3. Aal-E-Imran (The Family Of 'Imran, The House Of 'Imran) |
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Maududi's Introduction |
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This Surah takes its name from v. 33. Al-i-Imran, like the names of
many other surahs, is merely a name to distinguish it from other surahs
and does not imply that the family of Imran has been discussed in it.
This Surah consists of four discourses The first discourses :-
The first discourse (vv. 1-32)
was probably revealed soon after the Battle of Badr.
The second
discourse (vv. 33-63) was revealed in 9 A. H. on the occasion of the
visit of the deputation from the Christians of Najran.
The third
discourse (vv. 64-120) appears to have been revealed immediately after
the first one.
The fourth discourse (vv. 121-200) was revealed after
the Battle of Uhd.
Though these discourses were revealed at different periods and on
different occasions, they are so inter-linked and so inter-connected
iii regard to their aim, object and central theme that they make
together one continuous whole. This Surah has been especially addressed
to two groups-the people of the Book (the Jews and the Christians) and
the followers of Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him).
The message has
been extended to the Jews and the Christians in continuation of the
invitation in Al-Baqarah, in which they have been admonished for their
erroneous beliefs and evil morals and advised to accept, as a remedy,
the Truth of the Quran. They have been told here that Muhammad
(Allah's peace be, upon him) taught the same right way of life that
had been preached by their own Prophets; that it alone was the Right
Way, the way of Allah; hence any deviation from it will be wrong even
according to their own Scriptures.
The second group, the Muslims, who
had been declared to be the best Community in Al-Baqarah and appointed
torch-bearers of the Truth and entrusted with the responsibility of
reforming the world, have been given additional instructions in
continuation of those given in the preceding Surah. The Muslims have
been warned to learn a lesson from the religious and moral
degeneration of the former communities and to refrain from treading in
their footsteps. Instructions have also been given about the
reformative work they had to perform. Besides this, they have been
taught how to deal with the people of the Book and the hypocrites who
were putting different kinds of hindrances in the way of Allah. Above
all, they have been warned to guard against those weaknesses which had
come to the surface in the Battle Uhd.
The following is the background of the Surah:
Subject: GuidanceThis Surah is the sequel to, Al-Baqarah and the invitation therein is continued to the people of the Book. In Al- Baqarah the Jews were pointedly invited to accept the Guidance and in this Surah the Christians have particularly been admonished to give up their erroneous beliefs and accept the Guidance of the Quran. At the same time, the Muslims have been instructed to nourish the virtues that may enable them to carry out their obligations and spread the Divine Guidance. Topics and their InterconnectionIn these introductory verses, the fundamental truths about Allah, Revelation and Life-after-death have been reiterated to serve as fitting preliminaries, leading to the main topics discussed in the Surah. 1 - 32 This discourse is particularly addressed to the Christians and invites them to accept Islam. It clears Jesus and his mother not only from the stigma maliciously set upon them by the Jews, but also refutes the erroneous Christian creed of the Divinity of Jesus which had been formulated because of his miraculous birth. For this purpose the instances of John the Baptist to a barren woman and an extremely aged man and that of Adam without father and mother have been cited to show that there is nothing in the birth of Jesus without a father to entitle him to Divinity. 33 - 65 In these verses the people of the Book, the Jews, have been invited to give up their sinister ways and accept the divine Guidance. At the same time the Muslims have been warned to be on their guard against their malicious intentions, erroneous ways and absurd objections. 66 - 101 The Muslims have been instructed to learn lessons from the history of the people of the Book and also to guard themselves against their machinations, and to prepare and train themselves to establish virtue and eradicate evil. 102 - 120 In this portion, a review of the Battle of Uhd has been mad to teach and reassure the Muslims that the machinations of their enemies could do them no harm, if they would practise restraint and fortitude and have fear of Allah. It has been pointed out that the set-back they had suffered was due to the lack of some moral qualities and the existence of some evils. Since the main cause of the defeat was the greed of the archers, guarding the pass, the taking of interest has been prohibited to eradicate this evil. 121 - 175 The main theme of the verses 109 - 120 has been resumed to reassure and encourage the Muslims against the dangerous plots of their enemies. 175 - 189 This is the conclusion of the Surah and is not directly connected with the verses immediately preceding it but with the theme of the Surah as a whole. 190 - 200 |
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