Tafsir of Al Imran 3:73-74

Al 'Imran (The Family of Imran): 73-74

The commentators agree that this is the remainder of the Jews' speech. There are two interpretations:

First View: The meaning is: "Do not believe anyone except a prophet who confirms the laws of the Torah. As for anyone who comes with a change to any ruling of the Torah, do not believe him." This is the stance of the Jews to this day.

Under this interpretation, the preposition li- (لِ) in the phrase {إلا لمن تبع} (illā liman tabi'a - except to him who follows) is considered an extra particle (a zā'idah). This is because one says saddaqa fulānan (I believed/trusted so-and-so), not saddaqa li-fulānin. The presence of this extra lām is permissible, similar to the Almighty's saying: {رَدِفَ لَكُمْ} (radifa lakum - it followed you), where the meaning is radafakum (it followed you).

Second View: The preceding verse mentioned: {وَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ} (And a party of the People of the Scripture said...). In this verse, they say: {وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا لِمَن تَبِعَ دِينَكُمْ} (And do not believe except those who follow your religion). This means: "Do not perform that belief except for the sake of those who follow your religion." It is as if they said: "The purpose of feigning belief is only to keep your followers steadfast in your religion." Thus, the meaning is: "Do not perform that belief except for the sake of those who follow your religion," as everyone's objective is to preserve their followers and adherents to their path.

Then the Almighty said: {قُلْ إِنَّ الْهُدَى هُدَى اللَّهِ} (Say: Indeed, the guidance is the guidance of Allah).

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said its meaning is: "The religion is the religion of Allah." This is similar to the verse in Al-Baqarah: {قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللَّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَى} (Say: Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [true] guidance).

We must clarify how this statement serves as a response to what was narrated from them.

If we take the First View (that they meant: "No religion except what we are upon"), this statement serves as a response because what they follow was established as a religion only through a command and guidance from Allah, and an obligation to submit to Him. If this is the case, then whenever Allah commands something else, guides to something else, or obligates submission to something else, it must be a prophet who must be followed, even if it contradicts what preceded, because religion became religion by His decree and guidance. Wherever His decree is, obedience is mandatory.

This is analogous to His response when they said: {مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا} (What has turned them from their Qiblah on which they were?), where Allah replied: {قُل لِّلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ} (Say: To Allah belong the East and the West), meaning all directions belong to Allah, so He can turn the Qiblah wherever He wills.

As for the Second View, the meaning is: "The guidance is the guidance of Allah, and I have brought it to you. Therefore, this weak stratagem of yours will not benefit you in repelling it."

Then the Almighty said: {أَن يُؤْتَى أَحَدٌ مِّثْلَ مَا أُوتِيتُمْ أَوْ يُحَاجُّوكُم عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ} (that anyone should be given the like of what you have been given, or that they should argue with you before your Lord).

Know that this verse is one of the difficult problematic issues. We say: This statement is either part of Allah's speech, or it is part of the Jews' speech, completing their statement: {وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا لِمَن تَبِعَ دِينَكُمْ} (And do not believe except those who follow your religion). A group of commentators adopted each of these two possibilities.

First Way: Ibn Kathir recited {أَأُنْ يُؤْتَى} (A-a-un yu'ta) with a long alif (making it an interrogative). The rest recited it with a short alif (without elongation or interrogation).

If we adopt Ibn Kathir's recitation, the meaning is clear: this word is used for reprimand, like His saying: {أَأَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ * إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ} (Is he who possesses wealth and sons * when Our verses are recited to him, he says, 'Legends of the former peoples'?). The meaning is: "Is it because someone is given the like of the laws you were given that they deny following [the new prophet]?" The answer is omitted for brevity, which is common. A man might say to his companion after long admonishment and recounting his favors: "Is it because of my lack of kindness to you? Is it because of my humiliation of you?" meaning: "Did you do what you did because of this?" This is similar to His saying in response to them regarding the Qiblah: {أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَائِمًا يَحْذَرُ الْآخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُو رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ} (Is one who is devoutly obedient during the hours of the night, prostrating and standing, aware of the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord...).

As for the recitation that uses the short alif for {أَنْ} (an), it can also be interpreted as an interrogative, just as {أَأَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ} (whether you warn them or do not warn them) is recited with both long and short alif. Similarly, {أَأَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ} is recited with both. Al-Amru' al-Qays said:

Do you leave the camp at dusk, or do you depart early? And what harm would it be to you if you did not wait? He intended: "Do I leave the camp at dusk?" and omitted the alif of interrogation. If this recitation is established as potentially interrogative, the meaning is as explained in the first recitation.

Second Way: When they told their followers: "Do not believe except those who follow your religion," Allah commanded His Prophet (PBUH) to say to them: {إِنَّ الْهُدَى هُدَى اللَّهِ} (Indeed, the guidance is the guidance of Allah). Therefore, do not deny that anyone should be given the like of what you have been given of guidance, or that they should argue with you before your Lord—meaning these Muslims—if you do not accept that from them. The most that this interpretation requires is the implied addition of "so do not deny," which is supported by {إِنَّ الْهُدَى هُدَى اللَّهِ}, because since guidance is Allah's guidance, He has the right to give it to whomever He wills among His servants. If so, denying it is obligatory to abandon.

Third Way: Al-Hudā (Guidance) is a name for clarification, like His saying: {وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ فَاسْتَحَبُّوا الْعَمَى عَلَى الْهُدَى} (And as for Thamud, We guided them, but they preferred blindness over guidance). Thus, {إِنَّ الْهُدَى} is the subject, and {هُدَى اللَّهِ} is an appositive (badal). {أَن يُؤْتَى أَحَدٌ مِّثْلَ مَا أُوتِيتُمْ} is the predicate, with an implied lā (not): "Say, O Muhammad, undoubtedly the clarification of Allah is that no one should be given the like of what you were given," meaning the religion of Islam, which is the best of religions, and that they (the Jews) should not argue with you before your Lord in the Hereafter, because it will become clear to them that you are truthful and they are misguided. This interpretation only requires the implied addition of the particle lā, which is permissible, as in {أَن تَضِلُّوا} (that you go astray), meaning an lā taḍillū (that you should not go astray).

Fourth Way: {الْهُدَى} is the subject, and {هُدَى اللَّهِ} is the appositive. {أَن يُؤْتَى أَحَدٌ مِّثْلَ مَا أُوتِيتُمْ} is the predicate. The meaning is: "Indeed, the guidance of Allah is that anyone should be given the like of what you were given." Under this interpretation, {أَوْ يُحَاجُّوكُم عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ} requires an implication, meaning: "or they should argue with you before your Lord, and a judgment will be made for you against them." The meaning is: The guidance is what I have guided you with—the religion of Islam—by which whoever argues with you before Me, I will judge in your favor against him. The phrase {عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ} (before your Lord) indicates this implication, as His judgment being in your favor implies His satisfaction with you, which suggests He will rule for you, not against you.

This means {أَن يُؤْتَى أَحَدٌ مِّثْلَ مَا أُوتِيتُمْ} completes the words of the Jews, with rearrangement: "Do not believe except those who follow your religion, that anyone should be given the like of what you have been given, or that they should argue with you before your Lord." Then Allah says: {قُلْ إِنَّ الْهُدَى هُدَى اللَّهِ} (Say: Indeed, the guidance is the guidance of Allah), and {إِنَّ الْفَضْلَ} (Indeed, the bounty...).

The meaning would be: "Do not show your belief that anyone has been given what you were given except to the people of your religion, and conceal your affirmation that the Muslims have been given from the Book of Allah what you were given. Do not reveal it except to your own adherents alone, lest it strengthen the Muslims, and not to the polytheists, lest it lead them to Islam."

As for {أَوْ يُحَاجُّوكُم عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ}, it is coordinated with an yu'ta. The pronoun in yuḥājjūkum (they argue with you) refers to aḥad (anyone), as it carries a collective meaning. The meaning is: "Do not show belief to anyone other than your followers, [saying] that the Muslims will argue with you justly on the Day of Resurrection and overcome you with proof before Allah."

I find this interpretation weak for several reasons:

1. The Jews' zeal to keep their followers from accepting Muhammad's religion was greater than their zeal to keep outsiders away. How fitting is it that they instruct some of their people to confess what proves the truth of Muhammad's religion to their followers and adherents, while forbidding them from doing so with outsiders? This is extremely unlikely.
2. Under this interpretation, the structure is disrupted, involving an inappropriate transposition.
3. This interpretation requires omission. The implied text would be: "Say: Indeed, the guidance is the guidance of Allah, and indeed, the bounty is in Allah's Hand." The command {قُلْ} (Say) must be omitted in {قُلْ إِنَّ الْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ}.
4. How does the statement {قُلْ إِنَّ الْهُدَى هُدَى اللَّهِ} fall between two parts of a single statement? This is extremely far from sound discourse.

Al-Qaffal suggested that {قُلْ إِنَّ الْهُدَى هُدَى اللَّهِ} might be a command from Allah to His Prophet (PBUH) to say it when the narration of the Jews reaches this point. Since they uttered a false statement here, the Messenger (PBUH) was disciplined to counter it with a true statement, and then return to completing the narration, just as a Muslim might narrate a statement of disbelief from an unbeliever, and upon reaching that word, say, "I believe in Allah," or "There is no god but Allah," or "Exalted is Allah," and then return to completing the narration. In this case, {قُلْ إِنَّ الْهُدَى هُدَى اللَّهِ} is of this type. Then, after that, the rest of the Jews' speech follows up to {أَوْ يُحَاجُّوكُم عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ}. Then the Prophet (PBUH) was commanded to argue with them regarding this and point out the falsehood of their statement, so he was told: {قُلْ إِنَّ الْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ} (Say: Indeed, the bounty is in Allah's Hand) until the end of the verse.

The Fifth Problem: Regarding the interpretations above, if Imān (belief) means affirmation (taṣdīq), it is not followed by the preposition li- (to the one affirmed); one says saddaqa fulānan (I affirmed so-and-so), not saddaqa li-fulānin. Therefore, it should have been: {وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا مَن تَبِعَ دِينَكُمْ} (And do not believe except him who follows your religion). Under this reading, the lām in {لِمَن تَبِعَ دِينَكُمْ} must be omitted, and the preposition bi- (with) or something similar must be implied in {أَن يُؤْتَى}, as the meaning would be: "Do not affirm that anyone is given what you were given, except for him who follows your religion, by anyone being given..." This interpretation combines omission, implication, poor structure, and flawed meaning.

Abu Ali al-Fārisī suggested that Imān could be interpreted as Iqrār (acknowledgment/confession). The meaning would then be: "Do not confess that anyone is given what you were given except to him who follows your religion." Under this interpretation, the lām is not superfluous. However, the implication of the preposition bā' or its equivalent is still necessary in {أَن يُؤْتَى} in any case. This summarizes what has been said regarding the interpretation of this verse. And Allah knows best His intent.

Then the Almighty said: {قُلْ إِنَّ الْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ} (Say: Indeed, the bounty is in Allah's Hand; He gives it to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing).

Know that the Almighty narrated two things from the Jews:

1. That they believe during the day and disbelieve at the end of it, intending to create a doubt for the Muslims regarding the truthfulness of Islam. He responded to this with: {قُلْ إِنَّ الْهُدَى هُدَى اللَّهِ} (Say: Indeed, the guidance is the guidance of Allah), meaning: Despite the perfection of Allah's guidance and the strength of His clarification, this weak doubt has no power or effect.
2. He narrated that they resented that anyone should be given the like of what they were given of the Book, judgment, and Prophethood. He responded to this with: {قُلْ إِنَّ الْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ} (Say: Indeed, the bounty is in Allah's Hand; He gives it to whom He wills).

Al-Faḍl (Bounty/Grace) linguistically means excess or surplus. It is most often used for an excess of favor. Al-Fāḍil is one who surpasses others in good qualities. The term Faḍl became widely used for any benefit intended by its doer as a favor to others.

His saying: {بِيَدِ اللَّهِ} (in Allah's Hand) means He is its owner and has power over it. His saying: {يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ} (He gives it to whom He wills) means it is a favor dependent on His Will. This indicates that Prophethood is attained through favor, not merit, because Allah made it a matter of Faḍl, which the doer has the option to grant or withhold. This cannot be true for one who deserves it except metaphorically.

His saying: {وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ} (And Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing) confirms this meaning. Being Wāsi' (All-Encompassing) indicates perfect power, and being ʿAlīm (All-Knowing) indicates perfect knowledge. Thus, due to His perfect power, it is appropriate for Him to favor any servant He wills with any favor He wills. Due to His perfect knowledge, nothing He does is without wisdom and correctness.

Then He said: {يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ} (He singles out for His mercy whom He wills. And Allah is the Owner of great bounty).

This serves as an emphasis on what preceded. The difference between this verse and the previous one is that Faḍl refers to an excess that is of the same kind as what it is in excess of. By saying: {إِنَّ الْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ}, He clarified that He is capable of giving some of His servants the like of the high stations He gave them, and increasing upon them from the same kind. Then He said: {يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ} (He singles out for His mercy whom He wills). The Raḥmah (Mercy) attributed to Allah, the Exalted, is a higher matter than that Faḍl. This Mercy might reach such a level of honor and high rank that it is not of the same kind as what they were given, but rather higher and more sublime than what they were given.

The combination of these two verses implies that there is no limit to the ranks of honor and exaltation Allah bestows upon His servants, and that restricting His bestowal and honor to specific ranks and specific individuals is ignorance of Allah's perfection in power and wisdom.

Translation: And among the People of the Scripture is he whom, if you entrust him with a Qintar (a large amount of wealth), he will return it to you; and among them is he whom, if you entrust him with a single Dinar, he will not return it to you unless you are constantly standing over him. That is because they say, "There is no blame upon us concerning the unlettered [Arabs]." And they speak a lie against Allah while they know. Yes, whoever fulfills his covenant and fears Allah—indeed, Allah loves the righteous.