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Al-Imran - 3:11
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Allah said next,
كَدَأْبِ الِ فِرْعَوْنَ
Like the Da'b of the people of Fir'awn.
Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn Abbas said that the Ayah means, "Like the behavior of the people of Fir'awn."
This is the same Tafsir of Ikrimah, Mujahid, Abu Malik, Ad-Dahhak, and others.
Other scholars said that the Ayah means, "Like the practice, conduct, likeness of the people of Fir'awn."
These meanings are all plausible, for the Da'b means practice, behavior, tradition and habit.
The Ayah indicates that the disbelievers will not benefit from their wealth or offspring. Rather, they will perish and be punished.
وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ كَذَّبُواْ بِأيَاتِنَا فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ
and those before them; they belied Our Ayat. So Allah punished them for their sins.
This is the same end the people of Fir'awn and the previous nations met, those who rejected the Messengers, the Ayat, and proofs of Allah that they were sent with.
وَاللّهُ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
And Allah is severe in punishment.
meaning, His punishment is severe and His torment is painful. None can escape Allah's grasp, nor does anything escape His knowledge. Allah does what He wills and prevails over all things, it is He to Whom everything is humbled and there is no deity worthy of worship, nor any Lord except Him.
Al-Imran - 3:12
Threatening the Jews With Defeat and Encouraging Them to Learn a Lesson From the Battle of Badr
Allah commands the Prophet Muhammad to;
قُل لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ
Say to those who disbelieve:
Allah commanded the Prophet Muhammad to proclaim to the disbelievers.
سَتُغْلَبُونَ
You will be defeated, (in this life),
وَتُحْشَرُونَ
And gathered together, (on the Day of Resurrection),
إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ وَبِيْسَ الْمِهَادُ
to Hell, and worst indeed is that place of rest.
Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar recorded that Asim bin Umar bin Qatadah said that; when the Messenger of Allah gained victory in the battle of Badr and went back to Al-Madinah, he gathered the Jews in the marketplace of Bani Qaynuqa.
Al-Imran - 3:13
Therefore, Allah said,
قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ ايَةٌ
There has already been a sign for you,
meaning, O Jews, who said what you said! You have an Ayah, meaning proof, that Allah will make His religion prevail, award victory to His Messenger, make His Word apparent and His religion the highest.
فِي فِيَتَيْنِ
In the two armies,
meaning, two camps,
الْتَقَتَا
that met,
in combat (in Badr).
فِيَةٌ تُقَاتِلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ
One was fighting in the Cause of Allah, (the Muslims),
وَأُخْرَى كَافِرَةٌ
And as for the other, in disbelief.
meaning, the idolators of Quraysh at Badr.
Allah's statement,
يَرَوْنَهُم مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْيَ الْعَيْنِ
They saw them with their own eyes twice their number,
means, the idolators thought that the Muslims were twice as many as they were, for Allah made this illusion a factor in the victory that Islam had over them.
It was said that the meaning of Allah's statement,
يَرَوْنَهُم مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْيَ الْعَيْنِ
(They saw them with their own eyes twice their number),
is that the Muslims saw twice as many idolators as they were, yet Allah gave them victory over the disbelievers.
Abdullah bin Mas'ud said, "When we looked at the disbelievers' forces, we found that they were twice as many as we were. When we looked at them again, we thought they did not have one man more than we had. So Allah's statement,
وَإِذْ يُرِيكُمُوهُمْ إِذِ الْتَقَيْتُمْ فِى أَعْيُنِكُمْ قَلِيلً وَيُقَلِّلُكُمْ فِى أَعْيُنِهِمْ
And (remember) when you met, He showed them to you as few in your eyes and He made you appear as few in their eyes."
(8:44)
When the two camps saw each other, the Muslims thought that the idolators were twice as many as they were, so that they would trust in Allah and seek His help. The idolators thought that the believers were twice as many as they were, so that they would feel fear, horror, fright and despair. When the two camps stood in lines and met in battle, Allah made each camp look smaller in the eyes of the other camp, so that they would be encouraged to fight each other,
لِّيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْراً كَانَ مَفْعُولاً
so that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained.
(8:42),
meaning, so that the truth and falsehood are distinguishable, and thus the word of faith prevails over disbelief and deviation, so that the believers prevail and the disbelievers are humiliated.
In a similar statement, Allah said;
وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍ وَأَنتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌ
And Allah has already made you victorious at Badr, when you were a weak little force.
(3:123)
In this Ayah Allah said,
وَاللّهُ يُوَيِّدُ بِنَصْرِهِ مَن يَشَاء إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لاَُّوْلِي الَابْصَارِ
And Allah supports with His victory whom He wills. Verily, in this is a lesson for those who understand.
meaning, this should be an example for those who have intelligence and sound comprehension. They should contemplate about Allah's wisdom, decisions and decree, that He gives victory to His believing servants in this life and on the Day the witnesses stand up to testify.
Al-Imran - 3:14
The True Value of This Earthly Life
Allah says;
زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاء وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَاطِيرِ الْمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالَانْعَامِ وَالْحَرْثِ
Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, Qanatir Al-Muqantarah of gold and silver, branded beautiful horses (Musawwamah), cattle and fertile land.
Allah mentions the delights that He put in this life for people, such as women and children, and He started with women, because the test with them is more tempting.
For instance, the Sahih recorded that the Messenger said,
مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدِي فِتْنَةً أَضَرَّ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ مِنَ النِّسَاء
I did not leave behind me a test more tempting to men than women.
When one enjoys women for the purpose of having children and preserving his chastity, then he is encouraged to do so.
There are many Hadiths that encourage getting married, such as,
وَإِنَّ خَيْرَ هذِهِ الاْإُمَّةِ مَنْ كَانَ أَكْثَرَهَا نِسَاء
Verily, the best members of this Ummah are those who have the most wives.
He also said,
الدُّنْيَا مَتَاعٌ وَخَيْرُ مَتَاعِهَا الْمَرْأَةُ الصَّالِحَة
This life is a delight, and the best of its delight is a righteous wife.
The Prophet said in another Hadith,
حُبِّبَ إِلَيَّ النِّسَاءُ وَالطِّيبُ وَجُعِلَتْ قُرَّةُ عَيْنِي فِي الصَّلَة
I was made to like women and perfume, and the comfort of my eye is the prayer.
Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "Nothing was more beloved to the Messenger of Allah than women, except horses," and in another narration, "...than horses except women."
The desire to have children is sometimes for the purpose of pride and boasting, and as such, is a temptation. When the purpose for having children is to reproduce and increase the Ummah of Muhammad with those who worship Allah alone without partners, then it is encouraged and praised.
A Hadith states,
تَزَوَّجُوا الْوَدُودَ الْوَلُودَ فَإِنِّي مُكَاثِرٌ بِكُمُ الاُْمَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة
Marry the Wadud (kind) and Walud (fertile) woman, for I will compare your numbers to the rest of the nations on the Day of Resurrection.
The desire of wealth sometimes results out of arrogance, and the desire to dominate the weak and control the poor, and this conduct is prohibited. Sometimes, the want for more money is for the purpose of spending it on acts of worship, being kind to the family, the relatives, and spending on various acts of righteousness and obedience; this behavior is praised and encouraged in the religion.
Scholars of Tafsir have conflicting opinions about the amount of the Qintar, all of which indicate that; the Qintar is a large amount of money, as Ad-Dahhak and other scholars said.
Abu Hurayrah said, "The Qintar is twelve thousand Uwqiyah, each Uwqiyah is better than what is between the heavens and earth."
This was recorded by Ibn Jarir.
The desire to have horses can be one of three types.
Sometimes, owners of horses collect them to be used in the cause of Allah, and when warranted, they use their horses in battle. This type of owner shall be rewarded for this good action.
Another type collects horses to boast, and out of enmity to the people of Islam, and this type earns a burden for his behavior.
Another type collects horses to fulfill their needs and to collect their offspring, and they do not forget Allah's right due on their horses.
This is why in this case, these horses provide a shield of sufficiency for their owner, as evident by a Hadith that we will mention, Allah willing, when we explain Allah's statement,
وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُمْ مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ
And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war.
(8:60)
As for the Musawwamah horses, Ibn Abbas said that; they are the branded, beautiful horses.
This is the same explanation of Mujahid, Ikrimah, Sa'id bin Jubayr, Abdur-Rahman bin Abdullah bin Abza, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi bin Anas and Abu Sinan and others.
Makhul said, the Musawwamah refers to the horse with a white spotted faced, and the horse with white feet.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah said,
لَيْسَ مِنْ فَرَسٍ عَرَبِيَ إِلاَّ يُوْذَنُ لَهُ مَعَ كُلِّ فَجْرٍ يَدْعُو بِدَعْوَتَيْنِ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ خَوَّلْتَنِي مِنْ بَنِي ادَمَ فَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ أَحَبِّ مَالِهِ وَأَهْلِهِ إِلَيْهِ أَوْ أَحَبَّ أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ إِلَيْه
Every Arabian horse is allowed to have two supplications every dawn, and the horse supplicates, 'O Allah! You made me subservient to the son of Adam. Therefore, make me among the dearest of his wealth and household to him, or, make me the dearest of his household and wealth to him.
Allah's statement,
وَالَانْعَامِ
Cattle,
means, camels, cows and sheep.
.
وَالْحَرْثِ
And fertile land,
meaning, the land that is used to farm and grow plants.
Allah then said,
ذَلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا
This is the pleasure of the present world's life,
meaning, these are the delights of this life and its short lived joys.
وَاللّهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَأبِ
But Allah has the excellent return with Him.
meaning, the best destination and reward.
Al-Imran - 3:15
The Reward of the Those Who Have Taqwa is Better Than All Joys of This World
This is why Allah said,
قُلْ أَوُنَبِّيُكُم بِخَيْرٍ مِّن ذَلِكُمْ
Say:"Shall I inform you of things far better than those!"
This Ayah means, "Say, O Muhammad, to the people, 'Should I tell you about what is better than the delights and joys of this life that will soon perish!"'
Allah informed them of what is better when He said,
لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الَانْهَارُ
For those who have Taqwa there are Gardens (Paradise) with their Lord, underneath which rivers flow,
meaning, rivers run throughout it.
These rivers carry various types of drinks:honey, milk, wine and water such that no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no heart has ever imagined.
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا
Therein (is their) eternal (home),
meaning, they shall remain in it forever and ever and will not want to be removed from it.
وَأَزْوَاجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ
And Azwajun Mutahharatun (purified mates or wives),
meaning, from filth, dirt, harm, menstruation, post birth bleeding, and other things that affect women in this world.
وَرِضْوَانٌ مِّنَ اللّهِ
And Allah will be pleased with them.
meaning, Allah's pleasure will descend on them and He shall never be angry with them after that. This is why Allah said in in Surah Bara'ah,
وَرِضْوَنٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ
But the pleasure of Allah is greater.
(9:72)
meaning, greater than the eternal delight that He has granted them.
Allah then said,
وَاللّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ
And Allah is All-Seer of the (His) servants.
and, He gives each provisions according to what they deserve.
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