Surah 3 Al-Imran (The Family of Imran) – Explained

Starting of Surah Âl-‘Imrân – سورة آل عمران

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

الٓمٓ ١

Alif-Lãm-Mĩm.

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ٢

Allah! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him—the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining.

نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَنزَلَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ ٣

He has revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ the Book in truth, confirming what came before it, as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel

مِن قَبْلُ هُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَنزَلَ ٱلْفُرْقَانَ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌۭ شَدِيدٌۭ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌۭ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٍ ٤

previously, as a guide for people, and ˹also˺ revealed the Decisive Authority.1 Surely those who reject Allah’s revelations will suffer a severe torment. For Allah is Almighty, capable of punishment.

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَيْهِ شَىْءٌۭ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ ٥

Surely nothing on earth or in the heavens is hidden from Allah.

Translation by: Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran (Change)

Topics Discussed in Surah Al Imran

Intro & Overview – سورة آل عمران

Al Imran is the third chapter in the Quran and is also the second longest chapter after Al-Baqarah. Its primary goal is to reaffirm our faith in Allah and to help us stay firm on the straight path. 

Two Parts of Surah Al Imran

The chapter can be divided into two parts:

• Refuting External Claims: The Christian Belief in Jesus as the Son of God

The first part shows us how to respond intellectually to external claims and arguments made by Christians and Jews that try to bring into question our beliefs and principles.

Here, the chapter addresses Christians directly, refuting their claim that Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him) is the Son of God. 

• Internal Challenges and Temptations

The second part deals with the internal challenges we face from the whispers and temptations that can be an essential event that took place in Medina a couple of years before Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) died. Cause us to disobey God and His Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

The first part is centered around a momentous event that took place in Medina a couple of years before Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him) died. 

Interfaith Dialogue with the Christians of Najran – Surah Al Imran

The Prophet had sent emissaries to the Christians of Najran, inviting them to Islam. In response, they sent a Christian delegation of about 60 Bishops and Scholars to visit Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in Medina.

It was the first significant interfaith dialogue that took place between Muslims and Christians. Prophet Muhammad invited them to stay at the Mosque for several days, and they were allowed to pray there. 

During their stay, the Christian delegation had many questions, mainly around Islam’s position on Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him), which is why you’ll find many verses here beginning with the words “Say (قُلْ), O Prophet,” as God was revealing His answers to their questions as the debate was taking place.

Affirming Belief and Understanding the Quran – Surah Al Quran

With that context in mind, the chapter begins by reaffirming our belief in Allah that,t there is no god worthy of worship except Him and that He alone is the ever-living and all-sustaining.

He revealed the Quran in truth to strengthen our resolve to continue on the straight path, similar to how He revealed the Torah and the Gospel as a guide to those who came before us. The Quran is the standard that helps us distinguish between right and wrong. 

It goes on to explain how some verses are precise and clear and form the foundation and backbone of the Quran. There are other verses, though, that are elusive and share similarities with different verses.

Hypocrites tend to use such verses to spread doubt through false interpretations, which is why it’s important for Muslims to seek knowledge from scholars who are well-versed in the Quran and to accept that all of it is the word of God.

Warnings and Divine Guidance – Surah Al Imran

The chapter then warns those who don’t believe in God and reject His signs that neither their wealth nor their children will save them on the Day of Judgment.

Any enjoyment we experience in this world is temporary. What we should strive for as believers is to make it to heaven, which is eternal.

Allah reveals that He is a witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Him, that Islam is the only religion from Him, and that those who submit entirely themselves to Him will be rightly guided. But those who disobey Him and turn away from Him will be punished. 

It then mentions those whom God chose and blessed above all human beings to deliver His message: Adam (Peace Be Upon Him), Noah (Peace Be Upon Him), The Family of Abraham, and The Family of Imran (Peace Be Upon Them).

The Family of Imran –  سورة آل عمران

This brings us to the family of Imran, who the chapter is named after. Imran was a devout believer who came from a line of prophets and righteous people. He is a descendant of Abraham (Peace Be Upon Him) through his Son Isaac and His Grandson Jacob (Peace Be Upon Them).

One of Jacob’s Twelve Sons was named Yehudah, and from Him came Prophet Dawood (or David) and Prophet Solomon (Peace Be Upon Them). From them came Imran.

Imran was married to a woman named Hannah, and they are the parents of Maryam (or Mary, Peace Be Upon Her) and the grandparents of Isa (or Jesus, Peace Be Upon Him). 

Miraculous Birth of Mary/Maryum – سورة آل عمران

Now, we will look at the story of the family of Imran, which was revealed during the dialogue between Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, and the Christians of Najran. The story begins when Hannah is pregnant with Mary, and her husband Imran has just passed away.

She made a promise to Allah that she would dedicate her child’s life to His service: “My Lord, I dedicate what is in my womb entirely to Your service, so accept it from me.” 

She then gave birth to a girl named Maryam or Mary. Zecharia, who was a prophet at the time and the husband of Mary’s older sister, took on the responsibility of taking care of Mary and provided her with a pleasant and righteous upbringing.

Whenever he would visit her in her sanctuary, he would always find fruit there. “Oh, Mary, where did this come from?” She replied, “It is from Allah. Surely Allah provides for whoever He wills without limit.” 

Zechariah’s Prayer and the Announcement of Yahya

Seeing this miracle, Zechariah made a prayer to Allah: “My Lord, grant me by Your grace righteous offspring. You are certainly the Hearer of all prayers.” Soon after, as he stood praying in his sanctuary, the angels called out to him:

“Zechariah, Allah gives you good news of the birth of Yahya, or John, who will confirm the word of Allah and will be a great leader, chaste, and a prophet among the righteous.” “My Lord, how can I have a son when I am very old and my wife is barren?” He replied,“

So will it Be. Allah does what He wills.” Zechariah replied, “My Lord, grant me a sign.” He said, “Your sign is that you will not be able to speak to people for three days except through gestures. Remember your Lord often and glorify Him morning and evening.”

Miraculous Birth of Jesus/ Messiah – Surah Al Imran

The chapter then shifts to another miracle, which is the birth of Jesus, Peace Be Upon Him, when the angels came to Mary and said to her:

“O Mary, Allah gives you good news of a word from Him. His name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, honored in this world and the hereafter, and he will be one of those nearest to Allah. He will speak to people in his infancy and adulthood and will be one of the righteous.

” Mary wondered, “My Lord, how can I have a child when no man has ever touched me?” An angel replied, “So will it be. Allah creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He simply tells it ‘Be,’ (كُنْ) and it is.” 

The Miracles of Jesus and His Elevation

Allah would then teach Jesus the Torah and the Gospel and would make him a messenger to the children of Israel. He gave Jesus miracles and signs to help bring people back to the straight path, like taking a bird made of clay, breathing into it, and bringing it to life by Allah’s will, healing the blind, and raising the dead back to life, all by Allah’s will, all so they can be mindful of Allah and worship Him alone. 

When Jesus, Peace Be Upon Him, sensed disbelief from his people, he asked, “Who will stand up with me for Allah?”

The disciples replied, “We will stand up for Allah. We believe in Allah, so bear witness to what we have submitted.” The disbelievers among the children of Israel, though, were not convinced, and they conspired against Jesus. So Allah said to Jesus,

“O Jesus, I will take you and raise you to Myself. I will deliver you from those who disbelieve and elevate your followers above the disbelievers until the Day of Judgment. Then to Me, you will all return, and I will settle all your disputes.” These verses indicate that Allah saved Jesus from those who conspired against him, which dispels the notion that he was crucified and killed. 

Comparison of Jesus and Adam – Surah Al Imran

The chapter then makes a meaningful comparison between Jesus and Adam, Peace Be Upon Them, and how the creation of Jesus is similar to Adam.

God created him from dust, then said to him “Be (كُنْ),” and He was. God’s creation of Jesus with no father is indeed a miracle, but His creation of Adam with no father or mother is a greater miracle. God revealed these examples and arguments to Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, to counter the claims made by the Christians of Najran during their debate. 

Invitation to Common Terms and Warning Against Distortion

The chapter goes on to invite Christians to come to standard terms with the Muslims not to worship anyone other than Allah and not to associate anyone with Him, similar to Abraham, who is neither a Jew nor a Christian. He was a Muslim who submitted himself entirely to Allah. 

The chapter goes on to serve as a warning to Christians and Jews who distort the truth and make false claims about their scriptures. The lessons and arguments revealed here to Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, provide Muslims with the knowledge to counter such claims. It helps solidify our faith in Allah and strengthen our resolve to stay on the straight path. 

The Battle of Uhud: Internal Challenges and Lessons

In the above part, we looked at how to respond to external claims made by the people of the book who challenge our beliefs. In this video, we will look at the final section of this chapter, which focuses on the Battle of Uhud and the internal challenges Muslims face. Muslims suffered a painful defeat in this battle against the leaders of Quraysh and their Meccan army.

The battle took place three years after Hijra when Muslims escaped the persecution of Quraysh and emigrated from Mecca to Yathrib, later known as Medina. Yathrib was an agricultural city north of Mecca.

Many of its people heard about Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, and his message and became Muslim before he arrived. This annoyed the leaders of Quraysh and prompted them to attack the Muslims. This is known as the Battle of Uhud. 

This was the first significant clash between the Meccans and Muslims. Even though the Meccan army outnumbered the Muslims a thousand to 313, they suffered a humiliating defeat. This sent shock waves across Arabia and badly damaged Mecca’s trade economy. So, a year later, the leaders of Quraysh, still enraged, raised an even larger army of three thousand men.

Their main objective was to kill Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, and end the religion of Islam. Prophet Muhammad and the Muslims of Medina got wind of Quraysh’s plan and raised an army of a thousand men.

The Turning Point at Uhud and Its Aftermath

After much internal debate on where to fight, they decided to meet the Meccans at Mount Uhud. This was a strategic decision to keep the mountain range behind them as cover and protection.

However, as the Muslim army approached Mount Uhud, 300 of them who weren’t convinced of the plan decided to retreat to Medina, leaving only 700 to face the Meccan army.

Given how the Meccan army was positioned, Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, ordered the placement of 50 archers as cover for the 650 who were on the battlefield. Prophet Muhammad specifically ordered the archers not to leave their positions under any circumstances, even if they were winning.

As the battle progressed, it appeared the Muslims were advancing and might hand the Meccan army another major defeat. However, 40 of the 50 archers saw this and left their positions to collect the spoils of the battle, ignoring Prophet Muhammad’s orders.

Khalid ibn al-Walid saw the archers leave and moved his troops around the battlefield, attacking the Muslims from behind. This forced the Muslims to retreat. The consequences of the archers’ decision proved to be deadly. Many of the companions died, and some believed Prophet Muhammad himself was dead.

It was later discovered that he had survived but was severely wounded. This was a crushing loss for Muslims and left many of them devastated and heartbroken over the loss of loved ones.

Divine Reassurance and Lessons from Badr

Given their state of mind at the time and how low their morale was, these verses were revealed to help them cope with what had just happened and uplift them spiritually and emotionally.

Allah reminded them of the Battle of Badr: “Indeed, Allah made you victorious at Badr when you were vastly outnumbered, so be mindful of Allah, perhaps you will be grateful.” 

It goes on to remind them of the thousands of angels that fought with them in Badr and how victory comes from Allah. Allah would later reassure them after their defeat, meaning,

وَلَا تَهِنُوا۟ وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا۟ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ١٣٩

“Do not falter or grieve, for you will have the upper hand if you are true believers.”

“If you have suffered injuries, they suffered similarly at Badr. We alternate these days of victory and defeat among people so that Allah may reveal the true believers, choose martyrs from among you, and Allah does not like the wrongdoers.” Allah reminds them that Muslims will indeed be tested:

“Do you think you will enter Paradise without Allah proving which of you truly struggled for His cause and patiently endured?“ 

Lessons from Uhud and Divine Forgiveness

The verses would later go on to explain why they were denied victory in Uhud, how their courage had weakened, and some among them disobeyed the Prophet’s command and chased after worldly gain, while others desired a heavenly reward.

And even after all that, Allah still pardons those who disobeyed as He is all-forgiving. He commands Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, to forgive them as well, ask Allah’s forgiveness for them, and not to marginalize them but instead to bring them back into the group and consult them in matters.

Final Words of Surah Al Imran

The verses then honor the companions who lost their lives in battle: “Never think of those martyred in the cause of Allah as dead; in fact, they are alive with their Lord, well provided for.”

The chapter goes on to stress the importance of patience, perseverance, and being mindful of Allah whenever Allah tests you, and how nations that came before them failed this very test and chose worldly gain over success and reward in the afterlife. The chapter ends with a verse that provides advice for success:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱصْبِرُوا۟ وَصَابِرُوا۟ وَرَابِطُوا۟ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ٢٠٠

“O believers, patiently endure, persevere, stand on guard, and be mindful of Allah so you may be successful.”

Also read: Surah al Baqarah overview