In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari,
Abridged by Dr. 'Aqil ibn Salim al-Shammari.
Surah Al 'Imran.
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
"They rejoice in glad tidings of favor from Allah and bounty,"
“They rejoice because of favour from Allah and kindness, and that Allah wasteth not the wage of the believers.” (3:171)
Rejoicing in the immense honor He has bestowed upon them,
And in the abundant grace and magnificent reward He has showered upon them,
And because Allah does not invalidate the reward of whoever believes His Messenger and follows him,
And acts in accordance with what he brought from Allah.
“As for those who heard the call of Allah and His messenger after the harm befell them (in the fight); for such of them as do right and ward off (evil), there is great reward.” (3:172)
“As for those who heard the call of Allah and His messenger after the harm befell them (in the fight); for such of them as do right and ward off (evil), there is great reward.” (3:172)
“They rejoice because of favour from Allah and kindness, and that Allah wasteth not the wage of the believers.” (3:171)
Those who responded to Allah and the Messenger after being afflicted with wounds and injury;
For those among them who were mindful of Allah and feared Him,
Fulfilling His obligatory duties and obeying Him in His commands and prohibitions,
There will be a magnificent reward.
“Those unto whom men said: Lo! the people have gathered against you, therefor fear them. (The threat of danger) but increased the faith of them and they cried: Allah is Sufficient for us! Most Excellent is He in Whom we trust!” (3:173)
“Those unto whom men said: Lo! the people have gathered against you, therefor fear them. (The threat of danger) but increased the faith of them and they cried: Allah is Sufficient for us! Most Excellent is He in Whom we trust!” (3:173)
Those to whom the people said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you troops to confront you,
So fear them, for you are no match for them."
Yet that only increased them in their unshakeable certainty,
And it did not dissuade them from the course the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, had commanded them
To pursue.
Rather, they marched on until they attained Allah's good pleasure through it,
Saying, with firm reliance upon Allah, "Allah is sufficient for us,
And He is the best Guardian for whoever relies on Him and places himself in His care."
“So they returned with grace and favour from Allah, and no harm touched them. They followed the good pleasure of Allah, and Allah is of Infinite Bounty.” (3:174)
"No harm touched them."
“So they returned with grace and favour from Allah, and no harm touched them. They followed the good pleasure of Allah, and Allah is of Infinite Bounty.” (3:174)
Thus, those who responded to Allah and the Messenger after being afflicted with wounds returned
From marching in pursuit of their enemy to Hamra' al-Asad,
Safe and sound by the grace of their Lord, having met no enemy,
And earning profits through the trade they engaged in there,
In addition to the immense reward they earned.
No harm or injury from their enemy touched them there,
And they pleased Allah by their deed,
By obeying His Messenger in his call to pursue the retreating enemy,
And by their steadfast obedience.
And Allah is full of bounty and benevolence toward them by turning their enemy away,
Along with countless other favors He conferred upon them,
Immense favors recognized by those among His creation upon whom He bestows them.
“It is only the devil who would make (men) fear his partisans. Fear them not; fear Me, if ye are true believers.” (3:175)
“It is only the devil who would make (men) fear his partisans. Fear them not; fear Me, if ye are true believers.” (3:175)
That statement made to you, O believers,
“Those unto whom men said: Lo! the people have gathered against you, therefor fear them. (The threat of danger) but increased the faith of them and they cried: Allah is Sufficient for us! Most Excellent is He in Whom we trust!” (3:173)
Whereby they tried to frighten you with your enemy's gathered forces,
Was entirely the work of Satan,
Cast onto the tongues of those who said that to you,
Intimidating you with his allies among the polytheists—
Abu Sufyan and his comrades from Quraysh—
So that you would dread them and cowardly retreat before them.
So do not fear the polytheists, O believers,
Nor let their formidable numbers overwhelm you;
But rather fear Me alone, not the polytheists,
Nor any of My creation,
If you truly believe in My Messenger
And in what he brought to you from Me.
“Let not their conduct grieve thee, who run easily to disbelief, for lo! they injure Allah not at all. It is Allah's Will to assign them no portion in the Hereafter, and theirs will be an awful doom.” (3:176)
"Indeed, they will never harm Allah at all."
“Let not their conduct grieve thee, who run easily to disbelief, for lo! they injure Allah not at all. It is Allah's Will to assign them no portion in the Hereafter, and theirs will be an awful doom.” (3:176)
In the Hereafter,
"And for them is a tremendous punishment."
Do not be grieved, O Muhammad,
By the disbelief of those who hasten into disbelief,
Turning back on their heels from among the people of hypocrisy;
For they will never harm Allah
By their hastening into disbelief in the least.
Allah intends to leave for them—
Those who hasten into disbelief—
No share in the reward of the Hereafter;
Therefore, He forsook them,
Leaving them to plunge into it,
And they shall have a tremendous punishment in the Hereafter,
Which is the torment of the Fire.
“Those who purchase disbelief at the price of faith harm Allah not at all, but theirs will be a painful doom.” (3:177)
"They will never harm Allah at all,"
"They will never harm Allah at all,"
"And for them is a painful punishment."
Indeed, those who purchased disbelief at the price of faith
And chose disbelief in Allah
And His Messenger in exchange for faith
Will never harm Allah through their disbelief
And apostasy from their faith in the slightest;
Rather, they only harm themselves
By bringing upon themselves an agonizing punishment.
And let not those who disbelieve think
“And let not those who disbelieve imagine that the rein We give them bodeth good unto their souls. We only give them rein that they may grow in sinfulness. And theirs will be a shameful doom.” (3:178)
“And let not those who disbelieve imagine that the rein We give them bodeth good unto their souls. We only give them rein that they may grow in sinfulness. And theirs will be a shameful doom.” (3:178)
"And for them is a humiliating punishment."
Do not think, O Muhammad, that those who disbelieve—
“And let not those who disbelieve imagine that the rein We give them bodeth good unto their souls. We only give them rein that they may grow in sinfulness. And theirs will be a shameful doom.” (3:178)
We only prolong their lifespans
So that they accumulate more sins,
Increasing their misdeeds and multiplying them;
And for these who disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger,
There will be a humiliating and degrading punishment.
“It is not (the purpose) of Allah to leave you in your present state till He shall separate the wicked from the good. And it is not (the purpose of) Allah to let you know the Unseen. But Allah chooseth of His messengers whom He will, (to receive knowledge thereof). So believe in Allah and His messengers. If ye believe and ward off (evil), yours will be a vast reward.” (3:179)
“It is not (the purpose) of Allah to leave you in your present state till He shall separate the wicked from the good. And it is not (the purpose of) Allah to let you know the Unseen. But Allah chooseth of His messengers whom He will, (to receive knowledge thereof). So believe in Allah and His messengers. If ye believe and ward off (evil), yours will be a vast reward.” (3:179)
“It is not (the purpose) of Allah to leave you in your present state till He shall separate the wicked from the good. And it is not (the purpose of) Allah to let you know the Unseen. But Allah chooseth of His messengers whom He will, (to receive knowledge thereof). So believe in Allah and His messengers. If ye believe and ward off (evil), yours will be a vast reward.” (3:179)
“It is not (the purpose) of Allah to leave you in your present state till He shall separate the wicked from the good. And it is not (the purpose of) Allah to let you know the Unseen. But Allah chooseth of His messengers whom He will, (to receive knowledge thereof). So believe in Allah and His messengers. If ye believe and ward off (evil), yours will be a vast reward.” (3:179)
“It is not (the purpose) of Allah to leave you in your present state till He shall separate the wicked from the good. And it is not (the purpose of) Allah to let you know the Unseen. But Allah chooseth of His messengers whom He will, (to receive knowledge thereof). So believe in Allah and His messengers. If ye believe and ward off (evil), yours will be a vast reward.” (3:179)
Whom He wills.
"So believe in Allah and His messengers."
"And if you believe and fear Allah,"
"Then for you is a magnificent reward."
Allah was not to leave the believers
“It is not (the purpose) of Allah to leave you in your present state till He shall separate the wicked from the good. And it is not (the purpose of) Allah to let you know the Unseen. But Allah chooseth of His messengers whom He will, (to receive knowledge thereof). So believe in Allah and His messengers. If ye believe and ward off (evil), yours will be a vast reward.” (3:179)
In a state where the true believer is indistinguishable from the hypocrite among you,
Such that one cannot be known from the other,
Until He separates the hypocrite who conceals disbelief
From the sincere believer of genuine faith
Through trials and tribulations,
Just as He distinguished between them on the day of Uhud
Upon meeting the enemy.
“It is not (the purpose) of Allah to leave you in your present state till He shall separate the wicked from the good. And it is not (the purpose of) Allah to let you know the Unseen. But Allah chooseth of His messengers whom He will, (to receive knowledge thereof). So believe in Allah and His messengers. If ye believe and ward off (evil), yours will be a vast reward.” (3:179)
The inner secrets of the hearts of His servants,
Such that you could identify the believer among them
From the hypocrite and the disbeliever;
Rather, He distinguishes between them
Through trials and tests.
However, He chooses from His messengers whom He wills,
Selecting him and disclosing to him some of what lies
Within the hearts of certain people,
Through His revelation and message.
So if you believe in whom I have chosen from My messengers
And fear your Lord by obeying Him
In whatever He has commanded you,
And in whatever He has forbidden you,
Then through that faith of yours
And your reverence of your Lord,
You will have a magnificent reward.
"And let not think"
"Those who withhold"
"That which Allah has given them"
"Of His bounty"
"That it is better for them;"
“And let not those who hoard up that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty think that it is better for them. Nay, it is worse for them. That which they hoard will be their collar on the Day of Resurrection. Allah's is the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Informed of what ye do.” (3:180)
"They will be collared by"
"What they withheld"
"On the Day of Resurrection."
"And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth,"
"And Allah, of what you do,"
"Is All-Aware."
“And let not those who hoard up that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty think that it is better for them. Nay, it is worse for them. That which they hoard will be their collar on the Day of Resurrection. Allah's is the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Informed of what ye do.” (3:180)
From what Allah has granted them in this worldly life
Of wealth,
Such that they do not discharge the due right of Allah
That He made obligatory upon them therein,
Namely the zakat,
That it is good for them before Allah on the Day of Resurrection;
“And let not those who hoard up that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty think that it is better for them. Nay, it is worse for them. That which they hoard will be their collar on the Day of Resurrection. Allah's is the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Informed of what ye do.” (3:180)
With Him in the Hereafter.
Allah will make what was withheld by
Those who refuse to pay zakat
A tight collar around their necks,
Resembling the known shackles.
Indeed, He is the Ever-Living Who never dies,
The Everlasting,
Remaining after the passing of all
His creation and after they perish,
When their possessions vanish from them,
And all returns to Allah,
The inheritances of these and all others
Among His creation.
He is Possessor of thorough knowledge and insight,
Encompassing all of that,
Compensating each of them fully
According to what they rightfully deserve.
"Allah has certainly heard"
"The statement of those who said,"
"'Indeed, Allah"
"Is poor, while we"
"Are rich.'"
"We will record what"
"They said and their killing of"
"The prophets"
"Without right,"
"And We will say,"
"And We will say,"
"'Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire.'"
"That is for what"
"Your hands have put forth,"
"And because Allah"
"Is not unjust"
"To His servants."
Allah has certainly heard
The words of the Jews:
"Indeed, Allah is in need of us,
While we are free of any need of Him."
We will record the slander they uttered
And their killing of their prophets
Without any justification,
And We will say to them:
"Taste the torment of a consuming,
Blazing Fire because of what your hands
Committed and earned
During the days of your life
In this world."
"Those who said, 'Indeed,"
"Allah has taken a covenant"
"From us not to believe"
"In a messenger until"
"He brings us an offering"
"Until he brings us"
"An offering"
"Consumed"
"By fire.'"
"Say, 'There already"
"Came"
"Messengers"
"Before me"
"With clear proofs"
"And with that which you said;"
"With clear proofs"
"And with that which you said,"
"So why did you kill them,"
"If you should be"
"Truthful?'"
Those who claimed:
"Allah has enjoined upon us"
"And conveyed to us"
"In His scriptures and through the tongues of His messengers,"
"Not to believe in any messenger"
in what he claims to have brought
from Allah,
of commands, prohibitions, and the like,
until he brings us
an offering consumed by fire."
For the consumption of the sacrifice by fire
in that era
was proof of Allah's acceptance from him.
Say to them:
"Messengers have already come to you before me
with what you claimed
to be conclusive proof against you,
yet you killed them,
even though you acknowledged
that what they brought you
of such signs was indeed
a conclusive proof against you—
if you are truthful that
Allah commanded you
only to believe in whoever brought you,
among His messengers, an offering consumed
by fire as a proof
of his prophethood."
Let it not grieve you, O Muhammad,
that these people lie
and fabricate falsehood against their Lord;
for if they reject you,
their forebears likewise rejected
those who came to them with clear proofs
that eliminated all excuse,
and with every scripture,
having brought the Torah and the Gospel,
which is the illuminating Book—
that sheds light and endures,
continuously enduring,
ever lasting,
ever remaining—
that sheds light and clarifies the truth
for whoever finds it obscured,
making it utterly clear.
"Every soul
shall taste
death,
and you will only be
paid in full
your rewards on the Day of
Resurrection.
So whoever is drawn away
from the Fire
and admitted into Paradise
has truly triumphed.
And the life of this world is nothing
but the enjoyment
of delusion."
Every
single soul among them shall taste
death, and shall be repaid in full
for the recompense of its deeds:
if good, then good;
and if evil, then evil.
So whoever is removed and distanced from the Fire
has attained salvation and secured
his ultimate desire.
For the pleasures and desires of this worldly life are nothing
but a fleeting gratification
granted to you by delusion
and vanishing deception,
which possesses no reality
when put to the test.
Thus, you revel in whatever pleasures
delusion has granted you in your worldly life,
yet it only rebounds upon you
with tragedies, calamities,
and afflictions;
so do not lean towards this fleeting world.
In summary, from the Tafsir
of al-Tabari: