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Tafsir

Scholarly commentary explaining a verse — its context, its meaning and how the scholars have understood it.

Ali 'Imran 3:4

Word by word

مِن قَبْلُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَنزَلَ ٱلْفُرْقَانَ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٍ

Before, as guidance for the people. And He revealed the Criterion [i.e., the Qur’ān]. Indeed, those who disbelieve in the verses of Allāh will have a severe punishment, and Allāh is Exalted in Might, the Owner of Retribution.

Ibn Kathir (Abridged) English Ma'arif al-Qur'an English Tafsir Muyassar Arabic Tafsir Ibn Kathir Arabic All sources

Ibn Kathir (Abridged)

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Which was revealed in Al-Madina

Surah Al `Imran was revealed in Al-Madinah, as evident by the fact that the first eighty-three Ayat in it relate to the delegation from Najran that arrived in Al-Madinah on the ninth year of Hijrah (632 CE). We will elaborate on this subject when we explain the Ayah about the Mubahalah 3:61 in this Surah, Allah willing. We should also state that we mentioned the virtues of Surah Al `Imran along with the virtues of Surat Al-Baqarah in the beginning of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah.بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِIn the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

We mentioned the Hadith in the Tafsir of Ayat Al-Kursi 2:255 that mentions that Allah's Greatest Name is contained in these two Ayat,اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ(Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists) and,الم١اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ(Alif-Lam-Mim. Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists.)We also explained the Tafsir of,الم(Alif-Lam-Mim) in the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah, and the meaning of,اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ(Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa, Al-Hayyul-Qayyum) in the Tafsir of Ayat Al-Kursi. Allah's statement,نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَـبَ بِالْحَقِّ(It is He Who has sent down the Book to you with truth, ) means, revealed the Qur'an to you, O Muhammad, in truth, meaning there is no doubt or suspicion that it is revealed from Allah.

Verily, Allah revealed the Qur'an with His knowledge, and the angels testify to this fact, Allah is sufficient as a Witness. Allah's statement,مُصَدِّقاً لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ(Confirming what came before it) means, from the previous divinely revealed Books, sent to the servants and Prophets of Allah. These Books testify to the truth of the Qur'an, and the Qur'an also testifies to the truth these Books contained, including the news and glad tidings of Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood and the revelation of the Glorious Qur'an.

Allah said,وَأَنزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ(And He sent down the Tawrah) to Musa (Musa) son of `Imran,وَالإِنجِيلَ(And the Injil), to `Isa, son of Mary,مِن قَبْلُ(Aforetime) meaning, before the Qur'an was revealed,هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ(As a guidance to mankind) in their time.وَأَنزَلَ الْفُرْقَانَ(And He sent down the criterion) which is the distinction between misguidance, falsehood and deviation on one hand, and guidance, truth and piety on the other hand. This is because of the indications, signs, plain evidences and clear proofs that it contains, and because of its explanations, clarifications, etc.

Allah's statement,إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِأيَـتِ اللَّهِ(Truly, those who disbelieve in the Ayat of Allah) means they denied, refused and unjustly rejected them,لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ(For them there is a severe torment) on the Day of Resurrection,وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ(And Allah is All-Mighty) meaning, His grandeur is invincible and His sovereignty is infinite,ذُو انتِقَامٍ(All-Able of Retribution.) from those who reject His Ayat and defy His honorable Messengers and great Prophets.

Ma'arif al-Qur'an

Mufti Muhammad Shafi

Verse 3 which follows carries the reported proof of the Oneness of Allah. Briefly stated, it means that the principle of توحید tauhid as de-scribed in the Holy Qur'an is not something peculiar to the Qur'an or the Prophet of Islam. On the contrary, Allah Almighty has sent Scrip-tures such as the Torah and the Injil, and His prophets, in earlier times. And this was they all professed and this was they all brought as the message. When the Qur'an came, it simply confirmed their truth. It did not present any new claim which could pose problems for people in its understanding or acceptance.

The last two verses further fortify the doctrine of توحید tauhid on the ground that the attributes of encompassing knowledge and unlimited power are strong proofs of His being the One who possesses the eternal, and all-encompassing knowledge and whose power controls every-thing, and that He is the only One who rightly deserves to be wor-shipped. Anyone having imperfect knowledge and limited power can-not be entrusted with this exalted station.(1.) Whenever the Holy Qur'an speaks of the 'Torah and the Injil' it refers to the original books revealed to the prophets Moses and Jesus (علیہ السلام) . This should not, therefore, be confused. With the present Old and New testaments.

Tafsir Muyassar

Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Saudi Arabia

نَزَّل عليك القرآن بالحق الذي لا ريب فيه، مصدِّقًا لما قبله من كتب ورسل، وأنزل التوراة على موسى علبه السلام، والإنجيل على عيسى عليه السلام من قبل نزول القرآن؛ لإرشاد المتقين إلى الإيمان، وصلاح دينهم ودنياهم، وأنزل ما يفرق بين الحق والباطل. والذين كفروا بآيات الله المنزلة، لهم عذاب عظيم. والله عزيز لا يُغَالَب، ذو انتقام بمن جحد حججه وأدلته، وتفرُّده بالألوهية.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

( من قبل ) أي : من قبل هذا القرآن . ) هدى للناس ) أي : في زمانهما ( وأنزل الفرقان ) وهو الفارق بين الهدى والضلال ، والحق والباطل ، والغي والرشاد ، بما يذكره الله تعالى من الحجج والبينات ، والدلائل الواضحات ، والبراهين القاطعات ، ويبينه ويوضحه ويفسره ويقرره ، ويرشد إليه وينبه عليه من ذلك .وقال قتادة والربيع بن أنس : الفرقان هاهنا القرآن . واختار ابن جرير أنه مصدر هاهنا ، لتقدم ذكر القرآن في قوله : ( نزل عليك الكتاب بالحق مصدقا لما بين يديه ) وهو القرآن . وأما ما رواه ابن أبي حاتم عن أبي صالح أن المراد هاهنا بالفرقان : التوراة فضعيف أيضا ، لتقدم ذكرها ، والله أعلموقوله تعالى : ( إن الذين كفروا بآيات الله ) أي : جحدوا بها وأنكروها ، وردوها بالباطل ( لهم عذاب شديد ) أي : يوم القيامة ) والله عزيز ) أي : منيع الجناب عظيم السلطان ) ذو انتقام ) أي : ممن كذب بآياته وخالف رسله الكرام ، وأنبياءه العظام .

Tafsir is provided for educational reference. Paragraph breaks are added for readability — the wording of each commentary is unchanged. For religious guidance, consult a qualified scholar.