ALIF LAM MIM.
Alif-Laam-Meem. (Alphabets of the Arabic language; Allah and to whomever He reveals, know their precise meanings.)
Alif Lam Mim
Alif. Lam. Mim.
Alif, Lam, Mim,
Alif-Lam-Mim. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings].
Alif, Lam, Meem.
Alif, Lam, Mim.
Alif-Lam-Mim.
Alim. Lam. Mim.
Alif, Lam, Mim.
AlifLaamMeem.
Alif, Lam, Meem.
Alif. Lam. Mim.
Alif Lam Mim.
Alifl<u>a</u>mmeem
Alif Lam Mim.
A. L. M.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ الٓمٓ
Alif Lām Mīm – the placement of such letters has been discussed at the beginning of Sūrah Al-Baqarah. They indicate the inability of the Arabs to bring a Qur’ān like this one despite the fact that it is composed of letters similar to the ones at the beginning of this Sūrah, which also form the parts of their own speech.
Alif Lām Mīm – the placement of such letters has been discussed at the beginning of Sūrah Al-Baqarah. They indicate the inability of the Arabs to bring a Qur’ān like this one despite the fact that it is composed of letters similar to the ones at the beginning of this Sūrah, which also form the parts of their own speech.
<p>This is the first section of Surah 'A1-` Imran, the third Surah of the Holy Qur'an. It will be recalled that at the end of the Surah Al-Fatihah a prayer for guidance to the straight path was made. After that, by be-ginning the Surah Al-Baqarah with الم ﴿1﴾ ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَ‌يْبَ فِيهِ (This Book which has no doubt in it), it was pointed out that the prayer made in Su-rah Al-Fatihah for guidance to the straight path has been accepted and Allah Almighty has sent down this Qur'an which provides guidance to the straight path. Then came many injunctions of the Islamic law taken up briefly or in details. As a corollary to this, frequent mention was made of the hostility of the disbelievers and the need to confront them. Towards the end, this sequence was concluded with (Help us, then, against disbelieving people) - in the mode of prayer. Since the prayer was made in order that Muslims could confront and prevail over the disbelievers, it was in consonance with that prayer that, in the following Surah 'Al-` Imran, the text deals with the modalities of dealing with disbelievers, as well as, with the need to carry out Jihad against them, verbally and physically. This is, so to speak, an elaboration and extension of فَانصُرْ‌نَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِ‌ينَ (Help us, then, against disbelieving people).</p><p>A Summary of Meanings</p><p>These first five verses of Surah 'Al-` Imran explain the doctrine of توحید tauhid, the Oneness of Allah, which is the basic point of difference between Islam and other religions and between a disbeliever and a true Muslim. Those who believe in the Oneness of Allah (and in all His prophets (علیہم السلام) are Muslims and those who do not so believe are known as disbelievers or non-Muslims.</p><p>Tauhid توحید a consistent belief preached by all prophets (علیہم السلام)</p><p>Verse 2 gives a reported proof in some detail. The agreement of a large number of people on a certain principle from the very beginning of humanity may be taken as a natural proof of its reality, if they belong to different times and places, having no means of communicating with each other.</p><p>Keeping this in view, we see that Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) was the first prophet who presented the message of توحید tauhid before human beings. That the message would remain effective after him through his progeny is not difficult to conceive. But, after a passage of time when the ways of the progeny of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) shifted away from the original message, there comes Sayyidna Nuh (Noah) (علیہ السلام) who calls people towards the same principle. After a long passage of time, Sayyidna Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq and Yaqub (علیہم السلام) born in Iraq and Syria rise with the same call. Then follow Sayyidna Musa, Harun and other prophets (علیہم السلام) in that order who all subscribe to the same principle of توحید tauhid and invite people to the same. Then, after another long passage of time, Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) rises with the same call. In the end, it is Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ who graces the world with the common call of all prophets.</p><p>This is the golden chain of prophets from Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) to the Last of the Prophets (علیہم السلام) upto whose time some one hundred and twenty four thousand blessed prophets were born in different periods, speaking different languages, living in different countries. A11 of them told and taught the same truth. Most of them did not even have the chance to meet each other. They were in an age when, communication through writing was not in vogue, which could make it possible for one prophet to have access to the books and writings of another and might help him to pick up the call of the earlier prophets as his own. Instead, what happened is that everyone from among them appeared centuries apart from each other, and had no source of information about other prophets, except the revelation received by him from Allah Almighty. The consensus of such a large group of persons consisting of not less than one hundred and twenty four thousand men of different times and places may be enough for establishing the principle, even regardless of their intrinsic trustworthiness. But when one looks at the personal qualities of the noble prophets, and at the highest possible standards of truth and justice set by them, one has to believe that their message is true and their call authentic.</p><p>It is narrated in some ahadith that some Christians came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and engaged him in a conversation about religion. The Holy Prophet ﷺ ، by the will of Allah, presented these two verses as arguments confirming the Oneness of Allah. The Christians had no answer to refute them.</p><p>Lastly, while referring to the absolute power and wisdom of Allah Almighty, verse 6 invites one's attention to the fact that Allah shapes all men and women in the wombs of their mothers according to His supreme wisdom which has created billions of men and women with clear distinguishable features establishing the identity of each individual distinct from all others. He is, therefore, the only One who should be worshipped.</p>
This is the first section of Surah 'A1-` Imran, the third Surah of the Holy Qur'an. It will be recalled that at the end of the Surah Al-Fatihah a prayer for guidance to the straight path was made. After that, by be-ginning the Surah Al-Baqarah with الم ﴿1﴾ ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَ‌يْبَ فِيهِ (This Book which has no doubt in it), it was pointed out that the prayer made in Su-rah Al-Fatihah for guidance to the straight path has been accepted and Allah Almighty has sent down this Qur'an which provides guidance to the straight path. Then came many injunctions of the Islamic law taken up briefly or in details. As a corollary to this, frequent mention was made of the hostility of the disbelievers and the need to confront them. Towards the end, this sequence was concluded with (Help us, then, against disbelieving people) - in the mode of prayer. Since the prayer was made in order that Muslims could confront and prevail over the disbelievers, it was in consonance with that prayer that, in the following Surah 'Al-` Imran, the text deals with the modalities of dealing with disbelievers, as well as, with the need to carry out Jihad against them, verbally and physically. This is, so to speak, an elaboration and extension of فَانصُرْ‌نَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِ‌ينَ (Help us, then, against disbelieving people).A Summary of MeaningsThese first five verses of Surah 'Al-` Imran explain the doctrine of توحید tauhid, the Oneness of Allah, which is the basic point of difference between Islam and other religions and between a disbeliever and a true Muslim. Those who believe in the Oneness of Allah (and in all His prophets (علیہم السلام) are Muslims and those who do not so believe are known as disbelievers or non-Muslims.Tauhid توحید a consistent belief preached by all prophets (علیہم السلام)Verse 2 gives a reported proof in some detail. The agreement of a large number of people on a certain principle from the very beginning of humanity may be taken as a natural proof of its reality, if they belong to different times and places, having no means of communicating with each other.Keeping this in view, we see that Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) was the first prophet who presented the message of توحید tauhid before human beings. That the message would remain effective after him through his progeny is not difficult to conceive. But, after a passage of time when the ways of the progeny of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) shifted away from the original message, there comes Sayyidna Nuh (Noah) (علیہ السلام) who calls people towards the same principle. After a long passage of time, Sayyidna Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq and Yaqub (علیہم السلام) born in Iraq and Syria rise with the same call. Then follow Sayyidna Musa, Harun and other prophets (علیہم السلام) in that order who all subscribe to the same principle of توحید tauhid and invite people to the same. Then, after another long passage of time, Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) rises with the same call. In the end, it is Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ who graces the world with the common call of all prophets.This is the golden chain of prophets from Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) to the Last of the Prophets (علیہم السلام) upto whose time some one hundred and twenty four thousand blessed prophets were born in different periods, speaking different languages, living in different countries. A11 of them told and taught the same truth. Most of them did not even have the chance to meet each other. They were in an age when, communication through writing was not in vogue, which could make it possible for one prophet to have access to the books and writings of another and might help him to pick up the call of the earlier prophets as his own. Instead, what happened is that everyone from among them appeared centuries apart from each other, and had no source of information about other prophets, except the revelation received by him from Allah Almighty. The consensus of such a large group of persons consisting of not less than one hundred and twenty four thousand men of different times and places may be enough for establishing the principle, even regardless of their intrinsic trustworthiness. But when one looks at the personal qualities of the noble prophets, and at the highest possible standards of truth and justice set by them, one has to believe that their message is true and their call authentic.It is narrated in some ahadith that some Christians came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and engaged him in a conversation about religion. The Holy Prophet ﷺ ، by the will of Allah, presented these two verses as arguments confirming the Oneness of Allah. The Christians had no answer to refute them.Lastly, while referring to the absolute power and wisdom of Allah Almighty, verse 6 invites one's attention to the fact that Allah shapes all men and women in the wombs of their mothers according to His supreme wisdom which has created billions of men and women with clear distinguishable features establishing the identity of each individual distinct from all others. He is, therefore, the only One who should be worshipped.
<h2 class="title">Which was revealed in Al-Madina</h2><p>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.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ </div><p>In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful </p><p>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,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ </div><p>(Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists) and,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الم١اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ  </div><p>(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.)</p><p>We also explained the Tafsir of,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الم </div><p>(Alif-Lam-Mim) in the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah, and the meaning of,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ </div><p>(Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa, Al-Hayyul-Qayyum) in the Tafsir of Ayat Al-Kursi. Allah's statement,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَـبَ بِالْحَقِّ</div><p>(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,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مُصَدِّقاً لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ</div><p>(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 prophethood and the revelation of the Glorious Qur'an.</p><p>Allah said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَنزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ</div><p>(And He sent down the Tawrah) to Musa (Musa) son of `Imran,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالإِنجِيلَ</div><p>(And the Injil), to `Isa, son of Mary,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مِن قَبْلُ</div><p>(Aforetime) meaning, before the Qur'an was revealed,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ</div><p>(As a guidance to mankind) in their time.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَنزَلَ الْفُرْقَانَ</div><p>(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.</p><p>Allah's statement,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِأيَـتِ اللَّهِ</div><p>(Truly, those who disbelieve in the Ayat of Allah) means they denied, refused and unjustly rejected them,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ</div><p>(For them there is a severe torment) on the Day of Resurrection,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ</div><p>(And Allah is All-Mighty) meaning, His grandeur is invincible and His sovereignty is infinite,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ذُو انتِقَامٍ</div><p>(All-Able of Retribution.) from those who reject His Ayat and defy His honorable Messengers and great Prophets.</p>
Which was revealed in Al-MadinaSurah 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 الرَّحِيمِ In 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 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.