Surah 3

And how would you disbelieve, while unto you are recited the Verses of Allâh, and among you is His Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)? And whoever holds firmly to Allâh, (i.e. follows Islâm - Allâh’s Religion, and obeys all that Allâh has ordered, practically), then he is indeed guided to the Right Path.

O you who believe! Fear Allâh (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islâm [as Muslims (with complete submission to Allâh)].

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allâh (i.e. this Qur’ân), and be not divided among yourselves[20], and remember Allâh’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islâmic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allâh makes His Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided.

Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islâm), enjoining Al-Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islâm has forbidden). And it is they who are the successful.

And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them. It is they for whom there is an awful torment.

On the Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) when some faces will become white and some faces will become black; as for those whose faces will become black (to them will be said): "Did you reject Faith after accepting it? Then taste the torment (in Hell) for rejecting Faith."

And for those whose faces will become white, they will be in Allâh’s Mercy (Paradise), therein they shall dwell forever.

These are the Verses of Allâh: We recite them to you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) in truth, and Allâh wills no injustice to the ‘Âlamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

And to Allâh belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And all matters go back (for decision) to Allâh.

You [true believers in Islâmic Monotheism, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his Sunnah] are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islâm has forbidden), and you believe in Allâh[21]. And had the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) believed, it would have been better for them; among them are some who have faith, but most of them are Al-Fâsiqûn (disobedient to Allâh - and rebellious against Allâh’s Command).

They will do you no harm, barring a trifling annoyance; and if they fight against you, they will show you their backs, and they will not be helped.

Indignity is put over them wherever they may be, except when under a covenant (of protection) from Allâh, and from men; they have drawn on themselves the Wrath of Allâh, and destruction is put over them. This is because they disbelieved in the Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allâh and killed the Prophets without right. This is because they disobeyed (Allâh) and used to transgress beyond bounds (in Allâh’s disobedience, crimes and sins).

Not all of them are alike; a party of the people of the Scripture stand for the right, they recite the Verses of Allâh during the hours of the night, prostrating themselves in prayer.

They believe in Allâh and the Last Day; they enjoin Al-Ma‘rûf (Islâmic Monotheism, and following Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) and forbid Al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief and opposing Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم); and they hasten in (all) good works; and they are among the righteous.

And whatever good they do, nothing will be rejected of them; for Allâh knows well those who are Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - See V.2:2).

Surely, those who reject Faith (disbelieve in Allâh and in Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) as being Allâh’s Messenger and in all that which he صلى الله عليه وسلم has brought from Allâh), neither their properties, nor their offspring will avail them aught against Allâh. They are the dwellers of the Fire, therein they will abide. (Tafsir At-Tabarî).

The likeness of what they spend in this world is the likeness of a wind which is extremely cold; it struck the harvest of a people who did wrong against themselves and destroyed it, (i.e. the good deed of a person is only accepted if he is a monotheist and believes in all the Prophets of Allâh, including the Christ عليه السلام and Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم). Allâh wronged them not, but they wronged themselves.

O you who believe! Take not as (your) Bitânah (advisors, consultants, protectors, helpers, friends) those outside your religion (pagans, Jews, Christians, and hypocrites) since they will not fail to do their best to corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse. Indeed We have made plain to you the Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses) if you understand.

Lo! You are the ones who love them but they love you not, and you believe in all the Scriptures [i.e. you believe in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), while they disbelieve in your Book, the Qur’ân]. And when they meet you, they say, "We believe." But when they are alone, they bite the tips of their fingers at you in rage. Say: "Perish in your rage. Certainly, Allâh knows what is in the breasts (all the secrets)."

If a good befalls you, it grieves them, but if some evil overtakes you, they rejoice at it. But if you remain patient and become Al-Muttaqûn [the pious - See V.2:2], not the least harm will their cunning do to you. Surely, Allâh surrounds all that they do.