Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:102-103)

Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:102-103)

By: Mohammad Sobhanie

Invitation to Righteousness

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ ‎﴿١٠٢﴾‏ وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا ۚ وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ‎﴿١٠٣﴾‏‏

3:102 O’ you who have believed, fear Allah (SWT) as God should be feared and do not die except as Muslims (in submission to God).

3:103 And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah (SWT) upon you – when you were enemies and God brought your hearts together and you became, by God’s Favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and God saved you from it. Thus does Allah (SWT) make clear to you God’s Signs that you may be guided.

Commentary: During the pre-Islamic period, two prominent tribes, Aws and Khazraj, in Medina were engaged in a conflict that lasted for over a hundred years. They frequently launched surprise attacks on one another, causing considerable loss of life and property.

One of the notable successes of the Prophet  of Islam(PBUH) after his migration to Madinah was to establish peace and harmony between the two tribes through the teachings of Islam, resulting in a powerful front in Madinah.

Nonetheless, their unity was new and fragile, leading to the occasional resurfacing of old differences, which, if unaddressed by the Prophet (PBUH), could have incited war and hostility. An example is provided below: It is said that one day, two members of the “Aws” and “Khazraj” tribes, named Tha’labah bin Ghanem (ثعلبة بن غنم) and As’ad bin Zurarah (اسعد بن زراره), met and began to boast about the honors their respective tribes had received after embracing Islam.

Tha’labah, a member of the “Aws” tribe, said that “Khuzaimah bin Thabit” (خزیمة بن ثابت) and “Hanzalah” (حنظله), both esteemed among Muslims, belonged to his tribe, along with “Asim bin Thabit” (عاصم بن ثابت) and “Sa’d bin Mu’adh” (سعد بن معاذ).

“Asad bin Zurarah”, a member of the “Khazraj” tribe, noted that four individuals from his tribe played significant role in spreading and teaching the Quran. They were “Ubay bin Ka’b” (ابى بن کعب), “Mu’adh bin Jabal” (معاذ بن جبل), “Zayd bin Thabit” (زید بن ثابت), and “Abu Zayd” (ابو زید). Additionally, “Sa’d bin Ubadah” (سعد بن عباده), the leader and orator of the people of Madinah, is also one of them.

As the conversation heated up, both tribes became more aware of the situation and engaged in the discussion. Before long, what started as a conversation escalated into a dispute and conflict, with both sides willing to resort to violence and confronting each other.

The news of the incident quickly reached the Prophet (PBUH), who arrived at the scene without delay. Through his wise words and guidance, he successfully mitigate the conflict, restoring peace and tranquillity. It was during this time that the verses mentioned above were revealed, conveying a clear and emphatic message for all Muslims to unite.

Verse 3:102 emphasizes the importance of piety, stating that moral integrity is essential for fostering unity. A call for unity that lacks a strong ideological and ethical foundation is largely ineffective. Hence, the verse begins with: “O’ you who have believed (يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ), fear Allah (SWT) (اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ) as God should be feared (حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ).”

One of the essential rights of Allah (SWT) that human beings must uphold is to take God’s Commands seriously and fear of the consequences of ignoring God’s Decrees. When asked by his followers how to fear God, Imam Sadiq (AS) replied: “You should always obey God’s Commands and never disobey God. Always remember God and do not forget God. Be grateful for God’s Blessings and never show ingratitude.”[1]

The Verse concludes with the advice: “Do not die (وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ) except as Muslims (in submission to God) (إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ).”

Verse 3:102 reminds the tribes of Aws and Khazraj to stay vigilant, uphold their faith, and consistently practice Islam throughout their lives. It warns them that resurrecting old rivalries and returning to the ignorance of the pre-Islamic era will lead to their destruction and result in misery, pain, and suffering.

Verse/Ayah 3:103 reads: “And hold firmly to the rope of Allah (SWT) all together (وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا) and do not become divided (وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا).” The Verse highlights that the unity within the Islamic community can only be achieved if its members hold tightly to the “rope of Allah (SWT)” (بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ). This rope symbolizes any means that connects us to the pure teachings of God. It can encompass the Quran, or the Prophet (PBUH) and his Ahlul-Bayt (AS).

The reminder of Verse 3:103 reads: “ And remember the favor of Allah (SWT) upon you (وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ) – when you were enemies (إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاءً) and God brought your hearts together (فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ) and you became, by God’s Favor, brothers (فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا).”

This segment of the verse reveals the “social miracle of Islam.” Looking at Arab history before the advent of Islam, we see a legacy marked by deep enmities and conflicts. Over time, these accumulated grudges led to widespread warfare, where even minor disagreements could spark bloody battles.

Thus, the significance of this “great social miracle” of Islam becomes clear: Islam miraculously transformed a fragmented, hostile, and uninformed society into a united and brotherly community in just a few years. This achievement would have been impossible through ordinary means.

The remaining part of the Verse reads: “And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire (وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ), and God saved you from it (فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا).”

“Shfa” (شَفَا) means “the edge of a well” or a ditch, and its use in the context of recovery from illness relates to a person being on the brink of “health and well-being.”

The meaning of the word “fire” (النَّارِ) in this verse has sparked much debate among commentators. Some interpret it as referring to the fire of Hell, while others see it as representing the fires of this world. Considering the context of the entire verse, it seems that “fire” alludes to the wars and conflicts that erupted among the Arabs during the era of ignorance, often ignited by trivial matters.

This Verse reflects the perilous conditions of that time, which constantly threatened them with the dangers of war and bloodshed. Through Islam, God saved them from such circumstances, and in doing so, they were also saved from the burning fire of hell.

The Verse concludes, “Thus does Allah (SWT) make clear to you God’s Signs (كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ) that you may be guided (لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ).” The word “God’s Signs” (آيَاتِه) refers to God’s Signs of guidance.

Appendix

Khuzaymah ibn Thabit[2] (خزیمة بن ثابت), a member of the Aws tribe, was nicknamed Dhul-Shahadatayn, meaning “the possessor of two testimonies.”

His testimony was about a horse named Murtajiz (مُرْتَجِز), which the Prophet (PBUH) had purchased from a Bedouin. Later, the Bedouin denied the transaction, influenced by some hypocrites. In support of the Messenger of God, Khuzaymah stood firm and testified in favor of the Prophet (PBUH). Following this, the Prophet (PBUH) declared: “Whoever Khuzaymah testifies for or against, it is sufficient for him.” This declaration significantly elevated Khuzaymah’s status, and the people of Madinah, including the tribes of Aws and Khazraj, took pride in him.

Hanzalah ibn Abi Amir[3] (حَنْظَلَة بْن اَبی‌عامِر), known as Ghasil-al-Malaika (غَسیلُ الْمَلائکه), was a companion of the Prophet (PBUH) who attained martyrdom in the 3rd century A.H. during the Battle of Uhud.

According to historical sources, Hanzalah had just gotten married and spent the night before the battle with his wife, with the permission of the Prophet (PBUH). On the morning of the battle, he left for the battlefield and was martyred. After his death, the Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have remarked: “I saw the angels washing Hanzala between heaven and earth with rainwater in golden trays.”[4],[5] As a result, Hanzalah became known as Ghasil-al-Malaika, which literally translates to “the one whom angels bathed his body.”

[1] (يُطاعُ فلا يُعصى ، ويُذكَرُ فلا يُنسى ، ويُشكَرُ فلا يُكفَرُ) Ref: https://www.hadithlib.com/hadithtxts/view/1206678

[2] https://fa.wikishia.net/view/ خزیمه_بن_ثابت

[3] https://fa.wikishia.net/view/ حنظلة_بن_ابی%E2%80%8Cعامر#غسیل_الملائکه

[4] https://hadith.net/post/44617/حنظله-غ-سيل-الملائكه/

[5] رَأَيتُ المَلائِكَةَ يُغَسِّلونَ حَنظَلَةَ بَينَ السَّماءِ وَالأَرضِ بِماءِ المُزنِ في صَحائِفَ مِن ذَهَبٍ