Surah Al `Imran was revealed in Al-Madinah, as evident by the fact that the first eighty-three Ayat in it relate to the delegation from Najran that arrived in Al-Madinah on the ninth year of Hijrah (632 CE). We will elaborate on this subject when we explain the Ayah about the Mubahalah ﴿3:61﴾ in this Surah, Allah willing. We should also state that we mentioned the virtues of Surah Al `Imran along with the virtues of Surat Al-Baqarah in the beginning of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah.

﴿ط¨ظگط³ظ’ظ…ظگ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ط§ظ„ط±ظ‘ظژط­ظ’ظ…ظژظ€ظ†ظگ ط§ظ„ط±ظ‘ظژط­ظگظٹظ…ظگ ﴾

﴿ط§ظ„ظ… - ط°ظژظ„ظگظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژط§ط¨ظڈ ظ„ط§ظژ ط±ظژظٹظ’ط¨ظژ ظپظگظٹظ‡ظگ ظ‡ظڈط¯ظ‹ظ‰ ظ„ظ‘ظگظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈطھظ‘ظژظ‚ظگظٹظ†ظژ - ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ’ط؛ظژظٹظ’ط¨ظگ ظˆظژظٹظڈظ‚ظگظٹظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط§ظ„طµظ‘ظژظ„ظˆط©ظژ ظˆظژظ…ظگظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ط±ظژط²ظژظ‚ظ’ظ†ظژظ€ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظڈظ†ظپظگظ‚ظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¨ظگظ…ظژط¢ ط£ظڈظ†ط²ظگظ„ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظژ ظˆظژظ…ظژط¢ ط£ظڈظ†ط²ظگظ„ظژ ظ…ظگظ† ظ‚ظژط¨ظ’ظ„ظگظƒظژ ظˆظژط¨ظگط§ظ„ط£ظ’ط®ظگط±ظژط©ظگ ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظڈظˆظ‚ظگظ†ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) (1. Alif-Lam-Mim.) (2. Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists.) (3. It is He Who has sent down the Book to you with truth, confirming what came before it. And He sent down the Tawrah and the Injil,) (4. Aforetime, as a guidance to mankind. And He sent down the criterion. Truly, those who disbelieve in the Ayat of Allah, for them there is a severe torment; and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Able of Retribution.)

We mentioned the Hadith in the Tafsir of Ayat Al-Kursi ﴿2:255﴾ that mentions that Allah's Greatest Name is contained in these two Ayat,

﴿ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظ„ط§ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ€ظ‡ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط­ظژظ‰ظ‘ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ‚ظژظٹظ‘ظڈظˆظ…ظڈ ﴾

(Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists) and,

﴿ط§ظ„ظ… - ط°ظژظ„ظگظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژط§ط¨ظڈ ظ„ط§ظژ ط±ظژظٹظ’ط¨ظژ ظپظگظٹظ‡ظگ ظ‡ظڈط¯ظ‹ظ‰ ظ„ظ‘ظگظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈطھظ‘ظژظ‚ظگظٹظ†ظژ ﴾

(Alif-Lam-Mim. Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists.)

We also explained the Tafsir of,

﴿ط§ظ„ظ… ﴾

(Alif-Lam-Mim) in the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah, and the meaning of,

﴿ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظ„ط§ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ€ظ‡ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط­ظژظ‰ظ‘ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ‚ظژظٹظ‘ظڈظˆظ…ظڈ ﴾

(Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa, Al-Hayyul-Qayyum) in the Tafsir of Ayat Al-Kursi. Allah's statement,

﴿ظ†ظژط²ظ‘ظژظ„ظژ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژظ€ط¨ظژ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ’ط­ظژظ‚ظ‘ظگ﴾

(It is He Who has sent down the Book to you with truth, ) means, revealed the Qur'an to you, O Muhammad, in truth, meaning there is no doubt or suspicion that it is revealed from Allah. Verily, Allah revealed the Qur'an with His knowledge, and the angels testify to this fact, Allah is sufficient as a Witness. Allah's statement,

﴿ظ…ظڈطµظژط¯ظ‘ظگظ‚ط§ظ‹ ظ„ظ‘ظگظ…ظژط§ ط¨ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظژ ظٹظژط¯ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظگ﴾

(Confirming what came before it) means, from the previous divinely revealed Books, sent to the servants and Prophets of Allah. These Books testify to the truth of the Qur'an, and the Qur'an also testifies to the truth these Books contained, including the news and glad tidings of Muhammad's prophethood and the revelation of the Glorious Qur'an.

Allah said,

﴿ظˆظژط£ظژظ†ط²ظژظ„ظژ ط§ظ„طھظ‘ظژظˆظ’ط±ظژط§ط©ظژ﴾

(And He sent down the Tawrah) to Musa (Musa) son of `Imran,

﴿ظˆظژط§ظ„ط¥ظگظ†ط¬ظگظٹظ„ظژ﴾

(And the Injil), to `Isa, son of Mary,

﴿ظ…ظگظ† ظ‚ظژط¨ظ’ظ„ظڈ﴾

(Aforetime) meaning, before the Qur'an was revealed,

﴿ظ‡ظڈط¯ظ‹ظ‰ ظ„ظ‘ظگظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط§ط³ظگ﴾

(As a guidance to mankind) in their time.

﴿ظˆظژط£ظژظ†ط²ظژظ„ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظپظڈط±ظ’ظ‚ظژط§ظ†ظژ﴾

(And He sent down the criterion) which is the distinction between misguidance, falsehood and deviation on one hand, and guidance, truth and piety on the other hand. This is because of the indications, signs, plain evidences and clear proofs that it contains, and because of its explanations, clarifications, etc.

Allah's statement,

﴿ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظƒظژظپظژط±ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط¨ظگط£ظٹظژظ€طھظگ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ﴾

(Truly, those who disbelieve in the Ayat of Allah) means they denied, refused and unjustly rejected them,

﴿ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¹ظژط°ظژط§ط¨ظŒ ط´ظژط¯ظگظٹط¯ظŒ﴾

(For them there is a severe torment) on the Day of Resurrection,

﴿ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط¹ظژط²ظگظٹط²ظŒ﴾

(And Allah is All-Mighty) meaning, His grandeur is invincible and His sovereignty is infinite,

﴿ط°ظڈظˆ ط§ظ†طھظگظ‚ظژط§ظ…ظچ﴾

(All-Able of Retribution.) from those who reject His Ayat and defy His honorable Messengers and great Prophets.

﴿ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط®ظ’ظپظژظ‰ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظگ ط´ظژظ‰ظ’ط،ظŒ ظپظگظٹ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط±ظ’ط¶ظگ ظˆظژظ„ط§ظژ ظپظگظ‰ ط§ظ„ط³ظ‘ظژظ…ظژط¢ط،ظگ - ظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹ ظٹظڈطµظژظˆظ‘ظگط±ظڈظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظپظگظٹ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط±ظ’ط­ظژط§ظ…ظگ ظƒظژظٹظ’ظپظژ ظٹظژط´ظژط¢ط،ظڈ ظ„ط§ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ€ظ‡ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظژط²ظگظٹط²ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ط­ظژظƒظگظٹظ…ظڈ ﴾

(5. Truly, nothing is hidden from Allah, in the earth or in the heaven.) (6. He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He wills. None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Almighty, the All-Wise.)

Allah states that He has perfect knowledge in the heavens and earth and that nothing in them is hidden from His watch.

﴿ظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹ ظٹظڈطµظژظˆظ‘ظگط±ظڈظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظپظگظٹ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط±ظ’ط­ظژط§ظ…ظگ ظƒظژظٹظ’ظپظژ ظٹظژط´ظژط¢ط،ظڈ﴾

(He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He wills.) meaning, He creates you in the wombs as He wills, whether male or female, handsome or otherwise, happy or miserable.

﴿ظ„ط§ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ€ظ‡ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظژط²ظگظٹط²ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ط­ظژظƒظگظٹظ…ظڈ﴾

(La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Almighty, the All-Wise.) meaning, He is the Creator and thus is the only deity worthy of worship, without partners, and His is the perfect might, wisdom and decision. This Ayah refers to the fact that `Isa, son of Mary, is a created servant, just as Allah created the rest of mankind. Allah created `Isa in the womb (of his mother) and shaped him as He willed. Therefore, how could `Isa be divine, as the Christians, may Allah's curses descend on them, claim `Isa was created in the womb and his creation changed from stage to stage, just as Allah said,

﴿ظٹظژط®ظ’ظ„ظڈظ‚ظڈظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظپظگظ‰ ط¨ظڈط·ظڈظˆظ†ظگ ط£ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژظ€طھظگظƒظڈظ€ظ…ظ’ ط®ظژظ„ظ’ظ‚ط§ظ‹ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ† ط¨ظژط¹ظ’ط¯ظگ ط®ظژظ„ظ’ظ‚ظچ ظپظگظ‰ ط¸ظڈظ„ظڈظ…ظژظ€طھظچ ط«ظژظ„ظژظ€ط«ظچ﴾

(He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation in three veils of darkness.) ﴿39:6﴾.

﴿ظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظ‰ ط£ظژظ†ط²ظژظ„ظژ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژظ€ط¨ظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ظ‡ظڈ ط¢ظٹظژظ€طھظŒ ظ…ظ‘ظڈط­ظ’ظƒظژظ…ظژظ€طھظŒ ظ‡ظڈظ†ظ‘ظژ ط£ظڈظ…ظ‘ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژظ€ط¨ظگ ظˆظژط£ظڈط®ظژط±ظڈ ظ…ظڈطھظژط´ظژظ€ط¨ظگظ‡ظژظ€طھظŒ ظپظژط£ظژظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظپظ‰ ظ‚ظڈظ„ظڈظˆط¨ظگظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ط²ظژظٹظ’ط؛ظŒ ظپظژظٹظژطھظ‘ظژط¨ظگط¹ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ…ظژط§ طھظژط´ظژظ€ط¨ظژظ‡ظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ظ‡ظڈ ط§ط¨ظ’طھظگط؛ظژط¢ط،ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظپظگطھظ’ظ†ظژط©ظگ ظˆظژط§ط¨ظ’طھظگط؛ظژط¢ط،ظژ طھظژط£ظ’ظˆظگظٹظ„ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ„ظژظ…ظڈ طھظژط£ظ’ظˆظگظٹظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژط§ظ„ط±ظژط³ظگط®ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظپظگظٹ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظگظ„ظ’ظ…ظگ ظٹظژظ‚ظڈظˆظ„ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط،ظژط§ظ…ظژظ†ظ‘ظژط§ ط¨ظگظ‡ظگ ظƒظڈظ„ظ‘ظŒ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ†ظ’ ط¹ظگظ†ط¯ظگ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظگظ†ظژط§ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ظٹظژط°ظ‘ظژظƒظ‘ظژط±ظڈ ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ط£ظڈظˆظ’ظ„ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط§ظ„ط£ظژظ„ظ’ط¨ظژظ€ط¨ظگ - ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظژظ†ظژط§ ظ„ط§ظژ طھظڈط²ظگط؛ظ’ ظ‚ظڈظ„ظڈظˆط¨ظژظ†ظژط§ ط¨ظژط¹ظ’ط¯ظژ ط¥ظگط°ظ’ ظ‡ظژط¯ظژظٹظ’طھظژظ†ظژط§ ظˆظژظ‡ظژط¨ظ’ ظ„ظژظ†ظژط§ ظ…ظگظ† ظ„ظ‘ظژط¯ظڈظ†ظƒظژ ط±ظژط­ظ’ظ…ظژط©ظ‹ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژظƒظژ ط£ظژظ†طھظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظˆظژظ‡ظ‘ظژط§ط¨ظڈ - ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظژظ†ظژط¢ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژظƒظژ ط¬ظژط§ظ…ظگط¹ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط§ط³ظگ ظ„ظگظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظچ ظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ط±ظژظٹظ’ط¨ظژ ظپظگظٹظ‡ظگ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظڈط®ظ’ظ„ظگظپظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظگظٹط¹ظژط§ط¯ظژ ﴾

(7. It is He Who has sent down to you the Book. In it are verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book; and others not entirely clear. So as for those in whose hearts there is a deviation (from the truth) they follow (only) that which is not entirely clear thereof, seeking Al-Fitnah, and seeking its Ta'wil, but none knows its Ta'wil except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in it; all of it is from our Lord.'' And none receive admonition except men of understanding.) (8. (They say): "Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower.'') (9. "Our Lord! Verily, it is You Who will gather mankind together on the Day about which there is no doubt. Verily, Allah never breaks His Promise.'')