al-Imran (The Family of Imran, The House of Imran) at IslamAwakened.com

3:4 Before that, God gave Torah (to Moses) and the Gospel (to Jesus) to serve as a guidance for mankind and revealed the criterion [to distinguish between right and wrong]. Those who disbelieve in God’s revelations will suffer a severe punishment as God is Almighty and avenger of wickedness

3:5 There is nothing hidden from God on earth nor in the heavens

3:6 He is the one Who in the wombs [or lab tubes, if it should be the case] as he wills. There is no divinity but He, the Almighty, the Wise

3:7 He is the One Who sent down this Book to you. There are two kinds of versus in this book: those [the majority of the versus] which are straight forward (and precise in meaning:) they are the essence of the Book. The remainder [few verses] are ambiguous. Those who have doubts in their hearts always go after the laters and try to interpret them arbitrarily and create mischief. In fact nobody except God knows their real meaning!17.Those who have faith, on the other hand, say: “We accept these versus [though we do not know their meaning yet] to be all words of God.”

3:8 [The believers pray to God:] “Our Teacher & Guide, let not our hearts return back to ignorance now that You have guided us. Shower us with your mercy as you are the most generous

3:9 Lord! You will surely gather all mankind together on a day that there is no doubt about it as God never breaks a promise.”

3:10 Those who have chosen disbelief, [in the day of judgment] will be condemned to become the fuel for Hell; neither their wealth nor their children can save them from God

3:11 [The laters, like] the people of Pharaoh, and the disbelievers before them, rejected God’s revelations; consequently, God punished them for this sin of theirs

3:12 Say (O Mohammad), : “The time is approaching fast when you will be overpowered and thrown in Hell; and the hell is a horrible place to live [in forever.]&rdquo

3:13 You recently witnessed how your troop [in the first battle of Islam] defeated the disbelievers in spite of the fact that as you saw with your own eyes they were twice as big as your troop! Indeed God strengthens with his aid whom he pleases. Here there is an important lesson for those who are open-minded thinkers

3:14 The worldly pleasures (such as love for women, children, gold and silver, nice horses, cattle and crops, etc.), that preoccupy people, are as short in nature as this life. The ever-lasting (and the best) place to live is with God (in Hereafter)

3:15 Say: “Let me inform you of a better alternative. For those who lead a God pleasing life, the Lord has reserved the splendid gardens wherein the water flows underneath and they will live with their pure wives under the protection of God. [Therefore, watch out as] God is watching His servants.”

3:16 Such place is reserved for those who pray: “Lord, We have chosen to believe in you. Please forgive our sins and protect us from the Hellfire.”

3:17 Such people are patient, truthful, true worshippers of God, generous in charity and beg for the Lord’s forgiveness in the early hours of the morning

3:18 God hereby witnesses that there is no Lord beside Him. The Angels and the learned men too stay by their Lord’s word. God manages His kingdom of creation with justice. There is no other God beside the Almighty, the Most Wise

3:19 The only acceptable religion in the sight of God is Islam (as presented to Abraham and all other prophets including Moses, Jesus and Mohammad.) The followers of the former religions sinfully deviated [from this God pleasing way of life] after God revealed the Book to their prophets. Thus, those who disbelieve in the Lord’s revelations would find it that God is fast in punishing such a sin

3:20 Therefore, if they (the followers of other man made religions) dispute with you, say to them: “My followers and I have submitted ourselves only to God {and call ourselves the Submitters (Muslim in Arabic)}” Then say to the Jews, Christian and those who are ignorant: “Are you also willing to submit yourself to the will of God?” If they say “yes”, they are guided. If they refuse, do not worry [or take it personally] as your only mission is to relay the words of the Lord; leave them to God as He watches over His servants

3:21 Let those who choose to disbelieve in the revelations of the Lord and wrongfully kill the Prophets of God (and slay those who promote justice), know that an awful punishment is waiting for them

3:22 Such are people who have nullified their good deeds and will not find any help in Hereafter

3:23 Can you believe the behavior of some of those who have inherited only a portion of the Divine Book? When you offer them the whole Book, so that they use as a mean of guidance in their lives, they simply turn away in challenging God’s wisdom

3:24 The reason for their carelessness is they are deceived by their fabrication that: “The punishment of the Hellfire will be only for a short period of time!”

3:25 What a surprise they are for, when they are gathered together on the Day of Resurrection which, there is no doubt about it. On that Day, every soul will receive what it has earned and none will be dealt with unjustly

3:26 Say: “O Lord! Power is yours. You give power to whoever you decide and take power away from whoever you choose. You take whoever you desire to the highest rank and bring down whoever you choose to the lower rank [for a good reason.] All good is at your disposition and you are capable of doing whatever you will.”

3:27 “You are the One Who [turn the earth around its axle and] make the day appear after the night and the night take over the day. You are the One Who brings forth living from dead and take away life from the living. You are the One showering whoever you decide with your limitless blessings.”

3:28 The believers should never ally with the disbelievers, except to avoid persecution. Whoever does so, should not expect any help from the Lord. God, therefore, reminds you that you should respect Him and know that your journey ends in meeting with Him

3:29 Say: “Whatever you hide in your heart or make it public, God is aware of it. As a matter of fact, God knows everything which takes place in the heavens and on earth and is in absolute control

3:30 On the Day that a soul has to face the evaluation of its deeds, it will wish that a vast distance would separate it from its misdeeds. God [out of His mercy] reminds you that you should respect Him; The Lord is indeed merciful towards those who obey Him

3:31 {O Mohammad,] Say: “If you love God, then follow me [who am relaying the will of God to you.] God will love you and forgive your sins as He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”

3:32 Say : “Obey God and His Prophet. Beware that God does not love those who choose to reject His call.”

3:33 Know that God has elevated Adam, Noah, the descendents of Abraham and the family of Imran [father of Moses] to a higher rank [of the prophet hood.]

3:34 They all belonged to the same chain and were the offspring of one another. God is the Most Knowledgeable and Hears everything

3:35 A [pregnant] woman of Imran’s family [sincerely] turned to God and said: “O Lord, the Most Knowledgeable, Who hear everything; I offer my [unborn] child to you. May you give him a mission to accomplish [and earn your pleasure.]&rdquo

3:36 When she gave birth to the child she [in a disappointed tone] said: “I delivered a girl.” Of course God knew that she gave birth to a girl. The lady continued: “The male is not [socially/ physically handicapped] like a female [and a male would have served the purpose for which I had dedicated my child better.] I am going to name Her Mary and trust you to protect her and her offspring from the rejected devil.”

3:37 The Lord then accepted the nice gesture of the woman and let Mary to grow up and become a pure and beautiful woman under the custody of Zachariah. Anytime that Zachariah would enter her room, he would find food there. When he would ask who has offered you this food, Mary would answer: “It is from God. The One Who generously provides for whoever He wills.”

3:38 [On his old days] Zachariah prayed: “O Lord; You Who Hear the prayers, grant me a righteous child please.”

3:39 While standing in worship of the Lord in the sanctuary, the angles appeared to him saying: “We are here to give you the good news of the acceptance of your prayer. Your child will be John; a noble, moral and righteous Prophet blessed with receiving the revelations of God.”

3:40 Zachariah said: “Lord, how is it possible to have a child at this old age of mine with a sterile wife?” The answer was: “God is capable of doing whatever He wants to do.”

3:41 Zachariah said: “Lord please assure me with a sign.” He was replied: “Your sign is that you will not be able to talk to the people, except in sign language, for three days. Go and praise your Lord’s name as much as you can and glorify Him in the evening and early in the morning.”

3:42 The angles then appeared to Mary saying: “God has chosen and purified you. He has chosen you in preference to all the women of the world.”

3:43 “O Mary, Obey your Lord; humble yourself in bowing down and falling in prostration while you join the worshippers of the Lord.”

3:44 God is hereby informs you of the unseen. After all you were not there when [the priests] recourse to casting lots to choose a guardian among themselves for Mary [who was given by her mother to the temple] and started to dispute among themselves

3:45 The angels then appeared to Mary saying: “We have good news from God for you: The name of the child that you carry will be Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary. He will be highly honored in this world and will be among the closest ones to God in Hereafter.”

3:46 “Jesus will talk to people in the cradle and in his old age and he will be among the righteous ones.”

3:47 Mary said: “O Lord, how is it possible for me to have a child while none has touched me?” The Lord replied: “That is the way God creates. When He wants to create something, He simply says “be” and there it is created.”

3:48 “And God is going to teach Jesus the Book, the wisdom, the Scripture and the Gospel (see Luke 4-18.)”

3:49 And Jesus said: “I have been appointed as a Prophet to the Jewish nation. I am blessed by my Lord with the following miracles: I will make a bird out of clay; then I will blow into it and make it a real bird by the will of God (see John 8-28.) I will restore the vision to the blind, heal the leprous and bring dead back to life by the will of the Lord (se John 12-49.) I will tell you what you eat and what you have stored at the privacy of your home. All these miracles in order to convince those who believe in God (see John 3-2.)”

3:50 “I (Jesus) proclaim that the Scripture and Torah are sent by God (see Luke 10-26). I am commissioned to revoke certain prohibitions imposed upon you. I have come to you with clear signs from the Lord; So, fear God and follow me.”

3:51 God is indeed your Lord and mine (see John 20-17). Obey Him (See Matthew 4-Luke 4-8); this is the right path to follow.”

3:52 When Jesus felt public’s resentment, he said: “Who will support me in my Devine mission?” His disciples replied: “We consider ourselves helpers of God. We believe in God; we are Muslims (Muslim in Arabic means submitter to God.

3:53 [The disciples then prayed:] “Lord, we believe in what you have reveled to us. We will follow your Prophet. May you enroll us among those who witness [the truth.]&rdquo

3:54 They (the corrupt Jews who were killing the Lord’s Prophets one after another for daring to guide them to the right path) devised a plan (seeking for his death sentence through the Romans) and God devised a plan of His Own (condemning the Jews to the misery till the Day of Resurrection.) None can atop the Lord’s plan

3:55 God then said: “O Jesus, I am recalling you from your mission (as these people do not deserve my favor) and summon you to myself and disinfect you from the attack of the disbelievers. I will give superiority to those who followed you (Christians) over those who rejected you (the Jews) until the Day of Resurrection. Then You will all return to me so that I judge about what you were disputing over.”

3:56 As to those who chose the disbelief, they will be harshly punished in this world as well as in Hereafter for their attitude and they will not find anyone to help them

3:57 As to those who chose to belief and dedicate themselves to do good, their reward will not be spoiled. God does not love [only those who are] unjust people

3:58 These revelations are being recited to you as a wise reminder

3:59 The creation of Jesus (being born without the intervention of a male) is like the creation of Adam (who was created without any father.) I (God) created Adam’s body from the dirt and then said: “Be” and here he was

3:60 Whatever God reveals is the truth; never doubt the words of your Lord

3:61 Now that the truth has been revealed to you, you may challenge anyone who disputes with you and say: “Let us get together and bring your children and wives with you; then let us ask sincerely our Lord to put a curse on the one who lies.”

3:62 The truth is: “There is no other god beside God and He is Almighty, the Most Wise.”

3:63 Now if the disbelievers refuse such challenge, let it be known that God is fully aware of what the mischief makers are up to

3:64 Say: “O the followers of the Scripture, let us establish a common ground: That we worship none but God; that we do not associate no partner with God, that we do not idolize any human being (whether such person is a Prophet, sport champion, actor, politician, etc.)” Now if they refuse this proposal, say: “Bear witness that we are Muslim (submitters to God.

3:65 O you the followers of the Scripture, Why do you argue about [the religion of ] Abraham [as to whether he was a Jew or a Christian?] Do you not realize that the Torah (being used to give birth to Judaism) and the Gospel (being used to create Christianity) were revealed long after him? (if Abraham was on the right path, then there is no need to follow “man-made” Judaism or Christianity to attain salvation.) Why do you forget about logic [in your discussions]

3:66 You have already disputed [and changed the nature of the truth] of what you had at least some knowledge about it. Why are you now disputing about what you do not have any knowledge about it? God knows and you do not know that

3:67 Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian. He was a Muslim (Arabic word for “submitter to God”), decisive in submission to God, and [unlike the Christian who make of Jesus a partner of God,] he never associated any partner with God

3:68 The people most worthy of associating with Abraham are those who followed Abraham, those who are following Mohammad (who has re-established the faith of Abraham) and those who believed in God. Let it be known that God is the protector of the believers

3:69 Some of the followers of the Scripture wish to convert you to their belief. They do not get it that [by being so fascinated with their own created faith] they are the ones who are unjust to their souls but do not realize it

3:70 O you the followers of the Scripture, why do you reject the undeniable miracles of God that is taking place in front of your own eyes

3:71 O you the followers of the Scripture, why do you falsify the truth and hide the truth that you are aware of it

3:72 Some of the followers of the Scripture [have recourse to a trick to dishearten the Muslims by] saying in the morning that they have believed and later in the day proclaiming that they are disgusted with Islam [for such and such reason.]

3:73 [Their contention is:] “follow only the one who is of your own religion.” [In response to such statement] say to them: “The true guidance comes from God (and not necessarily from someone of your own religion) Now if they start disputing with you about the subject Say: “ Blessing someone with His revelation is at the discretion of God, the Generous, the knowledgeable [He may, therefore, bless whoever He wills with His revelations whether the person is a Jew or not.)”

3:74 God chooses for His favor whoever He wills and there is no limit for His Grace

3:75 [Not all the followers of the Scripture are alike.] Some of them can be trusted with a hoard of Gold. Some of them, on the contrary, cannot be trusted even with a coin as you have to beg them continuously so that they pay that back. They are the ones who say: “God will not hold us (the chosen people, loved by God) responsible for our dealing with the gentiles!” They falsify the word of God and they know it well (See Deuteronomy Ch. vs. as an example of such falsification.

3:76 No way; God loves only those who are men of their words and do not fall into the Satan’s trap

3:77 Those who trade away their belief and sell their covenant with the Lord for a small price, they have no share of Hereafter. God will not look at them, not talk to them nor purify them on the Day of Resurrection; indeed there is an awful punishment in reserve for them

3:78 Among the followers of the Scripture you will find some who twist the words out of context. They also pretend that the falsified verses of the Scripture is the word of God while it is not true. They lie and they know it very well

3:79 No man, to whom God gives the Book, wisdom and Prophet hood, would say to the people: “Worship me instead of God (as Christians attribute it to Christ.)” Such person (Jesus) will surely say: “Worship none but the Lord (Matthew 4-10.) Be sincere Rabbis in teaching the Scripture as you have learnt (and do not falsify it.)”

3:80 Nor would he (Jesus) command you to take Angles (such as Holy Spirit/ Angle Gabriel) or Prophets (such as himself) as your Lords. Does it make sense to you that he would try to invite you to disbelief after having invited you to Islam (meaning submission to God in Arabic)

3:81 [Know that] God gathered all prophets and said: “I will give you the wisdom and the Scripture; then I will send a Prophet of Mine (as explained in Luke 22-Matthew 24-Malachi 1-who will confirm [the Divine source of] your Scriptures [and finish your teachings.] Do you agree to believe in him, help him [by laying the grounds for him] and carry the heavy responsibility of this covenant of yours with Me ?” They all said: “Yes.” God then said: “I take you all as witness to this event; I also bear witness with you.”

3:82 “Whoever (any Prophet or his followers, who have been exposed to this covenant) turns away from this covenant is, therefore, of evil nature.”

3:83 Are they looking for other than God’s religion knowing that everything in the heavens and the earth (willingly or unwillingly) submit themselves to God [this phrase in Arabic is expressed in one word: Islam] and will [eventually] be returned to Him [for the evaluation of their performance.]

3:84 Say: “We (Muslims) believe in God and whatever He has revealed to us as well as whatever He has revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Patriarchs, Moses, Jesus and all other Prophets. We do not prefer none of them over the others [and respect them equally]; and we submit ourselves to God [in Arabic it will be expressed: We are Muslims.]&rdquo

3:85 If someone chooses any other religion than Islam (Submission to God), he will be considered as disbelievers and will find himself among the losers in the Hereafter

3:86 Do you really expect that God should guide those people who have rejected the faith, after being exposed to so many undeniable miracles, knowing that their Prophet is a true one? No way; God does not guide such wicked people

3:87 Such wicked people’s earning is nothing but the curse of God, the Angles and all other people

3:88 They will stay in the Hell forever. Their punishment will not be reduced and God will not look at them

3:89 The exceptions are those who [sincerely] repent now and choose righteousness; indeed God is the Most Forgiving and Merciful

3:90 As to those who reject the faith after the belief, then plunge deeper into disbelief, their [eventual] repentance will not be accepted from them. They are indeed unjust [to themselves.]

3:91 As to those who return back to disbelief and die in the state of disbelief, they have earned an awful punishment. Even if they offer an earth full of gold, their offering will not be accepted and they will find themselves without any helper

3:92 you cannot attain the righteousness without sacrificing the things that you love the most [to please the Lord.] and God is aware of whatever you sacrifice [for the sake of His pleasure.]

3:93 All lawful food [in Islam] was also lawful for the children of Israel (Jacob) but Israel prohibited some of them for himself [and this tradition lasted] until the revelation of Torah [to Moses clarifying what is lawful and what is not lawful as far as God is concerned.] Tell them to study their laws first [before arguing about why such and such food which is unlawful in Judaism has been made lawful in Islam.]

3:94 Now those who fabricate something [in support of their argument], and say that it is the word of God, they are indeed the most unjust [to their own soul.]

3:95 Say: “God speaks the truth; follow the religion of Abraham (Islam); he was consistent in faith and never worshipped any other [false] deity

3:96 The first house dedicated to the worship of God [by Abraham] is [still standing] in Mecca; a blessed place [by God] for the guidance of people at large

3:97 In Mecca there are clear signs [of the Lord’s will to keep this cite as the center of His worship.] You will find there a spot where Abraham used to worship. God has made Mecca a sanctuary; whoever enters there, will find safety and security (even during the dark ages of ignorance no body dared to disturb the peace of Mecca and any attack was dismantled even before being started.) Know that it is your obligation to God to visit this place for His worship, if you have the economic mean to travel there. The one who disobeys this commandment should know that God is self sufficient and not in need of anybody’s obedience [and disobedience of God is the person’s loss.]

3:98 Say to those who believe in the Scripture: “Why do you choose to disbelieve in these revelations of your Lord [which is in accordance with your belief]? Do you not realize that God sees whatever you do [and hold you responsible for your disbelief]?&rdquo

3:99 Say to those who believe in the Scripture: “Why do you stand in the way of the people who seek [the truth in] the revelations of God and want them to follow your crooked way while you know the truth (about the authenticity of Qur’an and the fabrication of the existing Scriptures)? Know that God is never unaware of what you are doing

3:100 A warning to the believers: Know that your following some of the people of Scripture, will lead you to unbelief

3:101 Why should you then turn into disbelief when God’s revelations has been recited to you and that His Prophet is among you? The one who puts his trust in God will definitely be guided to the Right Way

3:102 O you who have chosen to believe; respect the Lord the way He deserves to be respected (with the utmost respect;) and do not die unless your are a Muslim (in Arabic meaning: In the state of submission to God.

3:103 Hold fast to the rope [that God has sent you as a mean of rescue] and do not be divided [adhering yourselves to such an such sect, nationality, culture, etc.] Be grateful to God who put the feeling of brotherhood in your heart while you were enemies and saved you while you were at the brink of Hellfire. See how clearly God make his revelations to you; may you [choose to] be guided

3:104 Let there arise out of you a nation who invite each other to good deeds and remind each other of the consequences of wickedness. Such nation alone will attain the success

3:105 Do not be like previous nations who divided among themselves after having received the clear revelations of God (ordering unity among themselves); indeed they deserve a severe punishment awaiting them

3:106 On the Day that some faces will be bright (and glowing with joy) and some faces dark (out of sorrow), the laters will be said: “Do you remember to have chosen the disbelief after the belief? Suffer then the punishment of your choice.”

3:107 [On the contrary,] Those whose face will be lit up, they will be in the [kingdom of] God’s mercy and will live there forever

3:108 These are the words of God revealed to you in truth; God does not mean any injustice to none of His creatures

3:109 Whatever there is in the heavens and the earth belongs to God and eventually they will all return to Him

3:110 You (Mohammad and his followers) are the best community ever appeared among the mankind as you invite people to do good, forbid them of evil deeds and believe in God. If the people of the Scripture would also believe in God, it would be good for them. Some of them believe but most of them are the sinners

3:111 They can never seriously harm you. At most they may harm you a little bit. If the war is declared between you, they will turn away and flee. Rest assured that they are helpless (lions made of the straw.

3:112 For the simple reason that they have turned their backs to the revelations of God, and have gone so far as to kill the Lord’s Prophets, they are cursed by God. Consequently, they will be disgraced and humiliated whenever they face you unless they uphold God’s covenant as well as respect their peace treaty with you. A little bit security that they may enjoy is not earned by them but has been the result of the help and kindness of others (American help in case of Israel, for instance.

3:113 Not all of the followers of the Scripture are alike. Among them there are righteous ones who devote their sleeping time at night to the recitation of the Scripture and worship the Lord in prostration

3:114 The latter believe in God and the Day of the Resurrection. They invite people to do good, forbid them of evil deeds and rush to participate in good deeds. Such people are indeed the righteous ones

3:115 All their good deeds will be accepted by God. God is fully aware of (and rewards) the righteous

3:116 Those who choose the disbelief, on the contrary, will not find their wealth and children of any help in the court of God. They will end up in the Hellfire and have to bear it for the eternity

3:117 Their accomplishments in this world will be wiped out like a harvest scattered by a strong windstorm. God never means to harm them; it is them who are unjust to their own souls

3:118 The believers should not take as intimate friend those who do not think like themselves. The tongue of these outsiders have already declared their hatred towards your style of life (refer to the interviews of their leaders openly published in the Western media); imagine how stronger of hate they keep in their heart towards your belief. God is thus clearly warning you; may you use your brain

3:119 You extend your love towards them out of your belief in their (original/ lost) Scripture. They , on the contrary, seek a common ground with you at your presence and bite their fingers out of rage at your absence [as they cannot beat you in argument]! Say to them: “Die in your rage.” [They can not hide their wicked attitude from the Lord as] God is aware of the most innermost thoughts of every one

3:120 When something good happens to you, they become jealous and when you are in trouble they rejoice. If you continue your righteous way of life, their schemes cannot hurt you as God is aware of what they do [and will protect you accordingly.]

3:121 Recall when you (Mohammad) left your household early in the morning and began to assign to the Muslims their positions on the battlefield. Indeed God hears everything and knows everything

3:122 Two troops of yours (the one of Banu Salmah & Banu Harithah) were about to show cowardice (when Abdulllah bin Ubayy, the hypocrite, and his troop left the battlefield) not believing that God is present to help them. [This was a lesson so that] The believers should always put their trust in God [even though the odds seems against them.]

3:123 Already God saved you in the [previous] battle of Badre when you were in absolute desperation [ill prepared men versus a well prepared army of 3000]; therefore, be grateful and have the utmost respect to God

3:124 Remember when you [tried to lift their moral by saying:] “[Why do you worry?] Does 3,angels that God is going to send to help you is not enough?”

3:125 Yes; if you show patience and remember the Lord (and obey Him) in whatever you do, God will help you [not with 3,but] with 5,angels with certain marks [so that you may recognize them.]

3:126 God has told you this in order to make you happy and secure. Know that the help does not come but from God; the Most Great, the Most Wise

3:127 [God will help you] so that He may destroy a group of the disbelievers or to expose them and leave them alone, disappointed in their disgrace

3:128 You (Mohammad) are not in charge of anything. It is up to God alone to decide to either forgive them or punish them for them so unjust

3:129 To God belongs everything that exists in the heavens and on earth. He may forgive whoever He decides and punish whoever He wishes; and God is Forgiving and Merciful

3:130 O believers; give up the devouring of interest and increasing your money in that way. Fear God [and obey Him in this matter] so that you may succeed

3:131 And fear the Hellfire which is prepared for the disbelievers (those who disobey God.

3:132 And obey God and His Prophet; may you will be shown mercy

3:133 Rush towards the path which will lead to your Lord’s forgiveness and to the Gardens of Paradise which is as vast as the heavens and the earth and has been prepared for those who respect (and obey) their Lord

3:134 The latter are those who spend generously on charitable causes, no matter how rich or poor they are, control their anger and forgive the shortcomings of the others. Indeed God loves such graceful people

3:135 As to those who have committed indecencies or have been unjust to their own soul, they better immediately recourse to God and ask forgiveness for their sins and unintentional persistence in their wrongdoings. Who else but God can forgive the sins

3:136 Such people’s reward will be God’s forgiveness and the Gardens beneath which water flow. They will stay there forever; how wonderful is the reward of those who do good deeds

3:137 As to those who turned their back [to the revelations of God and chose the disobedience] you may see their miserable end for yourselves by traveling on earth [and passing through their ruins.]

3:138 These verses are being mentioned to be an admonition and a guidance for those who have the utmost respect for God

3:139 Do not loose faith and do not be depressed [in hardships]; if you be true believers, you will surely gain the upper hand [over your enemies.]

3:140 [Do not forget that] If you are wounded [in the battle of Ohud], the enemy has got wounds too. Know that God alternates the days of victory and defeat in order to see who the true believers are. God also blesses some with martyrdom. God does not like the unjust people

3:141 God [through hardship] separates true believers from the disbelievers

3:142 Do you really think that you will go to the Paradise without [passing successfully through the hardship and] proving to the Lord that you are firm (patient in dealing with difficulties) and devoted to the cause of God

3:143 You were wishing for the death (martyrdom) and now you saw it with your own eyes [in this battle and realize that it is not an easy honor to earn.]

3:144 Mohammad is only a [human being chosen to be a] Prophet [of God]: many prophets have already passed before him. Should he die or be killed [in the battlefield,] would you desert your ranks? Anyone who turns back does not hurt God in the least. God rewards only those who are thankful [that their Lord has guided them to the right path and show their gratefulness by action.]

3:145 No one will die without the Lord’s permission and it is [pre-determined and] written in a book. Those who ask for the vanities of this world will get it and those who ask for the rewards of the Hereafter will be blessed therein. I reward those who are thankful

3:146 Many Prophets and their followers fought with a firm belief for the cause of God. They never hesitated or became discouraged. God loves such believers who stand firm and never give up

3:147 Their only prayer was: “Lord, forgive our sins and shortcomings, give us firmness and help us to defeat the disbelievers.”

3:148 God [heard them and] gave them the best in this world and a reward in Hereafter. Indeed God loves the graceful people

3:149 The believer should know that if they obey the disbelievers, the latter will tempt them to retreat and end up losers

3:150 Know that God is your Lord and He is the best of Helpers

3:151 Pretty soon I (God) will cast terror in the heart of those who reject the truth, in account of their elevating the others to the level of God for no reason. Their destiny is Hell. What a miserable place for the unjust people to end up in

3:152 God indeed fulfilled His promise to give you victory [in the battle of ohud), giving you the upper hand at the beginning. It was you who disobeyed [the order of Commander Mohammad] and started a dispute among yourselves [and left your positions in order to secure your share of the confiscated materials.] Among you, there are those who are in love with this materialistic world and those who care about their Hereafter. Thus you were tried [to find out for yourself who fights for the acquisition of wealth and who fights for the cause of God.] That is how you lost and had to retreat. The Lord, however, forgave you as He is the most gracious to the believers

3:153 You were so afraid that your only concern was to flee, by climbing the mountain, without paying any attention to the Prophet who was calling you back. God then made you to worry about so many things [such as the possibility of your town being destroyed by the victorious army (outnumbering the population of the town), the loss of your fighting companions, the rumor of the death of the Prophet, etc.] so that you may learn a lesson and not to grieve for a loss in the future. Know that God is fully aware of what you are doing

3:154 After the ordeal, God blessed some of you (who had shown courage) with such peace that made you drowsy. The others (who did not deserve peace) started to entertain the evil thoughts of the days of ignorance, asking why they do not have any saying in their destiny. Let them know that it is God who determines people’s destiny. In their privacy they think: “If it was up to us, none of us would have died.” Let them know that [a person’s death is not due to the fact that he has been present in the battle ground and that] they would have met the death in their bed, if they had been destined to die. God thus puts you to the test to show you how strong your faith is. God is fully aware of the innermost thoughts of yours

3:155 Those among you who fled the battle ground were let to be possessed by Satan in account of some of their misdeeds. God, however, forgave them as He is the most forgiving, the Most Tolerant

3:156 O you who have believed; do not adopt the disbelievers’ attitude. The latter say to their kinsmen (who prepare themselves to go on battle grounds): “If they (the previous wars’ martyrs) had stayed with us, they would not have been killed” God will make it a disappointment for them [that their “advice” is not being listened] Know that life and death is at the disposition of God and He sees everything that you do

3:157 If you get killed or die in the cause of God, you will receive God’s forgiveness and reward which is much better than the disbelievers’ materialistic earnings in this world

3:158 If you get killed or die in the cause of God, what a pleasure better than being escorted to the presence of the Lord Almighty

3:159 It is a blessing of God that you (Mohammad) are a gentleman. If you were a harsh commander, your followers would have abandoned you. So, forgive their shortcomings and consult with them in the State’s affair. When you all come to a decision, stick with it and put your trust in God. God loves those who put their trust in Him

3:160 If God supports you, none can defeat you. If God [for some reason] abandons you, who else can help you? Therefore, in God the believers should trust

3:161 Even the Prophet of God may not abuse what he is being trusted with [and take more than his fair share of the confiscated materials in the war.] Those who act unfaithfully have to answer their Lord on the Day of resurrection; the Day on which every soul will receive what it has earned and none will be dealt unjustly

3:162 Is the man who seeks the pleasure of the Lord equal to the one who provokes the anger of God? The latter destiny. What an evil destination

3:163 There are different degrees [of grace and evil] that people earn. God sees everything [and rank people accordingly.]

3:164 Indeed God has blessed the believers by appointing a Prophet from among themselves to recite His revelations, purify them and teach them the Scripture and wisdom; they were in absolute ignorance

3:165 Now that you have suffered a set back you wonder why? Did you not make the enemy suffer twice as much (in the previous battle of Badr the Muslims killed disbelievers and got prisoners; in this battle of Ohud they suffered casualties)? Let them know that their failure is their own fault [who did not obey the order of Commander Mohammad; it is not the fault of God as] God is the Most Powerful

3:166 What happened to you in [the confusion of] the clash between two armies [which led to your defeat in the battle of Ohud] was with the permission of God, and as a trial, in order to expose the hypocrites [Muslim by name.]

3:167 When the hypocrites were told: “Come fight in the way of God or [at least] for your defense,” they replied: “We would have joined you, if we knew how to fight!” They were much closer to disbelief than belief on that day. Their lip service does not reveal their belief; indeed God knows what they hide inside

3:168 When they talk about their [martyr] kinsmen, they say: “If they had listened to us and stayed behind, they would not have been killed.” Tell them (Mohammad): “If you are so smart [and know how to prevent the death,] then avoid your own death.”

3:169 Never consider the martyrs as dead; they are indeed alive and get [a non-interrupting provision and] reward from their Lord

3:170 They are enjoying the audience of their Lord and they would like to inform their comrades [who did not achieve the martyrdom in the cause of God] that they should fear nothing and that they should never let depression overcome them

3:171 They are enjoying God’s blessings and grace. Know that God never fails to reward the [good deeds] of the believers

3:172 As to those who responded to the call of God and His Prophet and showed courage, in spite of their wounds [in the battle of Ohud,] and continue to be righteous and respect their Lord, there is a great reward for them in reserve

3:173 When [the 5th column tried to frighten them and] they were told that: “A mighty army is gathering against you,” they replied: “God is enough for us as protector and we put our trust in His Most Excellency”; thus, [in account of their attitude] they attained a higher level of the belief

3:174 They returned gracefully back with no harm. God was pleased with them and God’s bounty is limitless

3:175 It is the devil who wants you to fear his allies. Do not fear them. Fear only Me (God), if you are a true believer

3:176 Never let those who conveniently choose the disbelief to put you down. They can not harm the Lord the least. It is the intention of God to give them nothing good in the Hereafter and submit them to a miserable punishment

3:177 Those who trade off their belief for disbelief, are indeed buying the Lord’s painful punishment

3:178 The disbelievers are wrong in thinking that I have left them alone for their own good. On the contrary, they are left alone [and deprived of guidance] so that they increasingly engage in sins and deserve their terrible punishment

3:179 God will not take you to a higher level until you go through your trials and the good is separated from the wicked. Also, God will not reveal the secrets of the world of unseen except to those of His Messenger that He decides to give such knowledge. If you believe in God and His Prophet, do good deeds and avoid the evil, yours will be a great reward

3:180 It is not very smart of those who [passionately] hold on to what God has [generously] given them [and do not spend nothing out of it on charity.] On the Day of Judgment, they have to carry the heavy burden of what they hoard around their neck. God is the One Who will eventually take back whatever is in the heavens and on earth and He is totally aware of what you are doing

3:181 God indeed heard those [Jews] who jokingly said: “God is poor and we are rich.” I have recorded their saying and their [evil deeds such as] killing My Prophet for the simple reason that they were defending the truth. [In the Day of Judgment,] I will tell them: “Taste the punishment of the Fire.”

3:182 “This is what you have earned.” God will never show any injustice to those who serve him

3:183 They (the Jews) also say: “God has asked us not to believe in any Prophet unless his sacrifice is being struck with a thunder from the heaven.” Tell them: “If it is so, then why did you kill the previous Prophets who performed such a miracle (refer to the case of Prophet Elijah in I Kings, 18-19)?”

3:184 Never mind, If they (those who adhere to Scripture) reject you; they rejected many Prophets before you who came with undeniable miracles and brought Psalm and enlightening Scriptures

3:185 Every soul will taste the death. It is only on the Day of Resurrection that you will get your reward (the real life in Paradise.) Only those who are saved from the Fire and admitted to the Gardens of Paradise, have attained the main objective of life. As to this worldly life, it is nothing but an illusion and deceptive vanities

3:186 You will be tried through your wealth and your life. You will be called names by the followers of the previous Scriptures as well as idol worshippers. But if you stand firm and lead a righteous life, you have used the means for success

3:187 Recall that God took a covenant from the followers of the Scripture that they should not hide the truth and that they should spread it [Deuteronomy (4:2), (6:7-9). Unfortunately they broke their promise [up to the point that years after Moses they did not know that there was such book known as Torah (see II Kings, 22:8-13)] and traded their faith for a hand full of money. What a loss their deal was

3:188 Those who pretend that they are engaged in good deeds and like to be praised for what they have not done [refer to the above mentioned covenant] will not escape the punishment. . The fact is that a terrible punishment is waiting for them

3:189 To God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and He is capable of doing whatever He desires

3:190 Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alteration of night and day there are many thought provoking issues for those who use their brains

3:191 [At awe with cosmos,] They talk to God standing, sitting and lying down and say: “Lord, you have not created this awesome universe in vain; praise the Lord. May you save us from the torment of the Hellfire.”

3:192 “Lord, you surely have humiliated the one whom you cast into the Hellfire; indeed those who have been unjust to their soul have no one to help them.”

3:193 “Lord, we heard someone inviting us to choose the faith. We accepted his invitation. Now; kindly forgive our sins, cover our wrong deeds and include us among the righteous people.”

3:194 “Lord, grant us what you promised to your Prophets and do not put us to the shame on the Day of Resurrection; you never renege your promise.”

3:195 The response of their lord [to such prayers] was: “ I never let go to waste any good deed of yours, male or female alike; you are all equal in My Sight as human beings. I will, therefore forgive the shortcomings of those who were expelled from their homes, left their homes for my sake or were persecuted [in account of their belief.] I will admit them to the Gardens where canals flow underneath.” Such is the Lord’s reward and none can reward as generously as God

3:196 Do not be impressed with the apparent success of the disbelievers

3:197 Their success is short in nature and their destiny is Hell which is a horrible place to end in

3:198 As to those who have the utmost respect for their Lord, they will end up in the Gardens where water flows underneath. They will live there forever. Such is the hospitality of God and what God grants is the best

3:199 Among the followers of the Scripture there are some who believe in God, the previous revelations and what is revealed to you. They have the utmost respect for the Lord and do not trade his revelations for a hand full of money. They will also have their reward as God’s judgment will come pretty soon

3:200 O’ you who have chosen to believe, stand firm, be patient, be ready [to carry out your Godly mission] and have the utmost respect towards your Lord; may you be successful