Al Imran: (21 - 22) Indeed, those who disbelieve...

Know that when the Almighty previously mentioned the state of those who turn away, saying, {Then if you turn away, then upon you is only the clear delivery [of the message]} (3:20), He followed it by describing this turning away, mentioning three types of characteristics:

The First Characteristic: His saying, {Indeed, those who disbelieve in the verses of Allah} (3:21).

If it is asked: The apparent meaning of the verse implies they disbelieve in all the verses of Allah, yet the Jews and Christians did not do so, as they affirmed the Creator, His Knowledge, His Power, and the Hereafter.

We reply: The answer is twofold:

1. We interpret "the verses of Allah" as referring to what was previously established, which is the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
2. We take it in a general sense, saying that whoever denies the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is necessarily required to deny all the verses of Allah Almighty, because one who contradicts himself cannot be a believer in any of the verses, as if he believed in one, he would have to believe in all.

The Second Characteristic: His saying, {and they slay the prophets without right} (3:21). This involves several issues:

Issue 1: Al-Hasan recited it as {wa yaqtulūna an-nabiyyīna} (and they slay the prophets), which emphasizes exaggeration (of the act).

Issue 2: It is narrated that Abu 'Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah said: "I asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, who among people will have the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection?' He replied, 'A man who kills a prophet, or a man who commands good and forbids evil.' Then he recited this verse and said: 'O Abu 'Ubaidah, the Children of Israel killed forty-three prophets from the beginning of the day in a single hour. Then one hundred and twelve men from the pious among the Children of Israel stood up, commanding those who killed them to do good and forbidding them from evil, so they were all killed by the end of that day. They are the ones Allah Almighty mentioned. Furthermore, that people killed Yahya ibn Zakariyya, and they claimed they killed 'Isa ibn Maryam. According to their claim, it is established that they used to kill the prophets.'"

Regarding this verse, there are questions:

Question 1: If His saying {Indeed, those who disbelieve in the verses of Allah} is in the context of the future (a warning for those contemporary to the Prophet, peace be upon him), and they did not kill the prophets or those who establish justice, how is this statement valid?

The answer is twofold:

1. Since this was the established way (tradition) of their predecessors, this attribution is valid for them because they affirmed and were pleased with their predecessors' path. The action of the father may be attributed to the son if the son is pleased with it and follows that path.
2. They intended to kill the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the believers, but Allah Almighty protected him from them. Since they reached the utmost desire for that, it is valid to apply this name to them metaphorically, just as one says, "Fire burns," and "Poison kills," meaning that is their nature if the recipient exists. Similarly here, it is not possible for it to be otherwise.

Question 2: What is the benefit in saying {and they slay the prophets without right} when the killing of prophets is never without injustice?

The answer: We have mentioned the reasons for this in Surah Al-Baqarah. What is intended here is to explain the magnitude of their sin. Also, it is possible that what is meant is that they intended to use the method of injustice in their killing, while claiming the method of justice.

Question 3: His saying {and they slay the prophets} suggests they killed all of them, but it is known that they did not kill all, nor the majority, nor half.

The answer: The definite article (al-) here refers to what is known/established, not to encompass all (for totality).

The Third Characteristic: His saying, {and they slay those who enjoin justice among the people} (3:21). This involves several issues:

Issue 1: Hamzah alone recited it as {wa yuqātilūna} (and they fight) with an alif, while the rest recited {wa yaqtulūna} (and they slay). They are essentially the same, because they might fight and thus be killed through fighting, or they might be killed directly without fighting. Abu recited: {wa yaqtulūna an-nabiyyīna wa alladhīna ya’murūna} (and they slay the prophets and those who command).

Issue 2: Al-Hasan said: This verse indicates that one who commands good and forbids evil, even when facing fear, attains a station in greatness equivalent to that of the prophets. It is narrated that a man stood before the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked, "What is the best Jihad?" He replied, "The best Jihad is a word of truth before an unjust ruler."

Know that just as the Almighty described them with these three characteristics, He also mentioned their threat in three ways:

The First Threat: His saying, {So give them tidings of a painful punishment} (3:21). This involves two issues:

Issue 1: The fa' (so) is prefixed to {fa-bashshirhum} (so give them tidings) even though it is a statement of fact, because it is in the sense of a consequence/retribution. The meaning is: Whoever disbelieves, then give them tidings [of punishment].

Issue 2: This is based on metaphor, meaning that warning these people of punishment stands in the place of giving good tidings to the righteous about blessings. The discussion regarding the reality of "tidings" (bushra) was previously covered in His saying, {And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds} (Al-Baqarah: 25).

The Second Type of Threat: His saying, {Those are the ones whose deeds have become void in this world and the Hereafter} (3:22).

Know that the Almighty clarified with this that the good deeds of the disbelievers are nullified in this world and the Hereafter. As for this world, it is the replacement of praise with blame and commendation with cursing, and this includes what befalls them of killing, captivity, confiscation of their wealth as spoils, enslavement of them, and other apparent humiliation upon them. As for their nullification in the Hereafter, it is by the removal of reward and its replacement with punishment.

The Third Type of Threat: His saying, {And they will have no helpers} (3:22).

Know that the Almighty clarified with the first type of threat the gathering of the causes of pain and displeasure upon them. With the second type, He clarified the complete removal of the causes of benefit from them. And with this third aspect, He clarified that this [punishment] is incumbent upon them in a manner where they will have no helper nor defender. And Allah knows best.

(23)

{Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They are invited to the Book of Allah that it may judge between them, then a party of them turns away, while they are averse? * That is because they say, "The Fire will never touch us except for a few numbered days," and what they used to invent deceives them in their religion. * So how [will it be] when We gather them for a Day about which there is no doubt, and every soul will be fully compensated for what it earned, and they will not be wronged?} (Al Imran: 23-25)