SURAH AL-IMRAN (AYAH 131 to 140)

وَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِي أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِينَ {3:131}

[Q3:131] Wattaqun Naaral lateee u'iddat lilkaafireen.
[Q3:131] And guard yourselves against the fire which has been prepared for the unbelievers.

[Q3:131] Dan peliharalah diri kamu dari api Neraka, yang disediakan bagi orang-orang kafir.

ALLAH (SWT) INVITES MANKIND TO OBEY HIM AND HIS MESSENGER, THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) (without making adjustments in what he has said and done by making use of one's own discretion) IF FORGIVENESS FROM THE LORD IS TO BE OBTAINED so as to deserve an abode in the land of eternal bliss and happiness of unimaginable depth and dimensions, OTHERWISE the hell, prepared for the disbelievers, shall also welcome the deviators who amended and changed the commands of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

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(3:131) And have fear of the Fire which awaits those who deny the Truth.

وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ {3:132}

[Q3:132] Wa atee'ul laaha war Rasoola la'allakum turhamoon.
[Q3:132] And obey ALLAH (SWT) and the Messenger, that you may be shown mercy. 

[Q3:132] Dan taatlah kamu kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan RasulNya, supaya kamu diberi rahmat. 

(see commentary for verse 131)

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(3:132) And obey Allah and the Messenger, that you may be shown mercy. And hasten to the for-giveness of your Lord and to a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God-fearing who spend in the way of Allah both in plenty and hardship, who restrain their anger, and forgive others. Allah loves such good-doers."

وَسَارِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ {3:133}

[Q3:133] Wa saari'ooo ilaa maghfiratim mir Rabbikum wa Jannatin arduhassamaawaatu wal ardu u'iddat lilmuttaqeen.
[Q3:133] And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord; and a Garden, the extensiveness of which is (as) the heavens and the earth, it is prepared for those who guard (against evil).

[Q3:133] Dan segeralah kamu kepada (mengerjakan amal-amal yang baik untuk mendapat) keampunan dari Tuhan kamu dan (mendapat) Syurga yang bidangnya seluas segala langit dan bumi, yang disediakan bagi orang-orang yang bertakwa; 

(see commentary for verse 131)

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(3:133) And hasten to the for-giveness of your Lord and to a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God-fearing.

الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ {3:134}

[Q3:134] Allazeena yunfiqoona fissarraaa'i waddarraaa'i wal kaazimeenal ghaiza wal aafeena 'anin-naas; wallaahu yuhibbul muhsineen.

[Q3:134] Those who spend (benevolently) in ease as well as in straitness, and those who restrain (their) anger and pardon men; and ALLAH (SWT) loves the doers of good (to others).

[Q3:134] Iaitu orang-orang yang mendermakan hartanya pada masa senang dan susah dan orang-orang yang menahan kemarahannya dan orang-orang yang memaafkan kesalahan orang dan (ingatlah), ALLAH (SwT) mengasihi orang-orang yang berbuat perkara-perkara yang baik;

See commentary of verses 2:3, 195, 215, 245, 254, 261 to 273 of al Baqarah FOR SPENDING IN THE WAY OF ALLAH (SWT).

The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) has said:

v  A generous spender in the way of ALLAH (SWT) is very near to ALLAH (SWT), paradise and men; but the gap between a miser and ALLAH (SWT), on one side, and paradise and men on the other, can never be bridged.

v  ALLAH (SWT) loves an illiterate generous spender more than a miserly scholar.

Repressors of rage:-

r  Are those who refrain from giving vent to their wrath while they have the power to inflict harm, AND

r  Pardoners of men are those who refrain from punishing when they have a right as well as capability to punish.

v  Imam Hasan, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)'s eldest grandson, was once being served his meal by his slave servant, who accidentally threw on him a dish boiling hot, and fearing a severe punishment, immediately recited the words "the repressors of rage". Hasan said, "I am not angry." "And the forgivers of men", proceeded the servant. "I forgive", replied the Imam. "And ALLAH (SWT) loves the doers of good", concluded the servant. "Since it is so, I give you liberty and four hundred pieces of silver;" replied the Imam.

The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) is the "mercy unto the worlds" (Ambiya 21:107), AND Ali is a guide and mercy (Hud 11:17). THEREFORE, there are several events in their lives, mentioned in the authentic books of history, which establish Muhammad and Ali as the perfect models, divinely set up for the guidance of mankind.

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(3:134) who spend in the way of Allah both in plenty and hardship, who restrain their anger, and forgive others. Allah loves such good-doers."  *99

*99. The existence of interest in a society generates two kinds of moral disease. It breeds greed and avarice, meanness and selfishness among those who receive interest. At the same time, those who have to pay interest develop strong feelings of hatred, resentment, spite and jealousy. God intimates to the believers that the attributes bred by the spread of interest are the exact opposite of those which develop as a result of spending in the way of God, and that it is through the latter rather than the former that man can achieve God's forgiveness and Paradise. (For further explanation see Surah 2, n. 320 above.) 

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ {3:135}

[Q3:135] Wallazeena izaa fa'aloo faahishatan aw zalamooo anfusahum zakarul laaha fastaghfaroo lizunoobihim; wa mai yaghfiruz zunooba illal laahu wa lam yusirroo 'alaa maa fa'aloo wa hum ya'lamooo. 
[Q3:135] And those who when they commit an indecency or do injustice to their souls remember ALLAH (SWT) and ask forgiveness for their faults-- and who forgives the faults but ALLAH (SWT), and (who) do not knowingly persist in what they have done.

[Q3:135] Dan juga orang-orang yang apabila melakukan perbuatan keji atau menganiaya diri sendiri, mereka segera ingat kepada ALLAH (SwT) lalu memohon ampun akan dosa mereka dan sememangnya tidak ada yang mengampunkan dosa-dosa melainkan ALLAH (SwT) dan mereka juga tidak meneruskan perbuatan keji yang mereka telah lakukan itu, sedangkan mereka mengetahui (akan salahnya dan akibatnya) 

THOSE WHO DO ILL-DEEDS, IN FACT, WRONG THEMSELVES. EVERY SINNER CORRUPTS HIS OWN SOUL AND DESERVES PUNISHMENT. If by remorse and making amends in the way prescribed by the divine law he turns repentant to ALLAH (SWT), his sins may be forgiven.

IT IS ALLAH (SWT) WHO ALONE CAN FORGIVE THOSE SINNERS WHO DO NOT PERSIST IN THAT WHICH THEY HAVE DONE.

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(3:135) These are the ones who, when they commit any indecency and wrong against themselves, instantly remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins - for who will forgive sins save Allah? - and who do not wilfully persist in the wrong they did.

أُولَٰئِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَجَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ {3:136}

[Q3:136] Ulaaa'ika jazaaa'uhum maghfiratum mir Rabbihim wa Jannaatun tajree min tahtihal anhaaru khaalideena feeha; wa ni'ma ajrul 'aamileen.
[Q3:136] (As for) these-- their reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them, and excellent is the reward of the laborers.

[Q3:136] Orang-orang yang demikian sifatnya, balasannya ialah keampunan dari Tuhan mereka, dan Syurga-syurga yang mengalir di bawahnya beberapa sungai, mereka kekal di dalamnya dan yang demikian itulah sebaik-baik balasan (bagi) orang-orang yang beramal.

IN ISLAM MERE IDEOLOGICAL OR THEORETICAL BELIEF IS OF NO USE. ISLAM LAYS STRESS ON ACTION.

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(3:136) They shall be recompensed by forgiveness from their Lord and by gardens beneath which rivers flow; there they shall abide. How good is the reward of those who labour!

قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ سُنَنٌ فَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ {3:137}

[Q3:137] Qad khalat min qablikum sunanum faseeroo fil ardi fanzuroo kaifa kaana 'aaqiba tul mukazzibeen.
[Q3:137] Indeed there have been examples before you; therefore travel in the earth and see what the end of the rejecters was.

[Q3:137] Sesungguhnya telah berlaku sebelum kamu (contoh kejadian-kejadian berdasarkan) peraturan-peraturan ALLAH (SwT) yang tetap; oleh itu mengembaralah kamu di muka bumi, kemudian perhatikanlah bagaimana akibat orang-orang yang mendustakan (Rasul-rasul).

Ruin and perdition in the world was the fate of those who belied the messengers of ALLAH (SWT). The vestiges of their destruction are visible everywhere.

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(3:137) Many eras have passed before you. Go about, then, in the land and behold the end of those who gave the lie to (the directives and ordinances of Allah).

هَٰذَا بَيَانٌ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةٌ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ {3:138}

[Q3:138] Haazaa bayaanul linnaasi wa hudanw wa maw'izatul lilmuttaqeen.

[Q3:138] This is a clear statement for men, and a guidance and an admonition to those who guard (against evil).

[Q3:138] (Al-Quran) ini ialah penerangan kepada seluruh umat manusia dan petunjuk serta pengajaran bagi orang-orang yang (hendak) bertakwa. 

THOSE WHO ARE AWARE OF THE BOUNDARIES LAID DOWN BY ALLAH (SWT), GUARD THEMSELVES AGAINST EVIL AND TAKE REFUGE WITH ALLAH (SWT), they alone can understand and teach the Qur’an. See commentary of muttaqin in verses 2:2 and 177 of al Baqarah.

r  Shirk (polytheism) is the greatest evil.

The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his Ahlul Bayt, historically, were the only persons who never worshipped any one other than ALLAH (SWT), THEREFORE, IT IS THE WILL OF ALLAH (SWT) THAT MANKIND SHOULD LEARN THE MEANING AND PURPORT OF THE QUR’AN FROM THE AHLUL BAYT, CONFIRMED BY THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) IN HIS FAREWELL ADDRESS TO THE NATION (HADITH AL THAQALAYN).

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(3:138) This is a plain exposition for men, and a guidance and admonition for the Godfearing.

وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنْتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ {3:139}

[Q3:139] Wa laa tahinoo wa laa tahzanoo wa antumul a'lawna in kuntum mu'mineen.
[Q3:139] And be not infirm, and be not grieving, and you shall have the upper hand if you are believers.

[Q3:139] Dan janganlah kamu merasa lemah (dalam perjuangan mempertahan dan menegakkan Islam) dan janganlah kamu berdukacita (terhadap apa yang akan menimpa kamu), padahal kamulah orang-orang yang tertinggi (mengatasi musuh dengan mencapai kemenangan) jika kamu orang-orang yang (sungguh-sungguh) beriman. 

After the battle of Uhad this verse was revealed to create confidence in the Muslims so that they might not grieve excessively for the loss of relatives and lose heart BECAUSE of a partial set back in the battlefield (due to their own greed and lack of discipline).

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(3:139) Do not, then, either lose heart or grieve: for you shall surely gain the upper hand if you are true men of faith.

إِنْ يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِثْلُهُ ۚ وَتِلْكَ الْأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنْكُمْ شُهَدَاءَ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ {3:140}

[Q3:140] Iny-yamsaskum qarhum faqad massal qawma qarhum misluh; wa tilkal ayyaamu nudaawiluhaa bainan naasi wa liya'lamal laahul lazeena aamanoo wa yattakhiza minkum shuhadaaa'; wallaahu laa yuh ibbuz zaalimeen. 

[Q3:140] If a wound has afflicted you (at Ohud), a wound like it has also afflicted the (unbelieving) people; and We bring these days to men by turns, and that ALLAH (SWT)  may know those who believe and take witnesses from among you; and ALLAH (SWT)  does not love the unjust.

[Q3:140] Jika kamu (dalam peperangan Uhud) mendapat luka (tercedera), maka sesungguhnya kaum (musyrik yang mencerobohi kamu) itu telah (tercedera juga dan) mendapat luka yang sama (dalam peperangan Badar) dan demikian itulah keadaan hari-hari (dunia ini dengan peristiwa-peristiwa kemenangan atau kekalahan), kami gilirkan dia antara sesama manusia, (supaya menjadi pengajaran) dan supaya nyata apa yang diketahui ALLAH (SwT) tentang orang-orang yang tetap beriman (dan yang sebaliknya), dan juga supaya ALLAH (SwT) menjadikan sebahagian di antara kamu orang-orang yang mati Syahid dan (ingatlah), ALLAH (SwT) tidak suka kepada orang-orang yang zalim. 

As stated in the commentary of verses 121 and 122 of this surah due to the fearless overpowering valour of Ali the enemy suffered heavy losses in men and material and finally ran away from the scene of combat, inflicted with a humiliating defeat.

¥  The setback the Muslims encountered (due to their greed and lack of discipline) can be described as the vicissitudes of success and failure. ALLAH (SWT) intended, by this reverse, to sift the true from the false among those who professed Islam. He wanted to test those who came into the fold of Islam for *material gain, *pride and *glory of victories. THEY FAILED MISERABLY. *Running away from the battlefield by deserting the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was a shameful deed, as stated in verse 135 of this surah, exposing their inherent falsehood.

THE EARLY CONVERTS, more often than not, due to weakness in their faith, availed every opportunity to save their skin in the time of trouble. They were infidels at heart in the garb of hypocrisy. They were the hidden enemies of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his Ahlul Bayt.

ON THE OTHER hand there was Ali, the representative of the Ahlul Bayt in the battle of Uhad, who not only stood by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and protected him from the assassins BUT ALSO turned the sure defeat into victory by dispersing the enemy through his steadfastness.

Ø  THIS VERSE GUIDES MANKIND, IN ALL AGES, TO IDENTIFY THE SINCERE SUPPORTER OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his mission, and to distinctly name those deserters and hypocrites who have been described as the unjust (zalimin), whose names have been written in all the authentic books of history compiled by the well-known authors. ALLAH (SWT) DOES NOT LOVE THE UNJUST.

MERE COMPANIONSHIP OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) IS NOT ENOUGH TO BE BLESSED. THOSE WHO CLAIM "STRIVING HARD" MUST UNDERGO HARD TEST.

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(3:140) If a wound has befallen you a similar wound has already befallen the people who are opposed to you. *100 We make such movements to men in turn so that Allah might mark out those who are the true men of faith and select from among you those who do really bear witness (to the Truth): *101 for Allah does not love the wrong-doers,

*100. This alludes to the Battle of Badr. The intention is to point out to the Muslims that if the unbelievers were not demoralized by the setback they suffered at Badr then the Muslims should not be disheartened by the setback thev suffered in the Battle of Uhud. 
*101. The actual words of this verse, can be interpreted in two ways. One meaning could be that God wanted to select some of them so that He could bestow upon them the honour of martyrdom. The second meaning could be that out of the hotch-potch of true believers and hypocrites which their community consisted of at that moment, God wanted to sift those who were truly His witnesses over all mankind. (See Qur'an 2: 143 - Ed.)