Surah 3. Aal-e-'Imran - The Family of Imran

On the Day of Reckoning every ’self’ will confront all its doings, good and evil. Every ’self’ would wish there might be a gulf of distance between it and that evil. God cautions you in advance, for He is Compassionate to His servants.

Say, (O Messenger) “If you love God, follow me. God will love you (blessing you in both lives), preserve your ’selves’, and save you from trailing behind in humanity and in the community of nations. For, God is Most Protecting, Full of Grace.”

[Hubb = Love = Full support = Having a common mission. Loving God = Following His Commands = Loving His creation = Benefiting others. God’s love = His blessings in both lives. Zanb = Tail = Trailing behind. Ghafarah = Helmet and armor = Protection = Preservation against deterioration = Forgiveness]

Say, (O Messenger) “Obey God and the Messenger. But if they turn away, then, God does not love the rejecters.”

[Obeying the Messenger = Obeying God’s revelations on him = Obeying the Islamic Central Authority. 4:59]

(The Qur’an is the Final Perfected Guidance for all humanity. But God has elected messengers before to convey His messages.) Indeed, God did choose Adam and Noah (Nooh), and the family of Abraham and the family of Imran above all people (of their times).

[Adam = Aadam = The human ancestor = The first Homo sapiens = Allegorically, Adami, the first humans = Mankind = Possibly a prominent early human = Perhaps a Prophet, but the chain of prophets begins with Noah. See 4:163, 6:80-85]

In one lineage. God is the Hearer, Knower of all things and events.

[Muhammad belongs to the same progeny of Abraham through Ishmael, and Jesus belongs to it through the family of ‘Imran. Now is related the Truth about Jesus son of Mary. History has made fiction of these two great servants of God]

The wife of ‘Imran prayed, “My Lord! I have dedicated the baby in my belly to You entirely (for the service of the temple). So accept from me. You are the Hearer, Knower.”

When she was delivered she said, “My Lord! I have delivered a female.” God knew best what she delivered; the male is not the same as the female. “I have named her Mary. I request Your protection for her and for her descendants from the rejected Satan.”

[The male she had prayed for could have not been like the outstanding daughter she was granted. This female would have a role that no male could have, in breaking the shackles of asceticism. As a ‘holy’ custom, a nun would either remain single, or rarely, would be allowed to marry one of the monks]

Her Lord accepted her graciously. (Mary was dedicated to the temple) and He made her grow in purity and elegance, a gracious upbringing, under the guardianship of Zechariah (Zakaria). Whenever he entered the chamber of Mary, he found that she had food. (Knowingly) he asked, “O Mary! Where does this food come from?” She said, “It is from God.” Certainly, God provides according to His Laws, beyond reckoning.

[Zechariah was a Prophet of God and a distant uncle of Mary. ‘It is from God’� Visitors to the sanctuary serve the saints. Many of them bring gifts when their vows are fulfilled. Yasha in reference to God = Through His Laws = Common mistranslation, ‘as He pleases’. Bighayiri hisaab = Beyond reckoning = Without account = Humans cannot reckon God’s Power of sustaining and providing the entire Universe. The last sentence of the verse cannot be a quote from Mary, as generally suggested, since she would not lecture a Prophet of God]

This was when Zechariah prayed to his Lord, “My Lord! Bestow upon me from Your Presence decent offspring. Surely, You are the Hearer of prayer.”

While he was still praying in the chamber, angels announced to him, “God gives you the good news of a son, Yahya (John the Baptist) confirming the truth of a Word from God. He will be outstanding among men, endowed with great selfcontrol and a righteous Prophet.”