آلِ عِمْرَان ١
- الٓمٓ Alif Lam Mim
Alif lām Mīm.
Ali Imran (Keluarga Imran)
(Alif laam miim), Allah yang lebih tahu akan maksudnya.
Tafsir Surat Ali-'Imran: 1-4
Alif Lam Mim.
Allah, tidak ada Tuhan melainkan Dia Yang Hidup kekal lagi terus-menerus mengurus (makhluk-Nya).
Dia menurunkan Al-Kitab (Al-Qur'an) kepadamu (Muhammad) yang mengandung kebenaran; membenarkan kitab yang telah diturunkan sebelumnya dan menurunkan Taurat serta Injil.
Sebelumnya (Al-Qur'an), menjadi petunjuk bagi manusia, dan Dia menurunkan Al-Furqan. Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang kafir terhadap ayat-ayat Allah akan memperoleh azab yang berat; dan Allah Maha Perkasa lagi mempunyai balasan (azab) yang berat.
Ayat 1-2
Kami menyebutkan sebuah hadits yang menerangkan bahwa asma Allah yang teragung ada di dalam kedua ayat berikut, yaitu firman-Nya:
“Allah, tidak ada Tuhan melainkan Dia Yang Hidup kekal lagi terus-menerus mengurus (makhluk-Nya).” (Al-Baqarah: 255)
Dan firman-Nya: “Alif Lam Mim. Allah, tidak ada Tuhan melainkan Dia Yang Hidup kekal lagi terus-menerus mengurus (makhluk-Nya).” (Ali Imran: 1-2)
Yaitu dalam tafsir ayat Kursi. Dalam pembahasan yang lalu, yaitu dalam permulaan surat Al-Baqarah telah disebutkan tafsir Alif Lam Mim. Jadi, hal ini tidak perlu diulangi lagi. Dalam tafsir ayat Kursi telah kami sebutkan pula pembahasan mengenai firman-Nya: “Allah, tidak ada Tuhan melainkan Dia Yang Hidup kekal lagi terus-menerus mengurus (makhluk-Nya).” (Al-Baqarah: 255)
Ayat 3
Adapun firman Allah ﷻ: “Dia menurunkan Al-Kitab (Al-Qur'an) kepadamu (Muhammad) yang mengandung kebenaran.” (Ali Imran: 3)
Maksudnya, Dialah yang menurunkan Al-Qur'an kepadamu, wahai Muhammad, dengan kebenaran. Yakni tidak ada kebimbangan dan tidak ada keraguan padanya, melainkan ia benar-benar diturunkan dari sisi Allah. Dia menurunkannya dengan sepengetahuan-Nya, sedangkan para malaikat menyaksikannya; dan cukuplah Allah sebagai saksi.
Firman Allah ﷻ: “Membenarkan kitab yang telah diturunkan sebelumnya.” (Ali Imran: 3)
Yakni kitab-kitab sebelum Al-Qur'an yang diturunkan dari langit buat hamba-hamba Allah dan para nabi. Kitab-kitab tersebut membenarkan Al-Qur'an melalui apa yang diberitakannya dan apa yang disiarkannya sejak zaman dahulu kala.
Begitu pula sebaliknya, Al-Qur'an membenarkan kitab-kitab tersebut, karena Al-Qur'an sesuai dengan apa yang diberitakan oleh kitab-kitab tersebut yang isinya antara lain membawa berita gembira yang sangat besar, yaitu janji Allah yang akan mengutus Nabi Muhammad ﷺ dan menurunkan Al-Qur'an yang agung kepadanya.
Firman Allah ﷻ: “Dan menurunkan Taurat.” (Ali Imran: 3)
Yakni kepada Musa ibnu Imran.
“Dan kitab Injil.” (Ali Imran: 3)
Yaitu kepada Isa ibnu Maryam a.s.
Ayat 4
“Sebelumnya.” (Ali Imran: 4)
Yakni sebelum Al-Qur'an.
“Menjadi petunjuk bagi manusia.” (Ali Imran: 4)
Maksudnya, sebagai petunjuk buat mereka di zamannya masing-masing.
“Dan Dia menurunkan Al-Furqan.” (Ali Imran: 4)
Yaitu yang membedakan antara hidayah dan kesesatan, antara yang benar dengan yang batil, jalan yang menyimpang dan jalan yang lurus, melalui apa yang disebutkan oleh Allah ﷻ berupa hujah-hujah (argumen), keterangan-keterangan, dan dalil-dalil yang jelas serta bukti-bukti yang akurat. Allah ﷻ menerangkannya, menjelaskannya, menafsirkannya, menetapkannya, dan memberi petunjuk kepadanya serta mengingatkannya.
Qatadah dan Ar-Rabi' ibnu Anas mengatakan, yang dimaksud dengan Al-Furqan dalam ayat ini ialah Al-Qur'an.
Ibnu Jarir memilih pendapat yang mengatakan bahwa Al-Furqan dalam ayat ini adalah bentuk masdar dari Al-Qur'an, mengingat sebelumnya disebutkan Al-Qur'an, yaitu di dalam firman-Nya: “Dia menurunkan Al-Kitab (Al-Qur'an) kepadamu (Muhammad) yang mengandung kebenaran.” (Ali Imran: 3) Yang dimaksud dengan Al-Kitab adalah Al-Qur'an.
Adapun mengenai apa yang diriwayatkan oleh Ibnu Abu Hatim, dari Abu Saleh, bahwa yang dimaksud dengan Al-Furqan dalam ayat ini ialah kitab Taurat merupakan pendapat yang lemah, mengingat sebelumnya telah disebutkan Taurat.
Firman Allah ﷻ: “Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang kafir terhadap ayat-ayat Allah.” (Ali Imran: 4)
Yakni ingkar dan ragu terhadapnya serta menentangnya dengan kebatilan.
“Mereka akan memperoleh azab yang berat.” (Ali Imran: 4)
Yaitu kelak di hari kiamat.
“Dan Allah Maha Perkasa.” (Ali Imran: 4)
Yakni Zat Yang Maha Perkasa lagi Maha Besar kekuasaan-Nya.
“Lagi mempunyai balasan (azab).” (Ali Imran: 4)
Yakni terhadap orang-orang yang mendustakan ayat-ayat-Nya, menentang rasul-rasul-Nya dan nabi-nabi-Nya.
Alif Laam Miim. Huruf-huruf hijaiah ini juga menunjukkan kemukjizatan Al-Qur'an, sebab di situ terkandung tantangan kepada orangorang musyrik untuk mendatangkan yang serupa dengannya. Satu hal yang tidak pernah bisa mereka lakukan, dan tidak akan pernah ada seorang pun yang bisa melakukannya, padahal ayat Al-Qur'an terdiri atas rangkaian huruf-huruf yang biasa digunakan dalam bahasa Arab, dan mereka yang hidup pada saat itu sedang berada pada puncak kemahiran berbahasa. Dialah Allah, tidak ada tuhan yang pantas disembah selain Dia, Yang Mahahidup dengan segala kesempurnaan yang sesuai dengan keagungan-Nya, Yang terus-menerus secara sempurna dan berkesinambungan mengurus dan memenuhi kebutuhan makhluk-Nya.
Alif Lam Mim termasuk huruf-huruf muqaththa'ah (singkatan) yang terletak pada permulaan beberapa surah Al-Qur'an. Para mufasir berbeda pendapat tentang maksud huruf-huruf itu, selanjutnya lihat masalah ini pada judul "Fawatihus-suwar" pada permulaan jilid I tafsir ini.
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SURAH AALI ‘IMRAAN
(KELUARGA IMRAN)
SURAH KE-3, 200 AYAT, DITURUNKAN DI MADINAH
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim
“Alif-Lam-Mim."
(ayat 1)
Sebagai kebiasaan kita, arti dari huruf-huruf ini kita serahkan saja kepada ilmu Allah Ta'aala.
“Allah, tidak ada Tuhan selain Dia."
(pangkal ayat 2)
Tunggal Dia dalam kekuasaan dan kebe-saran-Nya, tidak Ia beranak dan tiada Ia diperanakkan, dan tidak ada yang menyerupai atau menandingi Dia sesuatu jua pun. Tidak ada yang patut disembah dan dipuja, hanyalah Dia saja.
“Yang Berdiri Sendiri-Nya."
(ujung ayat 2)
Mustahil bersekutu yang lain dengan Dia sebab yang lain itu adalah makhluk dan ciptaan-Nya belaka. Tidaklah masuk di akal bahwa Allah itu tiga di dalam satu ataupun satu di dalam tiga, atau beranak.
“Dia telah menurunkan kepada engkau."
(pangkal ayat 3)
Ditujukan-Nya firman-Nya kepada utusan-Nya, “Sebuah kitab dengan kebenaran," yaitu kebenaran yang dapat diuji dan dibanding, yang datang dari Allah, disampaikan oleh Malaikat utusan Allah yang bernama Jibril, yang kadang-kadang disebut juga Ruhul Qudus.
“Menyetujui (isi kitab) yang ada di hadapannya." Dijelaskan lagi, “Dan Dia telah menurunkan Taurat dan Injil."
(ujung ayat 3)
“Terlebih dahulu."
(pangkal ayat 4)
Yaitu bahwa sebelum kitab Al-Qur'an itu diturunkan kepada rasul-Nya yang penghabisan, Muhammad ﷺ, terlebih dahulu telah diturunkan pula Taurat dan Injil. Al-Qur'an yang diturunkan kepada Muhammad ﷺ membenarkan atau mengakui isi wahyu dari kedua kitab itu. Semua kitab itu, Taurat dan Injil serta Al-Qur'an, semuanya diturunkan dari alam gaib yang tertinggi di dalam alam syahadah kita ini. Disebut “diturunkan" sebab maqam Ilahi adalah maqam yang mulia. Sedangkan perintah raja yang disampaikan kepada rakyat yang diperintahnya disebut juga perintah baginda telah turun, padahal tempat raja bersemayam bukanlah di atas gunung, sedangkan rakyat bukanlah di dalam lurah.
“Petunjuk bagi manusia" Artinya, segala kitab suci yang diturunkan dari maqam yang mulia itu, baik Taurat maupun Injil ataupun Al-Qur'an, bertujuan satu saja, yaitu memberi petunjuk dan bimbingan bagi manusia, terutama bagaimana supaya mereka kenal hubungan mereka dengan Allah, al-Khaliq, Pencipta alam dan Pencipta Manusia, supaya manusia itu dapat berbakti kepada-Nya."Dan Dia turunkan al-Furqan" Al-Furqan diambil dari kata al-farq, artinya pembatas, pembeda, penyisihkan di antara yang benar dan yang salah, yang hak dan yang batil, jalan yang lurus dengan jalan yang bengkok berbelit-belit. Oleh sebab itu, Al-Qur'an sendiri pun disebut juga al-Furqan, bahkan Taurat pun disebut juga al-Furqan.
Menurut tafsir Ibnu Jarir, yang dimaksud dengan al-furqan di sini ialah akal manusia sendiri. Artinya, rasul-rasul diutus, kitab-kitab diturunkan dan buat menampung wahyu Ilahi itu, manusia pun diberi akal buat membedakan yang benar dari yang salah. Oleh sebab itu, dengan adanya al-furqan, akal itu, jika manusia menganut suatu kepercayaan, hendaklah yang benar-benar sesuai dengan akal mereka sendiri. Sedang wahyu yang datang dari Allah pun tidak mungkin berbeda dari inti sari akal murni itu. Maka, kedatangan rasul-rasul dan turunnya kitab-kitab adalah menuntun al-furqan manusia atau akal murni manusia tadi, di dalam menuju keridhaan Allah. Tidak mungkin orang yang teratur caranya berpikir akan menolak kebenaran Allah. Sebab itu, berkata Allah pada lanjutan ayat, “Sesungguhnya, orang-orang yang tidak mau percaya kepada ayat-ayat Allah, hagi mereka adzabyang sangatAdzab itu ada dua macam, pertama adzab dunia, yaitu adzab kekacauan pikiran, adzab karena tidak dapat memper-bedakan di antara buruk dan baik, adzab hidup yang sebagai “menghasta kain sarung", ber-putar-putar di sana-sana juga, tidak bertemu ujung, dan adzab yang kedua ialah di akhirat.
Maka, kalau ada orang yang tidak mau percaya kejadian itu, durhakalah dia kepada Allah dan padamlah suluh akalnya yang murni. Sebab itu, tersiksalah dia, di dunia dengan kekacauan pikiran dan di akhirat dengan siksaan neraka."Dan Allah adalah Mahagagah." Berlaku seluruh apa yang Dia kehendaki, tidak ada siapa-siapa pun yang sanggup menghalangi dan tidak ada siapa-siapa pun yang dapat memerintah Allah supaya Allah menuruti apa yang dia kehendaki.
"Mempunyai siksaan, “
(ujung ayat 4)
kepada setiap orang yang mencoba menentang Allah.
“Sesungguhnya, Allah, itu, tidak ada yang tersembunyi atas-Nya sesuatu jua pun di langit dan di bumi."
(ayat 5)
Tidaklah seorang jua pun makhluk yang dapat menandingi, menyamai, atau mendekati sekalipun kekuasaan dan pengetahuan yang mahaluas. Dan, ini sudah suatu bayangan kepada utusan Najran bahwasanya Isa al-Masih, makhluk dan utusan Allah itu, pun tidaklah mempunyai pengetahuan seluas itu, meliputi seluruh langit dan bumi sebab dia bukan Tuhan.
“Dialah yang memberimu rupa di dalam kandungan-kandungan sebagaimana yang dikekendaki-Nya'"
(pangkal ayat 6)
Sudah beribu-ribu tahun manusia ditakdirkan-Nya hidup dalam dunia ini, sudah beribu juta manusia yang mati dan 3.000.000.000 (tiga miliar) manusia yang ada sekarang, dan ini pun akan mati dan akan datang lagi berjuta-juta manusia sampai Hari Kiamat, tetapi tidak ada dua orang yang serupa, baik bentuk muka atau bunyi suara maupun sidik jari (rajah tangan). Semuanya itu Dia yang telah membentuknya, sejak lagi di alam rahim ibu, bahkan sejak lagi masih setetes mani. Tidak ada kekuasaan lain yang menandingi itu dan tidak pun Isa al-Masih sebab dia hanya makhluk. "Tidak ada Tuhan melainkan Dia, Yang Gagah Perkasa" Sehingga dari kegagahperkasaan-Nya manusia pun lahir ke dunia tidaklah atas kehendak manusia itu sendiri. Mau ataupun tidak mau mesti lahir.
“Yang Bijaksana."
(ujung ayat 6)
sehingga selama hayat manusia masih dikandung badannya, tersedialah dengan cukup penyambutan atas hidupnya.
Dengan inilah Allah memberikan persediaan atas Rasul-Nya menyambut utusan-utusan dari Najran, pun guna menetapkan dasar dari tauhid pegangan manusia. Dijelaskan terlebih dahulu bahwa rasul-rasul datang adalah dalam satu rangka tujuan dan kitab-kitab diturunkan pun untuk maksud yang sama. Sebab itu, Islam mengakui adanya Taurat dan adanya Injil, bersama adanya Al-Qur'an.
"Tafsir of Surah Ali Imran
Allah says,
الم
Alif-Lam-Mim,
in the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah, we discussed the meaning of the separate letters that appear in the beginnings of some Surahs.
اللّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ
Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists.
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,
اللّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ
(Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists) (2:255) and (3:2)
We also explained the Tafsir of, Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa, Al-Hayyul-Qayyum, in the Tafsir of Ayat Al-Kursi.
Allah's statement
نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ 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,
وَالاِنجِيلَ
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 بِأيَاتِ اللّهِ
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).
وَاللّهُ 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.
Allah says;
إِنَّ اللّهَ لَا يَخْفَىَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الَارْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاء
Truly, nothing is hidden from Allah, in the earth or in the heaven.
Allah states that He has perfect knowledge in the heavens and earth and that nothing in them is hidden from His watch.
هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَوِّرُكُمْ فِي الَارْحَامِ كَيْفَ يَشَاء
He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He wills.
meaning, He creates you in the wombs as He wills, whether male or female, handsome or otherwise, happy or miserable.
لَا إِلَـهَ إِلااَّ هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Almighty, the All-Wise.
meaning, He is the Creator and thus is the only deity worthy of worship, without partners, and His is the perfect might, wisdom and decision.
This Ayah refers to the fact that `Isa, son of Mary, is a created servant, just as Allah created the rest of mankind. Allah created `Isa in the womb (of his mother) and shaped him as He willed. Therefore, how could `Isa be divine, as the Christians, may Allah's curses descend on them, claim `Isa was created in the womb and his creation changed from stage to stage, just as Allah said,
يَخْلُقُكُمْ فِى بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـتِكُـمْ خَلْقاً مِّن بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ فِى ظُلُمَـتٍ ثَلَـثٍ
He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation in three veils of darkness. (39:6)
The Mutashabihat and Muhkamat Ayat
Allah said,
هُوَ الَّذِيَ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ ايَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ
It is He Who has sent down to you the Book. In it are verses that are entirely clear,
Allah states that in the Qur'an, there are Ayat that are Muhkamat, entirely clear and plain, and these are the foundations of the Book which are plain for everyone.
And there are Ayat in the Qur'an that are Mutashabihat not entirely clear for many, or some people. So those who refer to the Muhkam Ayat to understand the Mutashabih Ayat, will have acquired the correct guidance, and vice versa.
This is why Allah said,
هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ
They are the foundations of the Book,
meaning, they are the basis of the Qur'an, and should be referred to for clarification, when warranted.
وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ
And others not entirely clear,
as they have several meanings, some that agree with the Muhkam and some that carry other literal indications, although these meaning might not be desired.
The Muhkamat are the Ayat,
that explain the abrogating rulings, the allowed, prohibited, laws, limits, obligations and rulings that should be believed in and implemented.
As for the Mutashabihat Ayat,
they include the abrogated Ayat, parables, oaths, and what should be believed in, but not implemented.
Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar commented on,
مِنْهُ ايَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ
(In it are verses that are entirely clear) as,
""Containing proof of the Lord, immunity for the servants and a refutation of opponents and of falsehood. They cannot be changed or altered from what they were meant for.""
He also said,
""As for the unclear Ayat, they can (but must not) be altered and changed, and this is a test from Allah to the servants, just as He tested them with the allowed and prohibited things. So these Ayat must not be altered to imply a false meaning or be distorted from the truth.""
Therefore, Allah said,
فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ في قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ
So as for those in whose hearts there is a deviation,
meaning, those who are misguided and deviate from truth to falsehood.
فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ
they follow that which is not entirely clear thereof,
meaning, they refer to the Mutashabih, because they are able to alter its meanings to conform with their false interpretation since the wordings of the Mutashabihat encompass such a wide area of meanings.
As for the Muhkam Ayat, they cannot be altered because they are clear and, thus, constitute unequivocal proof against the misguided people.
This is why Allah said,
ابْتِغَاء الْفِتْنَةِ
seeking Al-Fitnah,
meaning, they seek to misguide their following by pretending to prove their innovation by relying on the Qur'an -- the Mutashabih of it -- but, this is proof against and not for them.
For instance, Christians might claim that (`Isa is divine because) the Qur'an states that he is Ruhullah and His Word, which He gave to Mary, all the while ignoring Allah's statements,
إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ
(He (`Isa) was not more than a servant. We granted Our favor to him.) (43:59) and,
إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَى عِندَ اللّهِ كَمَثَلِ ادَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرَابٍ ثِمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ
Verily, the likeness of `Isa before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him:""Be!"" and he was. (3:59)
There are other Ayat that clearly assert that `Isa is but one of Allah's creatures and that he is the servant and Messenger of Allah, among other Messengers.
Allah's statement,
وَابْتِغَاء تَأْوِيلِهِ
And seeking for its Ta'wil,
to alter them as they desire.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Aishah said,
""The Messenger of Allah recited,
هُوَ الَّذِيَ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ ايَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ
(It is He Who has sent down to you the Book. In it are verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book; and others not entirely clear), until,
أُوْلُواْ الاألْبَابِ
(Men of understanding) and he said,
فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الَّذِين يُجَادِلُونَ فِيهِ فَهُمُ الَّذِينَ عَنَى اللهُ فَاحْذَرُوهُم
When you see those who argue in it (using the Mutashabihat), then they are those whom Allah meant. Therefore, beware of them.""
Al-Bukhari recorded a similar Hadith in the Tafsir of this Ayah (3:7) as did Muslim in the book of Qadar (the Divine Will) in his Sahih, and Abu Dawud in the Sunnah section of his Sunan, from Aishah;
""The Messenger of Allah recited this Ayah,
هُوَ الَّذِيَ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ ايَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ
(It is He Who has sent down to you the Book. In it are verses that are entirely clear), until,
وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلاَّ أُوْلُواْ الالْبَابِ
(And none receive admonition except men of understanding). He then said,
فَإِذَا رَأَيْتِ الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ فَأُوليِكَ الَّذِينَ سَمَّى اللهُ فَاحْذَرُوهُم
When you see those who follow what is not so clear of the Qur'an, then they are those whom Allah described, so beware of them.""
This is the wording recorded by Al-Bukhari.
Only Allah Knows the True Ta'wil (Interpretation) of the Mutashabihat
Allah said,
وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلاَّ اللّهُ
But none knows its Ta'wil except Allah.
Similarly, as preceded in what has been reported from Ibn Abbas,
""Tafsir is of four types:
Tafsir that the Arabs know in their language;
Tafsir that no one is excused of being ignorant of;
Tafsir that the scholars know; and
Tafsir that only Allah knows.""
Scholars of Qur'an recitation have different opinions about pausing at Allah's Name in this Ayah. This stop was reported from Aishah, Urwah, Abu Ash-Sha`tha' and Abu Nahik.
Some pause after reciting,
وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ
(And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge), saying that the Qur'an does not address the people with what they cannot understand.
Ibn Abi Najih said that Mujahid said that Ibn Abbas said,
""I am among those who are firmly grounded in its Ta'wil interpretation.""
The Messenger of Allah supplicated for the benefit of Ibn Abbas,
اللَّهُمَّ فَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ وَعَلِّمْهُ التَّأْوِيل
O Allah! Bestow on him knowledge in the religion and teach him the Ta'wil (interpretation).
Ta'wil has two meanings in the Qur'an,
the true reality of things, and
what they will turn out to be.
For instance, Allah said,
وَقَالَ يأَبَتِ هَـذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُوْيَـى مِن قَبْلُ
And he said:""O my father! This is the Ta'wil of my dream aforetime!"" (12:100)
and,
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلاَّ تَأْوِيلَهُ يَوْمَ يَأْتِى تَأْوِيلُهُ
Await they just for it's Ta'wil On the Day (Day of Resurrection) it's Ta'wil is finally fulfilled. (7:53)
refers to the true reality of Resurrection that they were told about.
If this is the meaning desired in the Ayah above (3:7) then pausing after reciting Allah's Name is warranted, because only Allah knows the true reality of things.
In this case, Allah's statement,
وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ
(And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge) is connected to His statement,
يَقُولُونَ امَنَّا بِهِ
(say:""We believe in it"").
If the word Ta'wil means the second meaning, that is, explaining and describing, such as what Allah said,
نَبِّيْنَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِ
((They said):""Inform us of the Ta'wil of this""), (12:36) meaning its explanation, then pausing after reciting,
وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ
(And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge) is warranted. This is because the scholars have general knowledge in, and understand what they were addressed with, even though they do not have knowledge of the true reality of things. Therefore, Allah's statement,
يَقُولُونَ امَنَّا بِهِ
(say:""We believe in it"") describes the conduct of the scholars.
Similarly, Allah said,
وَجَأءَ رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفّاً صَفّاً
And your Lord comes, and the angels, in rows. (89:22)
means, your Lord will come, and the angels will come in rows.
Allah's statement that the knowledgeable people proclaim,
يَقُولُونَ امَنَّا بِهِ
We believe in it,
means, they believe in the Mutashabih.
كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا
all of it is from our Lord,
meaning, both the Muhkam and the Mutashabih are true and authentic, and each one of them testifies to the truth of the other. This is because they both are from Allah and nothing that comes from Allah is ever met by contradiction or discrepancy.
Allah said,
أَفَلَ يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْءَانَ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُواْ فِيهِ اخْتِلَـفاً كَثِيراً
Do they not then consider the Qur'an carefully! Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein many a contradiction. (4:82)
Allah said in this Ayah,
وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلاَّ أُوْلُواْ الالْبَابِ
And none receive admonition except men of understanding.
meaning, those who have good minds and sound comprehension, understand, contemplate and comprehend the meaning in the correct manner.
Further, Ibn Al-Mundhir recorded in his Tafsir that Nafi` bin Yazid said,
""Those firmly grounded in knowledge are those who are modest for Allah's sake, humbly seek His pleasure, and do not exaggerate regarding those above them, or belittle those below them.""
Allah said that they supplicate to their Lord.
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا
Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us.
meaning, ""Do not deviate our hearts from the guidance after You allowed them to acquire it. Do not make us like those who have wickedness in their hearts, those who follow the Mutashabih in the Qur'an. Rather, make us remain firmly on Your straight path and true religion.""
وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ
And grant us from Ladunka,
meaning, from You,
رَحْمَةً
Mercy,
with which You make our hearts firm, and increase in our Faith and certainty,
إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ
Truly, You are the Bestower.
Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir recorded that Umm Salamah said that the Prophet used to supplicate,
يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِك
O You Who changes the hearts, make my heart firm on Your religion.
He then recited,
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ
""Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower.""
The Ayah continues,
رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ جَامِعُ النَّاسِ لِيَوْمٍ لاَّ رَيْبَ فِيهِ
""Our Lord! Verily, it is You Who will gather mankind together on the Day about which there is no doubt""
meaning, they say in their supplication:O our Lord! You will gather Your creation on the Day of Return, judge between them and decide over what they disputed about. Thereafter, You will reward or punish each according to the deeds they did in this life.
إِنَّ اللّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ
Verily, Allah never breaks His Promise."
Aali 'Imran (the Family of Amram)
Medinese: [consisting of] 200 or 199 verses, and revealed after [soorat] al-Anfaal.
Alif Laam Meem: God knows best what He means by these [letters].
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 Meanings
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.
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.
