The Holy Quran–Chapter 3 (The Family of Imran)

This is also quite a long one. The first verse is “Alim. Lam. Mim”, which are basically 3 arabic letters. This seems to be quite a common pattern for the first verse, however, nobody actually knows what they mean.

One of the first interesting parts of this is 3:7, which says that some parts of the scripture are clear revelations and that others are allegorical. Sadly, it also says that nobody knows what the allegorical parts mean except Allah.

Next there’s a bit more about how Allah is severe in punishment and that disbelievers (like Pharoah’s folk) will be sent to hell (3:11). There’s also a bit of a carrot, in gardens with rivers flowing underneath where they will have pure companions (3:15). This is followed by a bit more about the evil people who turn away or disbelieve Allah and will therefore enjoy a painful doom (3:21). This is a theme that is repeated quite a lot.

The story of Imran turns out to be the story of Mary and Jesus. Apparently, Allah prefers Adam, Noah, the Family of Abraham and the Family of Imran above all his creatures (3:33). I don’t even know who Imran is, except that is says they were all descendents of each other. Apparently Imran’s wife when she was pregnant offered her child as an offering for Allah (3:35). The child was a female called Mary and Allah promised to keep her safe. Zachariah is appointed as Mary’s guardian. One day he found that she already had some food, which apparently came from Allah (3:37). Zachariah prayed and some angels came and told him that he’d have a son . He asked how that was possible when he was an old man and his wife was barren (3:40). The angel told him not to worry, Allah will figure it out. They told him not to speak for 3 days.

The angels then told Mary that Allah has preferred her over all the other woman, and tell her to be obedient and prostrate herself. The angels then told Mary (3:45) that she would have s son “whose name is the Messiah, Jesus”. She asked how that was possible when she was a virgin and was told that Allah will figure it out (3:47). The angels also mention that Allah will teach Jesus “the Scripture and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel” (3:48), which is interesting considering the gospels didn’t exist at this point (before Jesus was even born. It says that Allah will make Jesus a messenger to the children of Israel and that he will tell them that he can make a clay bird and breathe into it to bring it alive as a sign from the lord. I don’t remember seeing this anywhere in the Bible? It also says that Jesus will confirm some of the Torah and will relax some of the rules from the Torah.

Allah promises to chastise heavily those who don’t believe in Jesus (3:56). Allah created Jesus the same way he created Adam (from dust, apparently). There follows a bunch of exhortations of people to believe in the scripture (after all, Abraham believed, why don’t you?), and finally we get back again to the painful doom that awaits those who disbelieve. “Their doom will not be lightened, neither will they be reprieved” (3:88). Then there is a little bit more asking how people can possibly disbelieve in Allah when he is all knowing etc.

On the day of judgement apparently the faces of the believers will be whitened and the faces of the disbelievers will be blackened. Those with white faces will dwell with Allah forever, while the black faces will taste Allah’s punishment (3:106-7).

There are a few passages about not being friends with non-muslims. For instance, 3:118 which says they will try to ruin you and 3:28, which says that muslims should not prefer non-muslim friends.

I gather that at some point, Muhammad must have had an issue with people fleeing from battle. There are a large number of verses that seem designed to strengthen and encourage soldiers:

• “When two parties of you almost fell away, and Allah was their protecting Friend” (3:122)
• “Allah had already given you the victory at Badr, when ye were contemptible. So observe your duty to Allah in order that ye may be thankful.” (3:123)
• Allah helped them out with three thousand angels (3:124), and then promises that if they persevere and get attacked, he’ll send five thousand (3:125)
• “Allah ordained this only as a message of good cheer for you, and that thereby your hearts might be at rest - Victory cometh only from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise” (3:126)
• “Faint not nor grieve, for ye will overcome them if ye are (indeed) believers” (3:139)
• “And with how many a prophet have there been a number of devoted men who fought (beside him). They quailed not for aught that befell them in the way of Allah, nor did they weaken, nor were they brought low. Allah loveth the steadfast” (3:146)
• In a battle, the tide went against the muslims and their courage failed them and they fled. But that was Allah’s doing, he was just testing and then he forgave them (3:152)
• Some soldiers climbed the hill and ignored everyone while the messenger behind them was calling on them to fight. They were thinking that it wasn’t their cause but Muhammad told them it was Allah’s cause. They also were thinking that if their comrades hadn’t been part of the cause, they wouldn’t have been killed. But Muhammad told them that even if they had been at home, they would have died anyway. (3:153-154,168)
• It was Satan who caused the the soldiers to flee, but Allah has now forgiven them (3:155)
• It’s not a big deal to die for Allah, since you’ll go to heaven (3:157-8,169, 195)
• You can’t lose if you believe in Allah: “If Allah is your helper none can overcome you” (3:160)
• Allah deliberately made them lose a battle so he could see who were the true believers from the hypocrites (the ones who refused to fight): “That which befell you, on the day when the two armies met, was by permission of Allah; that He might know the true believers.” (3:166-167)
• There is great reward for those who fight for Allah (3:172)
• Allah will burn those who don’t contribute money to his war effort (3:180-181) There are a few other bits sprinkled throughout about the doom that awaits the disbelievers. It will be an “awful doom” (3:176) and a “painful doom” (3:177) and a “shameful doom” (3:178). Their “habitation will be hell, an ill abode” (3:197)

There is also a bit of criticism of those who were given the scripture before the muslims. I assume this applies to Jews and Christians. They did much wrong (3:186) and were supposed to take the Scriptures they were given and “expound it to mankind and not to hide it. But they flung it behind their backs and bought thereby a little gain” (3:187)

At the end, we are again reminded that paradise is a place of “Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will be safe forever” (3:198) and then exhorted to “Endure, outdo all others in endurance, be ready and observe your duty to Allah, in order that ye may succeed” (3:200)