophecy about the Vanishment of the disbelievers---ALLAH’s help in the Battle of Badr---Unity the basis of the faith in ALLAH---Islam the only True Religion.

رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ جَامِعُ النَّاسِ لِيَوْمٍ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ {3:9}

[Q3:9] Rabbanaaa innaka jaami 'un-naasi li Yawmil laa raibafeeh; innal laaha laa yukhliful mee'aad.
[Q3:9] Our Lord! Surely Thou art the Gatherer of men on a day about which there is no doubt; surely ALLAH (SWT) will not fail (His) promise.

[Q3:9] Wahai Tuhan kami! Sesungguhnya Engkaulah yang akan menghimpunkan sekalian manusia, untuk (menerima balasan pada) suatu hari (hari kiamat) yang tidak ada syak padanya. Sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) tidak memungkiri janjiNya. 

(see commentary for verse 8)

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(3:9) Our Lord! You surely will gather mankind together one Day, a Day about (the coming of which) there is no doubt. Surely Allah never goes against His promise.'

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَنْ تُغْنِيَ عَنْهُمْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ وَقُودُ النَّارِ {3:10}

[Q3:10] Innal lazeena kafaroo lan tughniya 'anhum amwaaluhum wa laaa awlaaduhum minal laahi shai'anw wa ulaaa'ika hum waqoodun Naar.

[Q3:10] (As for) those who disbelieve, surely neither their wealth nor their children shall avail them in the least against ALLAH (SWT), and these it is who are the fuel of the fire.

[Q3:10] Sebenarnya harta benda orang-orang kafir dan juga anak-pinak mereka tidak sekali-kali akan menyelamatkan mereka dari (azab seksa) ALLAH (SwT) sedikit juapun; dan mereka itulah bahan bakaran api Neraka.

This verse and the next two verses, 3:11 and 12 of this Surah, CONTAIN A CLEAR PROPHECY OF THE DEFEAT OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD)'S ENEMIES. After their defeat in the battle of Badr, the Quraysh of Makka began to make highly organised preparations to exterminate the unarmed Muslims,

Ø  Who were not only very few in number BUT ALSO WERE

Ø  Surrounded by potential enemies from all sides, AND WERE ALSO

Ø  Exposed to the subversive activities of the hypocrites right in their midst.

It was the plan of the pagans to put an end to the new religion of Islam which was uprooting their ignorant and idolatrous life.

The Muslims were living under a state of siege, THEREFORE, they were asked to retain their arms while praying (Nisa 4:102). UNDER SUCH ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES, the almighty Lord inspired the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to make a bold and definite prophecy of the victory of a poorly equipped and helpless few over the vast financial resourcefulness and proven military skill of the allied multitude.

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(3:10) Those who disbelieve, neither their wealth nor their offspring will avail them at all against Allah, and it is they who will be the fuel of the Fire