Al-Imran (آلِ عِمْرَان)

Surah Al-Imran (Ale-Imran, آل عِمْرَانَ) is the third Surah or chapter in the Holy Quran. The name translates to 'The Family of Imran'. This Surah is quite a long one, with 200 verses or ayahs and 20 Rukus. It is present in the third and fourth Paras/Juz of the Quran. The chapter's name refers to the family of Imran of Joachim. These include Imran, who was probably not a prophet but an honorable man, his wife, and his daughter Hazrat Maryam (رضي الله عنها). Hazrat Maryam (رضي الله عنها) was the mother of Hazrat Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), known as Jesus in Christianity. 

Surah Al-Imran is believed to have three discourses of revelation. The first discourse was from verses 1 to 32 and 64 to 120. These were likely revealed a little after the Battle of Badar. The second discourse, from verses 33 to 63, came down in 9 A.H., on the occasion of a Christian deputation (from Najran) visiting the Prophet (ﷺ). The third was from verses 121 to 200 and was revealed when the Battle of Uhud was over. From this information about the discourses, we may safely interpret that Surah Al-Imran is a Madni Surah. Another name for it is Surah 'Tayyiba,' which refers to how Maryam (رضي الله عنها) is free of sins people accused her of. 

٣ - آلِ عِمْرَان

3 - Al-Imran

الۗمَّۗ۝۱ۙ
Aliflammeem

English

Ahmed Ali

ALIF LAM MIM.

1

اللہُ لَاۗ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا ھُوَ۝۰ۙالْـحَيُّ الْقَيُّوْمُ۝۲ۭ
Allahu la ilaha illa huwa alhayyu alqayyoomu

English

Ahmed Ali

God: there is no god but He, the living, eternal, self-subsisting, ever sustaining.

2

نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتٰبَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْہِ وَاَنْزَلَ التَّوْرٰىۃَ وَالْاِنْجِيْلَ۝۳ۙ
Nazzala AAalayka alkitaba bialhaqqi musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi waanzala alttawrata waalinjeela

English

Ahmed Ali

He has verily revealed to you this Book, in truth and confirmation of the Books revealed before, as indeed He had revealed the Torah and the Gospel

3

مِنْ قَبْلُ ھُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَاَنْزَلَ الْفُرْقَانَ۝۰ۥۭ اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا بِاٰيٰتِ اللہِ لَھُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيْدٌ۝۰ۭ وَاللہُ عَزِيْزٌ ذُو انْتِقَامٍ۝۴
Min qablu hudan lilnnasi waanzala alfurqana inna allatheena kafaroo biayati Allahi lahum AAathabun shadeedun waAllahu AAazeezun thoo intiqamin

English

Ahmed Ali

Before this as guidance for men, and has sent the criterion (of falsehood and truth). As for those who deny the signs of God, the punishment is severe; for God is all powerful and great His requital.

4

اِنَّ اللہَ لَا يَخْفٰى عَلَيْہِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْاَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاۗءِ۝۵ۭ
Inna Allaha la yakhfa AAalayhi shayon fee alardi wala fee alssamai

English

Ahmed Ali

There is nothing in the earth and the heavens that is hidden from God.

5

ھُوَالَّذِيْ يُصَوِّرُكُمْ فِي الْاَرْحَامِ كَيْفَ يَشَاۗءُ۝۰ۭ لَاۗ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا ھُوَالْعَزِيْزُ الْحَكِيْمُ۝۶
Huwa allathee yusawwirukum fee alarhami kayfa yashao la ilaha illa huwa alAAazeezu alhakeemu

English

Ahmed Ali

He shapes you in the womb of the mother as He wills. There is no god but He, the all-mighty and all-wise.

6

ھُوَالَّذِيْۗ اَنْزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتٰبَ مِنْہُ اٰيٰتٌ مُّحْكَمٰتٌ ھُنَّ اُمُّ الْكِتٰبِ وَاُخَرُ مُتَشٰبِہٰتٌ۝۰ۭ فَاَمَّا الَّذِيْنَ فِيْ قُلُوْبِہِمْ زَيْـغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُوْنَ مَا تَشَابَہَ مِنْہُ ابْتِغَاۗءَ الْفِتْنَۃِ وَابْتِغَاۗءَ تَاْوِيْلِہٖ۝۰ۚ۬ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَاْوِيْلَہٗۗ اِلَّا اؙ۝۰ۘؔ وَ الرّٰسِخُوْنَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُوْلُوْنَ اٰمَنَّا بِہٖ۝۰ۙ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنَا۝۰ۚ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ اِلَّاۗ اُولُوا الْاَلْبَابِ۝۷
Huwa allathee anzala AAalayka alkitaba minhu ayatun muhkamatun hunna ommu alkitabi waokharu mutashabihatun faamma allatheena fee quloobihim zayghun fayattabiAAoona ma tashabaha minhu ibtighaa alfitnati waibtighaa taweelihi wama yaAAlamu taweelahu illa Allahu waalrrasikhoona fee alAAilmi yaqooloona amanna bihi kullun min AAindi rabbina wama yaththakkaru illa oloo alalbabi

English

Ahmed Ali

He has sent down this Book which contains some verses that are categorical and basic to the Book, and others allegorical. But those who are twisted of mind look for verses metaphorical, seeking deviation and giving to them interpretations of their own; but none knows their meaning except God; and those who are steeped in knowledge affirm: "We believe in them as all of them are from the Lord." But only those who have wisdom understand.

7

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوْبَنَا بَعْدَ اِذْ ھَدَيْتَنَا وَھَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَّدُنْكَ رَحْمَۃً۝۰ۚ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْوَھَّابُ۝۸
Rabbana la tuzigh quloobana baAAda ith hadaytana wahab lana min ladunka rahmatan innaka anta alwahhabu

English

Ahmed Ali

"Let us not go astray, O Lord, having guided us already. Bestow on us Your blessings for You are the benevolent.

8

رَبَّنَاۗ اِنَّكَ جَامِعُ النَّاسِ لِـيَوْمٍ لَّا رَيْبَ فِيْہِ۝۰ۭ اِنَّ اللہَ لَا يُخْلِفُ الْمِيْعَادَ۝۹ۧ
Rabbana innaka jamiAAu alnnasi liyawmin la rayba feehi inna Allaha la yukhlifu almeeAAada

English

Ahmed Ali

You will gather mankind together, O Lord, on a day that is certain to come, and God does not fail in His promise.

9

اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَنْ تُغْنِىَ عَنْھُمْ اَمْوَالُھُمْ وَلَاۗ اَوْلَادُھُمْ مِّنَ اللہِ شَـيْـــــًٔـا۝۰ۭ وَاُولٰۗىِٕكَ ھُمْ وَقُوْدُ النَّارِ۝۱۰ۙ
Inna allatheena kafaroo lan tughniya AAanhum amwaluhum wala awladuhum mina Allahi shayan waolaika hum waqoodu alnnari

English

Ahmed Ali

As for those who deny, neither their wealth nor their children will help them in the least against God. They shall be but faggots for (the fire of) Hell,

10

Themes and Subject Matter of Surah Al-Imran

Since Surah Al-Imran is a long chapter, it also encompasses several themes and topics. Some of these include:

  • Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) giving testimony regarding Himself.

  • The true religion is only Islam.

  • We have to live and die as Muslims to achieve salvation.

  • The followers of Hazrat Isa عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ during his time were Muslims because they followed the religion sent down by Allah.

  • Hazrat Isa عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ was born without a father; this also shows that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) alone can give life or death to anyone.

  • The Prophet Mohammad (ﷺ) is a prophet of Allah, and no prophets are to be worshiped or regarded as deities.

  • Muslims should not depend upon any nonbelievers to protect them.

  • There are several lessons to learn from the Battle of Uhud, where Muslims suffered great losses due to the hypocrites and saboteurs in their midst.

One major theme of this Surah covers the matter of hypocrites in the Muslim community. After the Muslims of Makkah came to Madinah, some people professed to accept Islam without really doing so. These were the hypocrites who tried their best to undermine the efforts of the Prophet (ﷺ) and weren't willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)‎. Plus, the Muslims were still a new community and were being tested both physically and morally. Surah Al-Imran touches upon how the Battle of Uhud made certain weaknesses apparent. It gave a review of this battle to both warn and educate Muslims about their weak points. Plus, it also provides instruction about how Muslims should plan and reform their strategies for the future. 

Virtues and Benefits of Surah Al-Imran

This Surah has various benefits that can be useful to Muslims. These virtues are backed up by several hadith (both weak and strong) from the Prophet (ﷺ). 

'Abdullah Ibn' Abbas (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) woke up in the middle of the night, rubbed his eyes, and then recited Surah Al-Imran's last 10 verses. He then performed wudhu and started praying. (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 4, Number 183)

According to Imam Al-Nawawi (Rahmatullah Allah), this hadith indicates that reciting these last 10 verses is mustahabb or desirable when one wakes up. There is also an indication that Surah Al-Imran might be able to intercede for the reciter in the next world. 

Abu Umama said he heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say Recite the Qur'an, for on the Day of Resurrection, it will come as an intercessor for those who recite It. Recite the two bright ones, al-Baqara and Surah Al 'Imran, for on the Day of Resurrection, and they will come as two clouds or two shades, or two flocks of birds in ranks, pleading for those who recite them. Recite Surah al-Baqara, for to take recourse to it is a blessing and to give it up is a cause of grief, and the magicians cannot confront it. (Mu'awiya said: It has been conveyed to me that here Batala means magicians.) (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 804a)

There is another Hadith that tells us how Surah Al-Imran is also a kind of supplication for those in debt. If someone is in debt and doesn't have the means to repay it, they should frequently recite verses 26 and 27 of Surah Al-Imran.