TREASURES OF THE QUR’ĀN SERIES
Key to Āl‘Imrān
Resurgence of the Ummah
ABDUR RASHID SIDDIQUI
THE ISLAMIC FOUNDATION
Published by
THE ISLAMIC FOUNDATION
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Copyright © The Islamic Foundation, 2002/1422 H
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British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Siddiqui, A. R. (Abdur Rashid), 1932–
Key to Āl ‘Imrān: Resurgence of the Ummah
(Treasures of the Qur’ān Series)
1. Koran 2. Ummah (Islam)
I. Title II. Islamic Foundation
297. 1’226
ISBN 0 86037 386 X
Typeset by: N.A. Qaddoura
Cover design by: Nasir Cadir
In Precious Memory of
Our Dearest Brother Khurram Murad
A Trustworthy Guide and Mentor Whose Absence is
Keenly Felt. May Allah Bless His Soul. Āmīn.
Transliteration Table
Consonants. Arabic
initial: unexpressed medial and final:
Vowels, diphthongs, etc.
Short:
long:
diphthongs:
Contents
A Comparison of al-Baqarah and Āl ‘Imrān
The Personality of a Sūrah
The Central Theme of Āl ‘Imrān
The Structure of Āl ‘Imrān
Section 1 Verses 1-32: The Basics of Divine Guidance
Section 2 Verses 33-63: The Family of ‘Imrān chosen by Allah to serve His Cause
Section 3 Verses 64-120: Da‘wah to the Jews and Christians and their Intransigence; the Mission of the Muslim Ummah
Section 4 Verses 121-189: A Critique of the Battle of Uḥud and Guidance for Future Strategy
Section 5 Verses 190-200: Conclusion: Moral and Spiritual Resources
Some Major Themes
Purity of the Heart
Worldly Allurements
The Qur’ānic Concept of Dynamics of Power and Change
The Obligation of Da‘wah
Relations with the Jews and Christians
The Law of Tests and Trials
Shūrā (Consultation)
The Relevance of Āl ‘Imrān in Our Time
Foreword
IT IS INDEED a pleasure for us to bring out Key to Āl ‘Imrān: Resurgence of the Ummah in the Treasures of the Qur’ān Series and as a sequel to the author’s earlier work Key to al-Fātiḥah: Understanding the Basic Concepts which was well received as a highly useful guide to the Qur’ān. Brother Abdur Rashid Siddiqui, who has devoted much of his time to the study of the Qur’ān and has worked closely with British Muslim youth as their mentor, largely succeeds in enabling readers to gain or renew their acquaintance with the message of the Qur’ān. Key to Āl ‘Imrān offers a conspectus of the major themes and brings out effectively and energetically the relevance of this Sūrah to our times. This goes a long way in kindling the spirit of assimilating the message of the Qur’ān. Its study of the Sūrah in terms of its sections affords a helpful overview of the whole Sūrah, which contributes to its better comprehension.
Patterned after the late Brother Khurram Murad’s pioneering works in this genre, such as Way to the Qur’ān and Key to al-Baqarah: The Longest Surah of the Qur’an, Brother Siddiqui’s work aims at capturing the essence of the Sūrah, elucidates its main concerns and places the Sūrah in the overall context of the eternal guidance embodied in the Qur’ān. In so doing, Brother Siddiqui has painstakingly gleaned valuable material from authentic tafāsīr in Arabic and Urdu. Being familiar with the mindset and intellectual needs of English-speaking Muslims in the West, he has done a commendable job in drawing them closer to the Qur’ān, which alone ensures their success in both the worlds. There was