^{Surah Name:} Aal-e-Imran ^Meaning: The Family of Imran

Key Points

Surah Aal-e-Imran

Secrets Of Revelation

Surely Allaah^-SWT has heard the words... Allaah^-SWT is never unjust to His slaves.

Allaah^-SWT is aware of those who mock His Commandments regarding charity and Zakat and say that they are wealthy while Allaah^-SWT is impoverished, asking them to contribute in His Way whereas this spending is only to benefit the creation. The Jews may not have held such an absurd belief, and may have only made such a preposterous statement to oppose the Holy Prophet^-SW. Such nonsense is to be outrightly ignored.

Allaah^-SWT declares that everything uttered by these people is being recorded. It is not a simple matter to be casually dismissed, rather it will become a part of their Record of Conduct, which will eventually be brought forth. So the Holy Prophet^-SW should ignore this nonsense. In fact, their Record of Conduct carries far more heinous crimes for they did not even spare their own Prophets^-AS and wantonly put them to sword.

Abatement In Sin

It is important to note here that agreeing to evil tantamounts to participation in it. According to the Holy Prophet^-SW if a person witnesses crime and raises a voice in disapproval, it is as if he was not even present there. But if a person physically absent from the scene consents to crime, it is as if he actually participated in it, just as the Jews who reconciled to the assassination of the Prophets^-AS at the hands of their forefathers have become a party to that killing.

Imam Razi^-RUA writes that once a person spoke in favour of the assassination of Hadhrat ‘Uthman^-RAU in the presence of Imam Shibli^-RUA, who declared him as an accomplice to the murder. Hence these partners-in-sin of killing their Prophets^-AS will be condemned to Hell to taste the punishment as they wronged themselves by abetting the crime. And Allaah^-SWT does not wrong anyone ever. All these punishments are embodiments of their sins.

Those who say,... and the Scriptures and the luminous Book.

The Jews argue that Allaah^-SWT had granted all the Prophets^-AS or more specifically Prophet Musa^-AS the miracle whereby whatever was offered in the Cause of Allaah^-SWT was consumed by a fire from the heavens. The Jews said that they were committed to the obedience to their Prophets^-AS. Now the Prophet^-SW of Islam wishes to use the collected charity in the propagation of Islam and for the welfare of poor people so it implies that he^-SW is (Allaah^-SWT forbid) not a Prophet!

Allaah^-SWT tells the Holy Prophet^-SW to inform them that many a miracles had been brought to them by the preceding Prophets^-AS including the ones that they demand now, but they, that is their forefathers, killed those Prophets^-AS. So when they failed to believe in them, how can any miracle manifested today make them accept the truth? Had they been sincere, they would have certainly believed in them. And as every Prophet^-AS commanded his^-AS followers to believe in the last Prophet^-SW, they would have certainly embraced Islam by now. But unfortunately this is not the case. By denying the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet Muhammad^-SW, they have indeed denied the Prophethood of Musa^-AS too. So the Holy Prophet^-SW is comforted by Allaah^-SWT not to be grieved by their misconduct, as they are habitual criminals. They have denied many Prophets^-AS sent before with eminent Divine Scriptures and Books.

Every soul shall taste death,... is a matter of great determination.

Turning away from the truth for materialistic gains is futile, as eventually each individual has to die. This Ayah was revealed when the Holy Prophet^-SW forbade Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddiq^-RAU from killing the Jew who had impudently said Allaah^-SWT is a pauper and we are rich, that is why we are being told to give charity. He^-RAU was about to draw out his^-RAU sword when the Holy Prophet^-SW stopped him^-RAU.

In short, one must be tolerant like Hadhrat Abu Bakr^-RAU over material, personal and social turmoil as well as the verbal impudence of the non-believers. One should for the sake of Allaah^-SWT forego revenge, as a malefactor will only do wrong. If the virtuous also resort to act in the same way how will piety and nobility survive in this world?

Along with patience, the believers are also commanded to observe Taqwa. An attitude of fairness must be adopted to facilitate reformation in both the worlds i.e. to reduce the volume of evil here and to increase the blessings of the Hereafter. And this indeed demands lot of moral courage. Jihad is imperative for the survival of the truth and revival of Islam, but fighting for personal reasons is not Jihad. Jihad is enjoined on the Muslims for the implementation and protection of Din and for the eradication of oppression and demands patience and a sacrifice of personal desires.

And recall when Allaah^-SWT took a bond... Allaah^-SWT has power over everything.

The People of the Book for the sake of vexing the Holy Prophet^-SW and his^-SW followers ignored the Divine Commandments, whereas they were under a pledge to publicise the virtues of the Holy Prophet^-SW, mentioned in their Books, to the people. They were told not only to believe in the last Prophet^-SW but also to invite people towards the truth. But they failed to honour their pledge and for petty interests denied the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet^-SW and concealed his^-SW characteristics given in their Books.

They indeed made a very raw deal. Even if they were to attain all the comforts of the world death awaits them anyway, and they stand deprived of Akhirah, a place of eternal bliss. Instead, they have earned eternal punishments. It is proven here that knowledge must be passed on. If a knowledgeable person resorts to silence and people around him go astray, he will, according to Hadith, be harnessed with fire on the Day of Judgement. Similarly one must not be afraid effacing hardships in the propagation of Islam as all hardships and sorrows will come to an end upon death, which is inevitable for every soul. This Nufus connotes that death will be experienced by all the living beings, whether destined to Paradise or Hell. Besides, the Almighty Allaah^-SWT has also been termed as Being (soul) so will He be included in this literal generalization?

The author of Tafsir-e Kabir argues that it is not so. The term soul pertains to the sentient beings in this world as the Command that follows states “whosoever is saved from Hell and is admitted into Paradise has indeed succeeded.” Besides, soul is something apart from the physical body and its life and this Ayah also proves existence. That it is the one that will taste death. Obviously the one that will remain to taste, will not only exist but will also be equipped with the faculties to taste.

What Is Death?

It is obvious that death is a characteristic of the physical life but not of the incorporeal Spirit. The outcome of worldly life is death followed by requital, which will be far more severe as compared to this world and will be eternal. So the wiser course of action is to plan for that Day. This planning itself is the answer to all temporal tribulations. If the Akhirah is in sight, the troubles encountered in the way of Din appear pleasant, as they will be a source of great rewards there. And anyone who manages to escape the Fire and is admitted into Paradise has indeed won. This blessing will only be attained by the Muslims whether immediately after death or after some admonition. But it is sure that those dying as Muslims will enter Paradise, and will be entitled to eternal comforts. On the other hand a non-believer will be condemned to Hell forever, so what if he acquires all the wealth and treasures in this temporary abode? The comforts of this worldly life will only serve as a source of eternal distress for him, as it is nothing but deception. Besides, Islam is another name of trial for a Muslim, who has to sacrifice life and wealth, or has to face the slanderous campaigns of the heretics! In fact the believers are being warned that they will have to listen to a lot of nonsense from the People of the Book and the polytheists. In other words, insulting the Holy Prophet^-SW and the Companions^-RAU is characteristic of the Jews and the polytheists. This is the situation often faced by the noble people also that the wrongdoers tease them by uttering nonsense, which is more painful than even sacrificing the life and wealth and the most challenging task of the sublime Sufi Path, but the believer is encouraged by Allaah^-SWT to adopt patience and act righteously, which indeed is a very courageous conduct.

Concealing or altering any part of the sayings of the Holy Prophet^-SW is indeed a serious transgression leading to eternal loss. Such criminals shall not rejoice for long. They in fact deceive the public who mistake them as genuine scholars and preachers whereas they seek their own benefits under the cover of Din. The temporary appreciation of the people cannot save such transgressors from Allaah^-SWT's hold and such cheats will be punished grievously in the Akhirah.

This was basically the hallmark of the Jews and the Christian scholars who for their personal gains concealed the truth. But whosoever will follow suit and deceive people in the name of religion will be considered as one of them. Same will be the fate of many a pretenders who promote innovations in the name of Tasawwuf and Suluk and when questioned shamelessly argue that Shari’ah and Tariqah were two different entities. Their sole aim is to gain temporal benefits otherwise Tasawwuf is a serious struggle to follow Shari’ah with humility and awe in letter and in spirit. Similar is the case of those scholars who sell verdicts against the truth for vested interests.

In short, using Din as a stepping stone to worldly success i.e. trading in Din for this world, is a heinous act calling for painful retribution. May Allaah^-SWT protect us! And even if someone succeeds in accumulating heaps of wealth, he will have to leave it behind one day. The kingdom of the heavens and the earth belongs to Allaah^-SWT, Who is Omnipotent. If He Wills He may not allow the traders-in-Din to gain anything out of it or may cause the wealth so acquired to be a source of torture for them. And ultimately everyone has to abandon everything and move on!