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Al-Imran - 3:31
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Allah's Love is Attained by Following the Messenger
Allah says;
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ
Say (O Muhammad to mankind):"If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e. Muhammad), Allah will love you,
This honorable Ayah judges against those who claim to love Allah, yet do not follow the way of Muhammad. Such people are not true in their claim until they follow the Shariah (Law) of Muhammad and his religion in all his statements, actions and conditions.
It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said,
مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلً لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَد
Whoever commits an act that does not conform with our matter (religion), then it will be rejected of him.
This is why Allah said here,
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ
Say (O Muhammad to mankind):"If you (really) love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you...,"
meaning, what you will earn is much more than what you sought in loving Him, for Allah will love you.
Al-Hasan Al-Basri and several scholars among the Salaf commented, "Some people claimed that they love Allah. So Allah tested them with this Ayah;
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ
(Say (O Muhammad to mankind):"If you (really) love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you...")."
Allah then said,
وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
"And forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
meaning, by your following the Messenger, you will earn all this with the blessing of his mission.
Al-Imran - 3:32
Allah next commands everyone,
قُلْ أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ
Say:"Obey Allah and the Messenger." But if they turn away,
by defying the Prophet,
فَإِنَّ اللّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْكَافِرِينَ
then Allah does not like the disbelievers.
thus, testifying that defiance of the Messenger's way constitutes Kufr.
Indeed, Allah does not like whoever does this, even if he claims that he loves Allah and seeks a means of approach to Him, unless, and until, he follows the unlettered Prophet, the Final Messenger from Allah to the two creations: mankind and the Jinn.
This is the Prophet who, if the previous Prophets and mighty Messengers were to have been alive during his time, they would have no choice but to follow, obey him, and to abide by his Law. Allah willing, we will mention this fact when we explain the Ayah,
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللّهُ مِيثَاقَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ
(And (remember) when Allah took the Covenant of the Prophets).
(3:81 )
Al-Imran - 3:33
The Chosen Ones Among the People of the Earth
Allah says;
إِنَّ اللّهَ اصْطَفَى ادَمَ وَنُوحًا وَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَالَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
Allah chose Adam, Nuh (Noah), the family of Ibrahim and the family of Imran above the nations.
Al-Imran - 3:34
ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُهَا مِن بَعْضٍ وَاللّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Offspring, one of the other, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
Allah states that He has chosen these households over the people of the earth.
For instance, Allah chose Adam, created him with His Hand and blew life into him. Allah commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam, taught him the names of everything and allowed him to dwell in Paradise, but then sent him down from it out of His wisdom.
Allah chose Nuh and made him the first Messenger to the people of the earth, when the people worshipped idols and associated others with Allah in worship. Allah avenged the way Nuh was treated, for he kept calling his people day and night, in public and in secret, for a very long time. However, his calling them only made them shun him more, and this is when Nuh supplicated against them. So Allah caused them to drown, and none among them was saved, except those who followed the religion that Allah sent to Nuh.
Allah also chose the household of Ibrahim, including the master of all mankind, and the Final Prophet, Muhammad, peace be upon him.
Allah also chose the household of Imran, the father of Maryam bint Imran, the mother of 'Isa, peace be upon them. So 'Isa is from the offspring of Ibrahim, as we will mention in the Tafsir of Surah Al-An'am, Allah willing, and our trust is in Him.
Al-Imran - 3:35
The Story of Maryam's Birth
Allah tells;
إِذْ قَالَتِ امْرَأَةُ عِمْرَانَ
(Remember) when the wife of Imran said:
The wife of Imran mentioned here is the mother of Maryam, and her name is Hannah bint Faqudh.
Muhammad bin Ishaq mentioned that Hannah could not have children and that one day, she saw a bird feeding its chick. She wished she could have children and supplicated to Allah to grant her offspring. Allah accepted her supplication, and when her husband slept with her, she became pregnant. She vowed to make her child concentrate on worship and serving Bayt Al-Maqdis (the Masjid in Jerusalem), when she became aware that she was pregnant.
She said,
رَبِّ إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لَكَ مَا فِي بَطْنِي مُحَرَّرًا فَتَقَبَّلْ مِنِّي إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
O my Lord! I have vowed to You what is in my womb to be dedicated for Your services, so accept this from me. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knowing.
meaning, You hear my supplication and You know my intention. She did not know then what she would give birth to, a male or a female.
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