thumb|right|Double-page with the beginning of the chapter Al Imran. Text page written in gold [[thuluth script outlined in black, with the chapter heading overlaid in red ink. From the Qur'an commissioned by the future sultan Baibars in 1304. British Library]]

Al Imran (, ; The Family of Imran) is the third chapter (sūrah) of the Quran with two hundred verses (āyāt). This chapter is named after the family of Imran (Joachim), which includes Imran, Saint Anne (wife of Imran), Mary, and Jesus.

Regarding the timing and contextual background of the asbāb al-nuzūl or circumstances of revelation, the chapter is believed to have been either the second or third of the Medinan surahs, as it references both the events of the battles of Badr and Uhud. Almost all of it also belongs to the third Hijri year, though a minority of its verses might have been revealed during the visit of the deputation of the Christian community of Najran at the event of the mubahala, which occurred around the 10th year of the Hijrah. Muhammad al-Bukhari giving commentary about the conclusion of this verse by correlate the subsequent event about the conversation between Muhammad and Gabriel, that the help which Allah sent down to bring victory to the Muslims were in the form of the army of best angels among their kinds. Michael, Raphael The complete narration from Al-Hakim al-Nishapuri: , a hadith scholar from Córdoba in al-Andalus, century, evaluated this hadith and found it ḍaʻīf (weak). However, recent scholarship from Ali Hasan al-Halabi has noted there is another hadith which supported the participation of Raphael in Badr|group="Notes" and thousands of the best angels from the third level of sky, all came to the battle of Badr. According to a Hadith narrated by Suyuti, the third sky angels were said to rode horses.

  • 125 The angels that came to aid the Muslims in Badr has been strengthened by another five thousands of their kinds who wearing distinctive marks on their bodies, and on their horses which they rode which will be recognized by the Muslims in the battlefield. more ️clearer source has stated that the angels has taken form of Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, companion of Muhammad. Zubayr were said usually wore yellow turban most of the time, as prophet Muhammad spoke in hadith the army of angels dressing in yellow headgear and the clothing similar to Zubayr's attire.
  • 126 According to various Qur'anic Tafsir scholars, particularly those who endorsed by Religious ministry of Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, this verse affirms that the victory of Muslims in Badr were solely due to the help from God who sent His angels as sign good news and fulfilment of the promise to give them victory in battle.
  • 128-129 Disheartened Muslims encouraged
  • 130-136 Usury forbidden
  • 137-138 The doom of defamers of the apostles
  • 139-144 Islam not dependent on Muhammad for success
  • 145-148 The former prophets are examples of perseverance
  • 149-151 Unbelievers to be avoided
  • 152-153 Certain Muslims disobedient at Uhud
  • 154 This verse narrates the feel drowsiness and comfort which covers the Muslims before the battle.|group="Notes"
  • 155-157 The hypocrites rebuked
  • 158-159 Muslims slain at Uhud to enter paradise
  • 160-161 Mild treatment of vacillating Muslims
  • 162-165 The spoils of war to be honestly divided
  • 166-169 The faithful sifted by defeat at Uhud
  • 172 Regarding Battle of Hamra al-Asad participation of Zubayr ibn al-Awwam and Abu Bakar, as exegesis scholars believed that "those who responded to the call of Allah and His Messenger after their injury" depicted in Ali Imran, were intended to be az-Zubayr and Abu Bakar, two of Sahaba who lead the vanguard of this battle, after they receiving injuries from the battle of Uhud.
  • 173-176 Certain Muslims commended for faithfulness
  • 177-180 The fate of unbelievers
  • 181 The miser's doom
  • 182-190 Scoffing Jews denounced—they charge Muhammad with imposture
  • 191-195 Meditations and prayers of the pious
  • 196-198 God's answer to the prayers of the pious
  • 199 Certain believing Jews and Christians commended
  • 200 Exhortation to patience and perseverance

3:33 The family of Imran

The chapter takes its name from the family of Imran mentioned in verse .

According to Christian tradition, Joachim is the husband of Saint Anne and the father of Mary, mother of Jesus. As there is sparse evidence for Joachim being the name for the father of Mary, the Quranic account possibly alludes to the pun of Miriam, the daughter of Amram and sister of Aaron, for whom Muslim tradition believes Mary is named after. It also serves as a common focal point for Jewish and Christian audiences.

According to Iraqi Jewish translator, N.J. Dawood, the Quran confuses Mary the mother of Jesus with Mary the sister of Moses by referring to the former's father as Imran, which is the Arabic version of Amram, who, in Exodus 6:20, is shown to be the father of Moses. Dawood, in a note to Surah 19:28, where Mary the mother of Jesus is referred to as the "Sister of Aaron" (Aaron was the brother of Mary sister of Moses) states: "It appears that Miriam, Aaron's sister, and Maryam (Mary), mother of Jesus, were according to the Quran, the same person." Although Islamic studies of the beginning of the 20th century tended to note genealogical discrepancies, in more recent Islamic studies of the 21st century the general consensus is, according to Angelika Neuwirth, Nicolai Sinai and Michael Marx, that the Quran does not make a genealogical error but instead makes use of typology. This is, following Wensinck's conclusion, supported by the figurative speech of the Quran and the Islamic tradition:

Similarly, Stowasser concludes that "to confuse Mary the mother of Jesus with Mary the sister of Moses and Aaron in Torah is completely wrong and in contradiction to the sound Hadith and the Qur'anic text as we have established". Rather it serves as a pun for the name Miriam, daughter of Amram and the sister of Aaron, venerated for helping to save her brother Moses as an infant. According to Muslim tradition, she serves as the forebearer of that name for Mary, mother of Jesus.

This matter has been explained in the following Hadith:

Ibn Kathir (d.1373) also commented on this in his Quranic exegesis (tafsir), recalling the Arab tradition of addressing a person as the brother or sister of their notable ancestor:

Appendix

Notes

References

Bibliography

  • , 1930 translation by Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
  • Quran 3, 2020 Khattab translation
  • Q3:1, a verse-by-verse comparison of various translations
  • Qur'anic verses, a fragment of a 14th century Persian Quran showing verses 85-88