3.

Sura Al-i-Imran (or The Family of Imran)

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

God! There is no god except He, – the Living, the Self-Subsisting,

Eternal. The Qur-anic revelation has, step by step, confirmed the Law of
Moses and the Gospel of Jesus. It is guide from the Lord, and appeals to
reason and understanding. Those who reject Faith in the Signs of God will
suffer the severest Penalty. Nothing is hidden from Him on earth or in the
heavens. It is He Who shapes you in .the wombs as He pleases. He is, Who
has sent down the verses of the Book, some have established meaning and
some are allegorical. But some perverse people, who try to spread discord
among the people, try to find their hidden meaning. No one knows its hidden
meanings except God and those who are firm in knowledge. They pray to their
Lord that let not their hearts deviate after He has guided them; and to grant
them His mercy as He is the Grantor of bounties with out measure. The further
pray that He will gather mankind together to a Day of which there is no doubt;
– and that He does not fail to keep His promise.

Those who reject faith, neither their possessions nor their progeny will
save them against God. They are but fuel for the Fire of Hell. In ancient the
people of Pharaoh and their predecessors also denied the Signs of their Lord.
They were called upon to account for their sins as God is strict in punishment.
Soon, those who reject Faith, will be vanquished and gathered together to
Hell. They have already seen the combat (battle of Badr) – one army fighting
in the Cause of God while the other, twice that number, resisting God. But
God supports to whom He pleases. Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things
they long to possess: women, sons, gold and silver, horses, cattle, well-tilled
land. Such are the possessions of this world’s life; but nearness to your Lord is
the best of the goals. But for the righteous are the Gardens and good pleasure
of their Lord. Such are the people who pray to their Lord that they have
believed in Him and seek His forgiveness and save them from the agony of
Fire. These believers show patience, firmness, self-control, true in word and
deed, worship devoutly; spend in the way of God and pray for forgiveness in
the early hours of the morning. God speaks to the mankind through His
revelations (through angels) and through His Creation, for all Nature glorifies
God. No thinking mind, can fail to find the same witness in his own heart and
conscience. All this points to the Unity of God, His exalted nature, and His
wisdom; – the Religion before God is Islam (submission to His Will). Say to
the People of the Book and to the Pagan Arabs, to submit themselves before
their Lord. If they turn back, your duty is to convey the Message to all His
servants.

Those, who deny the Signs of God, defy the right, slay the prophets
and teachers of mankind, have to face grievous penalty in the Hereafter and
shall find no helper to save them. Those who were earlier given a portion of
the Book are invited to the Book of God (Qur-an) to settle their dispute. But a
party among them reject the Faith and, say that the Fire of Hell will never
touch them! Indeed, they will be gathered on the Last Day in which there is no
doubt and shall be paid according to their deeds. Say “Oh God! Lord of Power
(and Rule) You give Power to whom You please, and you strip off Power from
whom you please: You endure with honour whom you please, and you bring
low whom you please: In Your hand is all Good. Over all things you have
power. You cause the Night to gain on the Day, and You cause the Day to gain
on the Night; You bring the Living out of the Dead, and You bring the Dead
out of the Living; and you give sustenance to whom You please, without
measure. Let the believers seek the society and friendship of the believers as a
precaution to guard against the unbelievers. But God cautions you to
remember Him; for the final goal is to God. God knows what is in your heatrs,
in the heavens and on earth; and that He has power over all things: God is full
of kindness to those who serve Him.

God’s truth is continuous, and His Apostles from Adam, through Noah
and Abraham, down to the last of the Prophets, Muhammad, form one
brotherhood. Of the progeny of Imran, sprang a woman who devoted her
unborn off-spring to God. The child was Mary, the mother of Jesus. Her
cousin was the wife of the priest Zakariya, who took charge of Mary.
Everytime that he entered her chamber to see her, he found her supplied with
sustenance! Zakariya one day asked her as to who supplied her with all that.
She replied: “God: for God provides sustenance to whom He pleases, without
measure”. There did Zakariya pray to God for a pure progeny: for God hears
prayer. The angels were sent to him with glad tidings of a son, whose name
would be Yahya – a noble, righteous person and a prophet. Then Zakariya
asked his Lord for a Sign for that happy news. The Sign was that he would
not be able to speak for three days; – that he should celebrate the praises of
the Lord again and again and glorify Him in the evening and in the morning.

Mary the mother of Jesus was unique, in that she gave birth to a son by
a special miracle without the intervention of the customary physical means.
She had as much need to pray to God as anyone else and God said to her to
bow down in prayer with those who bow down; that her son, Christ Jesus, a
Word from the Lord, would be held in honour in this world and the Hereafter.
Further, he would speak to the people in childhood and in maturity would be
in the company of the righteous; and God would teach him The Book and
Wisdom, The Law and the Gospel and appoint him an apostle to the Children
of Israel (with this message): That he had come to them with a Sign from their
Lord. Jesus made out of clay figure of a bird and breathed into it, it became a
bird by God’s leave. He healed those born-blind, the lepers; and quickened the
dead by God’s leave; declared to them what they ate and their stores in their
houses. Surely therein was a Sign for them if they believed. Further Jesus told
them that he had come to them to attest the Law which was before him and
make lawful to them what was unlawful earlier. So fear God and obey
him(Jesus). It is God Who was his Lord and their Lord, so worship the Lord.
Their were few who believed Jesus and were Muslims and God’s helpers. The
unbelievers plotted and planned, and God too planned, and the best of planners
is God.
 The guilt of the Jews remained, but Jesus was eventually taken up to
God. He was charged by the Jews with blasphemy; but God cleared him of
falsehoods and those who blaspheme and would make them superior those
who followed him over those who reject faith. They all have to return to Him
and then He will judge matters on which they used to dispute. Those who
reject faith are to be punished with a severe punishment. As those who believe
and work righteousness, God will bestow them with the reward. But does not
love those who do wrong. The similitude of Jesus before God is that of Adam.
He created Adam from dust and said to it “Be”: and he was. The Truth come
from God alone and what is rehearse to you is the Message of Wisdom without
any doubt. Those who have any doubt, say to them that let they and you
together with entire families earnestly pray and invoke the curse of God on
those who lie. This is the true account: There is no god except God; He is the
Exalted, the Wise.

Islam invites all people to the Truth: there is no cause for dissembling
or disputing. False are the people who corrupt God’s truth, or hinder men from
coming to God. Let the Muslims hold together in unity and discipline,
knowing that they have a mission of righteousness for humanity. No harm can
come to them. You People of the Book! Why to dispute about Abraham, when
the Law and the Gospel were revealed after him? Abraham was not a Jew nor
a Christian, but he followed the Truth and bowed his will to God’s; and joined
not gods with God. Nearest of kin to Abraham, are those who follow him and
those who believe: And God is the Protector of those who have faith. The
People of the Book have lead themselves astray; but they do not perceive. Oh
you People of the Book! Why you reject the Signs of God and cover Truth
with falsehood when you have the knowledge?

A section of the People of the Book say to their men that believe before
the Believers what they say, but when turn back from them, believe them not
and follow your own religion. Say to them (O Muhammad) that true guidance
is the guidance of God: All bounties are in the hand of God and gives them
whom He pleases; – for God is the Lord of bounties unbounded. Among the
People of the Book, some are honest and trustworthy; while some are
dishonest and non trustworthy. Such dishonest say that they are not bound to
keep word with those ignorant Pagans; – this knowingly they tell a lie against
God. Nay, whoso maintains his covenant and acts righteous, then verily God
loves the righteous. Verily those who barter their covenant made with God and
their Oaths made between themselves, have no portion in the Hereafter. They
should not expect any mercy from their Lord on the Day of Resurrection. For
them awaits an agonizing punishment. Among them there is a section of the
people who distort the Book with their tongues as that was the part of the
Book they were reading although it was not from God. It is just not possible
that a man to whom is given the Book, the Wisdom and the Prophethood,
should say to people to worship his person rather than God! But he would say
to the people to be devoted to their Lord, worship Him alone; and submit to
His Will (in Islam).

You (People of the Book) are bound by your own oaths, sworn
solemnly in the presence of your own Prophets: God had told them that He
would give them the Book and the Divine knowledge and stressed that each
one of them shall have to believe in and help in distress his successor in that
office. If the succeeding apostle did not appear during the life time of the
earlier apostle, the latter was required to advise his followers to help him and
believe in him on his appearance. All the apostles covenanted to comply as
above. God marked the apostles as witness to this covenant. After that if any
person resiled from it, then surely he was a transgressor. Say to them (O
Muhammad) that you believe in what had been revealed to you and Abraham,
Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, the Tribes, Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets, from their
Lord: You make no distinction between one and another among them and that
the religion accepted to God is Islam (submission to God) and no any other
what so. God does not guide those who reject Faith when Clear Signs had
come to them – unjust people, with curse of God, His angels and all mankind.
For such people and those who reject Faith after they accepted it, awaits
grievous penalty in the Hereafter unless they repent and make amends of their
guilt.

The test of charity is to give something that you value grately and that
God knows it well who are righteous ones among you. All food was lawful for
the Children of Israel except what Israel (Jacob) made unlawful before the law
of Moses was revealed. Follow the religion of Abraham, the upright and he
was not of the polytheists. Assuredly the first house of worship established by
your Lord for the mankind, is that at Mecca, full of blessings and of guidance
for all the people of the world. There are Clear Signs in it, e.g. Station of
Abraham. And whoso enters it, he attains security. Pilgrimage thereto is a duty
faithful owe to God, – those who can afford the journey. Oh People of the
Book! Why you are rejecting the Signs of your Lord? Why you obstruct, those
who believe, from the Path of God? God is not unmindful what you do!
Whoever holds firmly to God will be shown a Way that is straight.

Fear God as He should be feared, and die not except as muslims; and
hold fast, all together, by the Rope of God and do not fall off from each other;
– remember God’s favour to you in that you were enemies to each other and
he joined your hearts in brotherhood; – that you were on the brink of the Pit of
Fire, and He saved you from it. Let there arise out of you a section of people
inviting others for goodness and righteousness in their deeds; – and that not be
divided and fall into disputations. On the Day of Judgment some faces will be
shining white, while others shall be black and gloomy. The first category shall
be in the light of God’s mercy, while the other category shall be the people
who reject Faith even after accepting it. These shall be the people who will
taste the Penalty and Fire of Hell. These are the Signs of God rehearse to you
in Truth and there shall be no injustice to any of His creatures. To Him belongs
all that is in the heavens and on earth; to Him are referred all questions for
decision.

You are the best community evolved for mankind because you enjoin
what is right and forbid what is wrong, and you believe in God. If the People
of the Book also believe it would be better for them as most of them are
transgressors. But they would cause no harm to you and that expect no help
from them. Shame is pitched over them as they rejected the Signs of God, and
slew their Prophets, rebelled and transgressed beyond bounds. All are not alike
as some of them stand for the right, rehearse the Signs of God all night long,
prostrate themselves in adoration, believe in God and the Last Day; and forbid
what is wrong and hasten in good work. Of the good which they do, nothing
will be rejected by their Lord. But those who reject Faith neither their
possession nor their progeny would be of any use to them from the Penalty of
the Hereafter. Do not be intimate those who are not among you, as they will
not fail to corrupt you and desire your ruin. Although you love them but they
do not love you. Your religion (Islam) gives you the complete revelation, “the
whole of the Book’, though partial revelations have come in all ages. They are
not able to bring to you any harm; for God compasses round about all that they
do.

God’s help comes to those who strive with firmness, as it did at the
battle field of Badr. Much can be learnt from the misfortunes at Uhad. It was
all in God’s Plan. God helps those who show constancy, courage, and
discipline, and use all the human means at their disposal. Indeed it is, if the
Believers remain steadfast and reverent, and if enemy were to rush on them
suddenly, your Lord would reinforce you with five thousand angels (battle of
Badr). Not with you, but for God, is the decision: Whether He turns in mercy
to them or punish them; for indeed they are wrongdoers (battle of Uhad). To
God belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth. He forgives whom He
pleases and punishes whom He pleases: But God is Oft-forgiving, Most
Merciful.

Oh you who believe! Do not devour usuary doubled and multiplied;

but fear God; that you may really prosper. Obey God and His Apostle that you
may obtain mercy. Fear the Fire which is prepared for those who reject Faith.
Be quick for begging forgiveness from your Lord for your sins. The righteous
qualify for obtaining consequential reward of admission in the spacious
Gardens, under which the rivers flow, as their eternal dwelling place. These
are the people who spend freely whether in prosperity or in adversity; suppress
anger, pardon all aggressors; immediately remember God and seek Divine
forgiveness for sins which they happened to commit; refrain from committing
it again. Travel through the earth and see the ultimate fate of those who
rejected Truth. A plain statement of guidance and instruction for those who
fear God: Lose not heart, nor fall into despair; for you must gain mastery if
you are true in Faith. In a fight for truth, if you are hurt, be sure the adversary
has suffered hurt also. Success or failure in this world comes to all at varing
times; and martyrdom is itself an honour and a privilege: As God takes
martyrs as witnesses to Truth. For God loves not those that do wrong. God
distinguishes the believers, who fought hard in His Cause, from the others
(battle of Uhud).

Muhammad is but a Messenger as of those sent earlier to the people for

their guidance. If he is slain, or die of age, will you then turn back from his
teachings? If any did turn back, not the least harm will he do to God. But God
on the other hand will swefty reward those who serve Him with gratitude. It is
not up to a person to die except by God’s command according to prescribed
written term. Those of you who desire the reward of this world, God shall give
them; and those who desire in the Hereafter, they will be given there. There
were many Prophets who along with followers fought in God’s Cause. But
they never lost hope and weakened in their will inspite of some temporary set-
backs: For God loves those who are firm and steadfast. All that they said was:
“Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and anything we may have done that
transgressed our duty. Establish our feet firmly, and help us against this people
that resist Faith”. And God gave them a reward in the world, and the excellent
reward of the Hereafter. For God loves those who do good.

Oh you who believe! If you obey the disbelievers, they will turn you
back on your heels, and you will become losers. Soon God would cast terror
into the hearts of the unbelievers and evil is the home of the wrong-doers. The
order was: not to run after booty (at Uhud) but maintain discipline. At
beginning it was a victory for the believers as many of the enemy were slain
and were retiring. Then a part of the believers, against the orders ran in
pursuit of the booty. This was a disobedience for which the Muslim forces
faced a temporary setback. God forgave them as He is full of grace to those
who believe. That testing by God was not in order that it may add to His
knowledge, for He knows all. It was to help the Believers subjectively, to
mould their will, and purge them of any grosser motives, to be searched out by
calamity. If it was a hardened sinner, the test brought conviction out of their
own-self. It was the duty of all who were able to fight in the sacred cause at
Uhud. But a small section were timid: they were not quite as bad as those who
rallied against God, or those who thoughtlessly dis-obeyed orders. But they
still failed in their duty. It is our inner motives that God regards. These
timorous people were forgiven by God.

It is want of faith that makes people afraid of meeting death. It is God’s

will that you should die, your staying home not serve you. Nothing can happen
without God’s Will. Dying in doing your duty is the best means of reaching
God’s Mercy and going nearer to Him. Of course you as a man of faith would
not be for hoarding riches: your wealth, – duty and the mercy of God, – is far
more precious than anything the unbelievers can amass in their selfish lives. If
God helps you, none can overcome you; and He forsakes you, none can help
you. No prophet could ever be false to his trust. Men of God do not act from
unworthy motives. With God there are various grades of men and the believers
try to understand and appreciate such grades. If believers trust their Leader,
they shall not question his honesty with cause. If he is dishonest, he is not fit
to be a leader. If Uhud was a reverse to the Muslims, they had inflicted a
reverse twice as great on the infidels (Meccan) at Badr. This reverse was not
without God’s permission for He wanted to test and purify the faith of those
who followed Islam, and to show them that they must strive and do all in their
power to deserve God’s help. If they disobeyed orders and neglected
discipline, they must attribute the disaster to themselves and not to God. The
testing of the Hypocrites was the searching out of their motives and exposing
them to the sight of their brethren, who might otherwise have been taken in.
When others were for self-sacrifice, they were for ease and fair words.
Pretending to be Muslims, they were nearer to unbelief. Think not of those
who are slain in God’s way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in
the presence of their Lord. They rejoice in the bounty provided by God.
 Let not (O Muhammad) those who rush headlong into disbelief, grieve
you. Not the least harm they can ever do to God. In the God’s Plan there is
grievous punishment for them in the Hereafter. Let not the unbelievers think
that God’s respite to them is good for themselves: God grants them respite that
they may grow in their iniquity. God will separate evil from good and disclose
to you the secrets which are at present hidden from you. The believers should
hold fast by faith and lead a good life. So believe in God and His Apostle: and
if you believe and do right, you have a reward without measure. Let not those,
who are niggardly in respect of what God has given them out of His grace,
think that it is good for them; hay, it is bad for them. Whatever they are
niggardly about shall be chained round their necks on the Day of Judgement.
And to God belongs the heritage of the skies and the earth; and He is aware
what you do.

Regard, unmoved, the taunts of those who laugh at faith; nor let their
falsehood nor their seeming prosperity, raise questions in your minds. They
say that God is indigent and they were rich! This blasphemy was of a piece
with all their conduct in history, in slaying the Prophets and men of God.
Because of their unrighteous deeds, they have to taste the Penalty of the
Scorching Fire: But God never harms those who serve Him. They say that God
took their promise not to believe in a prophet unless he showed you a sacrifice
consumed by fire from heaven. Say to them (Oh Muhammad) that their came
to them prophets before you with Clear Signs even with what they were asking
for: but why then did they slay them if they speak the truth? If they reject you,
they also rejected the prophets before you who came with Clear Signs, Book
of dark prophecies, and the Book of Enlightenment. Every soul has to taste
death and only on the Day of Judgement the mankind will be paid their full
compense. Those who will be admitted in the Garden, will have attained the
object of life. The believers are certainly be tested and tried: in their
possessions and in their personal selves. In fact, everything that happens to
men and make up their personality is a means of their testing. God’s Message
comes to any man or nation as a matter of sacred trust. It should be broadcast
and published and taught and made clear to all within reach. But they cast it
behind their backs, and sold it for a mean price; vile is what they have
purchased. They are not immune from punishment; for them is a grievous
torment. To God belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; and God
has power over all things.

Behold! In the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of
the Day and the Night, – there are indeed Signs for men of understanding. In
all the postures, under all lthe circumstances celebrate the praises of your
Lord. Contemptate the wonders of creation in the heavens and the earth (with
the thought): “Our Lord! Not for naught has You created (all) this! Glory to
Thee! Give us salvation from the Penalty of the Fire. Our Lord! Any whom
You do admit to the Fire, truly you cover with shame, and never will wrong-
doers find any helper! Our Lord! We have heard the call of one calling (us) to
Faith, ‘Believe you in the Lord’, and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us
our sins, blot out from us our iniquities, and take to Your-self our souls in the
company of the righteous. Our Lord! Grant us what You did promise to us
through your Apostle, and save us from shame on the Day of Judgement: For
You never break Your promise”. And their Lord accepted of them, and
answered their prayer. Never He let to suffer the righteous deeds of the
believing men or women, alike: Those who left their homes, and fought in
God’s Cause, God would blot out their iniquities, and admit them in the
Gardens under which the rivers flow – a reward from the Presence of God, and
from His Presence is the best of reward. Let not the strutting about of the
unbelievers through the earth deceive you: little good is it to them; their
ultimate abode is Hell – what a bed of misery! Oh you believers! Preserve in
patience and constancy, vie in such preservance; strengthen each other; and
fear God; that you may prosper.