Surah Ale-Imran (The Family Of Imran ) 3 : 133

Overview  (Verses 133 -134)

A Reward Worth Competing For
 
Hasten, all of you, to the achievement of your Lord’s forgiveness, and a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God-fearing, who spend [in His way] in time of plenty and in time of hardship, and restrain their anger, and forgive their fellow men. God loves the benevolent. (Verses 133-134)
 
The prohibition of usury is stated more comprehensively and in greater detail in the preceding sūrah al-Baqarah, or The Cow. In our discussion of those verses in Volume I, we noted that when the sūrah states the prohibition of usury, it also speaks highly of voluntary charity since the two represent opposite approaches to social relations within the economic system.
 
They are the most prominent characteristics of two diametrically opposed systems: the one based on usury the other on the cooperative system. Here again we find that the prohibition of usury is followed by an emphasis on the virtue of voluntary spending at times of prosperity and hardship alike.
 
These verses make a definitive prohibition of all usury, warn the believers against the Fire which is prepared for the unbelievers and call on them to always fear God in the hope of being granted His mercy and of achieving prosperity. This is immediately followed with an order to hasten to the achievement of God’s forgiveness and admission into paradise, which is described as being as vast as the heavens and the earth. We are told that this paradise has been prepared for the God fearing. “
 
The first quality given here of this class of people is that they “spend [in His way] in time of plenty and in time of hardship.” They are, then, a class of people which is totally different from those who gorge themselves on usury and multiply their money by no effort of their own. Their other qualities are also defined: “Hasten, all of you, to the achievement of your Lord’s forgiveness, and a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God fearing, who spend [in His way] in time of plenty and in time of hardship, and restrain their anger, and forgive their fellow men. God loves the benevolent. Those who, when they commit a gross indecency or wrong themselves, remember God and pray for the forgiveness of their sins — for who but God can forgive sins?” (Verses 133-135)
 
The style adopted here describes the fulfilment of these duties in a physical movement representing a race towards a certain goal and for a set prize. The prize is forgiveness by God and admission to heaven. It is there to be won, and the believers are invited to make their race and vie with one another in order to win. The prize is set for those who fear God. These have certain qualities which are outlined in the next two verses: they spend their money at all times for the sole reason of earning God’s pleasure. They are, then, consistent in their attitude. They follow the way which pleases God, unchanged either by prosperity or adversity. When money comes to them in plenty, they are not preoccupied with luxurious living. When they suffer hardship and adversity, their sorrow does not become their major preoccupation. They are conscious of their duty at all times and in all situations. They are free from miserliness and greed. They watch God and fear Him. Man loves money and he is always reluctant to part with his money. Nothing makes him spend his money voluntarily in all situations except a motive far stronger than that of possession and self-interest. That motive is the fear of God. It is a pleasant, profound feeling which works on man’s soul so that it becomes free, unfettered by greed and personal desire.
 
The emphasis laid on this characteristic has particular relevance to the Battle of Uĥud. Reference to spending in the sūrah is made several times and in the same way as the repeated condemnation of those who refuse to come forward with their money for the cause of God.
 
They “restrain their anger, and forgive their fellow men.” Fearing God also works in this respect, providing similar motives and leaving similar effects. Anger is a human reaction which is normally combined with or followed by a fit of temper. It is both natural and essential to man. However, it can only be overcome through that higher perception made possible by the positive effects of fearing God and the spiritual strength which man achieves through looking up to horizons which are far superior and more sublime than man’s own needs and interests.
 
Restraining anger is only the first stage; it is not sufficient on its own. A person may restrain his anger but harbour a grudge. His outward fury becomes a deeply- seated, inward rancour. Needless to say, anger and fury are preferable to harbouring grudges and rancour. The Qur’ānic verse emphasises that the God-fearing do not allow their anger to become a grudge. They forgive others and do not harbour any ill feelings. When anger is deliberately restrained it becomes a burden, a fire which burns internally sending its smoke over man’s conscience in order to blur his vision. Forgiveness, however, ensures a release from that burden. It gives peace of heart and conscience, as well as an easy movement in a more sublime world.
 
“God loves the benevolent.” Those who spend their money at times of prosperity and hardship are benevolent. Similarly, those who do not hesitate to forgive others after having been angered by them are also benevolent. The Qur’ānic verse tells us that God loves all who are benevolent. Use of the term “love” here is significant. Its pleasant, friendly, bright and compassionate shades are in perfect harmony with the pleasant and honourable atmosphere of help and forgiveness.
 
Because God loves the benevolent and the good turns they do, those who love God also love to be benevolent. They have the best of all motives. The final comment is, then, not only an inspiring description, it is a statement of fact.
 
The community which enjoys God’s love and, in turn, loves God and in which forgiveness replaces anger and rancour is a strong, brotherly and closely-knit community. We see here how this directive is clearly relevant to both the military battle and to the battle of life.