58 Page Notes

03 Surah Ali-Imran (continued)

Page __ Grammar 

Page 58 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

3:62

3:63

3:64

3:65

3:66

3:67

3:68

3:69

3:70

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 58 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 58 of the standard Madinah Quran covers Surah Ali 'Imran (Chapter 3), verses 62 through 70. This section concludes the direct aftermath of the debate with the Christian delegation of Najran, issues a universal call to the People of the Book to unite on the core platform of Monotheism (Tawhid), corrects misconceptions regarding the religion of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), and warns against the subtle efforts of certain factions to mislead the believers.

The prophetic traditions (Hadith) and contexts of revelation provide essential insights into these verses.

1. Verse 64: The Universal Call to Common Terms

"Say, 'O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah.' But if they turn away, then say, 'Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].'"

This verse is historically famous as the diplomatic and theological foundation used by the Prophet ﷺ in his international correspondence with world leaders.

The Letter to Heraclius, Emperor of Rome

• The Hadith: In a lengthy and highly foundational narration, Abu Sufyan described his meeting with Heraclius in Syria. Heraclius questioned him thoroughly about the Prophet's lineage, message, and followers. At the end of the meeting, Heraclius called for the official letter sent to him by the Prophet ﷺ via his envoy, Dihyah al-Kalbi. The letter read:
  "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the slave of Allah and His Messenger, to Heraclius, the ruler of Byzantine... I invite you with the invitation of Islam... If you turn away, you will bear the sin of your subjects. 'O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah...' (quoting verse 64 in full)."

• Citation: Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 1, Hadith 7) and Sahih Muslim (Book 32, Hadith 98).

The Definition of "Taking One Another as Lords"

The verse warns against "taking one another as lords instead of Allah." The Sunnah explicitly explains what this means in practice.

• The Hadith: Adi ibn Hatim (a companion who was formerly a Christian) came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was reciting this section of Surah Ali 'Imran. Adi remarked: "O Messenger of Allah, we did not worship our priests and rabbis." The Prophet ﷺ replied: "Is it not true that they made lawful what Allah had forbidden, and you made it lawful? And they made forbidden what Allah had made lawful, and you made it forbidden?" Adi replied, "Yes." The Prophet ﷺ said: "That was your worship of them."

• Citation: Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Hadith 3095; graded as Hasan/sound in supporting chains) and recorded by Imam Tabari.

2. Verses 67–68: The Legacy of Abraham

"Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was one pure of faith, a Muslim [submitting to Allah], and he was not of the polytheists. Indeed, the most worthy of mankind of Abraham are those who followed him [in his time] and this Prophet, and those who believe..."

Both the Jews and Christians of Medina claimed exclusive religious inheritance over Abraham to legitimize their rejection of Islam. These verses redefine true alignment with Abraham based on faith and practice, not just ethnicity.

The Prophet’s Lineage and Bond with Abraham

• The Hadith: To illustrate the deep spiritual and prophetic connection mentioned in verse 68 ("the most worthy of mankind of Abraham... is this Prophet"), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stated: "Every Prophet has a guardian/ally (Wali) from among the Prophets. As for me, my ally among them is my father, Abraham, the close friend (Khalil) of my Lord." He then recited this exact verse: "Indeed, the most worthy of mankind of Abraham are those who followed him..."

• Citation: Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Hadith 2995) and Musnad Ahmad.

3. Verses 69–70: Warning Against Misguidance

"A faction of the People of the Scripture wish they could mislead you. But they do not mislead except themselves, and they perceive it not. O People of the Scripture, why do you disbelieve in the verses of Allah while you witness [to their truth]?"

The Context of Revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul)

• The Sunnah Context: Early scholars of Tafsir record that these verses were revealed regarding specific figures among the Jewish tribes of Medina (such as Mu'adh ibn Jabal's interactions with certain rabbis). Factions among them actively attempted to plant seeds of doubt among the less knowledgeable companions of the Prophet ﷺ to draw them away from Islam.

• Connection: Commentators like Ibn Abbas noted that their "witnessing to the truth" (while you witness) refers to the explicit descriptions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ found directly in their own scriptures (the Torah and Gospel), which they recognized as clearly as they recognized their own children.

• Citation: Ibn Abi Hatim and Tafsir al-Tabari under the exegesis of verse 70.