English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Chapter 3: Āl Imran — The Family of Amran (Revealed at Madinah: 20 sections, 200 verses)
Section 15 (Verses 3:144–3:148): Sufferings to be met with Perseverance
Translation:
وَ مَا مُحَمَّدٌ اِلَّا رَسُوۡلٌ ۚ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِنۡ قَبۡلِہِ الرُّسُلُ ؕ اَفَا۠ئِنۡ مَّاتَ اَوۡ قُتِلَ انۡقَلَبۡتُمۡ عَلٰۤی اَعۡقَابِکُمۡ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّنۡقَلِبۡ عَلٰی عَقِبَیۡہِ فَلَنۡ یَّضُرَّ اللّٰہَ شَیۡئًا ؕ وَ سَیَجۡزِی اللّٰہُ الشّٰکِرِیۡنَ ﴿۱۴۴﴾
3:144 And Muhammad is but a messenger — messengers have already passed away before him. If then he dies or is killed, will you turn back upon your heels?1 And he who turns back upon his heels will do no harm at all to Allah. And Allah will reward the grateful.
وَ مَا کَانَ لِنَفۡسٍ اَنۡ تَمُوۡتَ اِلَّا بِاِذۡنِ اللّٰہِ کِتٰبًا مُّؤَجَّلًا ؕ وَ مَنۡ یُّرِدۡ ثَوَابَ الدُّنۡیَا نُؤۡتِہٖ مِنۡہَا ۚ وَ مَنۡ یُّرِدۡ ثَوَابَ الۡاٰخِرَۃِ نُؤۡتِہٖ مِنۡہَا ؕ وَ سَنَجۡزِی الشّٰکِرِیۡنَ ﴿۱۴۵﴾
3:145 And no soul can die but with Allah’s permission — the term is fixed. And whoever desires the reward of this world, We give him of it, and whoever desires the reward of the Hereafter, We give him of it. And We shall reward the grateful.
وَ کَاَیِّنۡ مِّنۡ نَّبِیٍّ قٰتَلَ ۙ مَعَہٗ رِبِّیُّوۡنَ کَثِیۡرٌ ۚ فَمَا وَہَنُوۡا لِمَاۤ اَصَابَہُمۡ فِیۡ سَبِیۡلِ اللّٰہِ وَ مَا ضَعُفُوۡا وَ مَا اسۡتَکَانُوۡا ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ یُحِبُّ الصّٰبِرِیۡنَ ﴿۱۴۶﴾
3:146 And how many a prophet has fought, with whom were many worshippers of the Lord. So they did not lose heart on account of what befell them in Allah’s way, nor did they weaken, nor did they disgrace themselves. And Allah loves the steadfast.
وَ مَا کَانَ قَوۡلَہُمۡ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ قَالُوۡا رَبَّنَا اغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوۡبَنَا وَ اِسۡرَافَنَا فِیۡۤ اَمۡرِنَا وَ ثَبِّتۡ اَقۡدَامَنَا وَ انۡصُرۡنَا عَلَی الۡقَوۡمِ الۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ ﴿۱۴۷﴾
3:147 And their cry was only that they said: Our Lord, grant us protection from our sins and our extravagance in our affair, and make firm our feet and grant us victory over the disbelieving people.
فَاٰتٰىہُمُ اللّٰہُ ثَوَابَ الدُّنۡیَا وَ حُسۡنَ ثَوَابِ الۡاٰخِرَۃِ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ یُحِبُّ الۡمُحۡسِنِیۡنَ ﴿۱۴۸﴾٪
3:148 So Allah gave them the reward of the world and a good reward of the Hereafter. And Allah loves the doers of good (to others).
Commentary:
- The Prophet received severe wounds in the battle of Uhud; there was even a rumour that he was killed. Even if the Prophet were killed, Islam was so far superior to all forms of faith that the Muslims could not give up Islam. This verse served another important purpose at the death of the Prophet. Some of the Companions thought that he was not dead. Abu Bakr went in, and seeing that life had departed, ascended the pulpit and read this verse, which had a magical effect upon his hearers, all of them being convinced that the Prophet had passed away, as all prophets had passed away before him. The prophets were but mortals, and their span of mortal life must no doubt terminate like that of other mortals. This verse affords a conclusive proof that Jesus was also dead; otherwise Abu Bakr’s argument could not have silenced the doubters of the Prophet’s death. ↩