of Nokounam, (Session 1373)
Surah Al-Imran, akin to a radiant jewel within the treasury of the Holy Quran, with its profound layers of knowledge and deep themes, opens a window towards understanding the essence of faith, jihad, and social responsibilities. This Surah, by addressing topics such as disputation over the truth, reluctance towards jihad, and ownership of the spoils of war (Anfal), invites humanity to contemplate the meanings of self-sacrifice, devotion, and loyalty to the Divine covenant. The present work endeavours, through a meticulous examination of the verses of this Surah, to convey its exalted meanings with eloquent language and a structured format, presenting it as a scholarly piece. The objective is not merely to elucidate Quranic knowledge but to connect these teachings with social and ethical issues that guide the Islamic community towards perfection.
The long Surahs, including Surah Al-Imran, resemble a profound ocean from which the extraction of epistemic gems requires diving deep and pondering on subtle intricacies. These Surahs, with their thematic diversity and semantic coherence, encompass faith, jihad, spoils of war, and social responsibilities. This complexity arises not from fragmentation but from inner cohesion and deep interrelation among the verses. Each verse is like a fragment of a vast tableau, finding meaning only in connection with the whole.
Surah Al-Imran, by presenting topics such as disputation in the truth after its clarity, reluctance of the believers towards jihad, and Divine ownership of the spoils of war, invites the individual to rethink faith and action. This Surah functions as a mirror reflecting the weaknesses and strengths of the Islamic society and opens a path toward reform and elevation.
يُجَادِلُونَكَ فِي الْحَقِّ بَعْدَمَا تَبَيَّنَ كَأَنَّمَا يُسَاقُونَ إِلَى الْمَوْتِ وَهُمْ يَنْظُرُونَ
They dispute with you concerning the truth after it has been made clear, as though they were being driven to death while they behold.
This verse refers to a group who, despite the clarity of the truth, resist it due to fear of death or loss of comfort. The phrase after it has been made clear indicates that the truth, like a shining sun, has become manifest to all, yet selfishness and fear hinder its acceptance. This disputation is not born of ignorance but rather from reluctance and unreadiness for sacrifice.
These individuals appear like lost travellers who, instead of stepping onto the path, engage in contention with the guide. This verse serves as a warning to the Islamic community that faith is not confined to mere assertion but is revealed through arduous trials such as jihad and selflessness.
كَمَا أَخْرَجَكَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ بَيْتِكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَكَارِهُونَ
As your Lord brought you out from your home with the truth, and indeed, a faction of the believers were averse.
This verse refers to the Divine command for the Prophet (peace be upon him) to leave the comfort of his home for the sake of jihad and defending the religion. The phrase Your Lord brought you out from your home with the truth symbolizes sacrifice and forsaking comfort in the path of truth. The Prophet, like a pioneering commander, is summoned to the battlefield of jihad, yet some believers, described here as averse, show reluctance.
This reluctance casts a heavy shadow over the apparent faith of some believers and indicates the conflict between seeking comfort and accepting responsibility. These individuals, in response to the Divine call, choose excuses over cooperation. The verse invites contemplation on the true meaning of faith and sacrifice.
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْأَنْفَالِ ۖ قُلِ الْأَنْفَالُ لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ ۖ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَصْلِحُوا ذَاتَ بَيْنِكُمْ ۖ وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
They ask you about the spoils of war. Say, The spoils belong to Allah and the Messenger. So, fear Allah and amend that which is between you, and obey Allah and His Messenger, if you should be believers.
This verse attributes ownership of the spoils of war to Allah and His Messenger and instructs the believers to avoid selfishness. The spoils, as resources gained through war or without a specific owner, belong to the Islamic community, and their distribution must be based on Divine justice.
Some believers objection to this ruling indicates a desire for personal ownership and neglect of collective welfare. These individuals regard the spoils as their own rather than a Divine trust. This verse underscores the significance of social justice and abstaining from egotism within the Islamic system.
One of the central challenges of Surah Al-Imran is the reluctance of some believers to participate in jihad. This hesitation stems from fear of death and loss of comfort. These individuals, when faced with the Divine call, resemble frightened birds that fold their wings and fail to soar in the sky of sacrifice.
This matter is explicitly addressed in the aforementioned verse (and indeed a faction of the believers were averse). The reluctance of this group is not only a sign of weak faith but also an indication of prioritising personal comfort over religious and social interests. Despite claiming faith, they exhibit frailty when confronted with difficult trials such as jihad.
Jihad functions as a mirror revealing the reality of faith. A believer reluctant towards jihad resembles a rootless tree that collapses in the face of testing winds. This verse urges the Islamic community to reconsider the meaning of faith and responsibility.
وَلِيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ نَافَقُوا ۚ وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا قَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوِ ادْفَعُوا ۖ قَالُوا لَوْ نَعْلَمُ قِتَالًا لَاتَّبَعْنَاكُمْ
And so that those who feigned hypocrisy would know. It was said to them: Come, fight in the way of Allah, or defend. They said: If we had known fighting, we would have followed you.
This verse explicitly points to those who evade jihad with excuses. Apparent faith is like a shell that cracks under severe trials and reveals the inner truth. True faith, however, is like a pure spring that revitalises in moments of hardship.
This distinction calls the Islamic community to reflect upon the depth of their faith. The Holy Quran, through this verse, asks believers to test their faith and progress from comfort-seeking to self-sacrifice.
A prominent issue in this exegesis is the critique of inequality in social participation, particularly in jihad. Frequently, the burden of arduous responsibilities such as jihad falls upon the poor and deprived, while elites and affluent individuals abstain. This inequality acts as a wound on the body of the Islamic society, weakening unity and solidarity.
This theme aligns with the verses of Surah Al-Imran that emphasise social justice. For instance, verse 75 of Surah Al-Anfal refers to equitable distribution of resources:
وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ خُمُسَهُ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ
And know that anything you obtain of war booty then indeed, for Allah is one-fifth of it and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives and the orphans, the needy, and the [stranded] traveller.
This verse stresses just distribution and indicates that the spoils must be allocated to the needy. Inequality in participation is a sign of deviation from Quranic principles, leading to the weakening of the Islamic community.
One of the challenges addressed in this exegesis is the lack of legitimate authority and Divine permission in the present time. Without the existence of a rightful guide and competent leadership, implementing Divine commands such as jihad becomes difficult. This matter is referred to in the following verse from Surah An-Nahl:
لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِ
